Capitol Limited Bike Service with no Baggage Car?

[IndyLions]

I just thought I would leave a post here for other bicyclists who board at remote stops like I do. When boarding at an unmanned stop, your bike will not be tagged when put on the train.

I highly recommend that you place a very obvious (homemade) tag on your bike that indicates not only your name and accommodations details (if you’re in a sleeper) but also your destination for that train.

Then it will be easy for the train staff to offload the proper bicycle at the proper stop.

Of course, if you load your bike at a manned station – you are supposed to get it tagged prior to handing it over in the baggage car.

 

[IndyLions]

Another new experience with a bike I thought I should document.

When I have boarded with my bike in Chicago, I have always done so as either a Business Class or sleeper passenger. I can’t bring my bicycle into the Metropolitan Lounge, so after retrieving it from long-term baggage storage, I hang out outside the lounge (exit only) door where all passengers are typically led to the trains. And then I join the procession at the appropriate time.

In DC I have had two different scenarios occur:

1. In 2019, they had me line up with the bike in the front of the line with the coach passengers at the gate.

2. Yesterday, they told me just to bring my bike into the Metropolitan Lounge, and join the other sleeping car passengers to be escorted to the SuperStar (91).

YMMV - but that’s been my experience in CHI & WAS.