Carry on size enforcement

[erinkg]

I wish Amtrak would enforce the baggage policy properly. They were not enforcing carry on size last week in the sleeper car on the coast starlight and there were piles of extra bags in the vestibule. When I asked them to check the huge bags, the attendant and the red cap just shrugged and said it was too late.

In the metro lounge a couple had a baggage cart piled with the largest bags I have ever seen. A red cap came by and asked if they would like to check the bags and the guy said no, because he didn't want to pay the overweight fee. The red cap said okay and walked to the next person.

I don't get it - are they afraid the passengers will complain about them or something?

 

[sunchaser]

I find this a bit odd. We have taken the Coast Starlight a number of times and not seen lots of extra or oversized bags. I have seen bags placed in unused rooms, and apparently there's a locked storage area on the outside of the sleeper. We had a Sleeping Car Attendant store bags there once. The issue we have had is that they refuse to check our bags because our end destination cannot handle checked bags, even though we have along layover in SAC where we can claim the bags. On our last trip, several Attendants gave us looks because we had not checked our bigger bags even though they were all legal size and we didn't have too many.

 

[erinkg]

I haven't seen this before last week, so maybe it's a fluke. The sleeping car attendant did say that it was very busy because of Christmas, but I always travel in a sleeper car during the holidays and had not seen this.

There were so many bags that they piled them in front of one of the exit doors and had to move the whole stack when they needed that door.

I hadn't thought about the stops that don't handle checked bags; however I know that the people with the large cart were stopping at a normal stop that allowed checked baggage.

 

[SarahZ]

I've seen it like that during the summer and holidays when it's full. If everyone has the two carry-on allowance (remember that's per person) and those bags are within the measurements (which are bigger than an airplane's limit), the luggage racks can overflow very quickly. Ours were overflowing on the SWC on Saturday, so people were stacking them near the doors. It's not very safe in the case of an emergency, but there was nowhere else to put them. I was especially irked that the SCA was using the luggage rack to store towels and sheets, making it even harder to fit bags on there.

 

[buddy559]

I am curious about this baggage storage in the vestibule. I have seen many photographs and videos which show things like, the step stool, or a large metal garbage can, and now baggage being stored in front of the exit doors of cars.

Is there no safety requirement that requires these areas to be kept clear?

 

[SarahZ]

There may be, but sometimes there simply aren't any options. The rooms only hold so much, you can't put the bags in the hallways, you can't store them in the restrooms or shower, not all cities offer checked baggage (so you can't do the train equivalent of a "gate check"), etc. When it gets busy like that, there really aren't any other places to put them.

 

[the_traveler]

It may be a, safety hazard, but where else could you put the extra bags? :huh:

And yes, you do have to remember about the stations that do not offer checked baggage service. If either your origination station or your destination station does not offer checked baggage service, you can not check your bags thru. (You can check bags from CHI to LAX or PGH to PDX because all offer checked baggage service, but you can not check baggage from EMY to KIN or SEA to Alpine because KIN and Alpine do not offer checked baggage service.)

You can short check baggage (like SLC to SAC or CHI to PGH - I have done so), but be aware that any guaranteed connection does not take into account the time to claim your bags! (You're on the LSL connecting to the CZ, and the LSL is very late and they hold the CZ, so when you arrive in CHI you're told to go right from track 26 to track 22 to board the CZ. If you go to baggage claim and wait for your bags and the CZ departs, the guaranteed connection obligation ends there because you could have made the connection, but chose not to.)

 

[buddy559]

I have no idea where you could put the "extra bags", somewhere that it would not pose a safety hazard would be my first suggestion.

 

[SarahZ]

I have no idea where you could put the "extra bags", somewhere that it would not pose a safety hazard would be my first suggestion.

There are no other places. That was my point.

 

[me_little_me]

I have no idea where you could put the "extra bags", somewhere that it would not pose a safety hazard would be my first suggestion.

There are no other places. That was my point.

Then Amtrak needs to come up with a solution. People may be injured or killed because of safety hazards. That's why they are called hazards.

There are numerous possibilities:

1. Tighter limitations on carry-on sizes
2. More restricted carry-on rules if boarding and destination stations have checked baggage
3. Temporary restrictions during peak travel periods
4. Waiver on some checked bag restrictions during peak travel periods
5. Stricter enforcement during peak travel periods
6. [Amtrak could probably come up with some more]

While not always appreciated, rules and restrictions trump injury and death any time.

 

[SarahZ]

I have no idea where you could put the "extra bags", somewhere that it would not pose a safety hazard would be my first suggestion.

There are no other places. That was my point.

Then Amtrak needs to come up with a solution. People may be injured or killed because of safety hazards. That's why they are called hazards.

There are numerous possibilities:

1. Tighter limitations on carry-on sizes
2. More restricted carry-on rules if boarding and destination stations have checked baggage
3. Temporary restrictions during peak travel periods
4. Waiver on some checked bag restrictions during peak travel periods
5. Stricter enforcement during peak travel periods
6. [Amtrak could probably come up with some more]

While not always appreciated, rules and restrictions trump injury and death any time.

I definitely agree on all counts. I hope I didn't come across as saying things are okay the way they are. We had a thread about this a while ago, with a picture of bags blocking the doors, and I was one of the first people to express shock that it was allowed. Then I thought about it and realized there aren't any other places to store bags.

I like your ideas; I wonder if they have ever been suggested to Amtrak before? I cringe when I think about the dramatic howls over restrictions on bags during the holidays, though. That's bound to get some flack from the trains-are-better-than-planes crowd.

 

[PaulM]

1. Tighter limitations on carry-on sizes
2. More restricted carry-on rules if boarding and destination stations have checked baggage
3. Temporary restrictions during peak travel periods
4. Waiver on some checked bag restrictions during peak travel periods
5. Stricter enforcement during peak travel periods
6. [Amtrak could probably come up with some more]

7. Remind the SCA to use the ski lockers in cases like this.

8. Provide baggage service at more stations. As radical as it sounds, Amtrak did reinstate baggage service at several stations, even when an agent is not on duty. My guess is that they did it for this very reason.

Speaking of this, has anyone had experience with "deliver / pick-up luggage train side"? Two of us will be departing FMD (Fort Madison) soon with 3 airline legal suitcases.

 

[Dan O]

When my son and I took a sleeper from LA to CHI this past summer, we brought everything in duffel bags. We could put everything under the seats in the roomette. We had 3 of them but could have fit a fourth one as two were under one chair and one under the other.

Dan

PS Have taken the SWC from LA to CHI and back twice and never had a problem w/ overhead space in coach. Trains were either sold out or nearly sold out. That's just my very limited personal experience.

 

[Peter KG6LSE]

I dont understand how hard it is to toss bags in to the bag car .

Have one of the employees rotate to open the beast up and hand bags out . AND Have them pre sort them as they go on and off . There is time in between stops to have a employee go in from the Trans dorm and " prep" for the up coming stops .

have them at the door ready to go .

If they can have post offices on rails then why not sort a few bags .

 

[AlanB]

I dont understand how hard it is to toss bags in to the bag car .

Have one of the employees rotate to open the beast up and hand bags out . AND Have them pre sort them as they go on and off . There is time in between stops to have a employee go in from the Trans dorm and " prep" for the up coming stops .

have them at the door ready to go .

It's not a matter of hard so much as it it a matter of time. Checking bags at the side of the train takes time and it delays the train. Potentially making matters even worse is the fact that at many stations the baggage car cannot be on the platform at the same time as the passenger cars as the platform isn't long enough. That precludes any possibility of carside baggage checking.

 

[Peter KG6LSE]

I dont understand how hard it is to toss bags in to the bag car .

Have one of the employees rotate to open the beast up and hand bags out . AND Have them pre sort them as they go on and off . There is time in between stops to have a employee go in from the Trans dorm and " prep" for the up coming stops .

have them at the door ready to go .

it it a matter of time. Checking bags at the side of the train takes time and it delays the train. Potentially making matters even worse is the fact that at many stations the baggage car cannot be on the platform at the same time as the passenger cars as the platform isn't long enough. That precludes any possibility of carside baggage checking.

the issue with spotting IS a problem and short platforms are gonna be a issue . did not think of that one ....

but let me put it this way . I know I could * toss* my bags up on a train and then make it to a Pax car .

I have a theory . the superliners have those awfull narrwow stairs .... and I allwas see tons of space in the overhead spaces .

I ll bet most of the stuff down stairs could fit up stars If they would just have a easrt way to get things up there . and then at that point make the down stairs less packed .

its a cascade of issues . Next time I am gonna pop my head in the lower level Pax area and see If there over head bins are as empty ... .......

My point is . I just wonder If they made every one put there stuff over there own seat and make the downstairs a Semi checked bag for the lesser staffed stations IF some how we could have "checked bags Lite " EG one checked bag per pax .......

at more stations where your bag goes down stairs in that rack .

do we know for a fact it would be over used . ?

It may just may be enough to do this .

I have no proof for it . but knowing what I take and the like then it may be worth while to study this and find out .

just a observation that merits some thought .

 

[the_traveler]

The problem with that is that checked baggage on either trains or planes (and you could say buses too) is in a secured area (baggage car, baggage compartment of the plane, under the bus). The lower level luggage storage area of Superliners is not secured. And I have seen many passengers try to carry their large suitcases up the stairs and around the 2 corners of 90°. The best I can say is that it delayed the boarding and departing process. That's not a big problem at the endpoints, but it could be at midpoints with a 1 minute stop.

And what would you do about retrieving checked baggage at smaller stops? Should Amtrak hire 1 baggage employee per car to check the tags? And if they only open up the doors in say the 3rd and 6th car, but you were seated in the 1st car, is somebody expected to go and open the door of the 1st car to retrieve your checked bag?

I personally think that's an answer looking for a problem to fix.

 

[chakk]

On all of my trips on Superliner coaches, I have seen a baggage storage area in the lower level coach seating area (i.e., inside the coach compartment beyond the sliding door) and rarely have the occupants of the lower level coach seating area filled this space with their luggage. So, I have at times put my luggage in that space if the luggage space at the bottom of the stairs was already full.

 

[Peter KG6LSE]

The problem with that is that checked baggage on either trains or planes (and you could say buses too) is in a secured area (baggage car, baggage compartment of the plane, under the bus). The lower level luggage storage area of Superliners is not secured. And I have seen many passengers try to carry their large suitcases up the stairs and around the 2 corners of 90°. The best I can say is that it delayed the boarding and departing process. That's not a big problem at the endpoints, but it could be at midpoints with a 1 minute stop.

And what would you do about retrieving checked baggage at smaller stops? Should Amtrak hire 1 baggage employee per car to check the tags? And if they only open up the doors in say the 3rd and 6th car, but you were seated in the 1st car, is somebody expected to go and open the door of the 1st car to retrieve your checked bag?

I personally think that's an answer looking for a problem to fix.

hence the Lite Idea...... the coach car atendent would be doing the look out .

she or he would tell pax to put the big one down below and the normal carry on's on top .

Its not ment to be checked but just a way to not penalize the folks whom are not at a major station . ]

Its just like we have now no tags . checks . but now its enforced to One full bag and then 2 carry ones and the laptop meds purse

no its not checked . its just a way to make it more fare to all users .

amtrak needs consistency , plain and simple .and the fact we have a "fragmented "system is a huge show stopper for many .

 

[oregon pioneer]

Speaking of this, has anyone had experience with "deliver / pick-up luggage train side"? Two of us will be departing FMD (Fort Madison) soon with 3 airline legal suitcases.

On my recent trip, at one station (can't remember which, sorry), passengers were instructed to pick their checked bags up directly from the baggage cart on the platform. I was out taking a walk, and particularly noticed this. It was a nice, dry day.

 

[Railroad Bill]

Speaking of this, has anyone had experience with "deliver / pick-up luggage train side"? Two of us will be departing FMD (Fort Madison) soon with 3 airline legal suitcases.

On my recent trip, at one station (can't remember which, sorry), passengers were instructed to pick their checked bags up directly from the baggage cart on the platform. I was out taking a walk, and particularly noticed this. It was a nice, dry day.

Happened both times we arrived in Salt Lake City. The carts were sitting outside and you picked up checked baggage there.

 

[FreeskierInVT]

The issue of where baggage goes really needs to be addressed and enforced. A passenger on today's southbound Vermonter had three full contractor sized trash bags and a suitcase, which they threw in the handicapped seating area and left. When they got off the train, they had the conductor carry all their belongings. Nothing was said about having excess carry-ons or about where the baggage was placed on the train, as there was ample room in the luggage racks at the end of the car and above the seats.