On our trip last month, my three carry-on bags (a rolling laptop case, a camera bag which also had my scanner and GPS device, plus a canvas carry-on bag with clothing, toilet kit, gaffer's tape, etc. came to a total weight of 50 lbs. for all three items.
Yes, the coach cars on the NER have luggage racks on one end. (it varies which way the car is oriented) that can fit larger luggage.
Well, I am not sure what you are asking as a "long layover" in Sacramento has little to do with an unstaffed Colorado station and checking in Denver.
As long as you’re ticketed for the portion you want to check bags, I can’t see any reason why not…
As long as you’re ticketed for the portion you want to check bags, I can’t see any reason why not…
You may be able to store your bags at the Sacremento station (for a fee) while you walk around. I have done that, but it was many years ago.
So you want to check your bags through to your Starlight destination from Denver? That would be fine as long as your Starlight destination handles checked bags. You could also day check carry ons between trains at Sacramento for Amtrak's standard $10/bag. At many stations agents will hook handles together and call it "one" bag, though YMMV on that.
If that were my scenario, I wouldn’t drive 160 miles roundtrip the day before, but would carry them with me to Sacramento, and upon arrival, check them to my destination, thus avoiding the storage charge.
Well, honestly, neither would I. I was mainly giving a hypothetical to demonstrate a clear question rather than a trip from mysteryville to undisclosed with a connection in Sacramento to something-or-other. Sacramento has relatively a lot of connections possible with Capitol Corridor trains and San Joaquin train/bus services as well as the Starlight.
The Horizon business class cars don't have overhead luggage racks, but they do have a fairly large luggage storage compartment at the end of the car.
The hubby and I rode in Business class (I think in a Horizon Business/Cafe car) on the Lincoln Service/Missouri River Runner to Kansas City the year before last, and didn't need to use the luggage storage area with what we were bringing for an overnight stop in KC (purse, backpack & overnight bag for me, and a duffel bag for the hubby). We didn't bother with the luggage storage area on the way back in Coach either -- although we probably should have, as Coach was more cramped. We boarded at an unmanned station, so we kept our luggage down to just what we could manage as carryons.
Actually, it turns out there are some Horizon BC/cafes with racks and some without. I've encountered both variants on the Cascades. But, like Forrest Gump's chocolates, you never know what you are going to get.
