No Checked Bags at Cleveland

[Railroad Bill]

Just received a notice from Amtrak that there will be no checked bags at Cleveland station for my trip which is scheduled for Wed morning at 2:45am. Rather short notice and very surprised that we have now lost this service. Not sure if there was a problem with acquiring a baggage car on 29/29 or if this is a permanent change? Glad I am not checking luggage but our trips to Florida would be a real problem if we had to haul all of our luggage on 30 to WAS.
Will check with other AUers as to whether todays 29 has a baggage car.
RRB

 

[Rasputin]

Just received a notice from Amtrak that there will be no checked bags at Cleveland station for my trip which is scheduled for Wed morning at 2:45am. Rather short notice and very surprised that we have now lost this service. Not sure if there was a problem with acquiring a baggage car on 29/29 or if this is a permanent change? Glad I am not checking luggage but our trips to Florida would be a real problem if we had to haul all of our luggage on 30 to WAS.
Will check with other AUers as to whether todays 29 has a baggage car.
RRB

My guess is that there were not enough of the new baggage cars in storage in Florida so they had to take some out of service and send them down.

 

[Railroad Bill]

I am hoping that is the case and that this is not a permanent policy. I think there are going to be some people boarding in CLE in the morning that will not be happy, especially the many Amish who ride to Chicago and westward. Many people check their bags at CLE for longer distance transfers at WAS and CHI. Notice was way too short to accommodate that situation.

 

[Devil's Advocate]

My guess is that there were not enough of the new baggage cars in storage in Florida so they had to take some out of service and send them down.

Normally this would be an obvious joke but today it's hard to know where the dark humor ends and the real world begins.

 

[PVD]

The LSL also calls on CLE. Has anyone seen a notice regarding that train? Is something taking place at the station that would preclude handling checked bags, if it was an equipment issue/shortage it would likely result in no bags for the whole trip not just CLE. Curious as to "the rest of the story?"

 

[Railroad Bill]

I do not know of any construction around the station that might cause a problem. I have not seen any general announcement about CLE losing baggage service so this may, as suggested, be a limited occurrence for this particular train 29/29.

 

[Thirdrail7]

Occasionally, staffing issues have caused stations to cancel service for the day.

 

[pennyk]

I am leaving on the same train out of WAS. I received a similar email today (regarding no checked baggage out of WAS). My guess is that it has nothing to do with Cleveland and everything to do with 29/29.

 

[AmtrakBlue]

Just received a notice from Amtrak that there will be no checked bags at Cleveland station for my trip which is scheduled for Wed morning at 2:45am. Rather short notice and very surprised that we have now lost this service. Not sure if there was a problem with acquiring a baggage car on 29/29 or if this is a permanent change? Glad I am not checking luggage but our trips to Florida would be a real problem if we had to haul all of our luggage on 30 to WAS.
Will check with other AUers as to whether todays 29 has a baggage car.
RRB

We had a baggage car on 29(28)

 

[AmtrakBlue]

Maybe 29(29)’s baggage car was bad ordered

 

[pennyk]

Maybe 29(29)’s baggage car was bad ordered

On the train, we spoke to some passengers who boarded in Florida and checked their luggage through to LAX. Today, after receiving the email (and after checking their luggage yesterday), they were assured their luggage would get to LA. They are hoping their baggage is on 29/29 with them.

 

[Anderson]

Hoo boy...NGL, seems like this is a mess for Amtrak. I'm kind-of surprised they didn't at least offer to have folks' luggage "chase" them on another train (e.g. put the bags on the LSL, which makes most of the same connections, stops, etc.), especially given that checked baggage is one of those advertised, included services.

 

[daybeers]

So, does it have a baggage car?

 

[jis]

So, does it have a baggage car?

No.

 

[pennyk]

According to RRBill, the checked bags of Cleveland passengers (many of whom were Amish) were put on the Lakeshore Limited. There were a lot of bags.

 

[John Bobinyec]

Speaking of baggage on the LSL, I've ridden 48 out of Chicago and the baggage car goes to NYP. What do they do with the bags that are going to Boston?

jb

 

[Rasputin]

Speaking of baggage on the LSL, I've ridden 48 out of Chicago and the baggage car goes to NYP. What do they do with the bags that are going to Boston?

jb

There is no checked baggage on the Boston section of the Lake Shore. It used to have a Boston - Chicago baggage car and checked baggage but that was discontinued in a service downgrade last year if I have the correct date.

 

[John Bobinyec]

That's interesting because the LSL timetable still shows Boston as handling baggage. I guess it's just out of date.

jb

 

[Rasputin]

That's interesting because the LSL timetable still shows Boston as handling baggage. I guess it's just out of date.

jb

There is a very roundabout way of handling baggage at Boston on the Lake Shore. I believe Boston bound baggage goes through to New York in the Chicago-New York baggage car on the Lake Shore and then travels to and from Boston on the overnight Boston-DC trains 66/67. I believe there is at least a 24 hour delay. I can't imagine that many use this service.

At least that is how I understand it to operate. If I am wrong, hopefully someone can correct me.

 

[John Bobinyec]

I hope they can explain Springfield as well, because that's listed as handling baggage on the LSL, too.

jb

 

[Thirdrail7]

The Boston section of the LSL carries baggage (but not express or bikes) in the sleeper.

 

[Rasputin]

The Boston section of the LSL carries baggage (but not express or bikes) in the sleeper.

Not checked baggage from my experience last May. Excess luggage is placed by the sleeping car attendant in the outer room of the shower or in an empty roomette or in the space for luggage at the rear of the business class seats in the cafe car.

 

[Thirdrail7]

Not checked baggage from my experience last May. Excess luggage is placed by the sleeping car attendant in the outer room of the shower or in an empty roomette or in the space for luggage at the rear of the business class seats in the cafe car.

Excessive luggage that would normally be checked if there is a baggage car available, which is why there isn't a fee....yes?

 

[Rasputin]

Excessive luggage that would normally be checked if there is a baggage car available, which is why there isn't a fee....yes?

I was not talking about luggage which was in excess of Amtrak's luggage size rules or allowance for carry-ons. I was talking about luggage which was within the Amtrak passenger luggage allowance but would not fit in the passenger's viewliner roomette.

If the baggage car or checked luggage has been restored to 448 and 449, that would be news to me but I have been wrong before so corrections would be welcome. Checked baggage on 448 was not available last May. Our luggage (which was within the two pieces of luggage per passenger) which did not fit comfortably in the room was stored by the attendant in an empty roomette along with six or seven other bags belonging to other passengers.

This is the message that I received from Amtrak in December 2018 about our upcoming May trip:

'We wanted to let you know that checked-baggage service will not be available on your train #448, the Lake Shore Limited, from Chicago, Illinois on Wednesday, May XX.

Instead, each passenger can bring up to two carry-on items weighing less than 50 lbs./23 kg, and no larger than 28 x 22 x 14 inches. You can also bring two personal items such as a purse or laptop bag. Please note that other restrictions may apply. You can visit Amtrak.com for details about our carry-on baggage policy."

If anything has changed, please let me know.

 

[Thirdrail7]

I Checked baggage on 448 was not available last May. Our luggage (which was within the two pieces of luggage per passenger) which did not fit comfortably in the room was stored by the attendant in an empty roomette along with six or seven other bags belonging to other passengers.

This is the message that I received from Amtrak in December 2018 about our upcoming May trip:

'We wanted to let you know that checked-baggage service will not be available on your train #448, the Lake Shore Limited, from Chicago, Illinois on Wednesday, May XX.

Instead, each passenger can bring up to two carry-on items weighing less than 50 lbs./23 kg, and no larger than 28 x 22 x 14 inches. You can also bring two personal items such as a purse or laptop bag. Please note that other restrictions may apply. You can visit Amtrak.com for details about our carry-on baggage policy."

If anything has changed, please let me know.

The baggage car has not been restored. However, your letter is exactly what is wrong. Things are explained one way (anyone that wanted to "check" excessive luggage would be accommodated) and executed another way in the field.

Typical...and thank you for the information.