Pets will be allowed on all trains

[D.P. Roberts]

I apologize if this is being discussed in another thread, but I just saw an article stating that the new appropriations bill will require Amtrak to have a pet-friendly car on all trains. I knew about the pilot program in Illinois, but this seems like a major step up from that.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/amtrak-pets_565e0fcae4b08e945fed1062

The article leaves out many details (like how the whole program is supposed to work, other than fees), so I'm very interested in hearing more.

 

[fairviewroad]

Interesting. Had not heard that. I think the thread title is a bit premature...there are a lot of things that need to happen before the word "now" is accurate.

And even under the current pilot program, a lot of passengers riding on the trains included are still left out of the policy, since travel has to begin at

a staffed station. Still, the overall policy seems to be reasonable, especially the part about designating one car per train. Presumably this will be at

the end of the coach section farthest from the cafe/lounge so that other people don't have to pass through it. And hopefully conductors will accommodate

people who don't want to sit in the animal car.

 

[FriskyFL]

Omg...I pity the unfortunate wretches condemned to hell in the kennel car.

 

[D.P. Roberts]

Interesting. Had not heard that. I think the thread title is a bit premature...there are a lot of things that need to happen before the word "now" is accurate.

Okay, my title may not be 100% accurate, but the HuffPo article was annoyingly vague. It just says that all of this is on page 877 of the new appropriations bill - it doesn't say when it goes into effect, or how it will be different than the current pilot program. I get the feeling that it will be implemented soon, as they're required to report back to Congress in a year as to how it's going.

I also heard about it from a third party, non-rail source, so the information is out there. I wonder how/if/when Amtrak will respond with particulars.

 

[fillyjonk]

Omg...I pity the unfortunate wretches condemned to hell in the kennel car.

It'll be like the non-smokers getting stuck in the "smoking car" of old. (That happened to me a few times, despite my protest that "I have asthma" I was told "But this is the car that will be open at your destination")

Are they going to charge for pets? Maybe THAT will make Amtrak profitable

 

[afigg]

Interesting. Had not heard that. I think the thread title is a bit premature...there are a lot of things that need to happen before the word "now" is accurate.

Okay, my title may not be 100% accurate, but the HuffPo article was annoyingly vague. It just says that all of this is on page 877 of the new appropriations bill - it doesn't say when it goes into effect, or how it will be different than the current pilot program. I get the feeling that it will be implemented soon, as they're required to report back to Congress in a year as to how it's going.

I also heard about it from a third party, non-rail source, so the information is out there. I wonder how/if/when Amtrak will respond with particulars.

The pets on train provisions were in earlier drafts of the House bill (IIRC) and were discussed here, so this is not that new. What the final language is along with all the other Amtrak related items, we will find out when the final joint House - Senate conference compromise transportation bill is posted and then people spend days figuring out what is buried in it. Which according to the news, will happen this week. But the earlier draft applied only to the NEC and the state supported corridor trains, the LD trains or any train routew of > 750 miles were specifically excluded from being required to carry pets.

 

[sitzplatz17]

I believe Amtrak already announced the NEC pet program. There are number of restrictions and they do charge a fee:

http://www.amtrak.com/carry-on-pet-pilot

 

[neroden]

Cha-ching! The pet charge is substantial. Limiting it to five pets per train will limit the profits, but for each route with one-a-day it could be up to $90K per year. Maybe more realistically $20K.

Some people are being utterly hysterical about this. This isn't like toxic tobacco smoke which should never have been allowed in the first place. We already allow hairy mammals in the Amtrak cars; what's a few more? ;-)

 

[jis]

Airlines have allowed small pets in pet carriers in the passenger cabin for ages - even on 15 hour long haul flights. Many times I have discovered that we traveled with several pets in cabin only at the time of disembarkation. So really it is not going to be the end of the world or the western or even the American civilization as we know it.

 

[Lonestar648]

On the airlines the pets have to be small enough to fit in a carrier that fits under the seat in front of you for take off. These are not large pets. I have flown and been on the train when there has been a special needs dog on board, and except for boarding you wouldn't know they were onboard. There has to be a limit on the number and there has to be separation so the animals are not agitated by having another animal nearby.

 

[neroden]

OK, I get the point about separation. 5 seems like a remarkably low number per car; but I guess if you had a maximum of one pet per row and kept them at least 3 rows apart from each other, that would get you 5 per car.

 

[PaulM]

Omg...I pity the unfortunate wretches condemned to hell in the kennel car.

And I thought the 750 mile law was brain dead.

 

[D.P. Roberts]

Cha-ching! The pet charge is substantial. Limiting it to five pets per train will limit the profits, but for each route with one-a-day it could be up to $90K per year. Maybe more realistically $20K.

Some people are being utterly hysterical about this. This isn't like toxic tobacco smoke which should never have been allowed in the first place. We already allow hairy mammals in the Amtrak cars; what's a few more? ;-)

Then you've never smelled my cat.

I hate tobacco smoke, and it's very unhealthy for you, but I'd take it in a heartbeat over the smells my cat emits. I can't imagine being in a car full of passengers when that happens, they'd have to evacuate everyone...

Airlines have allowed small pets in pet carriers in the passenger cabin for ages - even on 15 hour long haul flights. Many times I have discovered that we traveled with several pets in cabin only at the time of disembarkation. So really it is not going to be the end of the world or the western or even the American civilization as we know it.

I've been on a plane with some penguins once, and another time we flew with some koalas onboard. They were all very well behaved.

 

[BCL]

Airlines have allowed small pets in pet carriers in the passenger cabin for ages - even on 15 hour long haul flights. Many times I have discovered that we traveled with several pets in cabin only at the time of disembarkation. So really it is not going to be the end of the world or the western or even the American civilization as we know it.

I've been on a plane with some penguins once, and another time we flew with some koalas onboard. They were all very well behaved.

Once I asked a penguin handler at a science museum a question during a Q&A session while the penguins were being fed. I asked what it smelled like inside the enclosure. The handler said that they can smell it a good 50 feet away from the door leading to the enclosure.

 

[capltd29]

Cha-ching! The pet charge is substantial. Limiting it to five pets per train will limit the profits, but for each route with one-a-day it could be up to $90K per year. Maybe more realistically $20K.

Some people are being utterly hysterical about this. This isn't like toxic tobacco smoke which should never have been allowed in the first place. We already allow hairy mammals in the Amtrak cars; what's a few more? ;-)

Then you've never smelled my cat.

I hate tobacco smoke, and it's very unhealthy for you, but I'd take it in a heartbeat over the smells my cat emits. I can't imagine being in a car full of passengers when that happens, they'd have to evacuate everyone...

Maybe you should have your cat checked out. I've lived with many Cats all of my life and never had an issue other than the litter box. That could potentially be an issue on a train though. Its not like you can take a cat outside and have it just squat. Cats are a bit more sophisticated than that.

 

[MattW]

Cha-ching! The pet charge is substantial. Limiting it to five pets per train will limit the profits, but for each route with one-a-day it could be up to $90K per year. Maybe more realistically $20K.

Some people are being utterly hysterical about this. This isn't like toxic tobacco smoke which should never have been allowed in the first place. We already allow hairy mammals in the Amtrak cars; what's a few more? ;-)

Then you've never smelled my cat.

I hate tobacco smoke, and it's very unhealthy for you, but I'd take it in a heartbeat over the smells my cat emits. I can't imagine being in a car full of passengers when that happens, they'd have to evacuate everyone...

Maybe you should have your cat checked out. I've lived with many Cats all of my life and never had an issue other than the litter box. That could potentially be an issue on a train though. Its not like you can take a cat outside and have it just squat. Cats are a bit more sophisticated than that.

Cat can't exactly go outside and squat on a 15-hour flight either can they? Or a dog.

 

[oldtimer]

Airlines have allowed small pets in pet carriers in the passenger cabin for ages - even on 15 hour long haul flights. Many times I have discovered that we traveled with several pets in cabin only at the time of disembarkation. So really it is not going to be the end of the world or the western or even the American civilization as we know it.

I've been on a plane with some penguins once, and another time we flew with some koalas onboard. They were all very well behaved.

Once I asked a penguin handler at a science museum a question during a Q&A session while the penguins were being fed. I asked what it smelled like inside the enclosure. The handler said that they can smell it a good 50 feet away from the door leading to the enclosure.

It is not nice to talk about Pittsburgh hockey players like that. :help: :help: :giggle:

 

[HenryK]

Possibly one problem with the pet car is that all the animal lovers will want to sit there, with or without Fido or Fluffy.

 

[andersone]

I can't wait to take my pet fish Eric to Denver

 

[PVD]

There are strong emotions both ways on this subject, I don't have a dog or cat, and don't have strong dog or cat allergies so I'm sort of neutral. We need to keep in mind that during the trial period in the Midwest, it didn't seem to create many problems. If the numbers of pets per train stays at a low limit (presently 5) and the "stays in the carrier under the seat" rules are strictly enforced, it shouldn't be a big deal.

 

[neroden]

You should get your cat checked out if it's smelling weird.

 

[fillyjonk]

About cat or other pet smells:

I've sat near people who apparently had something digestive going on, and there were some pretty strong smells.

I am allergic to cats and dogs but considerably less bothered by their hair than I am by cigarette smoke or even certain perfumes ("AXE" spray, gag).

I think the biggest issue would be people who would take the animal out of the carrier, it get loose, and either be hard to retrieve or pick a fight with another animal. But again, I think the, "You'll get off at the next crossing, possibly met by local cops" might help prevent that.

 

[Thirdrail7]

The worst is the smell that emanates from nail polish and/or nail polish remover. I'm allergic to cats, but I would put one around my nose and deal with the allergies before I sat in car with someone doing their nails.

It is an overtake.

That being said, as long as the animals are caged and they keep the numbers low, it seems to be working out. Has anyone heard of any issues?

 

[fairviewroad]

There are strong emotions both ways on this subject, I don't have a dog or cat, and don't have strong dog or cat allergies so I'm sort of neutral. We need to keep in mind that during the trial period in the Midwest, it didn't seem to create many problems. If the numbers of pets per train stays at a low limit (presently 5) and the "stays in the carrier under the seat" rules are strictly enforced, it shouldn't be a big deal.

So what you're saying is that....

DESPITE ALL THE RAGE, IT'S STILL JUST A PET IN A CAGE.

 

[PVD]

By law, service animals are already allowed on all trains. They are not in carriers, many are larger rather than smaller, the world as we know it has not come to an end. If proper rules are enforced, this will be a non issue. ​Let's see Amtrak get through a week without a rental freight engine pulling in a train before this is considered important.