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Alana

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Good afternoon. After speaking with Amtrak, I'm still a little confused, so I thought someone on here could help me out.

I am leaving Harrisburg, PA and going to NYC Penn Station with the Keystone service. The web site says "No checked baggage hours" for Harrisburg. What exactly does that mean? I've read that at some stations, people can't check their bags. Is HAR one of them?

If I can't check my bags, does this mean that I am only allowed the 2 bags + purse for carry on?
 
Yes and no. As long as you can comfortably and easily carry the bags without help. You should not have much problems. (You might even have 3 bags.) There is plenty of luggage storage room on a train. It's not like on a plane where it "has to fit in the space under the seat in front of you" or "within the size of this container". As long as it's reasonable, I don't think there will be a problem.

A large standard suitcase is no problem, but a steamer case that takes 3 people to carry it is a different story. The luggage racks on the train are much bigger than anything on a plane. And if the train is not crowded, you might even leave your bags on your seat!
 
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I've brought very sizable amounts of luggage aboard trains that don't have checked baggage service. My experience is that the standard is you may bring as much as you can carry without any assistance. If you'll need assistance getting the bags on board, that's when you'll be held to the official limits. I remember once when I was boarding the NB Vermonter with a friend. I had two medium sized bags, and he had the same, plus a trumpet case and a large hard-sided ski case. I took the ski case since he had so much stuff, and we both climbed aboard the train with no problem. The conductor gave us some looks, but nothing was ever said.
 
I swear, I've seen people move on non-baggaged car trains.

And certainly, there are those who do so on baggage car equipped trains.
 
My experience is that the standard is you may bring as much as you can carry without any assistance. If you'll need assistance getting the bags on board, that's when you'll be held to the official limits.
IMHO, that's probably the best "rule of thumb" I have yet read.

If you can carry all your luggage onto the train yourself at the same time, you are OK. The doorways, stairs, and hallways are kind-of self-limiting to the size and amount of luggage you can have. :D
 
I swear, I've seen people move on non-baggaged car trains.
And certainly, there are those who do so on baggage car equipped trains.
Our pussycat, it died last week, the kids were so upset

The Mrs sent me into town to buy another pet

No other cat could quite replace the one that passed away

So I looked for something different to try and make the day

I went in all the pet shops (and a pub or two as well)

I saw dogs and mice and rabbits, and a budgie with a bell

But nothing took my fancy 'til just after half past two

I saw these green and scaly jaws and beady eyes of blue

Well, I made the bloke an offer, he seemed glad to let it go

And I thought I'd take it home by train for the tram'd be to slow

But when I rolled up at Victoria with the new pet by my side

I asked for one to Carrington, but the booking clod replied:

..... "Oh no! You can't take that thing on the train!

..... No, you can't take that on the train.

..... You can take along a tiger, or a puma or a bear,

..... An organ grinder's monkey, or a tortoise or a hare,

..... You can travel in the guard's van if you pay the normal fare,

..... But you can't take that thing on the train!"

Sometimes to make an extra bob I do a few odd jobs

Such as fetching things and carrying, to please the local nobs

When Colonel Smith was moving house, he called me out one day

And he sent me to the station with some things to ship away

There was cabin trunks, and bags and chests, and there was one thing more

The colonel brought from Africa (when he was in the War)

And I should take great care of it, it was his joy and pride

It had a big black barrel, and a wheel on either side

Well, I dragged it to Victoria upon a length of cord

And then I called a porter out to help us get on board

But just as we were managing to lift it in the van

Up runs the stationmaster with the rule book in his hand,

..... And says "You can't take that thing on the train!

..... No, you can't take that on the train!

..... The itinerant musician, he can take along his harp,

..... The man who sharpens scissors takes his grindstone in a cart,

..... And the Kensington Museum even take their works of art,

..... But you can't take that thing on the train!"

Last summer we decided (that's the Mrs, kids, and me)

We'd have a week at Skegey, where there's sun and sand and sea

I scrimped and saved a week or two, I even stopped me [cigarettes]

The Mrs wrote and booked the digs and packed up all the bags

And the time came 'round, the kids could hardly sleep,

But when we got them settled down and started counting sheep

The Mrs sidles up to me and says "Now, don't be mad

But you know how lonely Mother is since we lost our dear old Dad"

Well, I knew just what was coming and I couldn't help but groan

I wouldn't say she's massive, but she's wrong side twenty stone

And when we turned up at the barrier, our tickets for to show,

The inspector took one look at her and then he shouted: "Whoa!"

..... "You can't take that on the train!

..... No, you can't take that on the train!

..... You can take along a camel (with one hump or with two),

..... A hippo or a zebra if they're going to the zoo,

..... We've a special trunk for elephants, but that will never do,

..... No, you can't take that thing on the train!"

..... "You can take...

.......... Spawns, eggs, table legs,

.......... Grooms with horses, coffins, corpses,

.......... [can't understand this line!]

.......... Pianofortes, gramaphones, and phonemes and phonographs,

.......... An officer in cavalry can take along his stallion,

.......... And bonafide dealers can take specie and bullion,

.......... Bicycles and tricycles, [can't understand!]

.......... To Glasgow, Sheffield, Manchester, even into foreign parts,

.......... Velocipedes, flower seeds, but I must tell you plain,

..... You can't take that! You can't take that!

..... You can't take that thing on the train!"

(written by Roger Watson, transcribed as recorded by Alistair Brown)
 
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