32 replies to this topic

[benjibear]

I actually managed to run foul of the 50lbs checked rule this Christmas running CHI-SPG (admittedly some of those gifts were pretty heavy). Boarding in Chicago this wasn't a big deal: the agent at the desk sold me a spacious Amtrak Express box for $5 and I was good to go. It's a great box, actually, and I've held on to it. I don't know if they're set up to do the same thing in some of the smaller stations that do checked baggage.

Another oddity and that I encountered once, and didn't account this time. This summer my wife I traveled SEA-CHI on the Builder, final destination KAL. This was in May so the Devils Lake subdivision was open but there were still various delays. The agent in Seattle refused to let us check our bag, because our final destination didn't have checked baggage service. He wouldn't let us check only to Chicago, even though the train changed there. I thought this was odd. This December, the agent in Springfield had no problem with my checking a bag SPG-CHI, so long as understood what I was doing. I don't know if this a vaunted example of Amtrak's inconsistent customer service, or if there was a temporary policy in place with the Builder to ease connection problems.

Amtrak's thought maybe if you are running late into Chicago, you may have to go right onto your connection. If things are running late maybe there won't be time to pick up your luggage.

[FunNut]

Out of curiosity I reviewed the Amtrak dimensions for carry-on, 28 inches length. Your two bags are 30 inches each? Those are extremely large bags, suitable for a months-long trip. Your trip is 4 nights long, per your above post. IMO you should take carry-on-size luggage, even one 25-inch suitcase for both of you would be more than adequate.

Sometimes the lower luggage racks get very full and it may be difficult to fit your two giant duffels there. Here's what I do when traveling in a roomette. I pack each day's clothing (everything including socks) in separate two-gallon ziplock bags. I pack items for nighttime in another ziplock. I can then open the suitcase just a little and pull out each ziplock in the order I need. I pack all toiletries, flashlight, etc. in a small tote which I keep in the roomette. When I go to the shower I put the change of clothing and the toiletries in the tote, it's very easy to keep everything handy using this method.

This kind of organization is even more necessary when 2 are traveling in a roomette. If you have a carry-on-sized bag, you can JUST fit it inside the roomette with the curtain or door closed. You can place it on a seat (or the bed if it's made up) and organize/sort your items. Please believe me, you cannot do this with the type of duffels you describe.

My sincere advice to you would be return the giant bags and find something smaller. If you check the ebags.com website, you can look at their own "TLS" luggage line. I have the Motherlode Weekender Convertible, Motherlode Mini 21-inch carry-on (my usual Amtrak bag and perfect for a 4-day trip), Motherlode Junior 25-inch carry-on (I always check this one and only take it when the trip is more than one week), and the Crew Cooler II (for snacks and Dr. Peppers). Just to be clear, I have no business affiliation whatsoever with ebags, I just shop there a lot and their products are great. I have about 5 different sets of luggage (my husband complains about this all the time -but I'm a bags freak), and the TLS are my most-often-used for the past several years.

Good luck with your trip and enjoy the trains.

[debmep]

FunNut-Respectfully I must ask "why do you feel the need to pass judgement on our situation"? Everyone is different and what suitcases we choose to purchase & use is our business. You have no idea about what we need to pack or bring along with us. I do appreciatet your advice about packing but not your judgement on our luggage size & your recommendation about what we should purchase on line.

[hessjm]

I don't know of any of the crews in GRR that checks the size of the bags, but they do tend to enforce the 2 bag per person (excluding normal other bags listed in the policy) rule. You will be riding on Superliner equipment, so the luggage racks have to serve all 72 passengers! There isn't any checked baggage on the Pere Marquette, so long as you can load your bags by yourself, you should be OK.

You should arrive at least 30 minutes early, as the parking lot tends fill up and the train arrives arround 7:20 and normally blocks Market Street. If the lot does fill up, DO NOT park right across the street; that is MichCon and they will tow your car ! Additional Amtrak parking is on the opposite corner of Wealthy and Market.

I'm usually at the station helping to load on Tuesday, Thursday, & Saturday, so I hope to see then.

[the_traveler]

28" (officially) or 30 " for a carry-on bag? They won't care! Nobody stands by the car's door with a measuring tape for carry-on bags! Now if it is checked, or if it 6' long, they may question it, but for 2", I or they probably would not even notice.

So please FunNut, give debmep a little slack!

[the_traveler]

I don't know of any of the crews in GRR that checks the size of the bags, but they do tend to enforce the 2 bag per person (excluding normal other bags listed in the policy) rule. You will be riding on Superliner equipment, so the luggage racks have to serve all 72 passengers! There isn't any checked baggage on the Pere Marquette, so long as you can load your bags by yourself, you should be OK.

I understand the rule Joe, but it seems unfair to those boarding there or any other station without checked baggage service. If you go from CHI to SAN, you can carry in 2 bags and check 3, for a total of 5 bags. However, if you leave from GRR (or any other station without checked baggage service), you're limited to 2 bags only!

Why are those boarding in CHI, DEN, NYP or PVD more important than those in KIN or WIP or GRR or NDL?

[hessjm]

I don't know of any of the crews in GRR that checks the size of the bags, but they do tend to enforce the 2 bag per person (excluding normal other bags listed in the policy) rule. You will be riding on Superliner equipment, so the luggage racks have to serve all 72 passengers! There isn't any checked baggage on the Pere Marquette, so long as you can load your bags by yourself, you should be OK.

I understand the rule Joe, but it seems unfair to those boarding there or any other station without checked baggage service. If you go from CHI to SAN, you can carry in 2 bags and check 3, for a total of 5 bags. However, if you leave from GRR (or any other station without checked baggage service), you're limited to 2 bags only!

Why are those boarding in CHI, DEN, NYP or PVD more important than those in KIN or WIP or GRR or NDL?

Dave, obviously you have never been to the sticks known as GRR I agree with you, but since it is an unmanned station there isn't anyone to tag items much to load them. On the days that I'm there, I usually help passengers with their luggage, but that does not remedy the legitimate problem you present. Sometimes there is Superliner equipment with a baggage compartment but it is not utilized. GRR is building a new station, the train will stay at the station (currently it moves several miles north to a siding to return in the morning), and maybe then they will make it a staffed station. Generally we board somewhere between 40 - 100 passengers a day, so I think it should be manned and have checked baggage, that said, it is quite a privilege to be of equal status to KIN

[the_traveler]

While KIN or GRR does not offer checked baggage, you can take it to NYP, WAS or CHI and check your 5 bags! I never have trouble finding space on the Regional for baggage! (I normally do not check bags, but I've had no problem carrying 3 bags on the Regional.)

Even though there is a Regional on the average of every 2 hours, most trains board 15-30 passengers each at KIN. Sometimes more!

And although KIN does not offer checked baggage service, it is staffed! So it is better than GRR!

[debmep]

hessjm-Thanks for the reply. We know the station very well. We've done day trips to CHI about 10 times since Amtrak started the route from GRR. Never a long distance trip, this will be our first. We normally park in the overflow lot over near the river across Market St. We certainly will stick to the 2 bag limits of less than 50lbs each. I'll certainly say hello if you are working that Thursday next month. I am going to hope for superliner equipment, but we will be happy with any type. We're so looking forward to our trip and the entire Amtrak experience.

[Chatter163]

Personal choice. We perfer to keep them as close as possible (downstairs in the luggage bin).

And when you fly...?

[Sky Pilot]

I don't know of any of the crews in GRR that checks the size of the bags, but they do tend to enforce the 2 bag per person (excluding normal other bags listed in the policy) rule. You will be riding on Superliner equipment, so the luggage racks have to serve all 72 passengers! There isn't any checked baggage on the Pere Marquette, so long as you can load your bags by yourself, you should be OK.

I understand the rule Joe, but it seems unfair to those boarding there or any other station without checked baggage service. If you go from CHI to SAN, you can carry in 2 bags and check 3, for a total of 5 bags. However, if you leave from GRR (or any other station without checked baggage service), you're limited to 2 bags only!

Why are those boarding in CHI, DEN, NYP or PVD more important than those in KIN or WIP or GRR or NDL?

You hit on one of my pet peeves with Amtrak. In NPN we have two trains, one of which is an overnight and runs with a baggage car. The station is staffed. But .. it does not offer checked baggage service. Mind you, this station has 5 times the boardings and alightings of Petersburg which does offer baggage service (116K versus 21K in 2010). I'm fighting a flu bug so this may be for naught anyway but I'm supposed to head from NPN to WAS to CHI to DEN this week. And it irks the crap out of me that if I want to bring that third bag for my weeklong adventure I needed to have driven up to Richmond to check the bags. Not a happy camper.

Blue skies ..

[PaulM]

Out of curiosity I reviewed the Amtrak dimensions for carry-on, 28 inches length. Your two bags are 30 inches each? Those are extremely large bags, suitable for a months-long trip. Your trip is 4 nights long, per your above post. IMO you should take carry-on-size luggage, even one 25-inch suitcase for both of you would be more than adequate.

Another quote from a recent trip report:

Packing for a 6 week trip to snowy Colorado and sunny Florida presented a challenge. At first glance, with 3 large 62 inch (30 x 22 x 10) "airline legal" suitcases, a carry-on rolling suitcase, a medium size backpack, and a notebook case, we looked like a throw back to the transatlantic steamship era. But when you consider that two of the large suitcases contained folding bikes and the third was full of stuff my wife was unloading on our children and grandchildren and would be left behind in Denver, I think we are in line for some kind of minimalist traveler award.

[FunNut]

OP, I'm sorry you took offense at my suggestions. I post on forums in an attempt to be helpful and share my travel experience and knowledge with others. I stand by my recommendations and meant to be of help.