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Rail Freak

Engineer
Joined
Apr 5, 2008
Messages
4,968
Location
Tampa Bay, Florida
On my last LD Trip (10/2015), Amtrak was getting strict concerning Baggage size. I have a 32'' duffle w/rollers that I have used for years, no problems. I didn't take it on this trip because I was flying to ABQ to start my adventure, ABQ-LAX-CHI-WAS-STP, & didn't want the hassles at the different stations. (btw, I usually carry it on with me to my sleeper) How strict are they, these days???
 
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In general bags can't weigh more than 50 pounds and the crew won't handle bags they think are too heavy. Bag storage on viewliner sleepers is a problem. If it doesn't go in your room there is no place for it to go except the shower room which inconveniences other passengers.

Superliner's have much more storage space. There are luggage racks on the lower level that can accommodate most bags.

If you can handle it and stow it where the crew doesn't have to handle it you should have no problems.
 
In general, I've not had an issue with luggage, even after the 'crackdown' of a few years ago. That said, I usually handle my own luggage and don't expect any crew to do it for me (though I don't stop them if they do). I have been told by a couple of Red Caps that at least one of my bags is overweight and it's never been an admonishment, just a caution as in "Don't let any conductors touch that---they'll charge you $20!" (which would be fine with me, but I appreciated the warning). This applies to sleepers, since I've only ridden coach on the NEC (and once between stops on the CZ, where I had already checked a bag at one of the stations).

The only issue I've had is with a female Red Cap at Union Station in Chicago, who refused to put one of my bags on the cart outside the (old) Metropolitan Lounge because it was overweight (at least for her; no luggage scale was used). After that experience, I shuttle my own bags on to the train if I see she's on duty when I'm in town.

In short, it's like many things with common carriers: there are rules and rules are made to be broken, but if someone wants to enforce the rules, they will. Add to that the usual AMTK advice: the only consistency is inconsistency and YMMV.
 
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If I wanted a red cap and got that female I would take the ride and handle my own bag. And then stiff her on the tip.
As memorable as the incident was, I don’t remember the outcome, interestingly enough. If there was a gratuity provided, it wasn’t much. I took offense to the attitude more than anything else. It was a good example of ‘New York Attitude’ albeit in Chicago. Another time I had a female shuttle driver at O’Hare who told me she couldn’t lift one of my bags into the back of the van and asked if I would do it for her; I gladly assisted. While that may be a no-no inside Union Station (for several reasons), it could have been handled in a far more customer-friendly way. At least carry a portable luggage scale if you’re going to pull that carp.
 
Chicago rudeness is worse than New York. I live in Chicago so I know. If it had been me I would have tolerated her crap and then told her about herself at the train and explained that being a b$tch is what cost her a tip.
 
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