I need to travel between NYC and Charlotte this week. My cat is a very, very good, quiet traveler and perfectly happy to stay in his carrier. I really to take him with me. Is it possible to discreetly put him under the seat without arousing suspicion?
I believe the answer here is "you will be not be allowed to board the train with your cat, and you will be removed from the train at the first station after your cat is discovered if you sneak him on board", unless you luck into all of: a very forgiving conductor and car attendant, who are both willing to bend the rules on the risk of severe penalties from Amtrak potentially including losing their jobs; and a carload of passengers none of whom are allergic to or otherwise object to your cat--a single complaint would probably get you removed from the train regardless of how willing an Amtrak employee may have been to "look the other way" in the absence of an actual complaint.
I guarantee you that, should you sneak your cat onto the train, he will meow audibly at least once between New York and North Carolina, or at least give an indication to someone that "something in that bag is alive". I would not risk this!
It's very unfortunate that Amtrak has this policy, but that's the way it is. From a
FAQ at Pets on the Go,
The National Association of Rail Passengers ... said that until 1976, pets were allowed in the sleeping car, in the parlor cars and in baggage. Then in 1977, "there were new requirements for heat and air conditioning for baggage cars (and possibly for providing water). Amtrak determined that it would need to spend $13.8 million on baggage car changes and special animal shelters in stations to satisfy the new regulations, and ended the carriage of pets rather than comply."
It's not entirely clear why the requirements for baggage car improvements affected the policy for pets in sleeping cars, but then much Amtrak policy is not entirely clear....
The way to try to change this policy is, as it nearly always is with Amtrak, to write your Congressman and Senators, as they control the budget; but obviously that won't help with your upcoming trip
(By the way, that $13.8 million in 1977 dollars would be $49.8 million in 2007 dollars, using this
inflation calculator. And of course, it might cost even more than that, since general requirements for humane treatment of animals may have changed in the past thirty years.)