Concealed Carry

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Reviewing my manual, absolutely not. If a gun is spotted onboard in the possession of someone other than an on duty officer, police will be called without your knowledge, and you and/or your gun will be removed from the train.
 
Even if you are a college student traveling on the Texas Eagle with one of your professors and he starts reciting from his lecture notes as you approach San Antonio, you may not have in your possession a concealed carry.
 
Reviewing my manual, absolutely not. If a gun is spotted onboard in the possession of someone other than an on duty officer, police will be called without your knowledge, and you and/or your gun will be removed from the train.
Should this be reported to the Conductor or to the nearest staff member of any position?
 
If you were to spot someone illegally carrying a weapon on his/her person and reported it to a member of the OBS, what are the chances you'd also be taken off the train as a witness?
 
Interesting. I thought you could you could carry a weapon on the train as long as it was locked up. I was wrong. My mistake. In the future, I will fly instead.

Locked in a case in the baggage car, even. Not allowed as carry on, regardless of locked cases or not.
 
Interesting. I thought you could you could carry a weapon on the train as long as it was locked up. I was wrong. My mistake. In the future, I will fly instead.

Locked in a case in the baggage car, even. Not allowed as carry on, regardless of locked cases or not.
Why would this make you fly. All airlines I know of require firearms to be unloaded, in a locked case, in checked baggage. In addition you may have to declare their presence at check in time and the bag may be tagged to indicate their presence. That's very similar to Amtrak's policy.
 
Unloaded? Really? That is some important NEW criteria you have just heard of?

Airlines just ask me to lock my weapon in a case, check it, and I get it back as soon as I land. Amtrak used to have an advantage in my eyes, I just carried it on, locked up in my carry on luggage. Now it does not.

I travel to Montana fairly frequently, I hike a good bit. I want a handgun when I am in grizzly territory. Amtrak is making airlines more attractive by making it more irritating to pack a handgun on Amtrak. The sad part is that Amtrak is discouraging legal carry while doing little or nothing to discourage illegal carry.

Interesting. I thought you could you could carry a weapon on the train as long as it was locked up. I was wrong. My mistake. In the future, I will fly instead.

Locked in a case in the baggage car, even. Not allowed as carry on, regardless of locked cases or not.
Why would this make you fly. All airlines I know of require firearms to be unloaded, in a locked case, in checked baggage. In addition you may have to declare their presence at check in time and the bag may be tagged to indicate their presence. That's very similar to Amtrak's policy.
 
Firearms and Ammunitions

Allowance
  • Rifle
  • Shotgun
  • Handgun
  • Starter Pistol
  • BB Gun
  • Compressed Air Gun (including paintball marker)
  • Ammunition
Requirements
Amtrak accepts reservations of firearms and ammunition for carriage between Amtrak stations and on Amtrak trains within the United States that offer checked baggage service. Thruway Bus Services are not included. The following policies are in effect:

  • Notification that the passenger will be checking firearms/ammunition must be made no later than 24 hours before train departure by calling Amtrak at 800-USA-RAIL. Online reservations for firearms/ammunition are not accepted.
  • The passengers must travel on the same train that is transporting the checked firearms and/or ammunition.
  • All firearms and/or ammunition must be checked at least 30 minutes prior to scheduled train departure. Some larger stations require that baggage be checked earlier. Please contact your departure station for more details.
  • All firearms (rifles, shotguns, handguns, starter pistols) must be unloaded and in an approved, locked hard-sided container not exceeding 62" L x 17" W x 7" D (1575 mm x 432 mm x 178 mm). The passenger must have sole possession of the key or the combination for the lock to the container. The weight of the container may not exceed 50 lbs./23 kg.
  • Smaller locked, hard-sided containers containing smaller unloaded firearms such as handguns and starter pistols must be securely stored within a suitcase or other item of checked baggage, but the existence of such a firearm must be declared.
  • All ammunition carried must be securely packed in the original manufacturer's container; in fiber, wood, or metal boxes; or in other packaging specifically designed to carry small amounts of ammunition. The maximum weight of all ammunition and containers may not exceed 11 lbs./5 kg.
  • The passenger is responsible for knowing and following all federal, state, and local firearm laws at all jurisdictions to and through which he or she will be traveling.
  • All other Amtrak checked baggage policies apply, including limits on the number of pieces of checked baggage, the maximum weight of each piece (50 lbs./23 kg).
  • Firearms/ammunition may not be carried in carry-on baggage; therefore, checked baggage must be available on all trains and at all stations in the passenger's itinerary.
  • At the time of check-in, passengers will be required to complete and sign a two-part Declaration Form.
  • BB guns and Compressed Air Guns (to include paintball markers), are to be treated as firearms and must comply with the above firearms policy. Canisters, tanks, or other devices containing propellants must be emptied prior to checking and securely packaged within the contents of the passenger's luggage.


Funny how many folks walk through checkpoints at the airport with guns. Then they claim they forgot they had it in their bag or on their person. What good will a gun do for protection if you are too stupid to remember you have it?
 
PVD, that actually sounds more like normal carry procedures. Lock it up, warn the transit personnel, grab it when you get to your destination. No one knows or cares that you carry. I really don't want you to know that I have a weapon. And most of the people that carry weapons around you, do so without you knowing that they have a weapon.

And on edit:

I am a sarcastic sort, and my comment, "Unloaded? Really? This is some NEW criteria..." was intended to be the ultimate in sarcasm, i.e. who would carry on a loaded weapon? And my sarcasm completely failed.

Common sense should be a minimum. In this case, I assumed a bridge too far.

Obviously, this discussion proves that common sense is something to be strived for, not assumed.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
United and Delta require them to be unloaded per their websites. Alaska the same per personal experience. Gate agents (who may or may not be knowledgeable regarding weapons) may have not been enforcing the letter of the policy, but in these cases it does exist.
 
Unloaded? Really? That is some important NEW criteria you have just heard of? Airlines just ask me to lock my weapon in a case, check it, and I get it back as soon as I land. Amtrak used to have an advantage in my eyes, I just carried it on, locked up in my carry on luggage. Now it does not. I travel to Montana fairly frequently, I hike a good bit. I want a handgun when I am in grizzly territory. Amtrak is making airlines more attractive by making it more irritating to pack a handgun on Amtrak. The sad part is that Amtrak is discouraging legal carry while doing little or nothing to discourage illegal carry.
Perhaps Amtrak should have done more to stop you from illegally carrying handguns where they were not allowed. Even here in pro-gun Texas private businesses still have the right to refuse access to people who try to bring handguns onto their property. And for good reason. We're home to millions of George Zimmerman wannabes. If you return to the airlines I know I'll feel safer not having to risk encountering you on a day you happen to get fired or demoted or dumped or your house is foreclosed or you get drunk or start a fight or any of the other random everyday things that seem to turn perfectly legal gun owners into casual murderers.
 
Dude, I check my weapon when I travel. It isn't rocket science. I follow the law of the land. I don't want you to know I carry. And you won't know that I do carry, if I do my job right. Airlines work with me to keep it mellow. I lock it up, warn them and check it. I don't want anyone to worry, I just want to get to where I am going and continue to exercise my right to bear arms. And again, I would just as soon you don't know I am doing so.

Unloaded? Really? That is some important NEW criteria you have just heard of? Airlines just ask me to lock my weapon in a case, check it, and I get it back as soon as I land. Amtrak used to have an advantage in my eyes, I just carried it on, locked up in my carry on luggage. Now it does not. I travel to Montana fairly frequently, I hike a good bit. I want a handgun when I am in grizzly territory. Amtrak is making airlines more attractive by making it more irritating to pack a handgun on Amtrak. The sad part is that Amtrak is discouraging legal carry while doing little or nothing to discourage illegal carry.
Perhaps Amtrak should have done more to stop you from illegally carrying handguns where they were not allowed. Even here in pro-gun Texas private businesses still have the right to refuse access to people who try to bring handguns onto their property. And for good reason. We're home to millions of George Zimmerman wannabes. If you return to the airlines I know I'll feel safer not having to risk encountering you on a day you happen to get fired or demoted or dumped or your house is foreclosed or you get drunk or start a fight or any of the other random everyday things that seem to turn perfectly legal gun owners into casual murderers.
 
The airline "locked in checked luggage unloaded" situation has come under renewed scrutiny due to the recent incident where a passenger retrieved his luggage, loaded his weapon, and started shooting. Amtrak is relatively new to the (legal) gun carrying business, they have been permitted again since the end of 2010.
 
Can I work my way away from my self righteous rant? I think the only difference is that Amtrak asks for 24 hour notice that I am going to carry it on even if it is going into checked luggage. Everything else is similar, lock it up and notify the employees and then check it.

And yes, oddly enough, they expect us to present an unloaded weapon when we check them in. And I think I bent/broke the law when I locked up my handgun and carried it on when I took the Empire Builder to Montana. I won't do it again, but I also probably won't take the EB again, in large part due to the fact that Amtrak won't let me carry my locked up weapon. I don't want you to know that I carry, but I also don't like being told I can't. So I will tell United that I am carrying, and I will avoid Amtrak in the future. Works for me.

So how exactly is Amtrak any different?
 
Though many who have concealed and open carry permits found and completed thorough training, and regularly retrain, there are some who found the quickest path to attaining a permit. Though I do not carry personally for health reasons, I have several friends who do. They follow the law explicitly, retraining regularly. The last thing they ever want to do is draw their weapon. They have trained to be aware of their surroundings, how to escape and help others escape, only as a last resort pull their weapon to do what they have trained to do. When they travel they research all the local laws of the destination state and any state they might pass through. When traveling they know federal law, are prepared with the proper equipment, following prep procedures, and notification procedures. Weapons of any type are as safe as the person who is operating them. There is no problem traveling on Amtrak just follow the procedures and all is well, just like flying.
 
Amtrak won't let me carry my locked up weapon. I don't want you to know that I carry, but I also don't like being told I can't. So I will tell United that I am carrying, and I will avoid Amtrak in the future. Works for me.
That makes no sense, as United won't let you carry either. As you say, the only difference is the 24 hour notice.
 
United just asked me to tell them as I was boarding and to check a bag. Amtrak asks me to tell them a day in advance and to check my bag. I still like United's approach better. Especially since I usually check a bag with United and I have never checked a bag with Amtrak.

Amtrak won't let me carry my locked up weapon. I don't want you to know that I carry, but I also don't like being told I can't. So I will tell United that I am carrying, and I will avoid Amtrak in the future. Works for me.
That makes no sense, as United won't let you carry either. As you say, the only difference is the 24 hour notice.
 
Should we feel uneasy about those that feel they can't go anywhere without packing heat?

Gun advocates love to quote PART of the 2nd Amendment, but leave out the start that says "..A Well Regulated Militia, being necessary to the common defense..."

Cue Buffalo Springfield singing "For What It's Worth".
 
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