Why no Baggage Check at Harrisburg?

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DivMiler

Lead Service Attendant
Joined
Nov 12, 2007
Messages
295
Location
Central Pennsylvania
Checking baggage does not seem to be an option in Harrisburg (HAR). There does seem to be an area in the station where baggage might have been checked in the past, however. I know that now only the Pennsylvanian would have baggage, but it seems like a no-brainer to me to have a baggage car on the Pennsylvanian because many (most?) people connect to the Capitol Limited in Pittsburgh, which does have baggage check available.

Did, in fact, Harrisburg have checked baggage in the recent past? If so, why was it stopped?
 
They are really short on equipment so they don't have the cars to do that. If you are starting in New York you can check your bags through to Chicago and I am pretty sure they'll meet you there and go to CHI via the Lake Shore Limited. However yes checking a bag to HAR would not be do able. Maybe when amtrak has more baggage cars you will see checked bags to HAR someday.
 
It was also a cost cutting move. Many stations that had checked baggage service, but now do not. It saves the money that is paid for the employee(s) that put the bags on and take them off. Some stations (such as NHV) only have checked baggage service on 1 of the 2 trains (northbound and southbound) that come through. And even a large station like PHL does not offer checked baggage service on at least the southbound overnight train.
 
the_traveler said:
It was also a cost cutting move. Many stations that had checked baggage service, but now do not. It saves the money that is paid for the employee(s) that put the bags on and take them off. Some stations (such as NHV) only have checked baggage service on 1 of the 2 trains (northbound and southbound) that come through. And even a large station like PHL does not offer checked baggage service on at least the southbound overnight train.
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What? Philadelphia offers checked baggage both ways so far as I know; the only way I've used it is southbound, in fact. Now, that was "southbound, arriving into Philadelphia", not "southbound, departing from Philadelphia", so it's possible there's a difference here, but I can't believe it since they definitely offload. I specifically asked the baggage handler in New York "so, this will go on 67 and I'll pick it up tomorrow morning?" and he said "exactly right".
 
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the_traveler said:
And even a large station like PHL does not offer checked baggage service on at least the southbound overnight train.
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The southbound overnighters from PHL would be the Silvers and the Crescent, no? I am pretty sure one can check luggeage on them.
 
Tony said:
the_traveler said:
And even a large station like PHL does not offer checked baggage service on at least the southbound overnight train.
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The southbound overnighters from PHL would be the Silvers and the Crescent, no? I am pretty sure one can check luggeage on them.
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I think the train that "the_traveler" is referring to is the southbound NEC overnight train - #67. It carries checked baggage but the baggage room at PHL is not open when #67 calls. For that reason, #67 does not offer checked baggage service to or from PHL.
 
PRR 60 said:
Tony said:
the_traveler said:
And even a large station like PHL does not offer checked baggage service on at least the southbound overnight train.
Click to expand...
The southbound overnighters from PHL would be the Silvers and the Crescent, no? I am pretty sure one can check luggeage on them.
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I think the train that "the_traveler" is referring to is the southbound NEC overnight train - #67. It carries checked baggage but the baggage room at PHL is not open when #67 calls. For that reason, #67 does not offer checked baggage service to or from PHL.
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Except ... it does. Unless my bag traveled on some other overnight train from New York to Philadelphia between 9 PM and 8 AM last month.
 
Yes, I did mean #67. Although I can't speak from personal experience (as far at at PHL), when I was on #67 I noticed there was no symbol for PHL, and I didn't see anyone offloading any bags at PHL either.

And wayman, you bags probably were carried on one of the other LD trains (such as the Silvers and Crescent) between NYP and PHL - but not on #67!
 
the_traveler said:
wayman said:
Unless my bag traveled on some other overnight train from New York to Philadelphia between 9 PM and 8 AM last month.
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How about the Palmetto (Dp 6:15, Ar 7:37) or the Carolinian (Dp 7:05, Ar 8:35)? :huh:
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You're right, either of those two would be possible; the Silvers and Crescent wouldn't be, of course, given the times. I'd plumb forgotten there were other "pre-dawn, if not quite overnight" trains with baggage cars from NYP-PHL. The funny thing is that the baggage handler in New York specifically said "yes, it'll be on 67". But he could have been wrong about that. And he must've been, given what you've figured out.

All I know for sure is that I was traveling by an evening Regional train from NYP to PHL and I checked my bag at NYP before I left and picked it up the next morning at PHL. I guess I would've been out of luck if I'd actually needed my bag at 6:30 AM when the baggage office opened, but it really doesn't matter to me which of 67, 79, or 89 it was since I would never have any need to pick up my bag at PHL before 8 AM--I'm not that early a riser :D
 
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I hate to throw this wrench in there, but at last check there aren't any trains that go through Harrisburg that have a baggage car. :p Back in the day, when the Three Rivers and Pennsylvanian both went through to Chicago and had baggage cars...well you get the point.
 
Long Train Runnin' said:
T. Maybe when amtrak has more baggage cars you will see checked bags to HAR someday.
Click to expand...

I don't know if another thread is warranted and the Viewliner baggage car thread is locked. As such, 10 years later, your post has come to fruition. Now that the view dorms are in service, the Pennsylvanian will have a baggage car. Harrisburg will have checked baggage and bike service for the first time in at least 10 if not 15 years.

MODS: If you think this is worthy of its own thread, split it please. Thank you.
 
Thirdrail7 said:
I don't know if another thread is warranted and the Viewliner baggage car thread is locked. As such, 10 years later, your post has come to fruition. Now that the view dorms are in service, the Pennsylvanian will have a baggage car. Harrisburg will have checked baggage and bike service for the first time in at least 10 if not 15 years.

MODS: If you think this is worthy of its own thread, split it please. Thank you.
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Any ideas on when it may start? It has to be at least 15 years. Whenever they cut the Three Rivers back to PGH is when they cut the Bag service IIRC...
 
Thirdrail7 said:
I don't know if another thread is warranted and the Viewliner baggage car thread is locked. As such, 10 years later, your post has come to fruition. Now that the view dorms are in service, the Pennsylvanian will have a baggage car. Harrisburg will have checked baggage and bike service for the first time in at least 10 if not 15 years.

MODS: If you think this is worthy of its own thread, split it please. Thank you.
Click to expand...

What can I say I am a visionary.
 
It looks like it is train side/baggage lite for these stations. I wonder why they left out Trenton.
 

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