Baggage policy

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stan

Train Attendant
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Jun 26, 2008
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Seems that the baggage policy has again changed, at least at some stations.

Got a Christmas present of some redwood for my modeling. Packed it in a box under the dimensions and weight limits and intended to check the box on my return trip home.

Was told that wood is not a item needed on the trip and they could not check the box as baggage and instead charged freight express charges.

Did this once before with absolutely no problems.

Funny thing is the airlines take it with no problems as checked baggage.

Stan Ames
 
It's possible that they would have considered it a flammable item. But call Amtrak and confirm this. The worst they can say is that you were charged properly or they could tell you, that you were improperly charged and POSSIBLY offer you a refund. This is not a guarantee. But as long as it was properly packed and the proper dimensions and weight I think they should have checked the box.
 
stan said:
Was told that wood is not a item needed on the trip and they could not check the box as baggage
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This explanation does not seem logical at all. For one thing, it's not carry on and it's not check baggage, yet it could be express? :huh: Where is checked baggage put? In the baggage car. Where is express put? In the same baggage car! And "not needed on the trip"? Are they going to say you only need to carry on 2 changes of clothes for your trip from CHI to LAX and you must check all else because you do not need it on the trip?
I would certainly call Customer Relations and find out the rule.
 
the_traveler said:
stan said:
Was told that wood is not a item needed on the trip and they could not check the box as baggage
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This explanation does not seem logical at all. For one thing, it's not carry on and it's not check baggage, yet it could be express? :huh: Where is checked baggage put? In the baggage car. Where is express put? In the same baggage car! And "not needed on the trip"? Are they going to say you only need to carry on 2 changes of clothes for your trip from CHI to LAX and you must check all else because you do not need it on the trip?
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I believe "not needed on the trip" is referring to the section on this page:

http://www.amtrak.com/servlet/ContentServer?c=Page&pagename=am%2FLayout&cid=1251621565015

that says, "Contents must be necessary for wear, use, comfort, or convenience of the passenger for the purpose of the trip; items being transported for business or resident relocation not accepted."

I think "I got is as a Christmas present for my hobby" is a pretty good "use, comfort, or convenience for the purpose of the trip" (which purpose in this case is "going home to work on my redwood models"), but I can see where an employee accepting baggage would think otherwise. I think calling customer relations to discuss it is a good idea.
 
"Purpose of the trip" is not the same as "needed en route". That's why a wedding dress or guitar wouldn't set off alarm bells. I wouldn't check my wedding dress, but some people might since they can be pretty big/heavy.

On the other hand, with this being the Christmas season, gifts like wood, pottery, and other household items should get a pass. Obviously, people are going to be checking all kinds of stuff this time of year. It's not like he had a box full of DVDs or some other, obvious, "I'm moving to a new house" stuff.
 
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Well why shouldn't people be able to move to a new house on Amtrak? If it meets the size and weight requirements and doesn't pose a true danger to the train, why not let it go on board?
 
MattW said:
Well why shouldn't people be able to move to a new house on Amtrak? If it meets the size and weight requirements and doesn't pose a true danger to the train, why not let it go on board?
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Probably because you could move a lot of stuff for free/little money. Amtrak realized people were basically using them as a free/discounted moving service and put an end to that loophole.
 
Is it free though? You're still paying for railfare which grants use of the baggage space. I just can't see how a difference in purposes makes any difference whatsoever.
 
Several years back you could check 4 pieces of baggage and indeed there was a problem. The new baggage policy was supposed to be more like the airlines in size and weight.

Now you only get two pieces of free checked baggage and additional pieces cost money. I can see some additional restrictions for baggage above the free items but if it meets the size and weight restrictions and does not contain prohibited items.

I will file an appeal and press the issue as it needs to be clearly addresssed and not left up to a station agent to interperet. If the policy is open to individual agent interpretation that are different from station to station, it can only lead to customer problems which is not good for growing a business.

Last time I did this at the same station (different agent) we both had a good laugh about having the material to build a bridge should it be needed on route and there was absolutely no problem.

Stan
 
MattW said:
Is it free though? You're still paying for railfare which grants use of the baggage space. I just can't see how a difference in purposes makes any difference whatsoever.
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As Stan mentioned, the checked baggage policy used to be incredibly generous. People took advantage of it by paying, say, $150 for their railfare and then packing most of their household goods into boxes, saving hundreds in moving costs. It was a really easy way to get all of your books, DVDs, and kitchenware across the country without having to pay UPS $300 in addition to your $150 railfare/airfare.

But, in Stan's case, the agent shouldn't have charged the freight charge. Stan was returning home with a gift, and, especially this time of year, that type of stuff should have been waived. We came back with all kinds of random stuff that would probably count as "freight" but wasn't because they were just Christmas gifts we had to get home. The only thing we shipped home was a large, autographed poster; we didn't want to haul the mailing tube everywhere, and we didn't want to take a chance on checking it.
 
Perhaps if the wood could have been shipped in an old suitcase, it may have passed muster. ;) Since I have never been asked about the contents of my suitcases that I check on a trip, it may have been sent along with all the other checked bags. :unsure:
 
Yeah, pretty certainly if it had been in a duffel bag and padded with clothes, or in hard-sided suitcase, nothing would have been said at all.
 
But why is it Amtrak's job to drive business to UPS? As long as the baggage doesn't threaten the train and is within the size limits and sturdy enough, why should Amtrak care what's in it?
 
MattW said:
Well why shouldn't people be able to move to a new house on Amtrak? If it meets the size and weight requirements and doesn't pose a true danger to the train, why not let it go on board?
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You can and it can, as "Express."
 
People ship stuff on Amtrak all the time and in general it's usually much cheaper than the alternatives.

We put on express freight in Spokane all the time. One night this lady had 3 pallets of stuff moving from Spokane to somewhere in the north east. She told us she was quoted from $3000 to $5000 from other shippers. On Amtrak the cost was just over $1000.

I'm sorry, but "wood" is definitely a freight item. On the other hand, as a "gift" an agent could let it slide but that's not to say that they have to.
 
I sort of agree with EB_OBS to a point. Yes 2x6x6 foot lumber could be freight, but a 2 foot long 1 inch wide piece you received at Christmas (and the travel is near the holidays) I don't consider as freight! Some discretion should have been used by the agent.
 
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I have a supply of Modeling Wood in the Garage and it is all less than 2 feet long and just a few inches wide at most. It would easily pack into a box that could be tucked under my arm. This is what I thought of when I read the original post and figure some uppity Agent figured even a couple Board Inches of wood should go as Freight. To me there is more wood in the Guitar someone plays in the Sightseer than in a supply of Modeling Wood.
 
Good grief! I would hardly ever get to ride a train if we had to pay to dump excess stuff on our kids. My wife would make me drive.
 
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