Checked baggage & platforms?

[AmtrakPDX]

Hi Friends,

I’m working on an article for the Travel section of our local paper. The editor is asking (understandably) that my facts be ‘bombproof'. The first leg of the trip is PDX-SEA-LWA. We’re doing the trip now and I’m being told that we can’t check our bags through to LWA because “LWA just has a platform”. Is this standard/common/variable/challengeable?

TIA for your help.

 

[Henry Kisor]

Do your due diligence: go to Amtrak.com and check the station listings. I'm surprised a professional journalist feels the need to crowdsource.

 

[jsreeves]

According to the Amtrak website, LWA doesn't even have a bathroom or a payphone, so I'd say that fact is indeed "bombproof."

FYI: Here's an image of the LWA "station."

 

[ehbowen]

Mr. PDX:

Checking baggage requires that both the departure station and arrival station have (at least) a station agent on duty at the time of the train's departure and arrival. If the train arrives after station office business hours (rare; most agents are specifically scheduled to work the trains) or if the station is unstaffed (quite common, especially at smaller towns) then checked baggage service will not be available.

Trains which offer checked baggage service will have a symbol (a small suitcase) in the timetable at stations which are able to provide that service for that train. Remember, BOTH the originating and terminating stations must have that symbol for checked baggage service to be offered. All other station pairs are carry-on luggage only.

 

[AmtrakPDX]

I'm not a professional; just a freelance railfan. I should have mentioned that in the original post. I've ridden this loop a couple of times and thought that others would be interested in doing the same so I approached The Oregonian about writing the article.

This forum seems to have higher quality, more detailed and, oftentimes, more accurate information than Amtrak's resources do. I plan on citing the forum as needed.

 

[BCL]

http://www.amtrak.com/servlet/ContentServer?pagename=am%2Fam2Station%2FStation_Page&code=LWA

Platform with shelter.
No checked baggage service.

It's an unstaffed station. It's not going to have baggage service.

 

[the_traveler]

Checking baggage requires that both the departure station and arrival station have (at least) a station agent on duty at the time of the train's departure and arrival.

Checking baggage requires the station offers checked baggage service for that train, not just an agent on duty.

Examples of exceptions of your statement above include the following:

1. PVD (Providence) is staffed, yet of all the trains that stop there, checked baggage service is only offered on trains #66 and #67.
2. KIN (Kingston) is staffed, but does not offer checked baggage service at all,
3. GBB (Galesburg) also is staffed, but does not offer checked baggage service for the SWC, CZ or any other departure,
4. POR (Portland, ME) is staffed, the Downeaster carries a "cabbage" (a non-powered locomotive with the powér movers removed and could carry checked baggage in that space) yet does not offer checked baggage service.

These are only a few of the exceptions.

 

[Trogdor]

There are also a number of stations that have baggage service, with trains that offer checked baggage, yet that specific station/train combination does not offer checked baggage.

There are a number of Surfliner trains that do not offer checked baggage at certain stations, yet other stations on the same train have baggage service, and other trains serving that station offer baggage service.

There's no set rule, but it has to do mainly with staff availability and the amount of traffic through the station.

 

[zephyr17]

I would cite the reason as both departure and arrival stations must offer checked baggage service in order to check bags, and that LWA is unstaffed so does not offer baggage service.

 

[June the Coach Rider]

Then you have WOR (Worcester MA) that only has bag checking service Monday thru Friday. If I leave on the weekend, I can use carry-on only.

 

[Henry Kisor]

My apologies to you, PDX. Old retired newsies sometimes are cranky, and I certainly was. You did the right thing.

 

[OlympianHiawatha]

I'm not a professional; just a freelance railfan. I should have mentioned that in the original post. I've ridden this loop a couple of times and thought that others would be interested in doing the same so I approached The Oregonian about writing the article.
This forum seems to have higher quality, more detailed and, oftentimes, more accurate information than Amtrak's resources do. I plan on citing the forum as needed.

Please let us know how the project comes out and when the piece is printed. The couple times I have been given a copy of The Oregonian at Klamath Falls when riding the Starlight I have thoroughly enjoyed reading it.

 

[fairviewroad]

Please let us know how the project comes out and when the piece is printed.

I second this!