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Reply to AMTRAK and Bicycles

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Swagman from LaGrange, GA on 3/17/2013 4:05:52 PM:

If anyone is planning to transport their bicycle to Cumberland via AMTRAK is in for a rude awakening. Yes you can ship your machine via AMTRAK to Pittsburg or Washington, DC, however you can’t in Cumberland. The reason? There is no AMTRAK (Federal Employee) present to open the baggage car door . Does this sound like bureaucratic nonsense or what? One solution is to pepper your Congressman and Senator with letters demanding that at the next budget hearing, they twist those puny nitwit’s arms into providing a simple soul to open the baggage door or better yet just allow riders to stow their bikes in one of those lower coach sections they use for a crew lounge and occasionally handicap seating for a small fee. Wow! A reasonable solution to a purely simple predicament.

Roy from Middletown on 3/19/2013 7:09:29 PM:

Simple and Federal are what the academics call "diametrically opposed" terms. Not even east can get farther from west than those two terms are apart.

Syd Hill from Elizabeth City NC on 3/31/2013 9:17:32 PM:

Have you considered a fold bike. AM Trak policy is you can carry them on the train. Check their website. A tradeoff is u may have to go light. I've done touring on a loaded bike but not a fold bike. I may try this option.

lenny on 4/1/2013 4:25:55 AM:

I don't believe that that is true of carrying on a folding bike. It doesn't fit the luggage model for AMTRAK. I has been said that some conductors will turn a blind eye to rolling on a bike, but that is taking a chance.

Tom from Denver area on 4/24/2013 7:00:46 PM:

Sooo - if a "Rider" (Cyclist)JUST wants to say, GO AS FAR AS CUMBERLAND MD or even Sheperdstown - then ride over to Martinsburg WV and catch the train there, back to DC... THEN, what-do-they-do ?! doesn't DC "Mero-trains" allow ya to "roll-on" bikes? ... BUT, Amtrak does NOT [?] ! thx, to whoever can do a lil' elaboration / further commenting on this.

ed from clarksville on 5/14/2013 12:40:25 PM:

This is a good discussion but on the latest post it's important to note that the train out of Martinsburg that's mentioned is, I believe, a MARC train and MARC only allows fold up bikes and no other types. I wonder: Is there ANYWHERE ON THE CANAL where one can take Amtrak and a bike in the baggage car, getting off to ride back to DC?

lenny on 5/14/2013 7:05:56 PM:

NO. For the last time. Until Amtrak institutes roll on service.

Paul from Quincy, IL on 7/24/2013 9:52:33 PM:

To Swagman: I’m as disappointed as anyone about the lack of imagination on Amtrak’s part when it comes to bicycles. But the last thing Amtrak needs is more micro management by congress. Besides, your congress critter is just as likely to try to kill the Capitol Limited as force Amtrak to change their bicycle policy. Now that I think about it, I don’t know of any state supported trains in Georgia.

To Syd Hill: My wife and I have done the Erie Canal Buffalo to Albany, the GAP Pittsburgh to Cumberland and several other tours on our Dahon folders – all via Amtrak.

To Lenny: You are incorrect. My wife and I literally have been all over the country with our folders. The most recent trip was Galesburg, IL – Denver – Oakland – Portland-Seattle - Chicago and back. Once a conductor said we couldn’t board the Southwest Chief in LA with the folders. I just smiled at him and let him solve the problem he had created for himself. He quickly relented.

Amtrak has been sort of promising that when the new Viewliner II baggage cars WITH BIKE RACKS finally go into service, the Capitol Limited will get roll on roll off bike service.

leeny on 7/25/2013 4:16:24 AM:

Paul I am only referring to Amtrak in regard to the GAP and C&O Towpath, as this is a sight for those trails.

Anonymous on 7/30/2013 9:38:15 PM:

To Leeny: Your post of May 14 2013 7:05PM is, of course, true. But I meant to respond to your post of Apr 1 2013 4:25AM, where it sounded like you were saying that folding bikes are not allowed on Amtrak in general. I forgot to include a include Cumberland to Chicago trip in 2010 on the Cap. Ltd. which did involve the GAP. The link to the policy is http://www.amtrak.com/bring-your-bicycle-onboard.

Paul from Quincy, IL on 7/30/2013 11:10:46 PM:

Here is photographic evidence: http://biketrain.x10.mx/MOB/pics/handicap.jpg

The community luggage rack on the City of New Orleans was full; so the sleeping car attendant has us put our folding bikes in the unused handicapped room.

Naismith from Florida on 8/1/2013 12:40:36 PM:

I dunno, I won't get excited about the train until it is scheduled for a more convenient time. Arriving in Pittsburgh seems late, leaving very early...

If I was traveling alone, I would do Greyhound instead, which has more reasonable timings. And if you have multiple people, a SUV car rental might make sense, even with the cross-state drop-off fees.

Paul from Quincy, IL on 8/1/2013 4:24:52 PM:

Yes the 5:20AM eastbound departure out of PGH is less than idea. When come from the Midwest, I hope for a late arrival, but so far, no luck. The westbound arrival in PGH at 11:48 is also less than idea. But since I'm heading back to the Midwest, I'm usually sound asleep when we stop there.

It never occurred to me check out the dirty dog, but you got me thinking. So I did; and PGH to Cumberland changing in Baltimore:
Dep 10:30 AM Arr 10:25PM (seems late)
Dep 05:15 AM (seems early) Arr 02:25PM

The Greyhound site shows no service between Cumberland and PGH. But I checked Cumberland to Baltimore and Baltimore to Pittsburg and got:
Dep 09:20 AM Arr 05:50 PM with a 35 minute layover in Baltimore
Dep 05:20 PM Arr 02:25 AM with an 1:10 minute layover in Baltimore.
If you wanted to spend an extra night in Cumberland, the early departure would work. If not Amtrak's 7:26PM to 11:48PM would be my choice.

Paul from Quincy, IL on 8/1/2013 4:30:54 PM:

Sorry for the typos in the last post. You are probably right about a 1 way car rental for one person. I booked a "compact" one way back to PGH for about $65. But when 2 more joined the trip and I had to change to leaving Cumberland on a Sunday when Hertz is closed, a shuttle from Grouseland tours made sense.

Naismith from Florida on 8/2/2013 8:38:39 AM:

I wasn't going to Cumberland, so wasn't tuned into that specifically, just the general idea--for those going all the way to DC or one of the Maryland stops (we are going to Frederick) then the bus is an option that should be considered.

Of course with multiple person parties, another option if you have time is to send one person on the train back to the car, and then have them pick everyone else up.

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