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One out of every 4 Amtrak trains passing my house on the CSX mainline in northern Florida have wide-open side doors on their baggage cars. Any dummy could throw a bomb into the baggage cars at a station or right-of-way in Florida! I have complained to Amtrak over the past 2 years to no avail! Is this security awareness on Amtrak?
Posts: 287 | From: Palatka, FL, USA | Registered: Feb 2004
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Not that it justifies it but more often than not it relates to the mechanical condition of the doors on the baggage cars in that they either won't close completely or they take a crowbar and sledgehammer to open and close at each station.
Posts: 332 | From: Long Island, NY USA | Registered: Jan 2004
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JONATHAN: MAYBE Amtrak should take it seriously!!!! Do something about the open baggage car doors!
Posts: 287 | From: Palatka, FL, USA | Registered: Feb 2004
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I agree with Jonathon. Do Not, and I mean DO NOT say anything in a public forum that could give these maniacs any ideas.
Posts: 2808 | From: Olive Branch MS | Registered: Nov 2002
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Life has never been risk-free. Help Amtrak out by being eyes and ears and looking out for unusual behavior...
Posts: 874 | From: South Bay (LA County), Calif, USA | Registered: Aug 2000
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I also gree w/Jon and with Sheriff. There are easier ways of sabotaging a train, and it does no good to announce this sort of thing on the WWW.
Posts: 506 | From: Wisconsin | Registered: Mar 2002
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There are sooo many ways terrorists could hit Amtrak/Buses. Amtrak does not screen baggage as do airports. And there is no way they could because there are so many station. If anything ever happend to Amrtak it would be the end of U.S. Rail.
------------------ --Anton L. pillsbury09@excite.com AIM: pillsburyMN
Posts: 1082 | From: Los Angeles, CA. USA | Registered: Aug 2003
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With all due respect, you don't know what Amtrak does or does not do, in regard to the luggage situation.
Here in Albuquerque, people are being busted left and right for attempting to smuggle drugs and even large amounts of cash onto the train.
At the US/Canadian border, passengers are very carefully scrutinized. Not only is their paperwork gone over, but guards ask searching questions and look for psychological signs that indicate a person is being deceptive.
And I have seen some German Shepards inspecting passenger luggage that seem very on the ball.
Furthermore, I take issue with your comment, "If anything ever happend to Amrtak it would be the end of U.S. Rail."
Unfortunately, in this country, politicians seem to have the uncomfortable habit of coming up with the big bucks only after there has been a major tragedy.
Perhaps the reason that there have been no incidents to date is precisely the opposite of your frightened reasoning. Maybe the employees of Amtrak, with all their budgetary problems, are really looking after their passengers.
So please, give 'em a break.
Posts: 324 | From: Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA | Registered: Jan 2003
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Baggage cars are not airconditioned. There is no way to stay reasonably cool in the summer except to leave the door open. Try riding in an un air conditioned car in Florida in the summer with the windows up. Same thing.
Running with baggage car doors open was the normal practice on most railroads for years before and up until Amtrak. Usually if there will be no one in it, the door will be closed. Normally baggage cars are not so full, so the luggage is placed where it is in no danger of falling out from the bouncing of the train.
[This message has been edited by George Harris (edited 04-14-2004).]
Posts: 2808 | From: Olive Branch MS | Registered: Nov 2002
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The open door would explain why my luggage was absolutely filthy when it traveled from Seattle to Milwaukee on the EB a couple years ago. A good reason not to check my luggage again. (and then there was the clerk in EMY who literally threw my suitcase I had just checked about 10 feet into a pile of other luggage waiting for the CS - you'd think she would have waited until I was out of sight!)
Posts: 23 | From: Milwaukee, WI USA | Registered: May 2003
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I've had dusty luggage after two trips, both in summer. But not all summer trips resulted in dusty bags.
Posts: 2649 | From: California's Monterey Peninsula | Registered: Dec 2000
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