I would like to travel cross country via Amtrak and I'm not too sure about the new guidelines as to baggage, especially after recent security scares. If someone can tell me the "new" rules regarding baggage checks if there are any. Is all baggage opened and checked thorougly for example like the airlines. I know it is inconvenient but I would feel much safer if baggage was checked. Partly because who knows what people bring aboard trains and I would feel much safer to know. If not I guess I'll stick to the friendly skies or renting a car and driving myself.
Posted by Geoff Mayo (Member # 153) on :
Don't worry about other people's bags, there's nothing you can do about it anyway. It's still far safer, convenient, and more pleasurable to take the train than to drive or fly.
Geoff M.
Posted by sutton (Member # 1612) on :
I wouldn't worry. A terrorist would have to be somewhat simple minded (an idiot actually) to attack a train. They won't bother.
Posted by Mike Smith (Member # 447) on :
If a group of terrorists decided to hijack a trainload of people, they'd have to contend with all the passengers that might be packing heat.
Due to the lack of a baggage search, the terrorists would have absolutely no idea how many people had weapons until it was too late.......
IOW, don't worry about security. Kick back and enjoy the ride.
Posted by TwinStarRocket (Member # 2142) on :
Wow, 3 questions about luggage/security within days. See my post under "luggage" that may answer the original question. Amen to the replies on this thread. The more I think about how a terrorist could do some damage, the more I think I am safer on a train than in most public places. As for a plain old single wacko out to do no good, I think there are a higher percentage of those outside the train.
Posted by Charles Reuben (Member # 2263) on :
Theodore, I'm sure Amtrak would start checking people's baggage if they had the manpower and money to do so, but they don't. If that bothers you, then I would suggest contacting your government representatives and telling them to give Amtrak a mere fraction of the money they spend on airports and highways.
But I wouldn't worry about security. Post Sept. 11th, quite honestly, I've seen quite a bit of it on Amtrak: Huge german shepards and burly police seem to be a frequent sight these days.
Not quite sure what you mean about "friendly skies." Most people I have spoken to lately seem quite discontent with the attitudes they've been receiving from the airlines these days.
Trains just don't seem to be much a terrorist target these days. I think the Palestinians even tried to target an Israeli train a few months back without much luck.
I feel very safe on the train. I have found that the conductors and attendants keep very close attention to what is going on, even though they seem to use an antiquated form of record keeping.
Relax, Theodore. Trains are the only way to travel. Things might appear a little chaotic on the surface, but I am convinced that the crew carefully scrutinizes every traveller and if anything is amiss, they will be thrown off the train.
And when I say amiss, I mean 1) they can't match their ticket with their luggage 2) they can't show proper identification 3) they're argumentative, drunk or disorderly 4) their ticket is one way 5) they paid with their one-way ticket in cash 6) they're not sitting in their assigned seat. The list goes on and on.