Amtrak Roll On/Roll Off

[PotomacCyclist]

A video showing the basic steps to prep a bike before placing it in an Amtrak bike box. It’s not rocket science, but not all cyclists do the maintenance work on their bikes so this video may help.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PsLRIoPKt2M

A positive review from someone who used a bike box on Amtrak between DC and Richmond a few years ago

http://hiawathacyclery.blogspot.com/2010/03/how-to-take-amtrak-with-bicycle.html

A few things you should keep in mind before buying a ticket

http://blogs.bicycling.com/blogs/everyday-rider/how-not-to-take-your-bike-on-amtrak

[elbows]

@culimerc 85921 wrote:

Check into one way rentals for both cars and moving vans. DC being a bigger draw than Pittsburgh, the rates are probably comparatively reasonable.

On numerous occasions when I’ve needed to travel between DC and Pittsburgh and I had something unwieldy to travel with making public transportation unviable, I’ve gone with rideshare on craigslist and been pretty happy. For what it’s worth, I’m a woman. The rental cost options were enough to fund a nonproft for a week.

[PotomacCyclist]

http://www.railwayage.com/index.php/passenger/intercity/amtrak-viewliner-ii-baggage-car-field-testing.html

Tuesday, June 17, 2014
Amtrak Viewliner II baggage car field testing
Written by William C. Vantuono, Editor-in-Chief

The first of Amtrak’s 55 new Viewliner II baggage cars, no. 61000—one of four Viewliner II series long-distance car types—is undergoing field testing.
The new baggage cars will be used on all 15 long-distance routes across the Amtrak national system. “The updated design provides for improved reliability and maintenance, and better baggage loading/unloading procedures,” Amtrak said. “Also, the new built-in luggage racks can secure unboxed bicycles to support the growing demand by passengers to bring their bikes onboard an expanding number of routes.”

The field testing program has several elements, including compatibility tests to ensure the baggage car couples cleanly, and can operate through a curve without interference, with numerous types of Amtrak cars and locomotives. In addition, there are tests for speed, stability, braking, noise, wheelset/rail interaction, as well as actual baggage handling. Field testing will continue through October with the baggage car traveling on the Northeast Corridor and on routes to Chicago, New Orleans, and Miami. Amtrak expects these cars to begin entering revenue service by the end of 2014. [bold added] …

[ATTACH=CONFIG]6018[/ATTACH]

[PotomacCyclist]

Amtrak also posted the news on their official blog. Mostly the same info as the Railway Age article.

http://blog.amtrak.com/2014/06/new-baggage-cars/

[PotomacCyclist]

They confirmed on the official Amtrak blog that at least some of the long-distance trains to Richmond will have the new luggage cars with bike racks.

The rep isn’t certain about Williamsburg. The new luggage cars will be added to the long-distance trains, but not to local routes like the Northeast Regional. At least it’s not too far a drive from Richmond to Williamsburg with a local rental car. Much better than Arlington to Williamsburg.

It seems that DC to Pittsburgh is on the Capitol Limited route, from DC to Pittsburgh, Cleveland and Chicago. That sounds like a long-distance train to me, so I’m guessing that those trains will have the new luggage cars as well.

***
Though the Northeast Regional won’t have the bike racks, it looks like other trains might count as long-distance in the Northeast Corridor. Maybe the Silver Service/Palmetto, which runs from NYC to Philadelphia, Wilmington DE, Baltimore, DC, then south, with various stops and a final destination all the way to Miami.

This news is sounding more and more awesome all the time.

[cyclingfool]

This is great news!!! I am excited that Amtrak is making these changes and accommodations, in stark contrast to airlines who seem to doing more and more to discourage bikes, or at least squeeze every penny possible out of their owners.

I still wish I could arrive in Pittsburgh on the train at sometime other than midnight, so I could ride at least get out to one of the first camping camping spots on the GAP before dark. It’s sad, but not surprising, that the only train service between Washington and Pittsburgh arrives there in the middle of the night. I know there are other ways to get their but going to Pbgh by train to start a rail trail tour like the GAP just seems more appropriate. That, and like my two year old son, I just really like trains.

[PotomacCyclist]

The Amtrak blog announced on Dec. 17, 2014, that 18 of the new baggage cars were to be shipped from Elmira NY to Hialeah FL for final inspection. The blog post also stated that Amtrak expected the new baggage cars to enter revenue service in early 2015. That was the latest post tagged “baggage cars” on their blog.

http://blog.amtrak.com/2014/12/amtrakforward/

[KWL]

Looks like it is happening. http://www.post-gazette.com/news/transportation/2015/08/28/Amtrak-ready-to-allow-roll-on-bike-service-between-Pittsburgh-Washington-D-C/stories/201508280137

[Kitty]

I am so excited about this! I used to take the train home all the time while in grad school (extra time, no money) and had to take the Capitol Limited to Toledo… then get on a bus… that would take me to one of 4 Michigan cities that were not actually near to my home… but I digress.

If I can take my bike with me this way, or visit friends in Chicago with it, that would be awesome!
(Though I guess I’d have to pack a car rack so someone can pick me up on the other side. )

[mattotoole]

@Kitty 123362 wrote:

I am so excited about this! I used to take the train home all the time while in grad school (extra time, no money) and had to take the Capitol Limited to Toledo… then get on a bus… that would take me to one of 4 Michigan cities that were not actually near to my home… but I digress.

If I can take my bike with me this way, or visit friends in Chicago with it, that would be awesome!
(Though I guess I’d have to pack a car rack so someone can pick me up on the other side. )

Kitty,

No digression at all, this is what we love to hear. We’d love for our politicians and Amtrak to hear it from everyone too.

BTW, my colleagues will be testing again w/ Amtrak this weekend in Richmond.

[Kitty]

@mattotoole 123623 wrote:

Kitty,

No digression at all, this is what we love to hear. We’d love for our politicians and Amtrak to hear it from everyone too.

BTW, my colleagues will be testing again w/ Amtrak this weekend in Richmond.

I’ve got to so say, the train is probably my favorite mode of transit, but the fact that in few places (Washington a wonderful exception) the train station is in anyway accessible without a car. (Especially once you get into the Midwest). Couple that with “one train a day” timetables, exceedingly low speeds, and shared rails where freight gets the right-of-way, its sadly not an option I get to take very often. The cost of the ticket, even if somewhat cheaper than airfare, isn’t enough to make up for the time loss and miserable schedule.

So as much as taking my bike in its complete assembled form back home on the rails is a major tempter, I’d have to be ready to ride 135 miles from Toledo, OH to Fort Gratiot, MI, or have a family member drive an additional hour beyond the airport to pick me up… to disassemble my bike to go in the car.

That said, for places where I won’t have to disembark at 4am in an industrial morass hundreds of miles from my destination, I want to give this a go! It could be great for jaunts to Richmond or Pittsburgh! 😎

[DismalScientist]

You know, of course, that the Blue Water has roll off/on service from Chicago to Port Huron.

[PotomacCyclist]

http://www.bikeleague.org/content/amtrak-expands-roll-service

WASHINGTON – Amtrak is expanding the availability of bike service on the Capitol Limited to allow more passengers the convenience of traveling with their bikes.

This enhanced service begins on Sept. 14 and provides passengers with a way to travel with their bicycles without the hassles of driving and parking vehicles. This service is available at all stations along the Capitol Limited route between Washington, D.C., and Chicago.

Passengers will be able to roll their bikes along the platform and onto the train and secure their own bikes on a rack in the baggage cars. Amtrak partnered with Adventure Cycling Association and other bicycle and passenger rail groups to form an advisory bicycle task force to oversee this project to establish walk-on bike service on the Capitol Limited.

…

[Kitty]

@DismalScientist 123812 wrote:

You know, of course, that the Blue Water has roll off/on service from Chicago to Port Huron.

Oh no WAY! I would have loved that when I lived back home/was going to MSU. The Amtrak goes to East Lansing, but it was a hike to get back to where I lived. That would have been awesome.

That said, my little bro goes there now. I need to tell him!

[PotomacCyclist]

http://www.amtrak.com/bring-your-bicycle-onboard

Info about bikes on Amtrak, including specific routes, number of bikes per train, reservation required or not, fees and rules.

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