Amtrak damaged my bike
#1
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Amtrak damaged my bike
Anyone have any experience with Amtrak damaging your bike?
Took the train from Portland to LA and my bike was jacked up so bad when I got it in LA. Paint scratched to hell, a deep scratch in the rear rim which is deep enough to require the rim to be replaced and a bent brake lever.
I'm so annoyed. Luckily the train to San Diego is a carry on so I don't have to worry about my bike being messed up more.
What would you do if you were in my situation?
To clarify; You don't box your bike on this route. You hand it to the people at the baggage car and they put it on.
Took the train from Portland to LA and my bike was jacked up so bad when I got it in LA. Paint scratched to hell, a deep scratch in the rear rim which is deep enough to require the rim to be replaced and a bent brake lever.
I'm so annoyed. Luckily the train to San Diego is a carry on so I don't have to worry about my bike being messed up more.
What would you do if you were in my situation?
To clarify; You don't box your bike on this route. You hand it to the people at the baggage car and they put it on.
#2
Senior Member
Take lots of pix and submit them to Amtrak and/or your homeowner's insurance. Expect no response and you won't be disappointed. Prepare to replace, repair and move on. Sorry about your experience - I'm sure it's infuriating.
#3
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Train travel was one of the reasons I switched from a carbon fork to a steel fork. I figured the steel fork could handle being battered around more than a carbon fork could.
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#4
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Hopefully you brought it to managements attention after it was handed to you at the LA station.
There is this on their website; Bicycles/bicycle trailers may be checked in a bicycle container for $10, in lieu of a piece of baggage. Bicycle boxes are sold at most staffed locations for $15 per box. Customers may supply their own bicycle container.
There is this on their website; Bicycles/bicycle trailers may be checked in a bicycle container for $10, in lieu of a piece of baggage. Bicycle boxes are sold at most staffed locations for $15 per box. Customers may supply their own bicycle container.
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nine mile skid on a ten mile ride
nine mile skid on a ten mile ride
#5
https://www.amtrak.com/bring-your-bicycle-onboard
But the answer to the question is simple: The OP is S.O.L. absent a favor from Amtrak as Amtrak disclaims all liability for bikes that are walked on and all unboxed bikes accepted as checked baggage.
https://www.amtrak.com/lost-items-li...ty-for-baggage
#6
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Unionized railroad workers are a federally protected species in the USA. Their union is very strong and they can do no wrong.
Long Island Railroad workers will steal your winter coat while you sleep. One of my friends was a conductor and bragged about a bike he stole when the owner dozed off.
-Tim-
Long Island Railroad workers will steal your winter coat while you sleep. One of my friends was a conductor and bragged about a bike he stole when the owner dozed off.
-Tim-
#7
Banned
Karma sucks?
#8
Which union would that be?
And please explain the interplay between the union's alleged strength, the particular damage at issue, and Amtrak's corporate policy decision to disclaim liability for unboxed bicycles, excluding from your explanation any and all assumptions and alternative facts.
#9
Senior Member
Which union would that be?
And please explain the interplay between the union's alleged strength, the particular damage at issue, and Amtrak's corporate policy decision to disclaim liability for unboxed bicycles, excluding from your explanation any and all assumptions and alternative facts.
And please explain the interplay between the union's alleged strength, the particular damage at issue, and Amtrak's corporate policy decision to disclaim liability for unboxed bicycles, excluding from your explanation any and all assumptions and alternative facts.
#11
Senior Member
That sucks... you have a good 'before' pix posted in the touring section, hope you raised the damage issue when you first received the bike at the destination. One of the many reasons I started touring with a folder.
#12
Banned
Tim may be a believer in "alternate facts."
#13
As I noted in post #5 above, Amtrak disclaims all liability for unboxed bikes, so it seems doubtful that he can make any recovery.
#15
Calamari Marionette Ph.D
#16
Are you aware that the new baggage cars they have been rolling out have dedicated spaces for unboxed bikes? Sometimes accidents happen. If believe the route has checked baggage service available at the origin destinations stations. If that's correct, the OP could have boxed the bike rather than use the trainside checked service, where the bike is loaded unboxed.
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Unionized railroad workers are a federally protected species in the USA. Their union is very strong and they can do no wrong.
Long Island Railroad workers will steal your winter coat while you sleep. One of my friends was a conductor and bragged about a bike he stole when the owner dozed off.
-Tim-
Long Island Railroad workers will steal your winter coat while you sleep. One of my friends was a conductor and bragged about a bike he stole when the owner dozed off.
-Tim-
Last edited by cb400bill; 02-13-17 at 04:25 PM. Reason: Bypassing forum censor
#18
#19
Calamari Marionette Ph.D
I know this will sound rude, but I think the OP was being a little naive if he was expecting his bike to survive the trip unscathed.
Last edited by SquidPuppet; 02-13-17 at 09:43 AM.
#20
Senior Member
Yes I saw that, but photo documentation of an immediate 'before' and 'after' (with obvious background & timestamps) might appeal to Amtrak's graciousness - certain worth a try for the cost of a few megabytes in a smartphone. When I rent a car these days, I usually take a quick video or set of pictures 'before' and 'after'.
#21
And if the trainside service necessarily results in damage I think word would be getting around by now.
#22
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#24
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I'm sorry you all don't like what I said but I come from the New York metro area where unions have a lot of strength, workers cannot be fired for ever doing wrong.
A unioinized municipal bus driver could run over a pedestrian and the police won't ticket or arrest because one union watches out for the other. Most of the unionized municipal workers don't give a crap, are just there until their pension kicks in. It's just the way it is.
I have no idea what union Amtrack baggage handler's belong to. UTU are conductors. BLTE? I have no idea. That they are unionized is doubtless.
Devil and communistic are your words, not mine.
Should have said "former friend" and not a very good one at that.
-Tim-
A unioinized municipal bus driver could run over a pedestrian and the police won't ticket or arrest because one union watches out for the other. Most of the unionized municipal workers don't give a crap, are just there until their pension kicks in. It's just the way it is.
I have no idea what union Amtrack baggage handler's belong to. UTU are conductors. BLTE? I have no idea. That they are unionized is doubtless.
Devil and communistic are your words, not mine.
Should have said "former friend" and not a very good one at that.
-Tim-
Last edited by TimothyH; 02-13-17 at 11:35 AM.
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Just wanted to offset the absurd comments you make for anyone who is actually inexperienced with bikes on trains.
Odd person to befriend. Yes I see you are no longer friends. Still, odd think to admit/mention in that way.