bktourer1

Getting conflicting info from Amtark online and phone staff.
Is the Depew Station the only one you can roll off a bike or can you do the same at the other stations near Buffalo?

Gyro

Try here. https://bikeeriecanal.com/forum.aspx

Someone may know here.

bktourer1

been there already, diff. answers

indyfabz

Assuming you are talking about the Lake Shore Limited, there is no "roll-onn/off" service, which Amtrak calls "Carry-on" service. The LSL offers trainside checked service. You give your unboxed bike to a baggage handler. The baggage handler stows it in the baggage car and unloads it at your stop. It's available at select stations only.

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

Here is what I think you should do: Go through the on-line reservation process using stations near Buffalo other than DePew. If the system does not allow you to add and pay for a bike reservation then it is a good bet that you cannot detrain with a bike at that station. Back in September I took the Pennsylvanian, which has trainside checked service like the LSL, between Philly and Pittsburgh. When I made my reservation on-line I was able to reserve a bike space between those two stations. I just went through the reservation process for a ticket between Philly and a small station along the route. I was not given the option of adding a bike reservation.

bktourer1

I was askin for an out of state friend.
I have a res, from Albany to Buffalo on the Empire Service getting off at Depew Station,
I only have to take off my front wheel and hang bike

indyfabz

No crime in passing along my suggestion to your friend or trying it for him/her.

Know all about hanging the bike for carry-on service.
Done it twice on the Vermonter.

arsprod 

To make sure I understand you're saying from Albany to Buffalo it's not roll on service?

indyfabz

Peruse the link I posted. Empire Service is carry-on. Lake Shore Limited is trainside checked. Both use the same route between Albany and Buffalo. The OP didn’t originally specify which service he was asking about.

arsprod 

Helpful, thanks!

PedalingWalrus

Probably could not do it with our tandem bicycle :-)

indyfabz

Nope. In fact, the rules only allow singles. If a single is small enough you can keep the front wheel on. That bike is 60cm with a long wheelbase so I had to remove the front wheel.

PedalingWalrus

Yeah. I figure we will just try to rent a van for the return trip to Buffalo

arsprod 

I have yet to actually use Amtrak though planned many times. It's always such a pain and their schedules so restrictive, that renting a pickup or van is easier and not much more expensive. I'll keep trying though!

indyfabz

If you are traveling alone and have a single you don’t need a van or pickup. I’ve done one-way rentals with my 60 cm LHT at least a half dozen times. An SUV is plenty, even with all my gear. With the front wheel off I even squeezed it into an old Toyota Camry.

BTW...I’ve found Avis to offer a lot of one-way rental options.

irwin7638

I can only confirm unboxed baggage service at Depew. When I did the Erie a few years ago, I reserved a return trip from Albany to Depew, drove to the Depew station where they gave me free long term parking until I returned from Albany. It was pretty painless.
Simply Cycle: A glorious week on the Erie Canal Trail

Marc