Amtrak - Dealing with Limited Luggage Stops
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Amtrak - Dealing with Limited Luggage Stops
The Southwest Chief Amtrak passes through Los Angeles ("A"), a point in between ("B"), and Flagstaff ("C"). I would like to leave a car at "B", take the train to "C", and then ride back to "B". The problem is that only "A" and "C" are designated luggage stops. I could ride the train from "A" to "C" but that introduces additional complications in getting a car to "B". Anyone know if it's possible to check the bike at "A", drive to "B" to board the train, and leave the train at "C" with the bike?
Last edited by LCI_Brian; 03-07-10 at 11:58 AM.
#2
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Arg, you are giving me nightmares of math class....
Anyway, my suggestion is to call amtrak direct with any questions. I am pretty sure you can "ship" a bike with amtrak as I remember a man telling me about doing that exact thing for his tour. Let us know what you find out!
Anyway, my suggestion is to call amtrak direct with any questions. I am pretty sure you can "ship" a bike with amtrak as I remember a man telling me about doing that exact thing for his tour. Let us know what you find out!
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You can send the bike as freight on Amtrak Express from A to C. I shipped my son's bike from NC to Boston, MA via Amtrak freight. IIRC it was less than $50. Amtrak even had the box for $5. I am planning a dream tour (mainly just in case I win the lottery) The tour is going to be via Amtrak and bike. I figure a Brommie or a BF NWT is the way to go because I can stuff it in a suitcase and call it carry on. That way I can get around the Limited Luggage stops. FWIW ALL stops in Iowa are LL.
Aaron
Aaron
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Webshots is bailing out, if you find any of my posts with corrupt picture files and want to see them corrected please let me know. :(
ISO: A late 1980's Giant Iguana MTB frameset (or complete bike) 23" Red with yellow graphics.
"Cycling should be a way of life, not a hobby.
RIDE, YOU FOOL, RIDE!"_Nicodemus
"Steel: nearly a thousand years of metallurgical development
Aluminum: barely a hundred
Which one would you rather have under your butt at 30mph?"_krazygluon
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sorry for thread drift
#5
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You can send the bike as freight on Amtrak Express from A to C. I shipped my son's bike from NC to Boston, MA via Amtrak freight. IIRC it was less than $50. Amtrak even had the box for $5. I am planning a dream tour (mainly just in case I win the lottery) The tour is going to be via Amtrak and bike. I figure a Brommie or a BF NWT is the way to go because I can stuff it in a suitcase and call it carry on. That way I can get around the Limited Luggage stops. FWIW ALL stops in Iowa are LL.
Aaron
Aaron
I am considering using Amtrak Express to get our bikes to the San Diego and home from Oregon. We may be flying but have not completely ruled out traveling by Amtrak in which case we would check them when we board.
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How did the logistics work out? Did the bike arrive on time or is it necessary to ship early to be sure? Any idea how long will they hold the bike at the destination?
I am considering using Amtrak Express to get our bikes to the San Diego and home from Oregon. We may be flying but have not completely ruled out traveling by Amtrak in which case we would check them when we board.
I am considering using Amtrak Express to get our bikes to the San Diego and home from Oregon. We may be flying but have not completely ruled out traveling by Amtrak in which case we would check them when we board.
Aaron
__________________
Webshots is bailing out, if you find any of my posts with corrupt picture files and want to see them corrected please let me know. :(
ISO: A late 1980's Giant Iguana MTB frameset (or complete bike) 23" Red with yellow graphics.
"Cycling should be a way of life, not a hobby.
RIDE, YOU FOOL, RIDE!"_Nicodemus
"Steel: nearly a thousand years of metallurgical development
Aluminum: barely a hundred
Which one would you rather have under your butt at 30mph?"_krazygluon
Webshots is bailing out, if you find any of my posts with corrupt picture files and want to see them corrected please let me know. :(
ISO: A late 1980's Giant Iguana MTB frameset (or complete bike) 23" Red with yellow graphics.
"Cycling should be a way of life, not a hobby.
RIDE, YOU FOOL, RIDE!"_Nicodemus
"Steel: nearly a thousand years of metallurgical development
Aluminum: barely a hundred
Which one would you rather have under your butt at 30mph?"_krazygluon
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LCI, you would likely enjoy the ride from Flagstaff to Kingman, but Needles to Barstow is a long stretch of flat boring desert.
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Another idea would be to just mail your bike to Absolute Bikes in downtown Flagstaff, and they would have it ready for you. It's about a 5 minute walk from the Amtrak station to the bike shop.
#9
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They held the bike at the station until he picked it up the next day. I don't recall the ship time, but they did tell me up front when they expected it to arrive at the station in BOS. I guess as long as the train isn't running late it will be there on time. I have also done the bike as checked luggage and it arrived when I did. LOL
Aaron
Aaron
I really like the idea of the bike being in a huge box so practically no assembly or disassembly are required. It means it being able to be ridden into the station and and packing in minutes. It also means picking it up and riding out of the station with practically no wrenching. The one time I used amtrak on tour I found the packing/unpacking to be way less hassle than packing a bike for shipping by UPS or FedX. The exception was when I used the shipbikes.com box which also requires very little disassembly. The thing is that then you have to ship the $100 box between your start and finish points.
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So you actually knew when it was going and pretty much which train it would be on?
I really like the idea of the bike being in a huge box so practically no assembly or disassembly are required. It means it being able to be ridden into the station and and packing in minutes. It also means picking it up and riding out of the station with practically no wrenching. The one time I used amtrak on tour I found the packing/unpacking to be way less hassle than packing a bike for shipping by UPS or FedX. The exception was when I used the shipbikes.com box which also requires very little disassembly. The thing is that then you have to ship the $100 box between your start and finish points.
I really like the idea of the bike being in a huge box so practically no assembly or disassembly are required. It means it being able to be ridden into the station and and packing in minutes. It also means picking it up and riding out of the station with practically no wrenching. The one time I used amtrak on tour I found the packing/unpacking to be way less hassle than packing a bike for shipping by UPS or FedX. The exception was when I used the shipbikes.com box which also requires very little disassembly. The thing is that then you have to ship the $100 box between your start and finish points.
Aaron
__________________
Webshots is bailing out, if you find any of my posts with corrupt picture files and want to see them corrected please let me know. :(
ISO: A late 1980's Giant Iguana MTB frameset (or complete bike) 23" Red with yellow graphics.
"Cycling should be a way of life, not a hobby.
RIDE, YOU FOOL, RIDE!"_Nicodemus
"Steel: nearly a thousand years of metallurgical development
Aluminum: barely a hundred
Which one would you rather have under your butt at 30mph?"_krazygluon
Webshots is bailing out, if you find any of my posts with corrupt picture files and want to see them corrected please let me know. :(
ISO: A late 1980's Giant Iguana MTB frameset (or complete bike) 23" Red with yellow graphics.
"Cycling should be a way of life, not a hobby.
RIDE, YOU FOOL, RIDE!"_Nicodemus
"Steel: nearly a thousand years of metallurgical development
Aluminum: barely a hundred
Which one would you rather have under your butt at 30mph?"_krazygluon
#11
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Thanks Aaron, that is helpful. I am a bit more concerned on this trip since it will involve 3 train changes to get from Baltimore to San Diego (One could be eliminated if I drive 50 miles to Washington DC to drop it off and another if I am willing to start in LA rather than San Diego). At the other end it is probably one less train depending on where we decide to head home from. I figure extra handling equates to extra risk of damage which concerns me more at the beginning of the trip than at the end.
Last edited by staehpj1; 03-06-10 at 04:13 PM.
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When I had my bike shipped on Amtrak from Tucson to Sacramento, it took 3 or 4 days to get there as opposed to the 2 it would take a person to ride the same trains. I guess the bike couldn't make the ridiculous 15 minute connection in Los Angeles. I shipped the bike so that it would get there several days early to allow for it being late, but it arrived the day they said it would, so that may not have been necessary. They told me they would hold the bike for 2 days free of charge and then after that it would be $3 per day. When I went to pick the bike up 4 days after it arrived, I asked the luggage guy how much I owed since it had been there 4 days. He told me it had been there only 2. When I told him again it had been 4 days, he told me "It's been here 2 days, got it?" and gave me that look of not wanting to have to fill out the paperwork and collect the money from me.
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BTW, according to the Amtrak 1-800 number there is freight service from Los Angeles. They gave me another number for the freight service for more details, though I won't be able to check until normal business hours.
I'll be logging my tour here: https://www.trackmytour.com/1464
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Link to bike shop :
https://www.absolutebikes.net/flag_frset.html
Link to Flagstaff visitor info :
https://www.flagstaffarizona.org/index.html
Link to Arizona bike map :
https://www.azbikeped.org/images/Map2...0409_side1.pdf