Thefts on trains?

Trains Magazine Passenger
1

After reading the other thread about traveling by Roomette or Coach, a thought about the safety of personal valuables occurred to me.

In my 43 years of traveling as an adult, I have never experienced the loss of a single item, whether in coach or from my room. But I’ll confess I lock my bags before I head to the dining car. I wish Amtrak rooms had locking doors (not just from the inside) and it disturbs me to return to my room and find the door has vibrated open and my stuff is visible to people in the corridor.

So, two questions: 1. Has anyone here personally had anything stolen from him while on Amtrak? How recently? Room or coach?

And 2. Would it make sense in this age of heightened security awareness for Amtrak room doors to have locks, perhaps like the train I took from Paris to Barcelona, where the conductor hands out a coded room key to passengers, who can then lock their rooms while eating or something?

Or is this just a non-issue?

2

I have never personally experienced a theft, from my usual Bedroom accommodation, though did have anxiety on the matter when first started traveling. Am unaware of any such event, except that unusual one reported below. I just don’t carry anything valuable, first of all, then keep what small important stuff (wallet, money, camera, watch, etc.) with me when I cruise through the train. Since there is no Wi-Fi (yet, except apparently now on Acela), there is no real need to carry a lap-top when traveling. In fact, train traveling is a merciful excuse not to be wired!

I would recommend leave most valuables at home (jewelry, alcohol, computers, heirlooms, etc.). Take books, magazines, journals, photographs.

Nonetheless, when you leave your Bedroom, pull the drape all the way across and engage all velco fasteners. Then, pull the fixed, hard door closed tight; it will stay that way regardless of “vibration.” Maybe get to know your nearest compartment occupant, and trade off “neighborhood watching.”

It is interesting, though, that the dormitory car compartments have hasps on the outside of its doors, through which hasps the compartment owners (employees) put their own padlocks, presumably while they are engaged elsewhere on the train.

However, I must relate an experience boarding a sleeping car on the City of New Orleans in Memphis one cold night in December of last year. After the northbound train arrived, the conductor and car attendant requested us to stay on the platform for a while before boarding. Swiftly, several police cars showed up (Memphis terminal has a police substation right in its building), and the police were hustled into the sleeping car. Shortly, they came out with a decent-looking young man in just a T-shirt and slacks, cuffed and stuffed. My inquiry to the conductor, as I

3

We always travel coach. We leave our carry ons, including a computer in the open overhead rack when we leave our seats. We have never had a loss of any kind.

4

I had one experience where a teenager was charging his ipod in the lounge car on the Eagle and it was stolen. A number of anouncements were made but to no avail so they took up a collection for the young man to buy a new one.

5

Several weeks ago we had a request from a Amtrak train to have the Police meet them so they could discharge a ‘passenger’ who was rummaging through other passengers belongings.

Book’m Dan-O!

6

I am leave Today on Capitol Limited at Connellsville,PA to Chicago and then to Southwest Chief going to Kingman, AZ then on the bus to Las Vegas, NV. all in the Sleeping Car. I been travel 20 plus years in sleeping car my family ever had a problem in sleeping car. almost all of sleeping car people are good people.

7

Nothing in this world is 100% absolutely safe,you have people moving out of big cities and into small town and suburbs in order to escape crime and violence, yet you’ll still have incidents like the Columbine massacre. Just use common sense and you’ll be fine.

That being said, thefts on trains have dropped DRAMATICALLY in the past 100 years or so :slight_smile:

8

^

I wonder who and when the last person(s) that were convicted of ‘Train Robbery’?

9

The last “traditional” train robbery (stopping the train to steal stuff) may have been the “Great Train Robbery” which took place in the UK in 1963. IIRC one of the lead guys escaped and lived many decades a free man in South America.

Just an aside - here in Minnesota, by statute a conductor of a train has the same power to arrest as does the sheriff of a county. It actually had less to do with outright theft than with card sharks who once frequented trains a century or more back, cheating at cards to fleece travellers.

I did see a situation where an obnoxious drunk was put off the Empire Builder by the conductor after it crossed from Wisconsin to Minnesota. When the train stopped at Red Wing, he was handed over to the police. It’s illegal to be intoxicated on any public transportation in Minnesota by the way, probably not in Wisconsin. [:-^]

10

Stix;

I guess it must be a case of ‘timing’ . You know, Plan Your work and work your plan! Having grown up in the Mid-South (Mempho). I recall times in the past when there would be articles in the Memphis paper ( Comm. App.) of instances where State Revenue agennts would board an airplane and when that aircraft was over a"Dry" area, make an arrest for serving or consuming ‘adut beverages’ while in a Dry County/State. [ie, parts of North Alabama were Dry Counties, as was the case with Arkansas] two I can remember right off the bat.

Those kinds of things always brought comment of,“Can they really do that?” Apparently they at least thought they could, and did try it. BUT you never if ever heard what the outcome was. From toime to time the Tenn Dept of Revenue would do stakeouts over in West Memphis, Ark and bust Tennessee drivers who were buying the cheaper Arkansas booze for consumption in Tenn. Occasionally, Mississipi Reve

11

I have heard that it is illegal for passengers and maybe pilots to be intoxicated on the official state airline of Wisconsin, which I think is spelled or pronounced “Dairy-Air.”

(Thank you, Garrison Keillor)

12

It’s prevalent at Chicago Union Station where the platforms are open to the street. I’ve heard it happening to other passengers in my sleeping car when departing from there. Generally it’s a good idea to stay in your sleeping car room in big city stations that have their platforms open to the public. I would be especially alert in Chicago though if your using a Sleeping Car out of there. I’ve noticed that the Sleeping Car attendents are pretty good at keeping an eye on things but it only takes a distraction or helping a passenger for someone to sneak by…at the start of every trip the attendent is really not familiar with who should be in the sleeping car.

13

Good advice re: Chicago Union Station. From your experience, would you also recommend staying aboard at extended (crew change) stops, such as Albuquerque on the Southwest Chief?

I’m a runner (“I am, therefore I run!”), so I need to get out now and then, to at least have a brisk walk.

14

No I think your OK in Albuquerque and even St. Louis, not as high density near either station as you have with Chicago. Chicago is the only place I have run into theft on a Superliner Sleeper. I do not travel a lot by Amtrak though. I did the Southwest Chief only twice (Chicago-LA), California Zephyr twice (Chicago-SFO). Texas Eagle once (Dallas-Chicago RT). The rest of my trips have been 600 miles or less on Amtrak. I run as well sometimes.

Tip on running: Best to do it early morning before you eat, then go back to bed for like an hour or hour and a half after you cool down after the run to sleep some more. You’ll wake up with most of the runner fatigue gone but the benefits of feeling good still there.

15

I question your concern about thefts on trains at Chicago Union Station. Since passengers are starting or finishing a trip at Chicago, it seems unlikely that one would be away from their room for any period of time. Also, the platforms at Union Station used by Amtrak aren’t really open to non-passengers. There’s been plenty of complaints about the gate agents at Chicago (and from my own personal experience), that it’s highly doubtful that someone could “stalk” a train looking to steal something, or even get on or off a train without being challenged. I’m not saying such thefts couldn’t occur, but it seems that it would be a rare occurance.

16

I can remember the train crew making announcements on trains going thru Penn Sta to keep and eye on your stuff during the station stop. There had been incidents of local people walking thru the train while it was in the station and stealing stuff. This was in the 1980’s, I think.

17

Reads like you have a false sense of security at least.

You do know the Chicago Police maintains a online DB that can be searched for past incidents near Union Station? 2 larcenies and one assault since Mid-May…I think I saw. I am not trying to panic anyone. I grew up and lived in Milwaukee and have spent considerable time around Union Station in Chicago I think it is relatively safe.

Unfortunately, the platforms of CUS are the jurisdiction of Amtrak Police and they do not make their info available online via a searchable DB that I am aware of. OP only has to ask the train crew on his next trip through Chicago, they might confide with him. Since I ride sleepers on Amtrak so rarely and I’ve been on board when it’s happened…statistically probably NOT a rare occurence.[:D]

18

An idea: Can you stick anything in the upper berth, and then close that? It doesn’t lock, but it;s out of sight, out of mind.