Today’s out-of-left field idea:
Why have baggage cars at all for single level trains. Just build baggage compartments under the floor like a bus. Lots of unutilized space down there. Would allow checked baggage service at every podunk flag stop in the network.
The big show stopper would be places with high level platforms, but even that could be solvable… Money you save by not owning or operating could fund quite a bit of platform reconstruction.
I’ve often thought the same. One advantage would be that in cases where some cars are switched in or out of a train (rarely done any more, I think), the baggage would automatically go with it’s owner.
I wonder if anyone ever observes the loading/unloading of baggage cars on LD trains? Most folks travel much lighter today than 50 years ago. Who uses a trunk?
I wondered about the latest procurement. Perhaps Amtrak is looking toward the future with contracted package revenue as per PRIIA and the Southwest Chief. Under car storage sounds interesting.
To my mind one of Amtrak’s advantages is its generous baggage allowance. Even with the recent restrictions Amtrak will accept a lot more baggage than planes or buses. Because trains by there nature are large Amtrak can afford to do this. While most riders do not check baggage some do and it can be important to those who do use the service.
As I understand the point, there are costs to hauling around a baggage care and often baggage cars are almost completely empty.
Under car baggage compartments do make sense except at stations with high level platforms. I can only wonder how a baggage handler could get to an under car compartment at New York Penn Station.
What occurs to me is that there doesn’t have to be a whole baggage car. A section of any kind of car could be used for baggage and the rest could be a coach or a sleeping care. But when Amtrak has baggage cars it may make more sense to use them rather than buying a new combination car.
PS. Maybe it is time to reconsider Amtrak Express Service. I know the idea was tried and abandoned as it was not profitable. But perhaps with more careful planning the idea could be profitable.
…and how many backs are bent out of shape getting baggage on and off the cart/car?
How much usable space is there under a passenger car, with air brake equipment, Air Conditioning equipment, septic holding tanks, etc? If you could fit all the baggage for the entire train under one car, then you would have something. However, if you needed the space spread out over several cars it would be a baggage handling nightmare. Remember the space must also accommodate the Congressionally mandated gun safe.
Convert (or better still, change before the are finished) the new baggage cars to combines, either half coach half baggage or some other configuration, such as 1/3 baggage, 2/3 coach seating.
I check my bags if I plan on staying at the destination longer than 3 days. I would propose that Amtrak change it’s boarding procedure for long distance trans to be the following.
Keep the baggage car on the head end or convert part of a coach to carry baggage.
At small station stops make the passengers get on the forward car against the baggage and detrain there as well. One 3-4 min stop per train per station. Keep some seats open and reserved for those waiting to check their bags or get them back prior to the station stop.
Check the bags on the train or dispense them prior to the small station stop. Hand carry into the baggage part of the car.
Sleeping car passengers that board at the small stop can easily walk to the sleeping car with their carry-on bags, if they can’t then the sleeping car attendent or porter can help them for a small fee.
How essential are the baggage cars on the long-distance Superliner runs? I would think a couple of Coach-Baggages could replace those.
I think that depends on the situation. When I was in the Army an awol bag could easily fit on the luggage rack but my duffle bag had to be checked.
I have observed the loading/unloading. Have you ever waited for your baggage in a place such as Salt Lake City, Atlanta, or Washington?
Doesn’t Amtrak still carry mail? I remember reading a while back that Amtrak was making a nice chunk of change carrying priority and express mail parcels.
It maybe a little off subject but when did they stop using steam heat cars (converted B units)?
If you’re going to left-field luggage stowage… why not do it with bilevel cars… following the way the sesquidecker van Hools used for the Megabus service do it. These don’t have possum-bellies (the bottom ‘deck’ is low-floor) but the rear portion of the lower passenger compartment is currently reserved for luggage bays, and these are (even on the bus!) at what corresponds to high-level-platform height (over the rear and tag axle).
Easy to put slide-out rails and even motor assist to move the luggage outboard for ease and speed of handling, regardless of what side of the car is facing the platform, or if you are at low level…
Naturally the through-car passageway has to be on the upper level if the bay goes side to side like a possum belly – but that’s where you want free walkthrough, and maximum passenger space, anyway, and there’s no showstopping reason the idea couldn’t be adapted to Superliner or other high-level car design …
If checked bags are not all in one place on the train you will drastically increase dwell time at each stop.
If you are suggesting that passengers handle their own baggage at every stop, have you ever watched the people who board the train with large bags trying to move and store them?
On Amfleet and Horizon coaches, a huge amount - take a look some time. Although you might have to rearrange some components. (you forgot potable water tank, HEP transformer, emerg. lighting batteries, but that’s about it.)
In some cases it would be easier, some harder. For small stations, car attendant does it right at the platform like bus. At lager locations, not much would change - but you might have to keep track of which car has which bags.
That goes in the compartment on the Cafe car.
But Don, as you pointed out some stations have high platforms. How do you get to this space in, say, New York Penn Station?
The CAF single level long distance car order includes 25 dorm-baggage cars with roomettes in 1/2 of the car for the on-board staff and 1/2 baggage storage space. The order also includes 55 baggage cars for use on the western LD trains, the eastern day trains which have baggage cars, and the #66, #67 overnight Regionals with baggage cars. Reportedly one or two additional NE Regionals will get baggage cars for checked baggage once the CAF cars are delivered, fixing the current tight supply of baggage cars,
The design of a 1/2 crew dorm and 1/2 baggage car says that Amtrak could also, when the Amfleet I cars are to be replaced, order some 1/2 coach, 1/2 baggage cars for use on corridor & day trains with checked baggage. Or a cab car with a large baggage storage space with a bike rack between the cab and the 1/2 coach car space.
As for placing the baggage underneath the floor level on the single level cars, that is rather impractical as high level platforms are the norm on the NEC and as all the stations on the Keystone East, New Haven-Springfield, many on the NY Empire corridors have or will get high level platforms. South of DC, Raleigh, Savannah. Tampa, Jacksonville FL are all funded to build high level platforms in the next few years.
Not to go back into history, but if I’ve understood my reading, Southern Pacific’s early/original Coast Daylight had a baggage car, but would handle checked baggage between endpoints San Francisco and Los Angeles (presumably to keep dwell times at intermediate stations).
But, the coaches actually had baggage elevators accessed from the outside. to easily shuttle luggage up to the luggage storage area inside each car.