Passenger Trains > Another Amtrak disaster in the making

We are awaiting a much delayed 98 at DLD. We have reservations in ADA bedroom in car 9810. DLD Amtrak says we cannot board because she thinks so of our bags weigh more than 50 lbs. What gives??

John

Posted from iPhone



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/06/25 12:39 by DocJohn.

the UP unit on the CZ will not allow it to go over 40mph , brake problem change at Grand Jct is rumored

I would post some pictures of how Amtrak DLD agent treats senior citizens with disabilities. Agent told us she is doing what her district manager told her to do.

Posted from iPhone

I would post some pictures of how Amtrak DLD agent treats senior citizens with disabilities. Agent told us she is doing what her district manager told her to do.

Posted from iPhone

Okay, I will bite.

First, where is DLD?  I guess I could look it up but why can't we just spell it out so that everyone doesn't have to.  Fine, I will.  *keystroke sounds here* Oh, I see that its DeLand, Florida.  There nobody else has to look it up.

Second, does your bag (or bags) each weigh more than 50 lbs.  That is one heavy bag to carry around if in fact it is that heavy.  How does the agent know this, did they weight them?  If not, that its doesn't weigh that much, it just "seems to".  If so, they you didn't follow the rules.

Third, how did this come about.  If its a carry-on then the local station agent shouldn't need to touch them right?  Or am I missing something here?

Thank you for your reply. Deland Amtrak agent handled our bags without our permission. Second, agent brought over two dollies and told us to put our bags ion them so that we could get them to correct car. I have seen 98 at DLD before and I am reasonably sure we are close to being in the right spot. I am 82 and cannot fly due to medical problem. My girlfriend is almost 76 and is disabled due to ankle injury. DLD agent made her unpack our bags on the platform to move things to "move the weight around".

Coming back from a month in Boston area hospitals with same luggage on 161/97 and there was none of this nonsense.

Posted from iPhone

I'm sorry you have to be subjected to the torture meted out by these uncaring, imbecilic nitwits.  Make sure to get names and report them.  Might not do any good, however.

-John

Amtrak has become just like the post office.

Some locations enforce rules that others do not. Some make up their own rules. People's individual personality flaws flare and end up ruling their little empires.

This is what happens when you have weak leadership and a lack of sensible incentives.

Amtrak's website clearly says there is a limit of 50 pounds for a checked bag. On U.S. airlines it's typically 50 lbs (23 kg) in economy and possibly 70 lbs (32 kg) in first class. On flights outside the U.S., sometimes it's only 20 kg on short flights. AIrlines will almost always weigh the bags because they want to be sure the aircraft is less than MTOW. Amtrak doesn't have that problem so it doesn't surprise me that enforcement is inconsistent. 



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/06/25 13:53 by ctillnc.

"DLD agent made her unpack our bags on the platform to move things to "move the weight around"."

Did the moron fear the Viewliner baggage car might tip over if the weight didn't move around within the suitcase ? 

joemvcnj Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> "DLD agent made her unpack our bags on the
> platform to move things to "move the weight
> around"."
>
> Did the moron fear the Viewliner baggage car might
> tip over if the weight didn't move around within the suitcase ? 

Safety First, Joe.

Amtrak agents love rules so they can take their frustration out on customers and not make common sense decisions. It’s the culture and does not bode well for good customer service

Management needs to have common sense too and reward employees once in a while rather than hitting them with a stick when they do the right thing for a customer

Posted from iPhone

My daughter many years ago coming from NYC to LA had 2 check bags. One was to heavy with books and she had to move some of her books to the other bag. This was checked baggage and not hand carried.
Dennis

Posted from iPhone

The Amtrak carry-on baggage policy seems quite straight forward to me.

https://www.amtrak.com/carry-on-baggage

If the bag was over 50lbs., the agent was correctly following the policy. She had every right to weigh the bag to find out if it was overweight.

Posted from Android

Fifty pounds is a lot to lug around in a suitcase, but wow, this is even worse than the post office. At least they accept packages up to 70 pounds.

I flew from Los Angeles to Portland once, on Alaska, and I checked my suitcase. It weighed in at something like 53 pounds. I had to pay an extra fee. I wasn't happy about it, but it's not like I was going to lug onto the plane 3 pounds of stuff in a plastic bag. It was all going on the same plane, one way of another.

And let me second the advocacy of spelling out station names. The original poster might understand what DLD, or whatever it was, is. But the rest of us don't.

When readers encounter some piece of jargon they don't understand their eyes tend to glaze over, many stop reading your post, and move on. 

Spell things out so your mother would understand. More people will understand, and read what you're saying.

Hey!  My spouse works at the USPS!  

And yes, you are right.  It is EXACTLY that way.  I hear about it at least once a week.  There are some great folks and some awful folks.  Just like Amtrak.

restricted_speed Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Amtrak has become just like the post office.
>
> Some locations enforce rules that others do not.
> Some make up their own rules. People's individual
> personality flaws flare and end up ruling their
> little empires.
>
> This is what happens when you have weak leadership
> and a lack of sensible incentives.

ctillnc Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Amtrak's website clearly says there is a limit of
> 50 pounds for a checked bag. On U.S. airlines
> it's typically 50 lbs (23 kg) in economy and
> possibly 70 lbs (32 kg) in first class. On flights
> outside the U.S., sometimes it's only 20 kg on
> short flights. AIrlines will almost always weigh
> the bags because they want to be sure the aircraft
> is less than MTOW. Amtrak doesn't have that
> problem so it doesn't surprise me that enforcement
> is inconsistent. 
> 
> 
> Petty BS on the baggage,
> never seen an overweight baggage car!!

I'm very fortunate that the people at my local post office have been excellent. But they were good people when they walked in the door - not due to anything the postal service did. Just like at Amtrak. Amtrak has a lot of good people. But they were good when they stepped onto the property.

I was really bummed out because the postmaster here and her main clerk both retired last week. The DAY after they left, weird stuff immediately began happening with service and deliveries. It surprised even me.

Those two were holding the place together.

Posted from Android

Mike6640-2 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> ctillnc Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Amtrak's website clearly says there is a limit
> of
> > 50 pounds for a checked bag. On U.S. airlines
> > it's typically 50 lbs (23 kg) in economy and
> > possibly 70 lbs (32 kg) in first class. On
> flights
> > outside the U.S., sometimes it's only 20 kg on
> > short flights. AIrlines will almost always
> weigh
> > the bags because they want to be sure the
> aircraft
> > is less than MTOW. Amtrak doesn't have that
> > problem so it doesn't surprise me that
> enforcement
> > is inconsistent. 
> > 
> > 
> > Petty BS on the baggage,
> > never seen an overweight baggage car!!

Don't think they're worried at all about overloading the baggage car but I bet they are concerned about the people handling that overweight baggage hurting their backs.

DocJohn Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> We are awaiting a much delayed 98 at DLD. We have
> reservations in ADA bedroom in car 9810. DLD
> Amtrak says we cannot board because she thinks so
> of our bags weigh more than 50 lbs. What gives??

Wow, so you consider having to adhere to baggage policies is a disaster in the making...