Passenger Trains > T eagle 21(26) stopped at Marshall, ammo found on train

"Amtrak 21 has been halted just a few minutes ago at Marshall after crew members discovered live ammunition laying loose on the train. Marshall local law enforcement has been notified and is en route to the T&P depot."

Corrected to a magazine containing live ammo...

Source: Railspot (Tx-Ar-Ok-NM), 634am local



Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 02/27/26 09:04 by GenePoon.

Apparently, didn't turn into a big deal as the the train took no delay and now, a day later, is on time in Illinois. 

Given Texas is an open carry state, it's easy to imagine that some TE pax forgo the 24h notification/lock box/checked baggage policy and just throw gun/ammo into their carry-on bag.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/27/26 08:44 by HighballSoCal.

My error on the train number. Fat finger keyed on "22" on the title.

Actually 21(26).  Train took about an hour delay. Now enroute and an 
observation about Texas being an open carry state means that presumably law
enforcement saw no illegality.

 

NH has very permissive gun laws, and we do not make such mistakes.  How one loses ammo is beyond me.  Further, I believe that there is a law against firearms in the passenger areas of trains.  Baggage car only if I am not mistaken.

"Firearms/ammunition may not be carried in carry-on baggage; therefore, checked baggage must be available on all trains and at all stations in the passenger's itinerary."

There you go.


HighballSoCal Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Given Texas is an open carry state, it's easy to
> imagine that some TE pax forgo the 24h
> notification/lock box/checked baggage policy and
> just throw gun/ammo into their carry-on bag.

Different states differ, but Amtrak's rule is a policy and thus NOT enforced by police unless a situation develops where actual statutes or danger to others exists.
 

GenePoon Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Different states differ, but Amtrak's rule is a
> policy and thus NOT enforced by police unless a
> situation develops where actual statutes or danger
> to others exists.
>  

Several gun rights sites say that Amtrak's rules trump state or local laws and concealed carry permits. And they caution folks packing heat to follow Amtrak's directives. TSA has arrested and detained people attempting to carry weapons aboard aircraft. Even from one open carry state to another.

The argument is Amtrak operates under federal law [under TSA issued directives], so you follow federal law. Regardless of state policies.  (ME: Sounds like this might be open to legal challenge, given the SCOTUS preference for dismantling some federally recognized rights and handing them to the states to recognize or not)

Here's one example:  https://weapongenetics.com/can-you-carry-a-concealed-weapon-on-amtrak/



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/27/26 14:55 by Lackawanna484.

Chessie1963 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Further, I believe that there is a law
> against firearms in the passenger areas of trains.

Which is what I was referring to when I wrote "the 24h notification/lock box/checked baggage policy." To carry a gun onboard, Amtrak requires 24-hour advanced notification, check-in no less than 30 minutes before departure time, and a lockbox for the gun that is secured inside checked baggage. 

I think was my point was that it's easy to imagine pax who walk around with their firearms in open carry getting to the station and just saying F-It to the Amtrak regs. And instead throwing the firearm into a carry-on. This seems even more likely if they're departing out of a station w/o checked baggage which hamstrings even those who do wish to honor Amtrak's policy. 

Perhaps I'm wrong. I sure wouldn't want to be the one who gets caught on the train with a gun. Federal entanglements galore. 

Chessie1963 conveys concisely the Amtrak policy.

Having transported firearms on an Amtrak train in recent years, it really was a non-issue if you follow the policy. Advance notice, checked baggage, etc. It was a bit humerous, though, when arriving at our departure station when the station agent loudly exclaimed 'you must be the guy checking in the shotgun'. I didn't turn around to see if the other passengers had a reaction, and frankly, I didn't want to know. Lol

Posted from Android

While not a gun owner, they do have a valid issue for more stations with stations agents and trains with checked baggage.

Posted from Android

25 tears ago a friend boarded a train in flagstaff? AZ on the SWC.  They were asked if they had any guns, my friend answer yes, which was the wrong answer-in their checked baggs, I guess.    So they talked about, it was his honeymoon trip, and he had called and asked, and gotten wrong information?  So they agent just coached them and asked asked again if they had guns he said no and took their trip