Passenger Trains > Luggage safety or not on Amtrak?

On Tuesday 11/09 train #4 was delayed at San Bernardino 2 hours. It seams that two indiviuals that had tickets were on board. They were down stairs in one of the coach cars taking unattended bags from the rack next to the bathrooms into the restrooms and going through the bags. They had stolen several items. A man had just gone downstairs to retrieve something from his bag when he noticed one of them coming out of the restroom with his bag. He notified the conductor who called for the police. It seamed that the city police and the Sheriffs were confused as to who would respond. It seams that the individuals were going to use the stolen items to secure drugs from another passenger on the train who was not located. So a word to the wise don't put luggage on the racks downstairs unless you can keep an eye on them all the time.

Seems to me the seams on your pants are two tite. Better option - fly.


TCS - jetblue

Was is luggage any safer flying?

I had two camera's stolen while flying LGA - ALB. I was stupid to check them but the point is they were stolen after being checked on a my flight. So I don't think flying is any safer, theft wise, than train travel where I have never had anything stolen.

We took the CZ from Emeryville to Chicago in September in a sleeper. We had two big suitcases and one "carry-on". We left the 2 big ones downstairs in our sleeper car used the carry-on for our needs during the rail trip. We never worried about them at all. Might be a problem in coach class, but certainly not in the sleeping cars. My sense is that the OnBoard people watch that stuff pretty well.
C.

Whether or not one agrees with SDP40F's conclusions as to the safety of one's luggage, the incident he reported is true.

A passenger traveling Fullerton-Lamy was caught going through other passengers' luggage and stealing a camcorder and a digital camera. Another was removed for possession of drugs. The so-called dispute arose over where, in which police agency's jurisdiction, the crime actually took place; but the suspects were taken into custody by San Bernardino Police; it was indisputable that they were both in possession of items within the City and further charges can be filed by the District Attorney, the important part of the outcome being that they were in the hoosegow instead of aboard the train.

When I was the conductor on #4 one night, the chief came to me in the diner between Barstow and Needles and told me a guy was rummaging through some bags in the racks on the sleeper right behind the diner. As I was also a deputy sheriff in San Bernardino County at the time, I decided to have a gander. I went back and sure enough, there he was plying his way through a suitcase. I asked for his ticket and he said that was what he was looking for. The chief shook her head no at me behind him. She knew he wasn't in the sleepers and so did I because that's where the conductor worked back then. He himmed and hawed for a bit and I instinctively went into cop mode. I took him back to the diner and told him I was not only the conductor but I was a cop to boot currently in my own county, showing my badge and ID. I told him to empty his coat and pants pockets on the table. Out from the big coat came what had to be a very expensive camera. In the meantime, the chief had identified the baggage, woke the owners up and had them look through the bag that Mr. Sneaky had been "inspecting". Sure enough, the owner said his camera was missing. He came upstairs and identified it. At that point I hooked up the brain surgeon and told him he was under arrest. Using my non-digital IMTS brick phone called the WC at Needles and asked for a welcoming party to meet us. In this case the final score was Good Guys 1, Bad Guys 0. As some TV helicopter reporters say when they want people to know they can talk cop jive, iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiit's code 4. When you put those bags in the racks out of your sight, don't leave anything in them but clothes, and maybe a cocked mouse trap.

SurflinerHogger Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> He himmed and hawed for a bit
> and I instinctively went into cop mode. I took
> him back to the diner and told him I was not only
> the conductor but I was a cop to boot currently in
> my own county, showing my badge and ID.
===============================

Nice work. I always did like "going into cop mode," especially since in the State of California, if the crime is occurring in your presence, it's your jurisdiction, even if where you REALLY get your paycheck is a small department in a little town.

But who got the paperwork?

I have a stupid question: what's an IMTS brick phone ? Is it a analog =only cell phone form the early 1990's ?

I always lock my suitacse and carry on backpack when not at my seat. I also cable my suitcase to the bar running along the luggage rack.

joemvcnj Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------

> I always lock my suitacse and carry on backpack
> when not at my seat. I also cable my suitcase to
> the bar running along the luggage rack.

=================================

It won't help secure the bag against being carried off the train, but I bring plastic cable-ties with me and strap the closures or zippers of non-lockable bags with them when leaving one in the downstairs rack. Though a commonly-carried personal grooming item can make quick work of them, maybe that particular crook won't have it, won't feel like taking out a knife, and will move on to some other victim's bag.

I would never use the downstairs rack. They were designed in a more innocent era (the 1970's). Amtrak needs to bolt some fasteners to the wall down there so people can lock their bags up. They also need to have the coach attendants put bags in the old smoking rooms on request, and lock the door behind him.

I saw in a yuppie catalog in the mail yesterday TSA-approved luggage combo locks that Airline TSA can open, and sets a green indicator to red to show when they open . Otherwise you leave your bags unlocked, or they will break the lock off.

SurflinerHogger Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> When you put those bags in the racks out of your
> sight, don't leave anything in them but clothes,
> and maybe a cocked mouse trap.

I heartily concur!

Although it would be nice to carry my big roll-on case upstairs with me, it's not feasible to do so. It was a wise move in the design of the Superliners to have a narrow, cramped staircase as it limits the possibility of people getting hurt carrying overly-heavy suitcases up and down the stairs.

As for the 'locks' provided on suitcases, it's pretty much 1 or 2 keys will open them all. I never lock my suitcase. If someone wants to steal my clothing (clean and dirty), maybe a book, or an extra can of deoderant, so be it. All my valuables including camera, PC, cell phone, toiletries and medications, are upstairs with me!

Put them off at Fenner or Goffs and tell them to wait for the Sheriff? and forget to call the Sheriff?

better yet, forget to slow the train when you put them off.


TCS - bfb needs hooked on fonicks

Ed_Gyptian Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Put them off at Fenner or Goffs and tell them to
> wait for the Sheriff? and forget to call the
> Sheriff?

This has happened before, just not at Fenner or Goffs, but in the vicinity. Nobody "forgot" to call the sheriff either, if you catch my drift.

>
> But who got the paperwork?

Guess who? The Needles WC handed me the DR (Desk Report) number and a CR2 (report form) when we stopped at Needles on the way home. The deputies who took him into custody just did the face page and synopsis. I was told to have the report complete and turned in when I got back home in Victorville that evening. No court date. He copped and did 15 months at Glen Helen. :)