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Amtrak's New Firearms Policy

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  • Member since
    August 2008
  • From: Southeast Kansas
  • 1,329 posts
Amtrak's New Firearms Policy
Posted by wholeman on Tuesday, September 22, 2009 11:48 AM

I know this subject was brought before in the general discussion topics, but I have another concern.  How are they going to prohibit passengers from entering the baggage cars?  I saw a video on Youtube where a passenger took video of the inside of one and he was able to walk in the transistion sleeper.  What is keeping a passenger from accessing thier own firearm on board?  What steps is Amtrak going to take to prevent someone from bringing a firearm on board with checking the bag?

I have idea about the baggage car.  They should locking doors with keypads so only crew members can access it.

Will

  • Member since
    July 2006
  • From: Austin, TX
  • 462 posts
Posted by 4merroad4man on Wednesday, September 30, 2009 12:07 PM

If anybody had 10 cents' worth of smarts, they would buy locking (security) gun cases and mount them in the baggage cars and give the key or keys to a ranking crew member or on board supervisor.  Any ammunition should be secured in a locking ammunitions safe separate and apart from the gun case(s).

But, frankly, if anybody had 10 cents' worth of smarts, this subject wouldn't be up for debate right now. 

(Not an official Amtrak position or endorsement of same)

Serving Los Gatos and The Santa Cruz Mountains with the Legendary Colors of the Espee. "Your train, your train....It's MY train!" Papa Boule to Labische in "The Train"
  • Member since
    November 2006
  • From: Southington, CT
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Posted by DMUinCT on Thursday, October 1, 2009 9:59 AM

Congress has demanded (on threat of holding up Amtrak funds) that guns, in locked cases, be allowed in Checked Baggage.  This will be a problem for Amtrak, on long haul trains they normally do not scan Checked Luggage nor have tight security for Baggage Cars and Storage Areas.  Then their is the problem with Passenger who gets off in Boston, New York City, or Washington DC where possessing a fire arm not licensed locally is a Felony.  (as a member of the N.Y. Giants football team just found out)

Looks like guns will be OK on Amtrak as long as you do not take any photos of the trains.

Don U. TCA 73-5735

  • Member since
    March 2006
  • From: Orange County, CA
  • 98 posts
Posted by marthastrainyard on Thursday, October 1, 2009 4:06 PM

 Just a comment/question: I think the transition sleeper is open to passengers now. Amtrak sells some if that space as regular sleeping car space.

Home of the Ambroid history page and the up-and-coming City Of Los Angeles from 1950 http://www.trainweb.org/ambroidkits/ My pictures are here http://www.flickr.com/photos/8514678@N08/

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