Originally Posted by
fairviewroad
I can't really understand why an agent would balk at checking a bag for a short distance. It's not like the distance the bag will travel has anything to do with the amount of hassle involved in placing the bag on the train.
Unless, due to the short distance, your bags are the only ones the baggage attendant will have to take and check that day (not many other people will be checking bags on a southbound Regional departing BAL), and he/she's looking to get out of work. It takes energy to get up from the chair and wheel the baggage cart out to the side of the train, ya know.
Originally Posted by
paytonc
Check the bags the day before; that way, they'll be waiting for you at WAS when you get there (although you'll likely need to ask someone to help you find them and/or unlock wherever they've been stored). You'll also save yourself any potential hassle of having to show up very early to check them. Also, Amtrak has rather more lenient carry-on policies than airlines do -- pretty much anything that you can carry without assistance can be brought aboard.
Indeed. Amtrak's carry-on policy = airlines' checked baggage policy. That is, basically, Amtrak allows you to carry on the same amount of stuff that airlines allow you to check. There's usually
plenty of room on-board for your baggage, as long as you can easily handle it yourself and aren't asking everyone around you or the conductors to help you carry it all.