Originally Posted by
Sydneysider
I've read in several places that it is a felony to carry on board an Amtrak train, and in several others that Amtrak personnel don't like it but the worst that would happen is that you'd be asked to leave the train.
The latter seems more accurate than the former in general terms; in order for something to be a felony, there has to be a law against it (duh). I tried briefly to find a federal law that covers concealed firearms on Amtrak but didn't (which isn't to say one does not exist, just that I didn't find one in the 5 minutes I allotted to the task). When people say it is a felony to carry a gun on Amtrak, they might be referring to state and local laws.
Originally Posted by
Sydneysider
As a private company I would respect their wishes and not carry concealed on their trains, but they don't appear to have a public policy about this (as opposed to firearms in checked luggage).
They are a very special "private" company . . .
Originally Posted by
jkhuggins
Amtrak's website states: "Firearms/ammunition may not be carried in carry-on baggage." I can only assume that would also apply to concealed carry as well. (The site does not specify what penalties --- civil or criminal --- apply to violating this policy.)
That is interesting. One one's person is not "in carry-on baggage"-- I imagine the intent of this rule is to keep firearms out of the passenger compartments of the train but if that is the case, it doesn't say what it means. (It is always a good idea for a rule to say what it means). I also couldn't find any federal law that says violating Amtrak policy is a crime.
So you have a few options: You could email the Amtrak police-- this would get you the most direct answer. If you actually have some sort of want or need to do it, you could make sure you are not in violation of any state or local laws, and then just do it. It is unlikely it would be discovered though it is also unclear what the consequences of being caught would be. You can't be charged with violating a law that doesn't exist (though that hasn't stopped Amtrak Police from doing it in the past with photographers).
If I had some need to do it and it were legal in all the local jurisdictions I planned on traveling through, I'd probably do it (I'd probably research it a little further first). But that doesn't mean you should do it.