Originally Posted by
physioprof
Note that they can by policy ask for government photo ID to board or on the train, but I have never been asked in years & years of regular Amtrak travel.
The conductor's scanning device will randomly prompt to check an ID when they scan the tickets. It is random and fairly infrequent, but it DOES happen.
If they get the prompt and you don't have ID, you are getting off at the next stop. Yes, it is pretty rare, but the consequences of not having an ID if they get the prompt are pretty severe, so just carry ID.