A whole bunch of baggage questions

[Thunder Road]

I really appreciate this forum so much for letting me post so many questions.

Ok here goes.

1. I'm traveling CHI-WAS-TRE on 30 and 66, doing some touristy stuff in DC during the day. Can I check a bag CHI-WAS but then just not pick it up until 9 pm or so when I'm ready to get on 66? (Even if 66 happens to have a baggage car that night, I don't think they'll check it through to TRE, right?)

2. I'm traveling back TRE-PGH-CHI on 43 and 29. Can I check my bags from TRE? I'm 99% sure I can't since 43 doesn't have luggage service, right? But what if during the half-hour wait at PHL, I got off and checked my bags to CHI, so that they would get put on a southbound LD and then transfer to 29 at WAS? Would they let me do that?

3. If no to #2, and I lug my stuff on 43, can I still check it at PGH for the segment on 29 to CHI?

I hope that sort-of made sense.

 

[Donctor]

I really appreciate this forum so much for letting me post so many questions.

Ok here goes.

1. I'm traveling CHI-WAS-TRE on 30 and 66, doing some touristy stuff in DC during the day. Can I check a bag CHI-WAS but then just not pick it up until 9 pm or so when I'm ready to get on 66? (Even if 66 happens to have a baggage car that night, I don't think they'll check it through to TRE, right?)

2. I'm traveling back TRE-PGH-CHI on 43 and 29. Can I check my bags from TRE? I'm 99% sure I can't since 43 doesn't have luggage service, right? But what if during the half-hour wait at PHL, I got off and checked my bags to CHI, so that they would get put on a southbound LD and then transfer to 29 at WAS? Would they let me do that?

3. If no to #2, and I lug my stuff on 43, can I still check it at PGH for the segment on 29 to CHI?

I hope that sort-of made sense.

1. Yes, you can do that. You don't have to pick the bag up immediately upon arrival. If you don't, though, you may well have to go into WAS's luggage dungeon around the corner on 1st Street. Also, make sure that you're familiar with the hours of WAS's baggage room, so as not to turn up too late. (EDIT: The website says WAS's bag room is open until 10pm.)

They won't check a bag to TRE on any train, because TRE doesn't offer checked baggage.

2. TRE has no luggage service, so you'd be out of luck. At PHL you can do what you've mentioned, but there's no guarantee that your bags will arrive in CHI the same day you do. It's likely that your bags would be put on 29 SD, but 95 minutes isn't a huge amount of time for the bag to be transferred at WAS, and you must be prepared for the possibility that the bags are put on the next day's 29.

I don't know if 51 runs on your date of travel, so I've no idea if that's an option for your bags.

 

[Blue Marble Travel]

Donctor's response is thorough... I would add this anecdotal experience concerning the inbound stopover in DC: if the baggage is picked up the same day, even in the evening, it typically stays upstairs, in a locked rack where the carousels are. They only transfer it to the dungeon after it has been there for a day or two. But allow a few minutes for this pick-up to take place, as you will have to find either (a) someone with the key to the locked rack, or (b) the dungeon.

Yes, checking the return bag(s) in PHL or PGH is possible. But, again as Donctor says, if checked in PHL they will stamp "subject to delay" all over the tags, and you may have to go back to Union Station in Chicago to get them off of the next day's train.

 

[Thunder Road]

Ok well since it's just one bag, I'll probably take it with me on 43 then check it at PGH, since getting back to CUS is basically impossible given my class schedule and the fact that the connecting bus from campus to the train station only runs on the weekends. Thanks!

 

[the_traveler]

Since 30 & 29 are Superliners and you only have 1 bag, why check it back to CHI at all? :huh: There is a large luggage rack on the lower level. Why not place it there? :huh: That way you do not have to "go back to Union Station to retrieve your bag"! :excl:

 

[Thunder Road]

Since 30 & 29 are Superliners and you only have 1 bag, why check it back to CHI at all? :huh: There is a large luggage rack on the lower level. Why not place it there? :huh: That way you do not have to "go back to Union Station to retrieve your bag"! :excl:

You know...I don't know. I've never been on a Superliner before, so I don't know these things.