Amtrak Lincoln Service

[steveb]

I have always loved Amtrak, but it was not until this year that I started riding frequently. Service on the Lincoln service train from St. Louis to Springfield has been really good except for a few problems.

Back during the summer I called Amtrak about taking my bicycle on board from Alton Illinois to Springfield Illinois. I was told the train had bike racks and it would cost $10. When the train arrived at the station, I asked the conductor where the bike racks were. He said there were no bike racks and to put my bike in the overhead luggage compartment. I looked at him in disbelief, as the train pulled away i asked him again and he said to put it in the overhead luggage compartment. As I struggled to get the bike up, the conductor just stood there watching. Finally a passenger came and assisted me getting the bike up there. The handle bar was sticking down just a few inches above someone head.

There were no bike racks on the train. I don't see why they charge someone $10 to store a bicycle in the overhead, when they don't charge a passenger for their luggage. It is the last time i take a bike on board. Amtrak customer service should know whether or not bike racks are avaliable on the trains. Plus the conductor was rude not trying to help he as a hoist a bicycle over my head above a full load of passengers. I called customer service and complained. About 4 weeks later I received a voucher for $10.

Then on December 22 I took the same train from St. Louis to Springfield, business class. The only people in business class was myself and two other guys. The floor of the train was filthy and almost every leather seat were torn. As we pulled away we noticed we were sitting backwards. the cafe attendant came in our car and said they forgot to turn the seats and we had to get up as she flipped the seats around. After a few minutes we noticed that there was a strong smell of urine coming from the toilet in the car. One of the other guys got up and closed the door. After two drinks I used the facilities and they were filthy and stinking. I would not have wanted to sit on anything in the toilet. The train originated from St Louis so they did not clean the car from the previous days trip from Chicago. My ticket was $7, plus $14 to ride in a dirty business class car. I guess $21 for a cup of coffee and a two hour ride is a good deal. haha I won't ride in business class again either.

I sent an e mail to Amtrak about the service. It said I would hear something in 4 weeks or so. I love amtrak and I want it to be a great experience. If it had been my first experience on the train i would drive my truck from now on. I only send in complaints because I want the service to be good. I will wait to see if I hear anything on my most recent complaint.

 

[MrEd]

According to what I read, amtrak.com, bike are only allowed on train 21/22. I think they were trying to do you a favor by allowing the bike on the lincoln service at all.

<<

Smoking is prohibited.

Bicycles: A limited number of spaces is available to transport unboxed bicycles

to/from all stations except for Trains 21 and 22. Passenger assists in loading,

securing and unloading the bicycle.

Trails and Rails Program: In a cooperative effort

<<

 

[PaulM]

According to what I read, amtrak.com, bike are only allowed on train 21/22. I think they were trying to do you a favor by allowing the bike on the lincoln service at all.
<<

Smoking is prohibited.

Bicycles: A limited number of spaces is available to transport unboxed bicycles

to/from all stations except for Trains 21 and 22. Passenger assists in loading,

securing and unloading the bicycle.

Trails and Rails Program: In a cooperative effort

<<

Disclaimer! I am a bicycle version of a foamer.

First of all, all Missouri and Illinois service trains carry self-loading, unboxed bikes for a $10 charge, which is treated reservation-wise as an accommodation, just like business class. The Missouri service is especially handy for Katy Trail rides. I recently used the IZ to carry a bike to Chicago and then into baggage on the EB for a trip to Seattle. Incidentally, I believe that NC, OK, CA, OR, and WA corridor trains also carry bikes, but not MI and NY (too beholden to the auto industry perhaps)

MrEd, don't feel bad. You would not believe the number of all types of Amtrak employees that swear up and down that these trains don't carry bikes. I even once had a friendly AC on the CS (not Coast Starlight) tell me I was lucky to misconnect with the IZ the evening before because that train's conductor does not allow bikes.

I agree that placing bikes in the overhead rack is dumb, dumb, dumb. Over the years, I've been instructed to put them in the aisle, in front of the first seat in the car, in a space that looks like it would be for wheel chairs, in the cabbage, and even in the place that makes the most sense, i.e., in the front vestibule of the first car or the rear vestibule of the last car (out of the way and easy to lock or bungy to the railing). Personally, I would be happy if they were carried on the cow catcher. Now if Michigan and New York could get their act together.

Contrary to your experience, the trainmen have alway been extremely cordual; the AC even helped me put it in the overhead rack on a recent trip on the Mule. My only gripe has to do with the trains that don't carry bikes and the LD trains that carry bikes in baggage cars, but provide baggage service at very few stations. Case in point, no baggage service on the CZ between CHI and Omaha, not even Galesburg with 8 trains a day calling there.

I'm sure many AU members will bring up all the FACTS, facts that make carrying bike sound like brain surgery or rocket science. But my experience on the Illinois and Missouri service contradicts these facts. In fact Amtrak should be promoting bicycles and trains, sort of like Austria's Rad und Bahn.

 

[AlanB]

According to what I read, amtrak.com, bike are only allowed on train 21/22. I think they were trying to do you a favor by allowing the bike on the lincoln service at all.
<<

Smoking is prohibited.

Bicycles: A limited number of spaces is available to transport unboxed bicycles

to/from all stations except for Trains 21 and 22. Passenger assists in loading,

securing and unloading the bicycle.

Trails and Rails Program: In a cooperative effort

<<

Uh, Ed, it says except 21 and 22. That would indicate that it is the Lincoln service that is supposed to carry unboxed bikes.

 

[eee]

I rode train 303 from Bloomington-Normal to St. Louis the other day for the first time.

Business Class was a bit of a disappointment. There were no overhead luggage racks in the car and those bright flourescent lights didn't really allow me to relax. How about some soft light that doesn't make me feel like I'm in a prison yard?

 

[MrEd]

I see unboxed on lincoln and boxed on the 21/22. Now I think I am straight on that.

 

[Larry H.]

I rode train 303 from Bloomington-Normal to St. Louis the other day for the first time.
Business Class was a bit of a disappointment. There were no overhead luggage racks in the car and those bright flourescent lights didn't really allow me to relax. How about some soft light that doesn't make me feel like I'm in a prison yard?

How silly, your actually expecting someone at Amtrak to consider the environment the passengers have to endure. Collecting fares and keeping people in line is about the only consideration most days. Lets see now, they used to tell me when I worked that the way things looked were set from the "top" down. Well that explains a lot.

 

[rtabern]

Business class really isn't worth it most of the time on the Midwest Corridor trains. I often go for rides between Chicago and Springfield/Galesburg... and will usually take a 300 series train out and then a Superliner back. Anyhow, the only time I will do business class is if I am traveling with a friend from out-of-town and it's a little nicer of a touch to do buisiness class... or if I am traveling around a holiday when I want priority boardng and can get along the long lines in Chicago... or sometimes during the summer on weekends to avoid sitting in a coach car full of screaming kids going down to see the sites in Springfield.

But, it's not worth the upgrade MOST of the time.

What is disapointing is on business class in California you get a snack pack and can get wine as your drink of choice... on the Midwest trains it's just the $2 soda.

What is frustrating sometimes is the free upgrade coupons. They can be worth $100 out east, but are only worth $16 on the Midwest trains.... (I guess I shouldn't complain because I could be in Texas where they would be totally useless, but still...)

Plus, on Midwest trains you don't get any AGR bonus for going business class. If they offered a 150 or 200 point minimum for biz class on the corridor trains I would do it more often... But I get 100 points whether I go CHI-STL in coach or business.

 

[Steve4031]

I agree on the lack of point bonus. However bc does offer more legroom than coach. And info like being away from kids. I think the seats are more comefortable too.

 

[eee]

I did get the Sunday Chicago Tribune in addition to my free soda. But it was a definite step down from my recent business class trip from NYP-BUF. That one was an Amfleet with faux leather seating, overhead luggage racks and no prison yard lights.

I'll be in business class from STL-KCY tomorrow. I won't be expecting much and I'll probably forgo business class on midwest trains from now on.

 

[ALC Rail Writer]

What cars does Lincoln Service use?

Sheer curiosity..

 

[heavesrock]

Horizon Coaches and an Amfleet cafe.

 

[ALC Rail Writer]

Horizon coaches, I should have known. Those things always look so... yuck. Inside and out.

 

[Joel N. Weber II]

I'm sure many AU members will bring up all the FACTS, facts that make carrying bike sound like brain surgery or rocket science. But my experience on the Illinois and Missouri service contradicts these facts. In fact Amtrak should be promoting bicycles and trains, sort of like Austria's Rad und Bahn.

Amtrak's bike carrying ability is so inconsistent between different routes that it does sound like brain surgery or rocket science. I hope that if Amtrak gets 75 new baggage cars, that every one of them will be equipped to carry unboxed bicycles, and I hope the policy becomes that anywhere checked baggage service is available, a bike rack in a baggage car will be available to carry unboxed bicycles.

 

[PaulM]

I'm sure many AU members will bring up all the FACTS, facts that make carrying bike sound like brain surgery or rocket science. But my experience on the Illinois and Missouri service contradicts these facts. In fact Amtrak should be promoting bicycles and trains, sort of like Austria's Rad und Bahn.

Amtrak's bike carrying ability is so inconsistent between different routes that it does sound like brain surgery or rocket science. I hope that if Amtrak gets 75 new baggage cars, that every one of them will be equipped to carry unboxed bicycles, and I hope the policy becomes that anywhere checked baggage service is available, a bike rack in a baggage car will be available to carry unboxed bicycles.

Two points.

1. I would certainly agree with your point that it is very difficult to figure out Amtrak's bicycle policy, at least for someone who hasn't made a life study of it like myself. However, what I was suggesting was the AU members would claim that providing the service is difficult.

2. The beauty of the Illinois/Missouri Service bike policy is that it doesn't require a baggage car or staff to handle the bikes, although, as I previously stated, normally the conductor or AC do help. Also, with baggage cars, there is the need to open and close them and to load and unload the bikes. Further, given the few LD stations with baggage service, I can't see this ever happening.

 

[PaulM]

I think they were trying to do you a favor by allowing the bike on the lincoln service at all.

I couldn't let this statement go without comment.

1. You make it sound like carrying a bicycle is like carrying a 10 day old corpse in a gunny sack.

2. It never ceases to amaze me how there are two vastly different types of business policy. One sees the business as doing the customer a favor, whereas the other sees the customer as doing the business a favor in that that is how they stay in business. MrEd seems to think that Amtrak belongs to the first category. Is he correct?

 

[HREG]

This tread really scared me. Rest assured, I'm on the 305 right now and the train is clean and the staff is friendly.

 

[GG-1]

Aloha

Guest_HREG is responding to an almost 3 year old thread.

 

[SubwayNut]

Last Summer I checked my bike on the Carl Sandburg, which was randomly using Superliners (3 cars in total), two Superliner Coaches (one a snack-coach) and a random Cross-County Cafe. Naturally I bike rode in the lower-level unused kitchen of the Cross-Country Cafe, resting up against a sink. i also got an extra 100 AGR points from my special ticket for my bike, (you get one for your coach seat and a separate ticket for your bike)

Living in New York (I checked my bike home on the LSL after Chicago) I am so jealous of the great bike options on Midwest Amtrak (although the conductor told me he has yet to see an actual bike rack) and even more so on Amtrak California where every car has a bike rack and you roll them on reservation free. I also know that bikes on the Piedmont Service and Cascades require reservations but travel on a bike rack in a baggage car (according to photos and seeing someone with a bike). I'm quite sure on the Downeaster (which will only handle unboxed bikes in Portland, Boston, and Wells) they travel in its Cabbage, not used for anything else.

Supposedly the Vermonter will get a rack soon (and is hopefully a pilot program for the North East).

 

[PaulM]

Last Summer I checked my bike on the Carl Sandburg, which was randomly using Superliners (3 cars in total), two Superliner Coaches (one a snack-coach) and a random Cross-County Cafe. Naturally I bike rode in the lower-level unused kitchen of the Cross-Country Cafe, resting up against a sink. i also got an extra 100 AGR points from my special ticket for my bike, (you get one for your coach seat and a separate ticket for your bike)

Did you actually get 100 points for the bike, or are expecting to get them? I've purchased bike tickets many a time for the Illinois Zephyr and Carl Sandburg; and have never gotten more than the 100 points, unless it was bonus time.

Also, it used to be that when the bicycle option disappeared from the reservation site, it was a tip-off that superliner equipment was being used.

 

[John Bredin]

I was considering taking Amtrak to New Buffalo, MI, for a cycling event until I discerned from the Amtrak website that you can take a bicycle on an Illinois or Missouri corridor train but not a Michigan corridor train. (The reservations system has a "button" to reserve for a bicycle when you're booking an IL or MO train but not when booking an MI train.)

This puzzled me, as the IL, MO, and MI corridors all use the same equipment. So I asked a Carl Sandburg/Illinois Zephyr conductor (on the platform as the train stopped at LaGrange IL, not as I was traveling) how bicycles are accomodated on those trains. He told me there was no rack and I would have to remove the front wheel and turn the handle-bars sideways. The person whose bike I would be borrowing said "heck no, you won't! You'll goof up the brakes putting the wheel on and off" She's probably right; I'm no mechanic. :giggle:

However, I'm gathering from some of the comments here and some pictures I've seen since on the Web that the conductor was talking out of his, umm, hat. That a passenger who's paid the $10 either has to put the bike in the wheelchair/luggage open area at the end of the seats or put it up in the rack, but no mecahnical fiddling with the bike is required. So, what's the deal?

Admittedly, it's a moot point for the Michigan trip. But it would be nice to know that I could take a bike on the train to Springfield without field-stripping it. :blink:

 

[amtrakwolverine]

Another policy that varys from crew to crew to make it easier on themselves.

 

[PaulM]

... I asked a Carl Sandburg/Illinois Zephyr conductor (on the platform as the train stopped at LaGrange IL, not as I was traveling) how bicycles are accomodated on those trains. He told me there was no rack and I would have to remove the front wheel and turn the handle-bars sideways. ...

However, I'm gathering from some of the comments here and some pictures I've seen since on the Web that the conductor was talking out of his, umm, hat. That a passenger who's paid the $10 either has to put the bike in the wheelchair/luggage open area at the end of the seats or put it up in the rack, but no mecahnical fiddling with the bike is required. So, what's the deal?

There's an AU thread that won't die called "Silliest OBS Made 'Rules'". You can add this one.

My wife and I have taken bikes on the IZ/CS probably 50 times and I've never seen this one. One time I was told by a newbie conductress that I had to remove the handle bars and put the bike in the overhead rack. I blogged at the time that I pity the non bicycle mechanic and that putting them in the overhead rack is a no-no according to published policy.

Come to think of it, a couple of years ago, a Galesburg station agent told me he had just seen a directive from "Chicago" saying that the front wheel had to be removed BEFORE boarding - even dumber. Fortunately, the directive never made it to the train level.

I will say that it wouldn't hurt to loosen the handlebars and turn them sideways if they are the "long horn" type, especially if you have to stack several side by side.

Another policy that varys from crew to crew to make it easier on themselves.

I attribute this more to ignorance. I'm willing to cut them some slack because they don't see that many bikes. In west central Illinois using a bike for transportation is not politically correct; and using one for recreation is only barely tolerated. This of course doesn't apply to the Missouri Runner. It parallels the Katy Trail and the problem you run into is bike space being sold out.

As to the lack of provision for bikes in Michigan, way back at the beginning of this thread, I speculated that it was the power of the auto industry. Supporting trains is bad enough; but trains and bikes is beyond the pale.

 

[OldZephyr]

I will join the crowd and resurrect this old thread that turned into a discussion about bikes on board certain of Amtrak's Illinois and Missouri trains. The roll-on service isn't perfect, but it's still a really useful service for bicyclists.

We had fun in March taking Metra and Amtrak from Lake Villa to Carlinville with our bikes, and then enjoying a tailwind over most of 4 days as we rode 250 miles to Princeton. We then boarded the Carl Sandburg in Princeton to get to Chicago, then Metra to Grayslake.

The conductor on the Lincoln Service train initially insisted that we take off the front wheels and put our bikes in the overhead racks -- it was a crowded train, however, and the other passengers were (rightly) not happy about bikes looming over them. I informed the conductor of this, and eventually the conductor let us stow the bikes at the back of an unused coach (which is where I had asked to put them in the first place).

The conductor on the Carl Sandburg just let us stow our bikes in the wheelchair/handicapped section, a much better place, and didn't first ask us to put the bikes in the overhead racks.

Note that it's a good idea to have a bungie cord along if you are taking your bike aboard these train or Metra.

Some pictures of the train rides and commentary here (part of a longer trip journal): http://www.crazyguyonabike.com/doc/page/?o=1&page_id=276551&v=4I and http://www.crazyguyonabike.com/doc/page/?o=1&page_id=276524&v=4z