baggage car temperatures

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Barb Stout

Conductor
AU Supporting Member
Joined
Mar 13, 2019
Messages
1,178
Location
Albuquerque, NM
I want to check my baggage because I'm small and I find it difficult to get my baggage on and off the train. However, I plan on bringing 1 or more flutes on this next trip and I was wondering just how hot it can get in the baggage car. Extreme heat can damage flutes and I have been advised to not keep my flute in my automobile if I'm not running the AC (I live in NM where the sun can really get the inside of a car extremely hot), but maybe it's different in baggage cars which I assume have no windows, but the cars are made of metal. However, the flute will be surrounded by lots of insulation by and in the suitcase. I will be traveling in mid to late August from ABQ to NY via the SWC and LSL. Can anyone advise, especially anyone who has been inside the baggage cars on hot sunny days?

I have tried to search for information on the baggage cars on Amtrak, but I kept getting
"Oops. We can't seem to find the page you're looking for."
 
Could you pack them in a cooler/ice chest of some sort with some of those frozen "blue ice" things - they should be able to keep the inside of the cooler at a "safe" temp for 54-60 hours ... long enough for your trip.
 
Ryan said:
I wouldn't risk it, and carry them on.
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Since the baggage cars are not occupied during the run, except for certain pets being transported in carriers, I don't expect that they have as good of a temperature control as the coaches or sleepers (he says with tongue firmly planted in cheek).
 
Quapla - The Blue Ice comment brings back memories. I am reminded of when we were shooting The Superstars on Key Biscayne some years ago. The sun and heat was giving us issues with some of the viewfinders on the cameras. I had the bright idea of using those cooling devices one gets at the drug store. You know - it's a plastic bag which you manipulate to start the cooling process, and they stay cold for awhile. You put them on injured limbs, etc.
Well, one developed a leak after it had been placed atop the viewfinder and the liquid leaked into the innards thereof. When we opened up the viewfinder, everything looked fine, except there was no copper left anywhere. It had dissolved all the copper traces off the circuit boards. I think my two maintenance guys are still laughing at me over that bright idea. No idea what that blue stuff it, but it sure has an affinity for copper.
 
The choice of carrying the flute(s) with you is the right one. I would never put my expensive camera gear in checked luggage...it costs too much to replace. I'd simply pack it in its case in a sufficiently sized suitcase with clothing, etc around it. And under NO conditions put any liquids in that bag! When I ride Amtrak, my electronics (scanner, travel camera, laptop) are in my 'gym bag' carry on and all clothing, toiletries, etc, go in my airline carry on size 4-wheel bag. I travel light so everything fits without a problem in my roomette under the seat. A larger bag would have to be left in the lower level baggage storage area on a Superliner. I suggest it be locked, just to be safe.

The problem, as I see it, is the larger case. In a Viewliner roomette, there is no extra place for anything that big unless you don't mind sleeping in the upper bunk. Getting a bedroom would provide lots of room, but at this close to planned departure, they'll either be very pricey or already sold out, particularly on the Lakeshore Ltd as there's only 4 (four) available on the entire NY section of the train!

I don't know about ALB, but if there's no recaps there, the sleeping car attendant will gladly help you get everything onboard and stowed. At CHI and NYP, I strongly recommend getting a redcap to beat all the hassles of waiting in line to board, get bags stowed, etc.
 
I agree that keeping the flute with you is the best idea. I can usually pack what clothes I need in one duffel bag and I carry my electronics in another. I sometimes put bags with chips or crackers in the gear bag but never any liquid.
 
Just-Thinking-51 said:
No AC in the baggage car.

Don’t try this.

No pets in the baggage car either. The crews common complain is the heat build up and poor ventilation these railcars have.
Click to expand...

I was thinking the baggage dorms could have been climate controlled. Then Amtrak could have carried larger pets. I understand that they are not however.
 

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