Capitol Limited - checked bikes possible, or only carry-on reservations?

[bnj34234]

Planning on training from DC to Pittsburg this spring with bikes in tow and biking back. For the week we're interest in, there are plenty of train seats available, but carry on bike reservations are booked out every day that week - as well as in reverse in case we did the trip in the opposite direction.

Is it (still) possible to check a bike in the luggage car at DC Union Station heading to Pittsburg on the Capital Limited? I see in posts like the one linked below that there were options to check bikes, in luggage cars with racks, at some point in the past, but also get the impression that may not always be an option? But then on the Amtrack website (link also below) see the Capital Limited should include both train-side checked bikes and carry-on options.

Was hoping for some recent rider confirmation that checked bikes are still fine, as its a key consideration of our trip. And, if so, is boxing mandatory? There also seems to be varying posts on that over the past several years and longer.

Capitol Limited Bike Service with no Baggage Car?

I'm going to be doing a lot more traveling with my bike. I know the Capitol Limited sometimes has a Viewliner baggage, but sometimes only has a Superliner Coach Baggage. How does bike service work with the Superliner Coach Baggage? I see this thread but was curious to see a more definitive...

www.amtraktrains.com

Amtrak Bike FAQs

Questions and answers gathered from bike riders bringing bikes on Amtrak trains.

www.amtrak.com

 

[IndyLions]

Sorry I don’t have any recent experience on the CL - my experience is 2019. That time I rolled it up to the baggage car and loaded it myself with supervision. Round trip South Bend IN to DC.

Next trip is on the Cardinal in a couple of weeks - that one is a roll-on from Crawfordsville IN to Charlottesville. When I’ve gone CRF to CHI in the past, they’ve handled roll-on a few different ways. Available space in an unoccupied Coach handicap area, the aisle way of a deadheading sleeper, and a dedicated bike rack in the Cafe.

Of course none of that is much help. Sorry.

 

[daybeers]

Available space in an unoccupied Coach handicap area

How did they secure the bike?!

 

[IndyLions]

I don’t remember precisely - but it seemed to work just fine. This photo doesn’t really show it - but I think there was one of those large cardboard trash cans keeping things from moving around too much.

 

[lgoree]

The Capitol Limited should have 8 bicycle carry-on reservation-only spaces per train. If all of the reservation spaces are booked, you might try another day. Checking your bike in a box is still an option. There is no train side loading into the baggage car on this route. For a spreadsheet on all Amtrak routes and heaps of information on how to travel with your bike on Amtrak, visit Train Travel

 

[Kramerica]

I did that trip in September 2016, and it was great! Three days on the GAP and three days on the Towpath. Took the train back to Pittsburgh, but our fellow travelers took my bike back so we didn't have to worry about that. PM me if you have any questions about the biking portion of your trip!

 

[daybeers]

I don’t remember precisely - but it seemed to work just fine. This photo doesn’t really show it - but I think there was one of those large cardboard trash cans keeping things from moving around too much.

View attachment 28075

LOL I feel like the FRA wouldn't be happy to see that picture.

 

[SubwayNut]

I've taken my bicycle on the Carl Sandburg twice:

In 2011 it was running with Superliners, two coaches (one a snack coach) and a Cross-Country cafe. My bike road in the unused kitchen! I got some fun pictures.

In 2012 it was regular Horizons and basically just sat squeezed between the end row of seats like IndyLions photo.

 

[lgoree]

If you need a cool hotel in Pittsburgh, check out the cycling hotel at the start of the GAP trail The Travelers Rest Hotel Pittsburgh

 

[Locobill]

We looked I to this recently with the idea of taking 4 bikes onboard. When we tried to reserve it, there are only 2 bike slots available. The Capital Limited doesn’t have a full baggage car, but a coach baggage car. So only 2 spots available. This is pretty dumb since this route has some of the most popular cycling trails.

 

[IndyLions]

We looked I to this recently with the idea of taking 4 bikes onboard. When we tried to reserve it, there are only 2 bike slots available. The Capital Limited doesn’t have a full baggage car, but a coach baggage car. So only 2 spots available. This is pretty dumb since this route has some of the most popular cycling trails.

Even more dumb is you could probably fit a dozen bikes in half a baggage car without breaking a sweat.

 

[PaulM]

We looked I to this recently with the idea of taking 4 bikes onboard. When we tried to reserve it, there are only 2 bike slots available. The Capital Limited doesn’t have a full baggage car, but a coach baggage car. So only 2 spots available. This is pretty dumb since this route has some of the most popular cycling trails.

When Amtrak finally instituted roll on - roll off bike service at all stations on the Capital Limited in late September 2015, it used repurposed coach baggage cars with 7 or 8 bike racks. The two times I used it, there were 2 regular coaches and this coach-bike car.

It appears the new Capitol Limited doesn't have a baggage car; and there is only one coach and one coach baggage, i.e., no coach-bike car. I tried dummy bookings in several days in April, June, July, and September. The serviced tab under detail all showed bike service; but all were sold out. Now we know that Amtrak's computer systems can't tell the difference between something that is sold out and something that doesn't exits. So it appears that there isn't enough room in the coach-bike cars for bikes and baggage. Or perhaps the coach-bike cars have gone to that mysterious bone yard where all bad cars go. Either way, it is just another service downgrade.