The City of New Orleans timetable suggests that Checked Baggage is available at Champaign-Urbana on 59 but not 58. Could this be because the time when 58 arrives at CHM gives insufficient time for baggage to be checked for boarding passengers?
Checked Baggage at CHM
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fairviewroad
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I think it's a typo on the timetable and that checked baggage is offered in both directions. Three clues:
1. If you look under the "symbols" column you will see a baggage symbol by CHM indicating checked bags are available for all departures.
2. If you do a dummy booking, the website offers checked bags on the CONO for both 58 and 59 at CHM.
3. On the Amtrak page for CHM, the hours listed for "checked baggage" would seem to cover the departures of both 58 and 59.
1. If you look under the "symbols" column you will see a baggage symbol by CHM indicating checked bags are available for all departures.
2. If you do a dummy booking, the website offers checked bags on the CONO for both 58 and 59 at CHM.
3. On the Amtrak page for CHM, the hours listed for "checked baggage" would seem to cover the departures of both 58 and 59.
If it really is a typo, then why hasn't anyone bothered to correct it over the course of many years? (Pretty much all versions of this timetable, past & present, show the same thing for CHM.)
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the_traveler
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It may be like the situation in NHV. Checked baggage is offered in 66 or 67 (I'm too lazy to look right now) in one direction, not not the other! And in PHL, checked baggage service is offered on 66 but not on 67 - because the baggage room is not open before 67 arrives!
fairviewroad
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Dunno...maybe no one's ever pointed it out to them?
But Amtrak has lots of little inconsistencies and out-of-date info in their timetables and promotional material. The zone map on the AGR website shows two routes that haven't operated in more than 5 years, for instance. The Empire Builder timetable mentions a bus connection to Winnipeg, even though it's been several years since that operated. I'm sure others can point out similar irregularities on the timetables.
In the case you cited, Amtrak lists checked baggage as an amenity when you purchase a ticket departing CHM on both 58 and 59. If you arrive at the station and this amenity is not available, you should contact Amtrak customer service for a refund/compensation/just to file a complaint, as you see appropriate. I would say that the info given to you at the time of ticket purchase should be considered the most reliable info, rather than a printed timetable. Just my 2 cents.
Why are they still offering checked baggage service at NHV and PVD if there's only one train a day and there's nowhere enough baggage/ridership to cover the cost of staffing?
There's one train a day that takes bags, but passengers on all trains may check bags. If you're not riding in the same train as your baggage, you'll either drop it off early (up to 48 hours prior to your departure at no charge) or pick it up late (same 48 hour rule).
It is possible to move baggage between pairs like NYP-PGH and NYP-SPG whose direct connections don't handle bags. New York to Pittsburgh baggage goes via Washington and the Capitol. New York to Springfield goes via Albany or Boston and a stint on the Lake Shore.
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