Power Scooter Access

[vickinish]

My husband will be using a power scooter for the first time this fall. We will board the Surfliner at LAX and exit in SAN. Same return trip a month later.

I am familiar with both stations. Has anyone used a scooter on the ramp up to the platform at LAX? It is a steep ramp and I am concerned about the scooter being able to handle it. He is about 190 lbs. so not a real hefty piece of cargo.

Entering the cars will require some type of ramp I assume. Will the car attendant have that readily available or do we need to notify someone after we arrive at the station?

We will use Business Class both ways and I am familiar with the lower level layout of the car, no problems there for storing the scooter while we travel. He can get up and use a regular seat at that point.

Appreciate anyone with experience responding. Thanks.

 

[the_traveler]

I am not certain, but my sister uses a power wheelchair, and our driveway is like a 20% incline and she has no trouble! Because BC is reserved, they know you'll be on that train and in that car. Even so, if you have not already done so, I would call Amtrak and ask that a "special assistance requested" note be added to your reservation(s)!

 

[Alice]

In LA, the ramps to the right and left of the main tunnel have different slopes, so take a look and choose one of the less steep ones. Sorry, I don't remember which is which.

The big outdoor scooters (ex: Pride Legend) won't have any trouble with either slope, but the little travel scooters (ex: Go-Go) might. If the scooter shuts off midstream, just reset it (so locate the reset button ahead of time), then you push lightly for the rest of the way up the ramp so the scooter doesn't have to work so hard.

The special assistance request is a good idea as the conductor will be looking for you. Just find your train, let the conductor know you're in business class, and ask what you need to do next. They have everything they need on board or nearby. For me in non-business class, they just put a bridge plate across the elevated part of the platform out near the end of the tracks, but that won't work for the business car.

When you make your reservation, you'll be asked a bunch of questions about the scooter so they know what kind of space to save for it. Power or manual? Scooter or wheelchair? Size? Weight? Will your husband stay in it or transfer to seat? I don't know about the new e-tickets, but on the old system my wheelchair always got its own (free) ticket. Your husband will get the 15% handicapped discount, and you might as his companion/helper.

Either the bi-level cars or the single-level Viewliner set will work for you, but the Viewliners take longer, so allow extra time if that is the trainset you are taking. A whole lot of people travel on those trains with various mobility devices so staff know just what to do.

 

[WhoozOn1st]

In LA, the ramps to the right and left of the main tunnel have different slopes, so take a look and choose one of the less steep ones. Sorry, I don't remember which is which.

Proceeding from the main waiting hall toward trains, ramps on the left - Platform A - are considerably steeper than ramps on the right - Platform B.

EDIT: If left/right is tough to remember, the steeper ramps have no staircases in the middle; the flatter/easier ramps have stairs at their bases, in the center, dividing the ramp entrances.

 

[PerRock]

Either the bi-level cars or the single-level Viewliner set will work for you, but the Viewliners take longer, so allow extra time if that is the trainset you are taking. A whole lot of people travel on those trains with various mobility devices so staff know just what to do.

There are no Viewliner Cars that go to LA. Nor are there any Viewliner Cars that are Business Class, Viewliners currently are only sleeping cars used on the east coast. The Single Level Surfliner consist uses Horizon cars.

peter

 

[WhoozOn1st]

The Single Level Surfliner consist uses Horizon cars.

Actually Amfleet coaches, Horizon BC/cafe car.

 

[vickinish]

In LA, the ramps to the right and left of the main tunnel have different slopes, so take a look and choose one of the less steep ones. Sorry, I don't remember which is which.

The big outdoor scooters (ex: Pride Legend) won't have any trouble with either slope, but the little travel scooters (ex: Go-Go) might. If the scooter shuts off midstream, just reset it (so locate the reset button ahead of time), then you push lightly for the rest of the way up the ramp so the scooter doesn't have to work so hard.

The special assistance request is a good idea as the conductor will be looking for you. Just find your train, let the conductor know you're in business class, and ask what you need to do next. They have everything they need on board or nearby. For me in non-business class, they just put a bridge plate across the elevated part of the platform out near the end of the tracks, but that won't work for the business car.

When you make your reservation, you'll be asked a bunch of questions about the scooter so they know what kind of space to save for it. Power or manual? Scooter or wheelchair? Size? Weight? Will your husband stay in it or transfer to seat? I don't know about the new e-tickets, but on the old system my wheelchair always got its own (free) ticket. Your husband will get the 15% handicapped discount, and you might as his companion/helper.

Either the bi-level cars or the single-level Viewliner set will work for you, but the Viewliners take longer, so allow extra time if that is the trainset you are taking. A whole lot of people travel on those trains with various mobility devices so staff know just what to do.

Good info, thanks. I have already made the reservation using AGR points. I can call to add the info about the scooter. Call AGR or ???

 

[the_traveler]

Call Amtrak at 1-800-USA-RAIL.

 

[vickinish]

Since the reservation said to call AGR for any modifications, that is what I did. With a lot of heavy breathing, sighing and many, many keyboard clicks, my reservation was modified to show wheelchair slot and accessible seating. That took about 15 minutes. He then emailed me new confirmations. I asked if I now had eTickets. Yes, he said. However, what I got says to scan it via QuikTrak and has the bar codes. Hold on - a few minutes later I got my eTickets. Whopee!

I then went to my iPhone app and accessed my reservations to see if they had changed. Sadly, trying to view the detail now crashes the app. But I think I am fixed up.

Thanks for all the help. I think this will be just fine.