Originally Posted by
arctos
My only complaints about Amtrak over the decades involves Amtrak changing the stations handling checked luggage and bikes and their refusal to carry tandem bikes. I assume union rules dictate that only Amtrak employees can handle checked baggage such as bicycles. This eliminates the use of smaller cities and better jump off points for a bike tour.
I wonder about that one. In most cases, this rings true. However, on the Cascades trains (Eugene-Portland-Seattle-Vancouver BC), the "roll on" bike storage is in the luggage compartment. You can get on and off with a bike at unstaffed stations on this line, like Olympia-Lacey, WA. Usually the conductor or another on-board worker will go into the baggage car and remove or receive the bike. Sometimes they have let me do it!