What if they want to search my bags on Amtrak? If you have been singled out by law enforcement on an Amtrak excursion, please contact Gullberg, Box & LLC to ensure that your rights are properly represented. Personal Food, Beverages & Medication | Amtrak Hes not carrying a visible warrant or a train ticket and has no drug dog with him. $20 each. The U.S. government later sued to keep what they said was nearly $70,000 that Beth had been carrying. (The ACLU of New Mexicos Simonson says they later reached an out-of court settlement with the DEA.). Enter the email address or member number associated with your account. "The Last Great City of the East," St. Paul, MN. -The Northeast Regional which offers service between Boston and Washington D. C. -The Palmetto which offers service between New York and Savannah. Each passenger is allowed two 25-pound personal items and two 50-pound carry-on items on board. Each Superliner sleeping car has a pretty large luggage area on the lower level where you can put your suitcases. Passwords are case sensitive. (Each car, both sleepers and coach, have a luggage rack.) You can trust both checked and carry-on baggage about as well as you can trust them on an airline, if not more so. I am traveling with a service animal. What should I do if I need to leave my animal unattended for any reason? Pacific Surfliner: up to 28 x 22 x 11 inches each. Thanks in advance. r/Amtrak is for anything Amtrak related. I've read that there is some luggage space on the Superliner coming out of LAX, but I am wondering how available it is. He walks away, his partner following, and exits the train. # $ % & ' ( ) * + , - . As Perry explained to her, the only money Ive ever seen rubber banded up in increments like that is drug money. He and his partner left the train with the cash packed away in plastic evidence bags. With Beths permission, Perry opened a suitcase she had stowed away in her room. display: block; Who is this guy, why is he harassing these people? She interrupted Perry while he interviewed a group of Hispanic women downstairs, asking to see his credentials. Joseph Rivers, a rap musician from Detroit who performs as Joe Kush, boarded the Southwest Chief in Chicago in 2015, when he was 22, hoping to get his music career off the ground in Los Angeles. That answer wasnt correct either. Would it be best to check the bags at Anaheim for Seattle? Sometimes there will be police with drug/bomb-sniffing dogs in the larger stations, but there's no screening or any real restrictions on what you can bring, regardless of if it's a carry-on or a checked bag. They were just so bent on making their narrative fit that.. For carry-on luggage, Amtrak allows all passengers to bring two carry-on bags with a maximum size of 28" x 22" x 14". McKenzie argued that Amtrak shouldnt be sharing passenger itineraries at all and questioned whether there really even was an informant, as the DEA claimed. Perry iswhite and looks like hes in his fifties. You may bring your own food and beverages onboard for consumption at your seat or private Sleeping Car accommodations. When I took the train from Chicago(IL) to K-Falls(OR) early this year, I took the California Zephyr #5 then the Coast Starlight #14 via transfer at Sacramento(CA), but my checked bags were loaded on the Empire Builder #8/28 then the Coast Starlight #11 via Portland(OR). display: block; Feel free to pack any bottles of alcohol safely and securely inside your allotted amount of luggage. One clip captures him pressing on a bag so aggressively that he appears to be tackling it. One agent walks to the back of the aisle in the first coach car and waits, quietly observing. You must be capable of self-administering any medications you bring with you. and our Sometimes there will be police with drug/bomb-sniffing dogs in the larger stations, but there's no screening or any real restrictions on what you can bring, regardless of if it's a carry-on or a checked bag. In court, McKenzie said that he had called Amtraks corporate headquarters himself and was told by an attorney there that Amtraks policy is to only send information about suspicious passengers to Amtrak police, not outside law enforcement agencies. So, I guess there would be enough time to get our luggage from the 763 train to the 14 at LAX? Required fields are marked *. He hasnt found any drugs or cash yet, and hes getting increasingly irritated at me for recording him. Does Amtrak offer checked baggage services? January 4, 2018 advocatesforu. This next reader was told that he raised suspicion as the result of a characteristic I share: While traveling on Amtrak from Chicago to Toronto the train was boarded by U.S. Customs agents who proceeded to take me and my luggage off of the train to a small shed where everything was searched. By rejecting non-essential cookies, Reddit may still use certain cookies to ensure the proper functionality of our platform. Amtrak's unique travel experience for families, individuals and groups, Tickets & fares, accessible travel service, security & ID requirements, Boarding information, station lounges, baggage & station services, Seating & sleeping, baggage info, train amenities, food & dining, Amtrak travel deals, promotions and other partner offers, Savings for Kids, Seniors, Military, Groups and More, Train vacation packages throughout North America, USA Rail passes, monthly passes and multi-ride tickets, Earn points toward Amtrak reward travel, upgrades and more, Discover member benefits, ways to earn or redeem points and more, Explore ways to earn points that can quickly add up to great rewards, Get even more benefits with an Amtrak Guest Rewards credit card. However, you can only consume food and beverages purchased in Dining and Lounge Cars in those cars. An Amtrak Police Department canine in Chicago named Gander has detected the smell of narcotics on luggage that turned out to be carrying anywhere from a modest $20,040 to a whopping $830,000, according to asset forfeiture suits filed by the U.S. government within the past year and a half. } What should I do if my animal needs medical attention while on the train? Can you tell me why youre nervous? Perry responded. Refusing a search protects you if you end up in court. Passwords are case sensitive. You should inform the nearest Amtrak personnel of your situation and they will assist you. My job used to be as a paid political operative. A maximum of two excess bags are permitted per passenger. Perry did not respond to a request for an interview. @media screen and (max-width: 767px) { Pets are allowed onboard select trains with the purchase of a ticket. @ [ \ ] ^ _ ` < | > ~. Consider what the world of media would look like without The Intercept. By 2016, the DEA said it would stop using Amtrak employees as paid informants, after the OIG uncovered improper relationships between the law enforcement agency and nearly three dozen other Amtrak sources. The initiative is part of an ongoing commitment by Amtrak to improve safety and security at stations and on trains across its national network. Federal health regulations prohibit . Special Agent Perry sometimes tells the people he searches that hes at the station for security purposes, but the line between protecting travelers andintimidating them has been the subject of debate at this station. At the baggage car, hand your luggage to the Amtrak crew member and you'll receive a claim check to retrieve your luggage at the destination station. @media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) { At Chicagos Union Station, the final destination for the eastbound Southwest Chief and a hub for other long distance lines, a Chicago interdiction task force group, made of DEA agents and officers from the Chicago and Amtrak police departments, are routinely on the hunt for what they call drug proceed couriers, or in other words, people carrying large sums of cash. Carry-On Baggage Policy | Amtrak I could pack 3 suits & 5 white shirts along with underwear, etc in that garment bag! } McKenzie fit the profile of a drug courier, the DEA, argued, because he had been traveling from a source city (Flagstaff, Arizona) to a destination (New York) on a one-way ticket that cost $1,836. If you will be transferring between stations en-route, plan for at least two hours of scheduled layover time to ensure your luggage is transferred to your new train. Are there any restrictions on what type of food my animal can have on the train? You may bring aboard your own private stock of alcoholic beverages subject to the following limitations: If you anticipate requiring medication en route, please carry it with you aboard your train. That was in the days before 20-30 seater turbo prop puddle jumpers, and I usually flew into major cities. Get flash sales, Amtrak Guest Rewards promotions and account updates sent directly to your inbox. National Railroad Passenger Corporation, https://www.amtrak.com/content/amtrak/en-us/onboard/meals-dining/personal-food-beverages-medication. You have landed at the best firm for Amtrak police were unhappy because they were cut out of the deal. Passengers tell stories of being awakened on a stop and being searched right there at their seats. You may take your animal to any Amtrak personnel and they will assist you. If you don't need to check a bag, get all the details about the carry-on items you can bring onboard and any fees that may apply. All rights reserved. We are getting a roomette, and I understand that they're pretty small. Perry listened to his story and then explained that the DEA would be seizing the cash. Today, he seems confident that he will find someone on board carrying drugs or at least a substantial amount of money. } Earn points toward reward travel, upgrades and more. Passwords are case sensitive, should be at least 10 characters long and should include 1 uppercase and 1 lowercase alpha character, 1 number and 1 special character. I was a young (30) white male traveling alone. What should I do if my animal needs medical attention while on the train? . Passwords are case sensitive. And in Galesburg, Illinois, population 32,193, officers from the Galesburg Police Department and the Knox County Sheriffs Department have reportedly seized 191 pounds of cannabis from Amtrak passengers over a period of six years, in addition to some harder drugs. My checked bags arrived at KFS the night on #11 before I arrived in the morning, and was stored until #14 that I was on arrived. Please enter a valid station, city, or address. Checked baggage is not offered on all trains and stations, so please check with Amtrak to see if checked baggage is available throughout your journey. JavaScript is disabled. _ @ " $ # ,). Without realizing that the agents had already flagged his itinerary as suspicious, McKenzie opened his Louis Vuitton bag, revealing a cereal box at the bottom that the agents noticed was unusually heavy. @ [ \ ] ^ _ ` < | > ~. Oops, that answer wasn't quite right. At-Station Baggage Services | Amtrak Also, what about security if we don't check our bags? Birmingham AL; Chicago IL; Denver CO; Emeryville CA; Indianapolis IN; Kansas City MO; Los Angeles CA; Memphis TN; Miami FL; New Orleans LA; New York NY; Oakland CA; Orlando FL; Philadelphia PA; Phoenix AZ; Sacramento CA; San Diego CA; San Francisco CA; Seattle WA; St. Basically, I beat Republicans for a living. 5. Brian Pori, a longtime attorney with the federal public defenders office in Albuquerque, has represented numerous couriers caught at the train station. For each drug bust or cash seizure that the DEA made thanks to this information, the Amtrak secretary was rewarded a cut of the proceeds. DEA Agents Ambush and Search Amtrak Passengers - The Intercept My circumstances arent different than any other entrepreneur, he said. The Amtrak Police Department learned about the arrangement in 2014, and by that time, the Amtrak secretary had amassed $854,460 from the DEA for his work snitching on riders. He asked where my bags were and I told him I had one with me and two more on the lower level (I was in an upper level coach seat). Others have shared that they were pulled from the train at odd hours along with their checked bags to be searched at unknown facilities along the route. _ @ " $ # ,). 40 years ago, when I was traveling regularly on business, usually flying, initially, I'd check my larger bag and have only my brief case full of 'business stuff' which included a reel of computer tape to match the one in my checked baggage. From prison, McKenzie sent me documents from his case, marking several pages with Post-its, including a note that a juror wrote. This was all legal under civil forfeiture, the quirk of the American criminal justice systemunder which a persons property can be seized even if they are not convicted, or even accused, of a crime. Although I have far more readers on the Acela corridor than anywhere else on the Amtrak system, and although that corridor serves the most passengers by a wide margin, I have yet to receive a story of anyone being harassed by the DEA on that route. I just read your article about the DEA harassing people on Amtrak. #3. Perry has the easiest job in the world because he is catching the lowest-level couriers.. -The Sunset Limited which offers service between New Orleans and Los Angeles. This is the first overnight train we've taken. Do not store items in empty seats, aisles, vestibules or other areas where they may cause annoyance to other passengers or present a safety hazard. After a 15 minute search, I was told to go back on the train. He was mostly doing it to Latina people, doing the immigration thing maybe or something? Beth said. Before you arrive at the station, make sure your baggage is packed appropriately in suitable containers. Disclaimer | Site Map | Privacy Policy. An email uncovered in a federal drug trafficking case from last year showed that Greyhound tried to kick the DEA out of its Albuquerque station. Each item should not exceed 50 lbs. . You can tell where I'm going with this. The ACLU of New Mexico that year helped the couple file a lawsuit against the United States government, Perry, and two other cops. Plus the quiet calmed my nerves. Up to 50 lbs. Every ride counts as an Amtrak Guest Rewards member. If your origin and destination stations (and your train!) The roomettes on train 14 don't have much space for luggage; I'll typically only keep two backpacks (one for each person) along with any snacks/drinks in the roomette itself. Rivers said it was all the money he had, that he had gotten it from his mother, and that he was using it to film a music video. I can't honestly say I felt intimidated but I also recognize that it could have gone down very differently for someone who is not used to dealing with such situations, or someone having a different profileor indeed someone who legitimately forgot their ID at home. Almost everyone said yes, and those who said yes were left alone. A previous International Narcotics Interdiction Associations Agent/Officer of the Year, Special Agent Perry with the Drug Enforcement Administration is behind as many as 1,600 criminal cases against drug couriers, according to court documents touting his credibility as a star government witness.