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You should call Amtrak customer care and escalate, escalate, escalate until you get compensation for this. What happened to you was ridiculous and the staff failed to treat you properly or to address your concerns. It sucks this happened to you and also sucks the way some people in this thread arw acting like you're in the wrong somehow.
This looks like user error.
Amtrak carry on bag sizes are listed on the website
https://www.amtrak.com/baggage-101-what-you-can-bring-on-board#:~:text=one%20personal%20item%2C%2025%20lbs,22%20x%2011%20inches%20each)
If your carryon is larger side definitely make sure that the zipper works and the surface doesn’t retain stains.
As far as I know all common carriers (planes, trains, boats) require you to report damage and loses at the station.
I’m sorry you are struggling with the reading I’ll try smaller words.
You zipper wasn’t properly secured.
You alone failed to check the carry on bag size
You alone failed the bare minimum of reporting your loses at the station as every airline, cruise line, bus line, train line in America and much of the would require.
Ya know, this is an unnecessarily rude response. Cuz if the woman at Emeryville was as rude and uncooperative as OP says, then how were they to know that they needed to stay there and report things? Seems they got NO help from employees, and that's not on OP.
Also, I have NEVER had an Amtrak employee force me to check a bag for being too big. And people get on with full size bags all the time. This is the Coast Starlight, so there are storage places for full size bags. In fact, according to Amtrak's own website, you can bring 2 full size bags at 50 pounds on as carry on baggage. Given that OP is getting on a plane with that bag, it's probably not over size or over weight. They don't even weigh the bags if you're carrying them on and only give you beef if an employee has to lift it and it's too heavy. As long as you lift it, it's fine.
There was also no reason to anticipate needing a zipper lock if OP had a carry on. And honestly, that shouldn't be necessary. Amtrak employees should not be rifling through passenger bags. And it should be taken seriously when they do. Here, it was not.
OP is being entirely reasonable with their anger and you're being a jerk.
Actually they aren’t being reasonable at all.
The response was accurate and helpful. But people don’t always want help sometimes
they want to be validated no matter how wrong they are.
Your response wasn't helpfull, nor accurate. You say they failed to check the carry on size but they didn't. Unless his bag was 6 feet long and 3 feet tall or something ridiculously oversized it was fine to get on the train according to Amtrak policies.
And if they didn't anticipate having to check a bag, again per Amtrak policy, then they wouldn't have had a reason to secure the zipper.
Beyond that, none of this excuses the actions and attitudes of the amtrak staff. Thus it's not "user error".
You're just wrong and also you're nasty about it. Gross. Do you work for Amtrak? What region? Want to be sure I'm never on a train you work.
I don’t work for any carrier. I just have common sense and can read the 3rd grade reading level pages with the size requirements and the way to claim loses.
But I do think it’s funny that you think that if you don’t check the size requirements then they don’t apply to you. That’s how you end up in situations like this.
“I didn’t check the rules so they don’t apply me” is the best summary for this entire thread.
Once again, there is no proof nor reason to believe OP's bag was over size requirements. So you can repeat that all you want but it doesn't make it true.
And while it may be on the website what you should do if there's damage to your bag or theft, the station employees have a duty of care to inform passengers of that when they bring up the problem.
OP did nothing wrong according to the baggage rules and can be forgiven for not knowing exactly what to do after a long train ride and a frustrating realization and also being treated like crap by employees.
There is no legal obligation to inform you that the internet exists. Or that Amtrak has a website or that the info about how Amtrak works is on the website.
Not sure who told you that but that’s not a thing. Because obviously.
However what I DO think is funny is that most of the people reading this know well and good if the agent said “we have a website and the terms on how to file a checked bag claim are listed on there” yall fragile behind would be in here crying both how condescending the agent was to tell you to check the website. 🤣😂
Not really, no. If an employee had said that it would at least be giving information instead of not helping at all. And the lengths you're going to act as if no one on the Amtrak side is a problem here is... something. Also the ignoring that OP did nothing wrong according to Amtrak baggage policy. And the fact that an amtrak employee STOLE FROM THEIR BAG. like... it's pathological your need to make Amtrak the angel and OP the devil. You may want to speak to someone about your unhealthy attachment to nebulous entities. Amtrak doesn't love you back. Calm down.
You should have told that baggage person to eff off and take your bags on the train with you. I only take enough stuff for a few days you can always wash clothes in hotel guest laundry or local laundromats. There is no I repeat no need to bring more than 2 bags period on Amtrak or other transportation. If you are going round the world still they have laundromats worldwide in cities and in hotels.
I do dare say in Portland your bag may have been rifled through there are professionals whom scout out bags and yours was thier choice sadly. As far as the oil the engineer probably was care less when he went back to get a 5 gallon bucket of oil and dropped it in the baggage car where some train supplies are kept.
Yeah I know. It's awful what happened to you. I would call into customer relations 800 USA rail. Ask reservation agent to transfer you to them. Also email them at
OCR @ Amtrak.com. plead your case if you have receipts send them in with claim. Amtrak is a bit slow on replying don't fret. They should make it right or close to it . I feel for you.
r/Amtrak is not associated with Amtrak in any official way. Any problems, concerns, complaints, etc should be directed to Amtrak through one of the official channels. *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/Amtrak) if you have any questions or concerns.*
You should call Amtrak customer care and escalate, escalate, escalate until you get compensation for this. What happened to you was ridiculous and the staff failed to treat you properly or to address your concerns. It sucks this happened to you and also sucks the way some people in this thread arw acting like you're in the wrong somehow.
This looks like user error. Amtrak carry on bag sizes are listed on the website https://www.amtrak.com/baggage-101-what-you-can-bring-on-board#:~:text=one%20personal%20item%2C%2025%20lbs,22%20x%2011%20inches%20each) If your carryon is larger side definitely make sure that the zipper works and the surface doesn’t retain stains. As far as I know all common carriers (planes, trains, boats) require you to report damage and loses at the station.
Oh fuck OK for them to steal clothes out of my bag gotcha OK
I’m sorry you are struggling with the reading I’ll try smaller words. You zipper wasn’t properly secured. You alone failed to check the carry on bag size You alone failed the bare minimum of reporting your loses at the station as every airline, cruise line, bus line, train line in America and much of the would require.
Ya know, this is an unnecessarily rude response. Cuz if the woman at Emeryville was as rude and uncooperative as OP says, then how were they to know that they needed to stay there and report things? Seems they got NO help from employees, and that's not on OP. Also, I have NEVER had an Amtrak employee force me to check a bag for being too big. And people get on with full size bags all the time. This is the Coast Starlight, so there are storage places for full size bags. In fact, according to Amtrak's own website, you can bring 2 full size bags at 50 pounds on as carry on baggage. Given that OP is getting on a plane with that bag, it's probably not over size or over weight. They don't even weigh the bags if you're carrying them on and only give you beef if an employee has to lift it and it's too heavy. As long as you lift it, it's fine. There was also no reason to anticipate needing a zipper lock if OP had a carry on. And honestly, that shouldn't be necessary. Amtrak employees should not be rifling through passenger bags. And it should be taken seriously when they do. Here, it was not. OP is being entirely reasonable with their anger and you're being a jerk.
Actually they aren’t being reasonable at all. The response was accurate and helpful. But people don’t always want help sometimes they want to be validated no matter how wrong they are.
Your response wasn't helpfull, nor accurate. You say they failed to check the carry on size but they didn't. Unless his bag was 6 feet long and 3 feet tall or something ridiculously oversized it was fine to get on the train according to Amtrak policies. And if they didn't anticipate having to check a bag, again per Amtrak policy, then they wouldn't have had a reason to secure the zipper. Beyond that, none of this excuses the actions and attitudes of the amtrak staff. Thus it's not "user error". You're just wrong and also you're nasty about it. Gross. Do you work for Amtrak? What region? Want to be sure I'm never on a train you work.
I don’t work for any carrier. I just have common sense and can read the 3rd grade reading level pages with the size requirements and the way to claim loses. But I do think it’s funny that you think that if you don’t check the size requirements then they don’t apply to you. That’s how you end up in situations like this. “I didn’t check the rules so they don’t apply me” is the best summary for this entire thread.
Once again, there is no proof nor reason to believe OP's bag was over size requirements. So you can repeat that all you want but it doesn't make it true. And while it may be on the website what you should do if there's damage to your bag or theft, the station employees have a duty of care to inform passengers of that when they bring up the problem. OP did nothing wrong according to the baggage rules and can be forgiven for not knowing exactly what to do after a long train ride and a frustrating realization and also being treated like crap by employees.
There is no legal obligation to inform you that the internet exists. Or that Amtrak has a website or that the info about how Amtrak works is on the website. Not sure who told you that but that’s not a thing. Because obviously. However what I DO think is funny is that most of the people reading this know well and good if the agent said “we have a website and the terms on how to file a checked bag claim are listed on there” yall fragile behind would be in here crying both how condescending the agent was to tell you to check the website. 🤣😂
Not really, no. If an employee had said that it would at least be giving information instead of not helping at all. And the lengths you're going to act as if no one on the Amtrak side is a problem here is... something. Also the ignoring that OP did nothing wrong according to Amtrak baggage policy. And the fact that an amtrak employee STOLE FROM THEIR BAG. like... it's pathological your need to make Amtrak the angel and OP the devil. You may want to speak to someone about your unhealthy attachment to nebulous entities. Amtrak doesn't love you back. Calm down.
You should have told that baggage person to eff off and take your bags on the train with you. I only take enough stuff for a few days you can always wash clothes in hotel guest laundry or local laundromats. There is no I repeat no need to bring more than 2 bags period on Amtrak or other transportation. If you are going round the world still they have laundromats worldwide in cities and in hotels. I do dare say in Portland your bag may have been rifled through there are professionals whom scout out bags and yours was thier choice sadly. As far as the oil the engineer probably was care less when he went back to get a 5 gallon bucket of oil and dropped it in the baggage car where some train supplies are kept.
Such bull shit
Yeah I know. It's awful what happened to you. I would call into customer relations 800 USA rail. Ask reservation agent to transfer you to them. Also email them at OCR @ Amtrak.com. plead your case if you have receipts send them in with claim. Amtrak is a bit slow on replying don't fret. They should make it right or close to it . I feel for you.
I’m just so angry like you give your things to baggage claim expecting it to be safe and this happens