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Reply to Amtrak Service

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Ken H from Ashburn Virginia on 6/29/2020 9:22:41 AM:

Hello Fellow Canal riders,
I am planning to do a 3 day ride on the Erie Canal trail from Buffalo to like Rome in early September. Does anyone know what Amtraks policy on bike transportation. Other Amtrak trains provide bike storage in special cars and I have used that to ride the GAP trail from Pittsburg to Cumberland MD.
Other than the train, interested in bike transport services available.

Thanks very much for any information.

Ken

wnybubba from Bflo-Roc on 6/29/2020 10:29:59 AM:

Hi Ken. It seems rail travel isn't very good with bikes.
Look earlier on this Forum for a thread that covers the topic.

Rick on 7/8/2020 2:33:58 PM:

I don't have the info in front of me but there is 1 train aday from Albany to Buffalo. It offers roll- on service. Departs Albany around 7:30 pm with a 12am Buffalo arrival. There is a hostel about 2 miles from the train station. Please note these are appx times as I don't have the info handy. If you visit Amtrak you can figure it out but you need to "read between the lines. They don't make it easy to understand. Which is stupid as we're trying to give Amtrak our business.

wnybubba from Bflo - Roc on 7/8/2020 4:50:03 PM:

Ken - Rick is right about one train and times. The only thing I'm thinking I remember is that the roll off was in the Depew station. If I'm right, then the hostel is not that close. The downtown station (Exchange Street) is close to the Hostel. Just make sure which station you are able to use.

cr from Buffalo on 7/8/2020 9:46:34 PM:

wnybubba is correct: The rollon service is to Depew, not Downtown Buffalo.

John from Cobleskill from Cobleskill on 7/9/2020 8:35:35 AM:

The info posted is correct because I called this week and they confirmed it. I also suggested to them that by providing bike storage from Albany to Buffalo (Exchange St) they'd have a lot of business from bikers since it is a natural partnering of bikers, the path and transportation needs. The operator stated that if it was profitable, they'd be doing it and, according to her it must not be profitable. I then interjected that by that thinking then the Albany to Depew train, getting in at midnight, was a real money maker, it makes the cash pile up, since that is what they offer. She had no reply :(

Okay, I know it was me being snarky but having the Albany to Buffalo train carry bikes is a win-win and I don't see why it isn't done.

cr from Buffalo on 7/9/2020 9:47:10 AM:

I concur, it is kinda silly to not have rollon service on all lines, but I also understand cycle touring is not a huge business (ie, it's hard to find a purpose designed touring bike most times in LBSs).

I think a lot of this has to do with purposeful kneecapping of multi-modal transport at various levels of government until pretty recently. Now, it seems (In NY at least), the federal government (Who runs Amtrak) is the blocker here :(

wnybubba from Bflo - Roc on 7/9/2020 11:39:00 AM:

It seems that this doesn't have to be so difficult. I've seen 3 different approaches: (1) Toronto VIA allows roll-on service onto any non-handicapped car with a limit of two bikes (I believe). (2) The AMTRAK Capitol Limited (once daily) that services DC -> Cumberland, MD -> Pittsburgh (specifically for bikes), that has 8 racks that must be reserved and cost $20. [Their reservation system is not user friendly to find a day with available racks.] (3) AMTRAK service here in NY (once daily) with specific roll-on stations.

What is so difficult to model after the TO VIA train system. It works great. Get on with your bike, get off when you get to your destination.

cr from Buffalo on 7/9/2020 11:56:25 AM:

It's not that it's hard to do... It's that promoting multi-modal transit isn't what they want done at the federal, pro-car-everywhere level.

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