Reply to Amtrak Station in Syracuse

Hi! Planning a ride on the Erie Canal trail this summer. We have a tandem. How Tandem friendly is Amtrak, and how easy is it to get in and out of the stations with a bike?

You need to hit the Amtrak site. They have their info on bikes and it would depend on what station you were leaving from an going to

We also have a tandem and AFAIK there is no provision for tandem on Amtrak ... not officially when you look into their rules for length of the bike. Some cars even make You to take the front wheel off on a single bike in order to hang it.

In theory, if You find a benevolent operator in a good mood I see no reason why one could not just lean the bike in a bike car with roll on service - those cars are for bikes and cargo only and do not have people in it. But, I digress... do not count on it.

If Your tandem has couplers You can just split it in two and treat each piece as 1 bike, buy 2 bike passes and hang it separately as if it was a single bike.

FWIW we have just completed the Erie Canal and Empire State Trail and in our case we rented an SUV one way, folded the back seats and put our cargo in there.

Brambor;

How was your trip? What are your feelings about the trail?

I posted a trip report on the touring page of bikeforums. You can read and see the photos here https://www.bikeforums.net/touring/1230213-empire-state-trail-completed-report.html

in summary - We got to Albany on day 6 in the morning (we slept in Troy)

From Buffalo to Tonawanda - my friend had 3 flat tires and the signage along the Lake Erie shore is sometimes lacking as the repairs to eroded trails route the trail away from the shore to the next available street.

We camped at Lock 30 and Lock 20 and it was awesome. No problems, just pitch your tent and that is it. You could call the number ... we did and left a message there. When we saw the lock operator we asked him and he said we are all set. The bathrooms were not open on either of the locks - maybe they will be as the season progresses.

The signage through Rome could have been a little better but we found our way nevertheless.

The signage around Utica also could use a few improvements ... there is a detour on one portion of the trail there where they are rebuilding some sewer facilities.

There is a section of the trail, I think before lock 15, somewhere between Canajoharie and Amsterdam that is a slow soft gravel, pretty annoying...for 2 miles I think.

The bikelanes and signage through Syracuse was spectacular

The pictures are great, you are intrepid cyclists undaunted by rain and cool spring weather! The canal for boaters and towpath for cyclists have been an unappreciated resource for so many years it's wonderful that they are getting some attention.