Amtrak Superliner Passenger Train Accommodations, including photographs and detailed descriptions of seats, rooms, train cars and services.
Note: The information and photos on this page may have been posted many years ago so may be out of date. This page will remain posted as it may be of historical interest.
No photos yet, but I'm working on it! The Baggage Cars are the train cars without windows usually located directly after the locomotives.
Each person is allowed to check up to 3 pieces of luggage weighing up to 50 pounds each. This is a change from a prior policy of up to 2 pieces of up to 75 pounds each. At some stations you can check baggage in the station and at other places you check you baggage at the platform. Not all stations handle checked baggage. If you plan to check baggage, be sure your destination accepts checked baggage! If not, your baggage will remain on the train and continue on after you have gotten off! Stops which handle and don't handle checked baggage are listed on the train schedule and you can also ask at the train station or call 1-800-USA-RAIL.
You are also allowed to carry-on up to 2 suitcases per passenger. You will have easy access to your carry-on lugange. Unlike a plane, you can carry-on 2 full-sized suitcases and expect to have access to them during your trip!
Note that Amtrak will not ship pets or any other live animals. The only animals allowed on the train are those necessary to aid a handicapped person.
Amtrak will also not let you check any baggage that contains any type of electronic equipment, but they will let you hand-carry it on board. They do not want the liability of anything breaking.
Sometimes you will see what appears to be many many baggage cars on your train. First time I saw them, I couldn't understand why so many baggage cars would be needed for so few people! It turns out that many of these are not cars for regular baggage. Usually one car, two cars at most, is enough for all the checked baggage on one train. The other cars hold U.S.Mail and Express Packages. Amtrak hauls a lot of second class mail and also provides express delivery of packages to most stations in its system. These Mail Cars are built special to travel at the higher speeds achieved by passenger trains. Freight trains do not travel at these higher speeds. Thus, the cars on freight trains do not have to be built to the specifications needed to travel at the higher speeds of Amtrak trains.
