Seth, I agree they have some physical limitations with their current trains, but so do NJ Transit and SEPTA, yet NJT and SEPTA have figured a way to make it work with what they have. Amtrak, by comparison has made only token changes to accommodate bikes and has established a smattering of trains with roll-on/off access, but these exist on only a few lines (Portland, ME to Boston, for example)... That's great for the folks who live in Boston and Maine. How about the rest of us, especially when Amtrak's local counterparts allow bikes.
I wrote back to Amtrak and stated: "I will respectfully beg to differ. It's not merely your equipment that needs modification, it's your POLICY". I regularly take the train to/from Washington DC, and Amtrak trains can physically accommodate bicycles just as easily as NJ Transit and SEPTA trains, in fact their accessible spots on the Amtrak trains have no seats... Amtrak COULD make provisions for bikes it these spots... they simply choose not to. I also agree writing to Ray LaHood (and to Andy Clarke, President of the LAB) are great avenues. Thanks, BB On Nov 3, 1:31 pm, Seth Vidal <[email protected]> wrote: > On Wed, Nov 3, 2010 at 1:26 PM, Montclair BobbyB > > <[email protected]> wrote: > > > - In the hall of shame is Amtrak, which although they allow folding > > bicycles at all times, they prohibit roll-on/roll-off along the > > Northeast Corridor line (even during off-hours), a situation that > > frankly is unacceptable. This is our national rail system, our taxes > > subsidize this system, and yet their mindset is so far behind the > > times, it's frustrating. In fact, I wrote a letter to the Northeast > > Regional Office of Government Affairs at Amtrak (Peter Cohen) last > > winter, requesting special permission to roll my bike onto the train > > to Washington to represent my state of NJ at the National Bike > > Summit. Not only did Mr Cohen not reply, after receiving my second > > inquiry he referred me to a customer service rep, where I got the > > stock party-line answer "We don't have the equipment to handle > > this"... which is a gutless and LAME response. (Thumbs DOWN!) > > Gutless and Lame does not make it False, unfortunately. > > Writing to and supporting Secretary Lahood is probably the best avenue > to getting amtrak the resources to provide this service adequately. > > -sv -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "RBW Owners Bunch" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected]. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/rbw-owners-bunch?hl=en.
