Amtrak Prepares
For Guns In Checked Bags
Railroad passengers on Amtrak
should soon be able to once again transport firearms in checked baggage.
The change is slated to begin on Dec. 15, the effective date of the amendment by
Sen. Roger Wicker, R-Miss., that forced Amtrak to accommodate gun owners.
The new service will only be available between stations where checked baggage
service is currently available.
As when transporting guns on a
commercial airline flight, gun owners should pack firearms unloaded and in a
locked, hard-sided container. Ammunition should be stored in a
manufacturer’s box or in “fiber, wood, or metal boxes … or in other packaging
specifically designed to carry small amounts of ammunition.” Unlike
airlines, Amtrak also requires handgun cases to be stored inside a suitcase or
other checked bag.
Also unique to Amtrak is a
requirement (forced by a last-minute change to the amendment) that travelers
notify Amtrak of their intention to transport firearms, at least 24 hours before
departure. Notification must be by phone (not online), and firearms must
still be declared upon check-in.
No matter how seemingly modest
the change, and despite Amtrak’s unique restrictions, it’s still too much for
anti-gun activists. In a story on ABCNews.com, Brady Center attorney
Daniel Vice claimed, “the baggage car’s not secure like a cargo hold of an
airplane.” Amtrak spokesman Steve Kulm rebutted the hysterical claim,
noting that the rail service modified 142 baggage cars “to provide a secure,
safe location for the firearms.”
With airport security and airline baggage fees becoming
more burdensome by the week, rail travel may become more appealing to shooters
and hunters. The NRA will watch the new program closely to see if any new
problems arise. In the meantime, travelers with questions should call
Amtrak at 1-800-USA-RAIL or visit
www.amtrak.com.