getting better bike access on Amtrak - lobbying effort
We've had a number of previous threads where people have asked about other people's experiences with taking bikes on Amtrak. We've heard about the limitations of their policies, which rule out the possibility of taking bikes to many destinations, except folding bikes.
Now that stimulus funds are bringing high speed rail closer to being a reality, who's up for a lobbying campaign to help make better bike access a reality? We should work on our state AND federal legislators to sell the idea that improving bike access could significantly increase regional and long distance train ridership AND promote a more sustainable means of long distance travel. Seems like Midwest High Speed Rail could be a natural ally. Gotta make a call about that. Who's in?
Now that stimulus funds are bringing high speed rail closer to being a reality, who's up for a lobbying campaign to help make better bike access a reality? We should work on our state AND federal legislators to sell the idea that improving bike access could significantly increase regional and long distance train ridership AND promote a more sustainable means of long distance travel. Seems like Midwest High Speed Rail could be a natural ally. Gotta make a call about that. Who's in?
Tags: Amtrak, lobbying, train, travel
Views: 401
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by clp on -
Very timely thought Anne. With convenient bike access to long-distance trains (as the rest of the world already has) a whole new world opens up to Americans. College students; families on low-budget active vacations; elderly seeking a non-sedentary mode of travel; would-be environmentalists trying to reduce their carbon footprint....just about everyone! Not to mention small-town America for whom a rail is the only viable transit alternative.
Rick Harnish at Midwest High-speed Rail Assn is a good place to start. He's been heavily involved for several years. I'll give him a call.
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Permalink Reply by Keith Holt on -
Anne I agree. Amtrak will be building trains for Illinois and Wisconsin to support the future high speed Midwest network. Now is the time to advocate for roll on access to Amtrak trains here in the Midwest.
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Permalink Reply by Jared on -
While were at it how about lobbying for bike access on the South Shore line? I'd love to take the train to Michigan City and ride up into Michigan but alas I don't have a folding bike...
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Permalink Reply by Anne Alt on -
That's a great idea. I know there are lots of people who would like to take regular bikes on the South Shore.
Jared said:While were at it how about lobbying for bike access on the South Shore line? I'd love to take the train to Michigan City and ride up into Michigan but alas I don't have a folding bike...
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Permalink Reply by Anne Alt on
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Exactly. I know Rick, and I've already sent him an e-mail.
Clark said:Very timely thought Anne. With convenient bike access to long-distance trains (as the rest of the world already has) a whole new world opens up to Americans. College students; families on low-budget active vacations; elderly seeking a non-sedentary mode of travel; would-be environmentalists trying to reduce their carbon footprint....just about everyone! Not to mention small-town America for whom a rail is the only viable transit alternative.
Rick Harnish at Midwest High-speed Rail Assn is a good place to start. He's been heavily involved for several years. I'll give him a call.
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Permalink Reply by Active Transportation Alliance on -
Hey everyone...we hear you!
Bikes on transit and lakefront trail issues were the two biggest reasons people contacted us last year.
Improving bikes on transit access/experience (Amtrak, South Shore, Metra, etc.) is a 2010 goal for us at Active Trans. We're working to schedule preliminary meetings with Metra and RTA. Our transit task force will be meeting soon and determining our course of action on this for next year.
We will definitely keep everyone posted.
Thanks,
Ethan, with Active Trans
PS: we're also continuing work on lakefront trail advocacy check www.activetrans.org/lakefront for updates on conditions, events and potential public meetings
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Permalink Reply by Eric Roach on -
Keith, good pics, where are those from? (Cali, East Coast, etc)
A friend sent me this link the other day. Building a train car such as this would be ideal, but I believe the length of the platforms is an issue for Metra trains.
Also, I am glad to help support this effort. I have taken my bike on Amtrak twice now. I am currently 1 for 2 on my bicyclists/ conductor relationships. The first time was great, they were very helpful, the second time the conductor was uber unfriendly.
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Permalink Reply by Sam Schild on -
I'm also in for this great idea. I took my bike from Champaign, IL to New Orleans last spring, and didn't really have much trouble (except the operator didn't tell me I needed to remove my pedals when asked what I'd need to do in order to fit my bike in the box they provided for $10, the conductor let me bend the box around my pedals, though). Let's get some emails and calls made, maybe even get a petition going...
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Permalink Reply by clp on
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Sam Schild said:...I took my bike from Champaign, IL to New Orleans last spring, and didn't really have much trouble...
Yeah, both stations have baggage service, and the City of New Orleans has a baggage car. But this fortuitous situation rarely happens. Most cyclists are NOT headed for a major city with a big train station, but a intermediate stop, where they have no baggage service...so you can't get your checked bike out of the baggage car! Or on the return trip, can't get your bike back aboard.
What I have done is to check the bike to the next-closest station to your destination. Then take the boxed bike off the baggage cart as soon as the baggage car's door opens, and drag the box down to the car where you've been sitting. Then you can unbox your bike as the train rolls on to your desired station. I've never found a conductor who objects to this practical solution...especially if you grease his palm with a $20 spot. On the return trip I try to bike to a station that has baggage service. But in a pinch, you can show up at the intermediate stop with your neatly boxed bike and a valid ticket, and hope your conductor will accommodate you both. But all of this depends upon a willing conductor.
But this still doesn't solve the problem of the many Amtrak trains that have no baggage car....and don't allow bikes at all.
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Permalink Reply by Keith Holt on
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Eric I don't know where the pics came from. I got them from Rick Harnish at Midwest High Speed Rail Assn about two months ago.
Folks-it's great see bikes on Transit is a priority for Active Trans. However, I think Anne's post says bikes on Amtrak for the Midwest. Getting bikes on Amtrak is a much bigger mountain to climb than the fight to get bikes on Metra.
For Bikes on Amtrak to be a success, it has to incorporate routes that are important to the Midwest; Hiawatha from Milwaukee to Chicago, Michigan Services from Chicago to Detroit, Texas Eagle Chicago to St Louis just to name a few.
Can we tell all our Midwest bike friends to voice support in their states and regions for Bike on Amtrak in the Midwest? What do you think?
BTW--Amtrak already allows roll on access for bike on the Illiniois Service route trains which happen to be state funded routes. Since the South Shore line usually follows Metra's lead and the next trains they will be purchasing are the double deckers with ADA measures. Bikes on the South Shore line is going to happen soon.
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Permalink Reply by Anne Alt on
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Keith is right about this. It's likely to be a much bigger challenge than getting bikes on Metra. I've talked to a friend at Amtrak who says: "Lobbying state legislatures, DOTs and the Feds are most effective, in that order. They'll be funding new equipment purchases. This is the time to make our voices heard."
Use this link to look up your elected officials at the state and federal levels. Here's the contact page for the Illinois Dept. of Transportation. Some accept e-mail. Others are more effectively reached via snail mail or fax. Let's start sending some letters!
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Permalink Reply by Anne Alt on
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I didn't know that if I want to take my mountain bike to small town destinations in western IL on the Carl Sandburg or Illinois Zephyr, I can already do it. I just went to the Amtrak web site and selected a sample trip using those routes for a round trip. In the box where you select your fare choice for each segment, there's an additional check box that says "add bike." This is a recent addition. Last time I looked at this trip, it wasn't there. Sweet!
Keith Holt said:... BTW--Amtrak already allows roll on access for bike on the Illiniois Service route trains which happen to be state funded routes.
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