I always had a spare as I was installing software I had written on clients computers. Perry is running out of time before the train will have to continue without him, and possibly without a passenger or two, 70 miles northeast to Lamy, New Mexico. Plus the quiet calmed my nerves. You know how unsafe that is for my safety? An Amtrak Police Department canine in Chicago named Gander has detected the smell of narcotics on luggage that turned out to be carrying anywhere from a modest $20,040 to a whopping $830,000, according to asset forfeiture suits filed by the U.S. government within the past year and a half. and Does Amtrak offer checked baggage services? Does Amtrak Search Carry-On Bags? - apttraveler.com Where will my animal sit during the train ride? Even if he searched and found a moderate amount of drugs in my bags, how does he prove they're mine? An email with password reset instructions is on the way. First time riding the rails | Amtrak Unlimited Discussion Forum Privacy Policy. (Beth is a pseudonym; The Intercept agreed to withhold the womans real name because she was not criminally charged.). You + Two Bags = No Extra Charge Unlike many transportation options, traveling with Amtrak is twice as nice with our generous baggage policy. Amtrak does have their own Police force & sniffer dogs. Special Agent Perry quickly found bundles of cash in Riverss bag totaling $16,000. Be advised that you can check your baggage up to 24 hours before your scheduled departure; if you check your bag the night before then you just have to be at the station before your train departs. Maybe there just arent many drugs flowing in and out of Boston, New York City, and Washington, D.C. Or maybe the DEA knows that if it tried such tactics on the power elites of those cities itd be reined in. Passwords are case sensitive. PDF Amtrak Baggage Policies Refusing a search protects you if you end up in court. DEA Agents Ambush and Search Amtrak Passengers - The Intercept Answer (1 of 5): They do random bag checks sometimes, but they don't make everything go through security like at the airport. What should I do if I need to leave my animal unattended for any reason? The Albuquerque Amtrak and Greyhound terminal in March 2019. He was mostly doing it to Latina people, doing the immigration thing maybe or something? Beth said. A $20 excess baggage fee will be charged for each carry-on and personal item above the quantity and size limits. You know how unsafe it is for me to put my name in a piece of paperwork? St. Davenport IA 52807, 2023 by Gullberg & Box, LLC. } In a roomette, you'd almost certainly have to keep your large bags in the luggage area (or check them). In court, McKenzie said that he had called Amtraks corporate headquarters himself and was told by an attorney there that Amtraks policy is to only send information about suspicious passengers to Amtrak police, not outside law enforcement agencies. He did not care at all about my other bags. Amtrak does not have any security screening procedure of pretty much any kind. A maximum of two excess bags are permitted per passenger. . If you have special dietary requirements, or a condition such as diabetes, we suggest that you carry sufficient food with you to meet your needs in the event of a delay or other contingency. Galesburg, IL 61401, Davenport / Rock Island Several people that Perry has seized cash from insist that they are not drug couriers and, in fact, were never criminally charged as such, though that didnt help them get their money back. @media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) { Checked Bags. Luggage must be checked at least 45 minutes prior to . Consider what the world of media would look like without The Intercept. Boxes may be purchased at staffed stations to aid in repacking. privacy policy. At-Station Baggage Services | Amtrak Don't bring weed on Amtrak : r/Amtrak - Reddit Each item should not exceed 50 lbs. I am traveling with a service animal. diaper bags), which does not count towards the carry-on baggage or personal item allowance. His name is Jarrell, or Jay, Perry, and hes done it hundreds of times before. Thats all it takes to support the journalism you rely on. Hubby and I recently took the CS 14 from Los Angeles up to Portland for two nights, stopping for a night in San Luis Obispo on the way. 5. You dont care, he says. He loved selling illegal drugs negotiating, talking to people, the art of the deal, as he described it. By signing in to your account you acknowledge you have read and agree to the updated terms and conditions, including the binding arbitration agreement. -The Empire Builder which offers service between Chicago and the Pacific Northwest. Perry and others in his interdiction unit have testified that they receive manifests ahead of time listing the passengers who will be arriving in Albuquerque. Up to 25 lbs. You may carry dry ice for your medication in checked baggage or carry-on baggage as long as it meets the proper conditions. Can you tell me why youre nervous? Perry responded. terms and conditions An Amtrak Police Department canine in Chicago named Gander has detected the smell of narcotics on luggage that turned out to be carrying anywhere from a modest $20,040 to a whopping $830,000 . In order to qualify as a service animal your pet must be individually trained to perform tasks or do work to assist a person with a disability. If checked baggage is available, you can check two bags through to your final . Please enter a valid station, city, or address. Passwords should be at least 10 characters long and include 1 uppercase and 1 lowercase alpha character, 1 number and 1 special character. Joseph Rivers, a rap musician from Detroit who performs as Joe Kush, boarded the Southwest Chief in Chicago in 2015, when he was 22, hoping to get his music career off the ground in Los Angeles. Nor could you probably do that at NYP, WAS, CHI, LAX, etc! Los Angeles is a known source city for illegal narcotics, DEA Special Agent Ryan Marriott wrote in an arrest affidavit in January 2019, describing how he found a courier on the Southwest Chief in Kansas City, Missouri. Sorry, this post was deleted by the person who originally posted it. He asked to search my backpack and I consented. Dominic Jones, bottom left, and Megan, top right, are two of the roughly 327,000 people who ride the Southwest Chief in a year. Are there any restrictions on what type of food my animal can have on the train? Every ride counts as an Amtrak Guest Rewards member. Containers must be able to withstand necessary handling and weather elements. (The ACLU of New Mexicos Simonson says they later reached an out-of court settlement with the DEA.). Before you arrive at the station, make sure your baggage is packed appropriately in suitable containers. We are getting a roomette, and I understand that they're pretty small. Especially troubling to him is research showing that police, when acting on hunches rather than hard evidence, are more likely to let subconscious racial bias creep into their work. But he stops short of opening the bag, which would be blatantly unconstitutional. Bags may not exceed 62 inches in combined length and width and may not weigh more than 50 pounds. Luggage must be checked prior to your train's scheduled train departure. Amtrak is pretty good with checked luggage (better than the airlines) and it's one less thing to concern yourself with on board. Animals including comfort animals. In court, the officer will have to prove that there was probable cause to do a warrantless search and this will give your lawyer a good chance to win your case. We serve alcoholic beverages onboard trains in most Dining, Lounge and Caf Cars. Oops, that answer wasn't quite right. National Railroad Passenger Corporation, https://www.amtrak.com/content/amtrak/en-us/onboard/baggage-policy/carry-on-baggage. Amtrak doesn't screen people so this is how they combat drug trafficking on their trains. To see if a particular station offers checked baggage passengers can use the Amtrak Station Information tool on the Amtrak website. What are the size and weight restrictions for checked baggage with Amtrak? Coming back home on the CS 11, we got off in San Francisco for three nights, then a night in Monterey. Perry, he said, has the easiest job in the world because he is catching the lowest-level couriers., Amy Martyn[emailprotected]gmail.com@amysilstein. You want my name? Reddit and its partners use cookies and similar technologies to provide you with a better experience. Its legal for Perry to search people without probable cause, a warrant, or a dog because travelers supposedly realize that they have the right to decline to submit to his searches. Each Superliner sleeping car has a pretty large luggage area on the lower level where you can put your suitcases. More problematically, Perry has been captured on surveillance footage boarding empty Greyhound buses and pulling bags out of the checked luggage bin. @ [ \ ] ^ _ ` < | > ~. Up to 50 lbs. There area lot of people traveling on the train with something they dont want the government knowing about, McKenzie said in an interview with The Intercept, and law enforcement all along the route are aware of this fact as well. It was a drug dog, and it alerted my bag. I used to ask for them [the Greyhound passenger lists], but then they just started sending them to me, because that was kind of a general practice, he testified. JavaScript is disabled. Baggage Information & Services. The story was thisthe law enforcement agent (who was very polite) woke everyone up gently, one at a time, and asked if they were U.S. citizens. A maximum of two excess bags are permitted per passenger. Which Amtrak Stations Allow Checked Baggage - ArnaBee I then stated that I thought it was unfair that I had been singled out. When I encounterPerry on the Southwest Chief in mid-March, he moves slowly along the coach car, interviewing a few of the passengers returning to their seats. -Certain items are not allowed to be checked as baggage including:AmmunitionAnimals (except service animals)ExplosivesFlammable liquids or solidsGunsHazardous materialsIllegal drugsJewelryMoneyPassports and other documentsPrecious metalsPerishable itemsSporting goodsToolsWeaponsAmtrak stations that offer checked baggage service vary by route. Please enter a password. Baggage Policy | Amtrak It is your constitutional right to say no to a search. The app and train indicate if you can check bags on your journey. That was it. Check-in times vary by station, so check the station detail page for the stations served by your train for specific times. Im not a drug courier, Beth told The Intercept. . Pacific Surfliner: up to 28 x 22 x 11 inches each. By 2016, the DEA said it would stop using Amtrak employees as paid informants, after the OIG uncovered improper relationships between the law enforcement agency and nearly three dozen other Amtrak sources. and our handling your situation., Monmouth News, photos, questions, and more. Theres so much random information and Im wondering what the actual deal is, Scan this QR code to download the app now. If they do, you may check two bags for free, and up to two additional ones for $20 each. Perry iswhite and looks like hes in his fifties. You live on site. Do your bags get searched on Amtrak? - Wisdom-Advices DEA Agents Ambush Amtrak Passengers With Controversial Searches and Seizures, quirk of the American criminal justice system. Upon purchase, eTickets will be delivered as a PDF attached to your . In addition to self-service handcarts in a number of Amtrak stations, you can count on uniformed Red Caps to provide free baggage-handling assistance at many major stations. McKenzies previous criminal record and his attempt to flee by running in a semi-circle around officers, jumping 10 feet out of the train window, then scaling a fence at the edge of the station topped with concertina wire meant that prosecutors could recommend a lengthy sentence. Megan, photographed in Flagstaff, was returning from visiting her daughter in California. Sometimes there will be police with drug/bomb-sniffing dogs in the larger stations, but there's no screening or any real restrictions on what you can bring, regardless of if it's a carry-on or a checked bag. privacy policy. Fortress Bank 3260 E 53rd And now it is a regular feature of train travel in the United States of America. Every ride counts as an Amtrak Guest Rewards member. I would say less than five minutes, Knox County Detective Greg Jennings told the Register-Mail newspaper last year. } You should inform the nearest Amtrak personnel of your situation and they will assist you. How do I know if my pet qualifies as a service animal? Yes all food and water bowls must be placed on the floor. Your password must be at least 8 characters long, include at least 1 alpha character, and include at least 1 number or special character (- ? They've targeted carry-on baggage such as backpacks as well as typical checked baggage items. I was a young (30) white male traveling alone. .dpctv64507a6913a7b { January 4, 2018 advocatesforu. On their Pacific Surfliner, the allowable bags are a little smaller at 28" x 22" x 11". It was very easy and convenient this way, and made it quicker for our many on/off the train in the various cities we visited. This next Amtrak passenger was bothered by conductors: I use Amtrak as often as I can. Let's try a different question. You may not consume private stock alcoholic beverages in any public areas. Please enter a password. As he told a judge at a hearing in 2011, I want to go to trial, because I want to see who the government puts on this stand as this person who is credible, who sends the information. In an earlier hearing, over objections from the U.S. attorneys office, a DEA agent had testified that he received McKenzies itinerary from an informant in one of Amtraks ticketing offices, who had been trained to look for drug couriers by Perry and an Amtrak Police Department officer. We will send password reset instructions. $20 each. Plus the quiet calmed my nerves. Let's try a different question. } Carry-On Baggage Policy | Amtrak Afew hourscharacteristically behind schedule, Amtraks Southwest Chief rolls into Albuquerque, New Mexico, at the small station that it shares with the Greyhound bus service on the edge of downtown. Amtraks Southwest Chief stops to pick up passengers. By clicking Join, you acknowledge you have read and agree to the program terms, including the binding arbitration agreement, in the "The Last Great City of the East," St. Paul, MN. _ @ " $ # ,). You can tell where I'm going with this. Items that are not allowed to be checked as baggage include but are not limited to: firearms ammunition flammable liquids and gases explosi ves poisons corrosives toxic substances infectious substances radioactive materials laptop computers and other electronic devices. When Perry approaches, its hard for passengers to say no. live Amtrak Police Communications Officer who will correspond directly via text messag e with the person to learn more about the situation and determine the appropriate action . Passwords are case sensitive. / : ; < = > ? .dpctv64507a6913a7b { Most of the passengers have no idea that DEA agents also often come aboard. They have targeted passengers in sleeper cars and those in coach. does amtrak check for weed? An email with password reset instructions is on the way. David Streiff, head of security for all of Greyhound North America, said in a June 2018 email to DEA Special Agent Jeff Armijo that he was respectfully rescinding the DEAs access to the Albuquerque station, effectively immediately. Greyhound declined to comment about the email or what has happened since. Hey, theyve more or less written, Ive been harassed aboard Amtrak, too!. Although I have far more readers on the Acela corridor than anywhere else on the Amtrak system, and although that corridor serves the most passengers by a wide margin, I have yet to receive a story of anyone being harassed by the DEA on that route. You can trust both checked and carry-on baggage about as well as you can trust them on an airline, if not more so. Amtrak to Start Screening Passengers, Carry-On Baggage or do dogs come onto the train? Passwords are case sensitive. / : ; < = > ? I am traveling with a service animal. Definitely more so. Sometimes, in rare cases, the checked bags will not be on the same train as you. After a little dialogue, I think the agent decided I was not suspicious and simply moved along. . Jones, 33, from Peori, Ariz., took the Southwest Chief to Kansas City to visit his mother for the first time in 20 years. ! " } What should I do if my animal needs medical attention while on the train? If checked baggage is available, you can check two bags through to your final destination free of charge. Make sure you have a tag with your name and address on the outside of all your bags. A $20 excess baggage fee will be charged for each carry-on and personal item above the quantity and size limits. Weve sent you an email with instructions to reset your password instead. An email with password reset instructions is on the way. . Brian Pori, a longtime attorney with the federal public defenders office in Albuquerque, has represented numerous couriers caught at the train station. When retrieving your luggage, hand the claim check to the Amtrak crew member to receive your luggage. Before you arrive at the station, make sure your baggage is packed appropriately in suitable containers. Are there any restrictions on what type of food my animal can have on the train? Earn points toward reward travel, upgrades and more. We will send password reset instructions. Every ride counts as an Amtrak Guest Rewards member. If you don't need to check a bag, get all the details about the carry-on items you can bring onboard and any fees that may apply. There is no mandatory check-in at the station (with perhaps a couple of exceptions, I believe L.A. is one), you just get on the train and go. We will send password reset instructions. We can supply ice for your cooler/container to keep medication cool. Powered_by_JetA 2 yr. ago. @media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) { } But prior defendants in Albuquerque had tried similar arguments, and the 10th Circuit Court of Appeals had determined in 2004 that it wasnt illegal for law enforcement to access Amtrak passenger records because they werent the sole basis of arrests; the consensual encounters were. The American Civil Liberties Union has described cold consent encounters as definitely cold, not so consensual. And the ACLU of New Mexico criticized Amtrak in particular for its insidious alliance with the DEA, after some information about the DEAs monitoring of train travelers came out in a drug trafficking trial in 2001. @ [ \ ] ^ _ ` < | > ~. Special Agent Perry sometimes tells the people he searches that hes at the station for security purposes, but the line between protecting travelers andintimidating them has been the subject of debate at this station. Do not pack your medication in checked baggage, or leave it packed in your car on the Auto Train, as you will not have access to your checked bags or vehicle during your journey. The person who recruited the Amtrak secretary as a DEA snitch described him to Department of Justice auditors in 2015 as one of the most valuable interdiction informants the DEA has ever known. Amtrak itineraries were a goldmine, the person added, responsible for the seizure of millions of dollars.. 2 Bags Free I am traveling with a service animal. Yes Amtrak does offer checked baggage services at select stations. By signing in to your account you acknowledge you have read and agree to the updated terms and conditions, including the binding arbitration agreement. (23 kg) and needs to be 28 x 22 x 14 inches in size. He remembers a man asking every passenger in his car in Albuquerque if they would consent to have their bags searched for contraband. and 14 x 11 x 7 inches each, 2 Carry-On Bags For further assistance, please call 1-800-USA-RAIL. Theyve targeted carry-on baggage such as backpacks as well as typical checked baggage items. Weve sent you an email with instructions to reset your password instead. Free ID tags are available at all of our stations. Do not store items in empty seats, aisles, vestibules or other areas where they may cause annoyance to other passengers or present a safety hazard. Aug 28, 2018. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. Hes not carrying a visible warrant or a train ticket and has no drug dog with him. Amtrak does offer checked baggage services on some routes and some stations, but you must check their website to make sure that the stations you're using provide checked baggage services. I am traveling with a service animal. display: block; There are some restrictions on what can be checked as baggage including:-Baggage must not exceed 50 lbs.-Baggage must not exceed 62 inches when the length width and height are added together.-Baggage must be properly packaged and labeled. When I took the train from Chicago(IL) to K-Falls(OR) early this year, I took the California Zephyr #5 then the Coast Starlight #14 via transfer at Sacramento(CA), but my checked bags were loaded on the Empire Builder #8/28 then the Coast Starlight #11 via Portland(OR).