Wednesday, September 16, 2009

Senate Votes to Allow Guns On Amtrak

Good news!

The Senate voted Wednesday to prohibit federal funding to Amtrak unless it allows licensed gun owners to transport their weapons on the passenger trains by next year.


One senator says the measure “is going to put a severe burden” on Amtrak.

The measure, an amendment to the Transportation and Housing Appropriations bill, passed 68-30.

The House passed its version of that appropriations bill in July. It did not include a provision to allow guns on Amtrak.

The Senate measure says Amtrak would lose federal subsidies if it prohibits passengers from bringing their guns on board under restrictions similar to those imposed on airlines.

For those of you who have never traveled on a plane with a gun, you have to notify them that you have it and check it into the baggage hold in a locked case.  Ammo is not allowed.  This seems reasonable for people who travel via train to be able to take a gun with them just as if they flew. 

Of course the bad news is that this provision will never make it past the conference committee.

(5) Comments
Posted by Owen at 1710 hrs
Firearms + Politics + Politics - General

  1. Actually, ammunition is allowed on planes.  The guns can’t be loaded, but you can check ammo.  Typically, the requirements are that the ammo be packaged securely and capped at 10-12 pounds (depending on the airline).

    Posted by Bitter on September 16, 2009 at 1746 hrs


  2. Yes - but the ammo has to be in a separate bag, checked and so on. There’s no access to this while you are traveling.

    Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on September 17, 2009 at 0701 hrs


  3. My bad.  I thought the prohibition on explosives extended to ammo too.  Good to know!

    Posted by Owen on September 17, 2009 at 0706 hrs


  4. The ammo does not have to be in a separate bag.  The only requirement is that it is in the original packaging.  I always put the gun in one small lockbox and the ammo in another then it al goes in the same bag with a TSA lock on it.  Traveled all over that way without problems.  I always find it disgusting that my MN and FL permits allow to carry concealed over just about the whole country-except where I live!  Courtesy of the vile, despicable, freedom hating Jim Doyle.

    Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on September 17, 2009 at 0839 hrs


  5. Actually, it doesn’t have to be in original packaging.  It’s better if it is just in case you get a clueless check-in agent, but it only needs to be in a package designed to hold small arms ammunition.  It can’t be loose, so cases that reloaders use are lawful for transport.  I know competitors who reload and transport that way without issue.

    However, you could also get the dimwit agent I had in Ft. Lauderdale who, after I went through the entire show of demonstrating they were unloaded, locked the case back up, and put the tag inside the luggage before relocking my bag, looked at me and told me there was no way she could possibly tell if a gun was unloaded or not.  Clearly just looking to see there were no rounds in the chamber, no magazines in the gun, and the barrels were clear were not obvious signs guns were unloaded.  I swear, I thought her supervisor was going to slap her upside the head when she came out and heard that the agent couldn’t figure out what the term unloaded meant.

    Posted by Bitter on September 17, 2009 at 0901 hrs


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