seen any good bike/train commuting options

ack <[email hidden]> wrote in news:bhtdri$l82$1@sun- news.laserlink.net:

Quoted message said:

I was wondering if anyone has seen a system for carrying bikes on a train like Amtrak with no
baggage cars. I'm curious if there is a current system being used somewhere else that I could use
as an example when asking Maryland Transit for an option other than buying a folding bicycle and
packing it into a carrying case.

Caltrain is a commuter train serving the San Francisco area. They allow bicycles on all trains
without folding or boxing. See caltrain.orgcaltrain bike access.htmlOpen ↗

ack <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:<[email hidden]>...

Quoted message said:

I currently bike to the train (MARC mtamaryland.commtamaryland.comOpen ↗) then ride the train to DC. I
would like to take my bike with me but it's not allowed. Most of the other transit systems in the
area carry bikes ex: MetroRail (except rush hour), Metrobus, light rail in Baltimore and most of
the local bus systems carry bikes now also. I was wondering if anyone has seen a system for
carrying bikes on a train like Amtrak with no baggage cars. I'm curious if there is a current
system being used somewhere else that I could use as an example when asking Maryland Transit for
an option other than buying a folding bicycle and packing it into a carrying case.

The San Jose-San Francisco commuter train, CalTrain can take a minimum of 32 bikes per train (some
trains have two bike cars for a total of 64 bikes).

This was a long hard battle, but at the time it started the trains were running empty enough that it
wasn't causing any lost seat revenue, and sadly this is the case again, though there was a time
(pre-Bush) that the trains were pretty crowded and even with 32 bike spaces they were turning
cyclists away at the station. I couldn't risk missing a train and waiting 30 minutes for the next
one (which could also be full), so I went the folding route.

Basically they took half the seats out of one car and put in some steel bars to stack bikes against.
You have to try to arrange the bikes in the order of stations, but there is a lot of shuffling of
bikes, and it's not a place for an expensive bike that you don't want to get scratched. Generally
people hang a tag on their bike indicating their departure station so people boarding the train can
place their bike either in front of, or behind the existing bikes.

If Maryland transit is running their trains with a lot of empty seats then they might be willing to
look at what Caltrain has done, but if the trains are packed then they probably wouldn't be
interested. The conversion to a bike car is permanent, there is no way to fold down a seat to
convert the space back to passenger space.

You can read about the bike program at: "caltrain.comcaltrain bikes.htmlOpen ↗"

ack <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:<[email hidden]>...

Quoted message said:

I currently bike to the train (MARC mtamaryland.commtamaryland.comOpen ↗) then ride the train to DC. I
would like to take my bike with me but it's not allowed. Most of the other transit systems in the
area carry bikes ex: MetroRail (except rush hour), Metrobus, light rail in Baltimore and most of
the local bus systems carry bikes now also.

Surprising (and disappointing) that MARC won't even allow bikes on board during non-commute hours.
Generally, commuter-type operations don't have the crowding problems seen on subways and have
platforms that are long enough to handle an extra bike-car if needed.

Quoted message said:

I was wondering if anyone has seen a system for carrying bikes on a train like Amtrak with no
baggage cars. I'm curious if there is a current system being used somewhere else that I could use
as an example when asking Maryland Transit for an option other than buying a folding bicycle and
packing it into a carrying case.

Some examples from California:
1. Amtrak "California" railcars have bike racks in the vestibule area -- 3 bikes per car. The newer
cab cars have room for 15. These are technically "intercity" and not commute trains, however.

2. Caltrain cabcars have been converted to bike cars -- the lower level of the bi-level car has had
most seats removed and bike racks installed. There is room for 24 bikes.

3. Lower level of one of the ACE (Altamont Commuter Express) cars also has the entire lower level
devoted to bike racks.

ack <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:<[email hidden]>...

Quoted message said:

I currently bike to the train (MARC mtamaryland.commtamaryland.comOpen ↗) then ride the train to DC. I
would like to take my bike with me but it's not allowed. Most of the other transit systems in the
area carry bikes ex: MetroRail (except rush hour), Metrobus, light rail in Baltimore and most of
the local bus systems carry bikes now also. I was wondering if anyone has seen a system for
carrying bikes on a train like Amtrak with no baggage cars. I'm curious if there is a current
system being used somewhere else that I could use as an example when asking Maryland Transit for
an option other than buying a folding bicycle and packing it into a carrying case.

GO transit in Ontario allows bicycles on trains, except rush hour. (of course for most of their
routes they only run trains during rush hours, and don't allow bikes on the buses which does make
taking bicycles difficult)

They allow two bikes per train in the vestibule area. You can see an example of where the bikes go
on this page crazyguyonabike.compageOpen ↗

For longer distance trains with comfortable seats I can't see where you could put bicycles
unless they removed a couple of seats on each train which you'd probably find it hard to
convince them to do.