Auto Train & Spyders

[Vidman]

The last thread started by Bob Denham back in Nov 2016 seems to have disappeared.

My question is this....Has anyone been able to find if Amtrak is truly working with their third party carrier manufacturer for a solution? I am finding myself in the need for this in Nov of this year. Any info would be appreciated.

I have not been able to find someone at Amtrak to say anything except, "We do not allow Spyders or SlingShot vehicles...".

[IdahoMtnSpyder]

The last thread started by Bob Denham back in Nov 2016 seems to have disappeared.

My question is this....Has anyone been able to find if Amtrak is truly working with their third party carrier manufacturer for a solution? I am finding myself in the need for this in Nov of this year. Any info would be appreciated.

I have not been able to find someone at Amtrak to say anything except, "We do not allow Spyders or SlingShot vehicles...".
You need to reach the top echelons at Amtrak which is tough to do as lowly John Q Citizen. You have nothing to lose, and everything to gain so send your Congressman a letter explaining your difficulty getting an answer from someone who knows what, if anything, is happening at Amtrak. He'll get an answer for you, if an answer is to be had.

Send Lamont a short PM giving him the link to the blank thread. The more he hears from more members the more he'll recognize there is a problem that is more than just incidental.

[MOSESS]

Wow this would be great to put the Rt on the train.

[BLUEKNIGHT911]

The last thread started by Bob Denham back in Nov 2016 seems to have disappeared.

My question is this....Has anyone been able to find if Amtrak is truly working with their third party carrier manufacturer for a solution? I am finding myself in the need for this in Nov of this year. Any info would be appreciated.

I have not been able to find someone at Amtrak to say anything except, "We do not allow Spyders or SlingShot vehicles...". Have you seen the video of them loading the train ???? ...... it has at least 8 or more train cars .... they load the passenger vehicles by driving them on ....through all the train cars until they get the front .... then they load another pass car, etc until the lower deck is full..... then they do the same for the upper deck ...... the veh's drive on ramps between train cars ..... there are ONLY two ramps ...... so the third wheel of a Trike has nothing to travel on ...... the cost of making an adjustment for TRIKES would be HUGH ...... and train employees do the driving for all loading and un-loading ...... just the Driver training would prohibitive. So this ain't ever going to happen ................. Mike :thumbup:

[missouriboy]

Wow, Mike, that's good information. Now, when they reach the destination, do they break the train so as to unload all those cars in a forward direction instead of backing out?

[Vidman]

Have you seen the video of them loading the train ???? ...... it has at least 8 or more train cars .... they load the passenger vehicles by driving them on ....through all the train cars until they get the front .... then they load another pass car, etc until the lower deck is full..... then they do the same for the upper deck ...... the veh's drive on ramps between train cars ..... there are ONLY two ramps ...... so the third wheel of a Trike has nothing to travel on ...... the cost of making an adjustment for TRIKES would be HUGH ...... and train employees do the driving for all loading and un-loading ...... just the Driver training would prohibitive. So this ain't ever going to happen ................. Mike :thumbup:

The ramp thing does not explain why trikes with rear wheel drives (i.e. harley) are allowed. I have not seen the video tho.

[MOSESS]

that is correct that ramp idea does not tell the full story. I called and was told Harleys are allowed so the third ramp explanation is iffy .

[Bob Denman]

Would it be feasible to simply ship your bike to the destination? :dontknow:

[cuznjohn]

loading starts at 2;22. i think i read some ware that they don't ship motorcycles


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BCkUnz3GxO8

[Bob Denman]

After watching Cuzn's video (Thanks! :thumbup:); the coupler does appear to be open, and I would NEVER turn my bike over to someone with no experience on a Spyder. nojoke

[IdahoMtnSpyder]

M/c's are loaded on wheeled platforms with front wheel locked in a clamp. That's why they can load regular trikes but not Spyders & SS.

Sent from my SM-T350 using Tapatalk

[Bob Denman]

How about backing them into place on the platforms? :dontknow:

[Vidman]

They charge the same for trikes as car. Why can't a trike be loaded like a car? Not using the motorcycle carrier. I'm sure there is a reason. They are missing out on fares with the popularity of Spyders.

[BananaSpyder]

The last thread started by Bob Denham back in Nov 2016 seems to have disappeared.

My question is this....Has anyone been able to find if Amtrak is truly working with their third party carrier manufacturer for a solution? I am finding myself in the need for this in Nov of this year. Any info would be appreciated.

I have not been able to find someone at Amtrak to say anything except, "We do not allow Spyders or SlingShot vehicles...".

I know a group of riders that have taken their motorcycles on the auto-train. All the information can be found on Amtraks website:
https://www.amtrak.com/servlet/ContentServer?c=AM_Alert_C&pagename=am/AM_Alert_C/Alerts_Popup&cid=1251643182962

At this time they only transport two wheel motorcycles and conventional three wheel trikes. Simply put, they are loaded onto the train on a special pallet like device which clamps the front wheel and holds the bike upright during transport, bikes are the first on and first off.

Hope this helps.

[IdahoMtnSpyder]

They charge the same for trikes as car. Why can't a trike be loaded like a car? Not using the motorcycle carrier. I'm sure there is a reason. They are missing out on fares with the popularity of Spyders.
As mentioned above there are ramps that go from car to car. There is no center ramp, only two, one for each vehicle track. Trikes, like the HD, would be charged the same as a car because there's only one bike on a platform and the platform is the size of a small car.

Here's a couple of vids showing m/c loadings.


https://youtu.be/Vuz-mcfhuow


https://youtu.be/oQic1gZ3MCY

[Bob Denman]

Watching the Ducati load: it's apparent that a Spyder would have some trouble with:
Getting over the lip up onto the platform...
Even if they'd allow you to load it backwards... that tire clamp wouldn't hold a 225 tire!

[Vidman]

As mentioned above there are ramps that go from car to car. There is no center ramp, only two, one for each vehicle track. Trikes, like the HD, would be charged the same as a car because there's only one bike on a platform and the platform is the size of a small car.

Here's a couple of vids showing m/c loadings.


https://youtu.be/Vuz-mcfhuow


https://youtu.be/oQic1gZ3MCY

I'm missing something here. HD Trike has center wheel in front. So there is a need for a center ramp.

Doesn't matter tho. The web site says they are looking into it thru their supplier. My point with my Senator is, "Amtrak would not survive without taxpayers. We are taxpayers. Why can't they get the info out to their employees as to where they currently standing?" The employees are in the dark.

[IdahoMtnSpyder]

I'm missing something here. HD Trike has center wheel in front. So there is a need for a center ramp.
The bikes, including trikes, are loaded onto the wheeled platforms off a dock. No ramps needed. The platform wheel track spacing is the same as cars so they pass over the rail car ramps just like cars do.