Traveling by train with a firearm

[george223]

Has anybody ever traveled on Amtrak with a firearm? How does it work? I'm flying to Philadelphia and on the last leg of my journey, I'm taking a train to New London, CT. Some people think I'm nuts but I like taking they train. It is relaxing and it takes the edge off of the long flight from CA. I've done this numerous times without a firearm and have never had my luggage checked. I would get to the train station, get in line, and carry my luggage onto the train. No questions asked.

One of the stops is Penn Station in NYC. That wouldn't sit well with me having a firearm accessible in my carry on while in NYC. The carry on I'm referring to was my checked-in bag from the flight. And once I get to NLC, the train stops for about 5 min. and if you don't get to the designated exit door in time, you are going on to the next stop.

I checked Amtrak's website for their baggage policies and it said that firearms were only permissible in checked-in bags. I never knew that you could check in bags for the train. Of all the times that I have taken the train, nobody has ever asked me if I wanted to check in my bags. And once I get to New London, are they really going to have time to be able to dig out my bag?

I'm going to be in CT for awhile and would really like to have a firearm in the house. I'm probably going to leave it behind on this trip and will ask the conductor how it works when I get on the train for future reference.

[tonyxcom]

Even people ONLY connecting through NYC airports with firearms in checked luggage have been arrested.

https://www.nraila.org/articles/20170731/flying-with-firearms-get-the-facts

[9Cal_OC]

Ship it to a CT FFL and take possession of it while there?

Not sure if that’s permissible but I would not want to have a firearm on me when in NYC, even if checked in.

[NorCalRT]

Not all stops have checked baggage options, neither do all trains. Sometimes the checked luggage gets put on a different train, be careful.

[OCEquestrian]

New York wants you disarmed because criminal lives matter more than yours..

[buttfish]

Just hold-up the train, enjoy the money.

[george223]

I'm guessing that I would have to be a CT resident in order to pick up my firearm from an FFL. Even though, I own a house there, I'm not considered a resident and cannot buy a gun there. I can't imagine an FFL handing a gun over to me as a non-resident even if it is mine. A shotgun or hunting rifle maybe, but not a handgun. I'll inquire at a local shop when I get there.

As far as having a firearm in checked-in baggage in NYC, as long as you check in your bag where it is legal to possess and you do not have access to your luggage at any time while traveling through NYC, you should be good to go. But you do not want to walk up to the counter in NYC and check in a bag with a gun in it. It'll ruin your day.

[george223]

Not all stops have checked baggage options, neither do all trains. Sometimes the checked luggage gets put on a different train, be careful.

That was my concern. And what if you could not get to the exit in time, the train started to roll out of the station, and your checked in bag was offloaded and sitting at the station. No, I think I'll pass this time.

[M1NM]

People get arrested in NY (& NJ) when there flight is cancelled and they have to take possession of their luggage with the gun in it. I'd think the train would be the same problem. I'm assuming the firearm is a handgun and you do have the proper CT permit - https://portal.ct.gov/-/media/DESPP/.../DPS-799-C.pdf

[Quiet]

Has anybody ever traveled on Amtrak with a firearm? How does it work? I'm flying to Philadelphia and on the last leg of my journey, I'm taking a train to New London, CT. Some people think I'm nuts but I like taking they train. It is relaxing and it takes the edge off of the long flight from CA. I've done this numerous times without a firearm and have never had my luggage checked. I would get to the train station, get in line, and carry my luggage onto the train. No questions asked.

One of the stops is Penn Station in NYC. That wouldn't sit well with me having a firearm accessible in my carry on while in NYC. The carry on I'm referring to was my checked-in bag from the flight. And once I get to NLC, the train stops for about 5 min. and if you don't get to the designated exit door in time, you are going on to the next stop.

I checked Amtrak's website for their baggage policies and it said that firearms were only permissible in checked-in bags. I never knew that you could check in bags for the train. Of all the times that I have taken the train, nobody has ever asked me if I wanted to check in my bags. And once I get to New London, are they really going to have time to be able to dig out my bag?

I'm going to be in CT for awhile and would really like to have a firearm in the house. I'm probably going to leave it behind on this trip and will ask the conductor how it works when I get on the train for future reference.

Legally, transporting firearms/ammunition on a train that cross state lines is similar to transporting firearms/ammunition on a plane.
^Needs to be unloaded in a locked container and be checked in luggage.
~It's not legal to have transport it as carry on luggage or on your person.

AFAIK... Federal laws [49 USC 20103(a)] gives Amtrak's firearm policy weight of law.

[ar15barrels]

Has anybody ever traveled on Amtrak with a firearm? How does it work? I'm flying to Philadelphia and on the last leg of my journey, I'm taking a train to New London, CT. Some people think I'm nuts but I like taking they train. It is relaxing and it takes the edge off of the long flight from CA. I've done this numerous times without a firearm and have never had my luggage checked. I would get to the train station, get in line, and carry my luggage onto the train. No questions asked.

One of the stops is Penn Station in NYC. That wouldn't sit well with me having a firearm accessible in my carry on while in NYC. The carry on I'm referring to was my checked-in bag from the flight. And once I get to NLC, the train stops for about 5 min. and if you don't get to the designated exit door in time, you are going on to the next stop.

I checked Amtrak's website for their baggage policies and it said that firearms were only permissible in checked-in bags. I never knew that you could check in bags for the train. Of all the times that I have taken the train, nobody has ever asked me if I wanted to check in my bags. And once I get to New London, are they really going to have time to be able to dig out my bag?

I'm going to be in CT for awhile and would really like to have a firearm in the house. I'm probably going to leave it behind on this trip and will ask the conductor how it works when I get on the train for future reference.

Ship it to yourself.
Then ship it back to yourself when you return.
Your travel should be able to beat the shipment method both ways so that you can receive it on both ends.

[george223]

People get arrested in NY (& NJ) when there flight is cancelled and they have to take possession of their luggage with the gun in it. I'd think the train would be the same problem. I'm assuming the firearm is a handgun and you do have the proper CT permit - https://portal.ct.gov/-/media/DESPP/.../DPS-799-C.pdf

No, I wouldn't be changing trains in NYC. Just passing through so I still would not have access to my luggage.

I didn't realize that the Pistol Permit had a non-resident option. I'll have to look into it.

[george223]

Ship it to yourself.
Then ship it back to yourself when you return.
Your travel should be able to beat the shipment method both ways so that you can receive it on both ends.

I didn't know that was legally possible. I'll have to look into it. That's what I was planning to do with ammo. I can't buy ammo back there and am now not sure if I can legally possess a handgun or ammo in CT.

[ar15barrels]

I didn't know that was legally possible. I'll have to look into it. That's what I was planning to do with ammo. I can't buy ammo back there and am now not sure if I can legally possess a handgun or ammo in CT.

You CAN ship across state lines to YOURSELF without involving an FFL holders according to the federal FOPA of 1986.

You can't ship a handgun with USPS unless you have an FFL.
You CAN ship a handgun with other carriers such as UPS, Fedex, DHL etc...
Each carrier may have their own restrictions on what service level you can use and where you have to drop the shipment off etc...
Typically, it has to be dropped off at one of the company's local hubs and shipped via overnight or 2nd day service.

[TrailerparkTrash]

I wouldn’t ship it. If you really want a gun at your final destination, just fly there and check it in with the air,ines in the locked box method. Skip the train all together id you want a gun as an end result. What’s more important to you, a train ride for several hours or a gun for several days or weeks?

Easy.