I am taking the train from Louisiana to Arizona…and back. I cannot check baggage at the station I am boarding. It is an unstaffed station.
The luggage I hoped to stuff a 24" uni into (in pieces) takes up a whole lot more room than even a 26" would without taking it apart. I don’t want to have to take the whole thing apart and put it back together…twice (there and back).
Does anyone have experience traveling on Amtrack with a unicycle?
Wouldn’t it make more sense to carry the uni on (in one piece) without carrying it in pieces in an oversize piece of luggage? But I don’t think it is allowed.
I can buy a new uni and have it shipped to Arizona cheaper than the price of this huge piece of luggage.
Any suggestions?
Anyone know anything about traveling Amtrack with a unicycle?
if you just take the pedals off and pull the seatpost out it will get quite small. I would think you could fit it into a carry-on bag. I’ve never ridden amtrak but for some reason it seems the trains wouldn’t be that full so there would be a fair amount of flexibility as to your luggage size. Not quite like getting onto a sold out airplane.
Looks like I will have to take the wheel off the fork…or the fork off the wheel…
and maybe remove a pedal.
I don’t want to go to all that trouble, then get to the train and find out the luggage stuffed with uni parts is too big even though it meets the size requirements (barely).
Size limit is 22x28x14 inches.
I couldn’t find 28x22x14. The one I have is 28x20x14.
I would not have guessed the attached fork with the seat post removed would be longer than 28 inches, but it is.
You’ll have the check the train that runs that route, but the route between KC and St Louis have a few bicycle spots available on each train. I recently paid $10 extra for my unicycle for one of these spots. You’ve got to reserve these in advance.
That would be perfect, but I was told this train does not have such a service. Now that you’ve given me that information, I am going to call them back to make sure!
I hope I’m wrong!
Sounds like the perpect solution!
You can probably save a little space by removing the tire. I’ve been amazed at how small a unicycle will go if you completely disassemble everything but the wheel. Of course doing that with a 36er isn’t going to help much, but with a 24, especially if it has a duro it would.
The guys that are already onboard the train check luggage size, I guess.
Not sure about the return leg, but that one won’t matter if I can’t make it work starting out.
Thanks paxuni, anton005, Shmolagin, and Lloyd !
I may decide to just buy a new one to be shipped to Arizona, and leave it in my brother’s attic. That way, the problem will be solved every time I decide to head that way, which I’m assuming will be might be once a year.
I knew you all would have some great solutions, and you DID.
Wish I lived near a better train station!!!
Hi
are the trains crowded there? They tend to be here. But I just didn’t bother to ask…
Nobody said anything and there were people standing but it’s not uncommon to have large luggage here. I’m surprised they have aircraft type luggage regs.
And I will do it again for the Seoul 100km race on November 3rd. (But I’m only going to do the 50km… )
I know a guy who has taken a 29" on international flights (checked luggage) without paying extra, so it’s hard for me to believe you’d have trouble taking a 24" on a train, especially if it’s Amtrak. Those trains are extremely slow and expensive, so you should have plenty of space. Removing your seat and pedals might still be a good idea, though, and can be done in 2 minutes or less.
