Amtrak union condemns plan to let passengers carry guns on trains
The Transport Workers Union says a policy due to start in January 2027 would allow firearms in lockboxes at passengers' seats on 1,500 more trains a day.
At a glance
- The Transport Workers Union condemned an Amtrak plan to let passengers carry guns in lockboxes on trains, starting January 2027.
- The union says the policy covers 1,500 additional trains a day, including Northeast Corridor routes used by 750,000 people daily.
- Amtrak now allows guns on a few long-distance trains in secure baggage cars; it did not respond to a request for comment.
The Transport Workers Union (TWU), which represents 360 onboard service workers at Amtrak, has condemned a planned policy that would allow passengers to bring guns on the US national passenger rail operator's intercity trains, calling the plan "sheer lunacy".
The union said the new protocols are scheduled to begin in January 2027. Amtrak had previously said it was considering the change, amid pressure from the Trump administration to ease restrictions on transporting weapons, but had not announced a timeline.
How the policy would work
According to the union, gun owners would bring their weapons in cases to an Amtrak station agent, who would add an Amtrak-owned combination lock. Passengers would then take the weapons onboard, and an agent at the arrival station would remove the Amtrak lock.
Amtrak currently allows passengers to take guns on a few long-distance trains, stored in secure baggage cars. Brian Delucia, a staff representative at TWU International, said the new policy would let passengers keep guns in lockboxes at their seats on an additional 1,500 trains a day across the US. That includes routes used by about 750,000 people daily in Amtrak's Northeast Corridor, which covers its busiest services connecting Washington, New York and Boston.
"You can't walk on to a plane with a gun, it has to be checked with your luggage and stowed away," said John Feltz, International Rail Division director of the TWU. "So why allow guns in passenger cars on trains where there are also passengers in confined spaces? This is sheer lunacy."
Feltz said a case or lock could fail, adding: "A case or lock could be defective, or an enraged rider could use brute force to access a weapon. Either scenario will endanger the lives of riders and our members working on trains."
Union calls for reversal
The union urged the federal government to reverse course on the policy, noting that many Amtrak stations do not have Amtrak staff or a law enforcement presence to respond if something goes wrong. Amtrak did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Source: The Guardian World.
Questions and answers
- When would Amtrak allow passengers to bring guns on trains?
- The Transport Workers Union says the new policy is scheduled to begin in January 2027. Amtrak had previously said it was considering the change but had not announced a timeline.
- How would passengers carry guns on Amtrak under the plan?
- Gun owners would bring weapons in cases to a station agent, who would add an Amtrak-owned combination lock. Passengers would take them onboard, and an agent at the arrival station would remove the lock.
- What does the Amtrak workers' union say about the plan?
- TWU official John Feltz called it "sheer lunacy", saying a defective case or lock, or brute force, could let someone reach a weapon in a confined car. The union wants the federal government to reverse the policy.
