The winner is!

The post cards began arriving last Friday and I think they are all in now. Hmmm, Amtrak is faster than the postal service form Canada/US.
I guess I am a little surprised that it really did take them that long. I figured a day or two after the train got in, but not the four plus that it actually took!

Did I mention that the pottery bits I packed to bring home survived the tender ministrations of the baggage folks at the train station.

I did notice that in areas where the people could actually see them handling the baggage, it was very kid glove treatment, carefully placing and gentle moving of the bags and packages. Feh, I was harder on the bags than they tried to show folks! Of course, what happens under the train, or in the building where no one sees is another matter entirely. We all should know this and pack/pad, secure accordingly! My Ex used to load aircraft for the Air force, a box marked Fragile was a clear target and test of your packing skills to them.
I am rather astounded at the number of items people try to carry on a conveyance when it gives a clearly stated limit. Of course there are a few things they do not count, like purses, laptops or briefcases, but still, if you can't handle it in one trip, don;t be slowing everyone else down by trying to haul your 35 plastic bags of junk in five trips up and down the stairs, and making everyone else rush to get on before they pull out, AND try to find room in the overhead past all your bags! If it ain't over your own seat, then I think it ought to be fair game for us to peek and see it it's anything good!

That news story about the lack of baggage security on the train?
Well, yes, they are pretty lax about it, but then MOST folks on the train are pretty good, no one jacks anyone's luggage, at least not that I have ever seen, though trains in New York city area might be all bets off according to the one New Yorker I met.
The reason I like the train is that it is not a great hassle like travel by air, for bag inspection, metal detectors, two hour early arrival for security stuff, etc.
I say if you catch folks doing illegal stuff on the train, you dump them in the middle of the Nevada Desert, turn over their ill gotten gains/goods to the authorities, and call it good. If they make it back to civilization, they then get to deal with the cops.

Anyone else out there like to travel by train?