Montague Navigator Folding Bicycle, Burley Travoy Commuting Trailer, and Amtrak

Two carry-on bags and an underseat bag.

Last April, 2013, I was planning to take Amtrak with my Navigator and Travoy out to see my parents. I chronicled my hopes in an April 21 post. Then I had to suddenly leave by airplane and stay six months. Now I'm ready to try again. Writing this on a Friday, I will be on the train Sunday, January 19. (Article updated at the end, describing my--and the bike's--journey.)

It's in the 40's to 60's in California. Below is what it looks like in Iowa. I'm looking forward to some warm bike-riding weather, even though my 89-year-old mom is saying "it's cold out here" in California.

This is the bicycle weather I'm leaving for two weeks.

The Montague Navigator will be packed in its soft carrying bag. I'm hoping that the carrying and stowing will just be done by myself as I board and depart the train. I also will be taking the Amtrak shuttle bus from Sacramento to Oroville, California. I plan to add to this post after I arrive, detailing the ease of Amtrak service.

Although Montague boasts its under-a-minute breakdown of its folding bike line, I'm being more cautious because of the length and manner of the bike's transport. Here are some precautions I've taken while packing the bicycle:

1. I've added folding pedals. Montague provides this option when purchasing. I bought folding pedals online from a different source at a later date. The folding pedals really slim the width and allow for easier bagging because the slimmer profile allows for more space when zipping.
2. I removed the fender attachments which are added to the braking bolt assemblage. When the bike was folded the "prongs" for the fenders stuck out and could easily be bent, could scratch the bike, or could damage the bag--in my opinion, anyway. This will add maybe ten minutes bike assembly, but if it's not raining, I'll just add the fenders later. Hey, it's the California Central Valley.
3. I've bought some plumbing pipe insulation tubing. Cutting a section, I slipped it around the sprocket to protect and lessen grease stains. I also bought an inexpensive backpack rain cover that I've slipped around the drive train.
4. I've bought some plumbing pipe insulation tubing. Cutting a section, I slipped it around the sprocket to protect and lessen grease stains. I also bought an inexpensive backpack rain cover that I've slipped around the drive train.
5. I'm adding some ditty bags with clothes and sundry to the bag, since my two carry-on bags for Amtrak will be the bike and the trailer. Both bike and trailer bags can hold extra. If I were really serious, I'd tuck more carefully, but I have cooking access and extra clothes at my parents' place, since I go there regularly to support them. If I were heading out to tour, I'd probably send a general delivery box to my departure town in advance of the train trip. I could include food and cooking materials in that box.

The folding pedals and the sprocket protection are shown.

Drive-train cover, fenders, and extra bags.

I might add a small ditty bag to this.

The entire arrangement will consist of three "bags," the bike, the trailer, and my underseat knapsack, which fits with the Amtrak folding bike policy:

"Folding bicycles under the dimensions of 34" x 15" x 48"/860 x 380 x 1120 mm will be allowed onboard all trains in lieu of a piece of baggage. They must be considered a true folding bicycle."

 A recent flap regarding folding bicycles and Amtrak was posted by BikePortland. It involved a Texas route and car attendants who were under-informed and probably over-worked and tired. The article makes me nervous, so I'll see what happens in a couple of days. My feeling is that the folding bike policy states they are allowed on "all trains" and count as one of the two carry-on bags. My bike bag fits easily within the allowable size standards, the Zephyr certainly is one of "all trains," so I see no problem. I'm bringing along a hard copy of the online policy.

Wish me luck--and I'll add an addendum after I reach California.

UPDATE AFTER ARRIVAL

At the Sacramento Amtrak train/Amtrak bus terminal

The stationmaster and the Amtrak conductor at the Zephyr's arrival in Ottumwa never questioned the "oversize" bike bag, although I did at the appropriate moment state, "It's a folding bike." I did not have to use my printing of Amtrak folding bike policy or explain anything.

The conductor at boarding told me to put the bike in a separate storage room right next to the baggage area, a room whose sliding door was marked "Authorized Personnel Only." Opening the door revealed a large room that was empty except for a scoop shovel and a broom in one corner. I leaned the bike upright against the wall nearest the door.

This was great because placing the bike in the bike in the storage area would have meant placing it on its side. During the trip I could peek through the door's lower ventilation grate and see the bike safely upright in its bag. Later, the last Amtrak crew before arrival brought the bike out and placed it on the baggage rack near the coach car's door. Luckily, it was placed on the side that kept the derailleur up.

Arriving at Sacramento, the train arrives about a half mile from the station because Amtrak is in the process of moving and upgrading the facility. Little electric shuttle cars transport passengers and luggage to the terminal building. The driver of the electric shuttle asked me, "What's that?!" in a somewhat panicked voice when seeing the size of my bike bag, and asked me to help him load it. I was more than happy to help because it allowed me to keep the derailleur upright so it wouldn't be bent.

The Amtrak "Thruway" shuttle bus driver didn't blink at my mention of the folding bike. I helped load again, mentioning that I wanted the derailleur up when placing the bike on its side.

Arriving at the Oroville pick-up and drop-off site, I assembled my rig on the sidewalk before a gas station (having the station's canopy lights as an aid) and then rode my bike nine miles to my parents' place.

Ready to roll after two days of sitting

As a folding bike traveler, Amtrak was very easy for me. Amtrak personnel seemed knowledgeable in policies--at least, there was never any questioning of policy. The bike was not damaged in any way, and I felt just plain smug-happy self-sufficient to slap my bike together and pedal on down the road.

Rocky Mountains, sightseeing and heading toward warmer climes

For a fuller description of the Amtrak journey (with more photos) see my January 22 writing blog post at Tom Kepler Writing.

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