Joining US Senator Schumer in Pushing Amtrak to Add Bike Cars on New York Lines

On June 17, I joined U.S. Senator Charles Schumer and my colleague, New York State Senator Little (R-Queensbury), at a press conference calling on Amtrak to add baggage cars capable of carrying bicycles on their Adirondack and Ethan Allen trains, which run from Penn Station to Albany and Saratoga, and other points north. Presently, there is no room on those lines for passengers to bring their bicycles on-board, but Senator Schumer revealed that Amtrak is currently building new baggage cars that could be configured for bike storage at a facility in Elmira, NY. Moreover, Amtrak already has successful “Bring Your Bicycle On Board” programs on its Boston-Portland line, New York-Charlotte line, and in California, where the program is so popular that Amtrak now requires reservations. I was proud to join Senator Schumer and Senator Little in promoting this convenient and affordable new way for my constituents to access the beautiful bicycle trails of the Adirondacks and surrounding areas. This initiative will generate revenue and create a new tourism link between New York City and Upstate, as well as promote bike vacations, one of the healthiest and most environmentally friendly forms of recreation. The Wall Street Journal ran an Associated Press item our efforts, which you can read here.