By Salma El-Sakka
The Transport Workers Union (TWU) has sharply criticized a planned Amtrak policy that would allow passengers to carry firearms in lockboxes on 1,500 daily trains across the United States starting January 2027.
Union calls policy 'sheer lunacy'
John Feltz, International Rail Division director of the TWU, said the move is dangerous because passengers cannot bring guns onto airplanes without checking them, yet trains would allow firearms in confined passenger cars. He described the policy as "sheer lunacy."
Details of the new protocol
Under the proposed rules, gun owners would hand their weapons in cases to an Amtrak station agent, who would secure them with an Amtrak-owned combination lock. Passengers would keep the locked cases at their seats, and an agent at the destination would remove the lock. The union warned that defective cases or locks, or forceful access by an enraged rider, could endanger passengers and crew.
Expansion from current rules
Currently, Amtrak permits firearms only on a few long-distance trains, stored in secure baggage cars. The new policy would extend the practice to an additional 1,500 trains per day, including the busy Northeast Corridor routes connecting Washington, New York, and Boston, which carry about 750,000 passengers daily.
Union demands reversal
The TWU, which represents 360 onboard service workers, urged the federal government to reverse the policy, noting that many Amtrak stations lack staff or law enforcement to respond to incidents. Amtrak did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
