The Transport Workers Union, representing 360 onboard service workers at Amtrak, has issued a strong statement opposing a new firearms policy scheduled to take effect in January 2027. The policy would allow passengers to transport guns in personal lock boxes on intercity trains, a departure from current restrictions.
Under the proposed system, gun owners would place their firearms in cases that station agents would secure with Amtrak-owned combination locks. Passengers would then carry the locked boxes to their seats and station agents at destination points would remove the locks upon arrival. The new allowance would expand gun transport access to approximately 1,500 additional trains daily across the country.
Union leadership has expressed serious concerns about worker and passenger safety. John Feltz, International Rail Division director for the TWU, stated the policy represents a significant departure from security practices in the aviation industry, where firearms are not permitted in passenger cabins. He highlighted the risks posed by confined spaces with multiple passengers and noted that defective cases or locks could allow unauthorized access to weapons.
The union emphasized that many Amtrak stations lack dedicated staff or law enforcement presence, potentially limiting response capabilities in emergency situations. According to union representatives, the policy change would impact routes carrying approximately 750,000 daily passengers in the Northeast Corridor, which includes major services connecting Washington, Boston, and New York. The policy shift comes amid pressure from the Trump administration to reduce restrictions on weapons transportation. Amtrak has not yet provided a public response to the union’s criticism.
Article Attribution | Read More at Article Source
Article summary produced by Claude AI