Amtrak

S

squishles10

New member

• Jul 5, 2011

• #1

I really don't like no seat belts. Enough that I'm considering driving instead. But assuming I get over it, what is the safest way to travel with a 15 month old on Amtrak? We don't *need* a car seat on the train as my in-laws have one for us when we get there. I don't mind taking ours if it's safer though. It's a 4.5 hour trip, leaving at 530 pm so he may or may not fall asleep. The returning trip is at 8 am so doubtful he'll sleep. I am perfectly happy to buy him his own seat if it is unlikely there will be open seats and I read something about rooms while searching on here. The plane ticket is $300 so as long as it's less than that I don't care. I think those airplane harnesses won't work bc no seat belt right?

 

LISmama810

Admin - CPS Technician

• Jul 5, 2011

• #2

Trains are exponentially safer than driving. Even belted in, driving is far more dangerous.

I don't see any point taking a car seat since there are no belts to strap it in with, although I think I've read of people wedging in a RF seat. I wouldn't bother, though.

 

S

squishles10

New member

• Jul 5, 2011

• #3

*eek* I *know* they are safer, but we saw so many derailments in SoCal that they make me so worried. A wedged seat is just going to fly out in a crash so I don't think I'll bother, but I would like some way of restraining him, as would, I'm sure, our fellow passengers. It'll be an adventure, that's for sure

 

Cath3114

New member

• Jul 5, 2011

• #4

I did not use a seat when we went on Amtrak. And I did not feel the need to. Sure, there are accidents, but the chances of one are much smaller than a vehicle accident. I know many disagree with me, but I have the same opinion regarding flying.

Sent from my iPhone using Car-Seat.Org

 

cupcakepirate11

Active member

• Jul 5, 2011

• #5

I put my son buckled in his keyfit right on the train seat, and he slept the entire time. At no point did I feel like he was unsafe. I did however wish the stairs on the train were not so steep! (double decker train out west) We have also been on the down easter on the west coast. I'd bring a stroller if you must and leave him in that parked at the front of the train car where there is extra space. Knowing my child though that would last for all of five minutes.

 

K

KaiLing

New member

• Jul 5, 2011

• #6

I just took a 12 hour train ride with my 30 month old. No car seat, and my belief in statistics is such that when we were going up the coast of CA next to all the cars I could breathe easier knowing we were so much safer than we would have been if we'd driven. If you're statistically minded, too, I find NHTSA's fatal accident database rather comforting: http://www-fars.nhtsa.dot.gov/Main/index.aspx. I know that's not for everyone, but it makes me feel better.

ETA: in 2009 there were 3 fatalities of passengers on Amtrak. There were 24,474 fatalities in cars. That makes me feel better about the train. And worse about the car.

 

Last edited: Jul 6, 2011

J

jubgulia

Active member

• Jul 6, 2011

• #7

Seeing that I have been in an Amtrak derailment/crash and not a car crash... I'd probably bring the seat and use the latch strap around the back of the seat if possible. But that's just me.

 

S

squishles10

New member

• Jul 6, 2011

• #8

^^^ AHH! That's not what I wanted to read! I wasn't planning on taking a stroller or a car seat, just my trusty Beco. He's too big for the Keyfit but if he was younger I'd definitely take that. He's going to want to run around. I've never been on a train so I want to run around too! I think we'll skip it since I'll be alone and can't carry too much stuff and we have one waiting for us. I can't wait!

 

cupcakepirate11

Active member

• Jul 15, 2011

• #9

Have fun on the train!

 

ketchupqueen

CPST and ketchup snob

Staff member

• Jul 15, 2011

• #10

FYI, if he wants to run around, take him to the observation car- it's great for running around without bugging folks.

 

scoutingbear

New member

• Jul 15, 2011

• #11

We have a train trip coming up in less than 2 weeks with a 7, 5, and 1 year old. I am bringing my CCO and putting the baby in it if I need to contain her. I expect that I will wear her most of the time and/or let her climb all over our laps. No observation car on our train.

 

Brigala

CPST Instructor

• Jul 17, 2011

• #12

For a 15 month old, I would put a harness on the child that's designed for walking. Like this one:

You can tie it to the seat if your child seems to have a need to jump up and wander. It's obviously not a safety device in the unlikely event of a derailment, but it may deter the child from bouncing around and getting hurt that way. It also will leave both of you with hands free to hold on to the sides of chairs or stairway railings as you walk around the train, so it will help keep you both safe (compared to holding hands) when you are moving about.

I've been in an Amtrak "crash" once and I didn't even feel it. The only clue anybody on the train had that there was a problem was that we stopped in the middle of nowhere and then there was a smell of hot train brakes. This is typical of train crashes. Serious train wrecks that cause injuries, even minor ones, to passengers are exceedingly rare. I would have absolutely no hesitation about taking a child on a train without a car seat as long as there was a seat at my destination.

 

rxmommy

New member

• Jul 17, 2011

• #13

The "rooms" are incredibly expensive, although they might be less than $300. I think ours was more. I went on a 500 mile train ride (seemed like it took roughly 37 hours. It was awful. I won't repeat it, EVER, if I can help it!) with my 2 big girls when they were 2 and 6ish months. My mom paid for a sleeping "room" on the way back. It was nicer, but still not wonderful. Travelling by yourself with 2 young kids just really isn't fun no matter which way you go though!

I packed 2 car seats because my mom didn't have seats and used neither of them on the train. (I had a Roundabout and Snugride)