Amtrak is exploring a policy change that would permit passengers to store firearms in lockboxes on the majority of its trains. Critics argue this would undermine security measures that should be strengthened, particularly following the shooting incident at last weekend's White House Correspondents' Association dinner.
Background of the Proposed Change
The company has been considering this adjustment since early this year, after pressure from Trump administration officials to relax restrictions on transporting weapons, according to two individuals familiar with the plan who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity. They indicated that the railroad has not abandoned the proposal despite the arrest of a man who traveled by Amtrak from California to Washington, D.C., with firearms, allegedly intending to kill President Donald Trump and other officials at the dinner.
Details of the Incident
Cole Tomas Allen was arrested after attempting to breach security barricades near the hotel ballroom hosting the dinner, leading to an exchange of gunfire with Secret Service agents. An officer wearing a bullet-resistant vest was shot but survived. Authorities reported that Allen carried a shotgun and semiautomatic pistol, which he brought via train from his home in Torrance, California. Amtrak declined to confirm whether he complied with existing rules requiring passengers to declare firearms and allow them to be locked with checked bags. Allen's lawyer stated he has no criminal record and is presumed innocent.
Proposed Policy Changes
Amtrak's potential rule change, which could soon enter testing, involves adding lockboxes to trains nationwide, allowing passengers to bring guns aboard rather than only on trains with locked baggage cars. This would expand access to over 1,500 trains daily, including routes used by roughly 750,000 passengers in the Northeast Corridor, compared to the current restriction to a few dozen long-distance trains with locked baggage cars.
Criticism from Advocacy Groups
John Feinblatt, president of Everytown for Gun Safety, condemned the proposal, stating: "Just days after a man took an Amtrak train to Washington with a shotgun and pistol and tried to assassinate the president and other federal officials, the Trump Administration is trying to open the floodgates for firearms on every Amtrak route, while also moving to hollow out the agency responsible for enforcing gun laws and preventing gun trafficking. This will only make Americans less safe and Congress must step in before the next tragedy." Officials at Amtrak and the Transportation Department did not immediately respond to inquiries.
Current Rules and Implementation Challenges
Currently, Amtrak requires passengers to declare firearms and secure them unloaded in a hard case, meeting size and weight requirements. Guns are only allowed in checked baggage, similar to airline policies. Under the proposed change, guns would still be locked aboard trains, with only the conductor holding the key. However, it remains unclear how Amtrak would verify legal gun ownership or compliance with local laws, which vary widely—from strict regulations in New York City to more permissive rules elsewhere.
Security Vulnerabilities
Unlike airports, train stations lack passenger screening, and Amtrak does not check names against criminal databases. This is true even at major hubs like Washington's Union Station and unstaffed stops where passengers board before conductors scan tickets. Security expert Sheldon Jacobson, whose research contributed to the TSA PreCheck system, suggested railroads should collect more passenger information and conduct background checks. However, he noted that eliminating guns on trains is impractical without enforcement mechanisms, given the estimated 400 million firearms in the United States. He added that rail travel poses fewer risks than air travel, so investing in strict screening may not be justified unless a major tragedy occurs.
Union Advocacy for Worker Protections
Unions have sought enhanced protections for rail workers for nearly a decade, following incidents like the 2017 shooting of a conductor in Naperville, Illinois. Two bills in Congress would make it a federal crime to interfere with or assault rail workers, similar to protections for airline crews. Unions have also achieved some success with state-level laws. After 9/11, Amtrak and other ground transportation companies banned weapons on trains and buses but did not implement screening measures. In 2010, Congress mandated that Amtrak and others allow firearms as checked baggage.
