Transport Workers Union Condemns Amtrak Firearm Policy

The Transport Workers Union condemned a planned Amtrak policy that would allow passengers to carry firearms in personal lock boxes on intercity trains beginning in January 2027. Under the proposed protocols, passengers would present weapons to a station agent who would apply an Amtrak-owned combination lock, which would then be removed by an agent at the destination.

The policy change follows pressure from the Trump administration to ease weapon transport restrictions. While Amtrak currently allows guns on some long-distance trains via secure baggage cars, the new rule would expand access to seats on approximately 1,500 trains daily. This includes the high-traffic Northeast Corridor serving Washington, New York, and Boston.

Union officials described the proposal as "sheer lunacy," arguing that the policy creates unnecessary risks in confined passenger spaces. John Feltz, the union's International Rail Division director, warned that defective locks or the use of brute force by an enraged rider could allow access to a weapon, endangering both passengers and rail employees.