Im: this is how much you should be worried at all. I am Itlaian, I live in Italy, and when it comes to luggage nothing can differentiate an american suitcase from an Itlaian one (given more or less tha same brands are sold both there and here). I started trvelling by trin as a child and so far I must have travelled at least a couple of thousand times by train, since I do not even have a driving licence. let's say that I have travelled half of those times (one thousand) carring around some kid of luggage, varying from a small backpack to a large, costly suitcase. 99% of my train trips have been in second class, I have travelled first class only a handful of times when I couldn't help it (no seats on second class and absolute need to take THAT train). Despite the fact that I do not like the trains' restaurants (they cost too much and the food is awful) I usually leave my luggage unattended when I go to the bar for a cup of what they call coffee or to the toilet (or simply for a plain walk up and down the train). Also I often sleep on the train and when I do not sleep, if I am alone which is very often, i tend to spend my time both reading and listening to some music, so I am completely unaware of what happens around me. I have never lost anything on the train except for a small copper ring (bought for 3 euro) that I had left in the toilet after washing my hands and a small and very cheap backpack I have forgotten on the train and that was never recovered by the lost and found service of Stazione Centrale in Milano. Yet I have never travelled on night train, these are the train you should be aware of, only on these trains there is any risk of losing anything to a thief, and even in this case the rish is not _that_ high.

Thanks for not thinking I was being a jerk. Yes you can bring food and wine on the train. We did it, although it took a little planning the night before. We bought a bottle of wine, and the next morning stopped at a small market buying proscuito, Speck (a dried smokey proscuito)some sliced cheese along with a couple of rolls (forget what you call them), some wonderful ripe pears and a couple of chocolate cornetti (like a Danish pastry, but not as sweet). We always carry a Swiss Army knife with corkscrew. The car attendant brought us a couple of real glasses for the wine. I'll never forget the little girl (about 5 years old) travelling with her parents who was sitting across from us. She stood near us and watched us start to eat. We ended up sharing our food with her. Her parents (from Florence) were initially kind of embarrased but we had more than enough to share and the little girl was a doll. We ended up making some nice friends and they gave us some pointers about our later visit to Florence. This is the nicest thing about traveling, you can make friends at the most unusual moments.

Thanks Alice and Jim,<BR><BR>So the food's not that great, huh? I've probably been watching too many old movies. They make it seem like a 4 star restaurant. Alice, your response was very insightful especially as you live there. I think I was under the impression that the luggage racks were directly above you as on a bus so I have a clearer picture now of what to expect. I can't see lashing suitcases down to a rack, too time consuming and now it sounds like other luggage can be piled on top of one another. I like Jim's picnic story so I think we'll skip the overpriced inferior dining car. Next some one will tell me that Bing Crosby and Rosemary Clooney won't be on board either:)

lm, to clarify, there is a luggage rack over your head, suitable for small items, but larger bags won't fit and must be stored in larger racks at the ends of the cars. It is there that your luggage is likely to be out of your sight.<BR><BR>I suggest that you lock the compartments of larger bags that you leave unattended at the end of the car (to deter rifling) and not worry about them too much. Smaller items like backpacks, carry-on totes, toiletries bags, etc. should be stored over your head. I think these highly portable items are safe enough when the train is moving if you want to visit the toilet, but personally I would take them with me or get someone to watch them if I went to the dining car and was going to be gone a while.<BR><BR>Do NOT leave small portable bags in the luggage racks at the end of the cars. It is just too easy for someone to walk off with them. And by the way, I would do exactly the same if I were traveling on Amtrak.

Why don't you just bring a little cable and lock and quickly tie up your locked luggage to the racks at the ends of the train cars? I do this and it just takes a minute and then you don't have to give your luggage a second thought. <BR><BR>This also would stop someone from exiting the train with your luggage instead of their own by mistake, since most luggage looks the same. <BR><BR>I like to try the little snack cars where you can stand or sit and have coffee.

Luggage rack ARE right above your head plus there is luggage room between the opposite seats. The point is not that the luggage is piled somewhere, it is just that nobody risks being cought stealing a bag which probably holds nothing but dirty socks and a couple books! Let me say it again: there are no thieves on daytime trains!!!