Discount to fellow railroaders

[had8ley]

I'm a retired ethics professor. I had a fake RR ID made up a few years ago. Works great. Thousands and thousands of dollars worth of travel for FREE! I've traveled all the long distance trains always in a sleeper at no charge. I always take breakfeast and lunch in the diner. Most times I have dinner brought to my bedroom.

 

 

Yeah....right !!!! And Saddam Hussein was seen celebrating New year's Eve in Times Square.

 

[battalion51]

Getting back to the topic at hand. I am pretty sure (but not 100%) that employees of a host railroad that a train runs over have rights to ride an Amtrak train for inspection purposes. When the employeee boards the train they just have to fill out an On Board Passenger record to show they were on the train. This is acceptable according to company policy, since the form has a check box for "Other Railroad Employee."

 

[had8ley]

Here's the deal.
If a railroad employee was hired before May 1, 1971 and that railroad was part of the formation of Amtrak, then that employee may ride Amtrak for free on the employee's own line or for a 50% discount anywhere else. A railroad employee who was hired on or after May 1, 1971 and before April 27, 1981 can get a 25% discount off Amtrak travel. Everyone else is a peon like the rest of the unwashed masses and pays the going rate.

The prior to 1971 privilege is strictly limited to those who were employed by what then was an Amtrak participant. A current UP employee who worked for the UP or SP prior to May 1, 1971 is in. A present UP employee who, in 1971, worked for the WP (not an Amtrak participant) is out. And everone hired less than 25 years ago is out. In other words, you have to be pretty old and a lifer with one line to get a free or discounted ride.

Now that is not to say that a given Amtrak conductor would not look the other way as a courtesy to a brother in arms. Trains are not planes: there is no formal check in or seat count. I'm sure it happens all the time. But it is technically not allowed and could get someone slapped around by the powers to be if they get caught.

Just a technicality. I hired out on the Texas & Pacific in 1968 which was taken over by the Missouri Pacific in the mid 70's. We eventually wound up with the UP in the mid 80's. The TP did not participate in the Amtrak formation but the Mighty MOP did. We were given pre-71 employee passes as if we had worked for the Missouri Pacific in 1971.

 

[haolerider]

Here's the deal.

If a railroad employee was hired before May 1, 1971 and that railroad was part of the formation of Amtrak, then that employee may ride Amtrak for free on the employee's own line or for a 50% discount anywhere else. A railroad employee who was hired on or after May 1, 1971 and before April 27, 1981 can get a 25% discount off Amtrak travel. Everyone else is a peon like the rest of the unwashed masses and pays the going rate.

The prior to 1971 privilege is strictly limited to those who were employed by what then was an Amtrak participant. A current UP employee who worked for the UP or SP prior to May 1, 1971 is in. A present UP employee who, in 1971, worked for the WP (not an Amtrak participant) is out. And everone hired less than 25 years ago is out. In other words, you have to be pretty old and a lifer with one line to get a free or discounted ride.

Now that is not to say that a given Amtrak conductor would not look the other way as a courtesy to a brother in arms. Trains are not planes: there is no formal check in or seat count. I'm sure it happens all the time. But it is technically not allowed and could get someone slapped around by the powers to be if they get caught.

Just a technicality. I hired out on the Texas & Pacific in 1968 which was taken over by the Missouri Pacific in the mid 70's. We eventually wound up with the UP in the mid 80's. The TP did not participate in the Amtrak formation but the Mighty MOP did. We were given pre-71 employee passes as if we had worked for the Missouri Pacific in 1971.

Just out of curiosity, are you still using those passes?

 

[had8ley]

Here's the deal.

If a railroad employee was hired before May 1, 1971 and that railroad was part of the formation of Amtrak, then that employee may ride Amtrak for free on the employee's own line or for a 50% discount anywhere else. A railroad employee who was hired on or after May 1, 1971 and before April 27, 1981 can get a 25% discount off Amtrak travel. Everyone else is a peon like the rest of the unwashed masses and pays the going rate.

The prior to 1971 privilege is strictly limited to those who were employed by what then was an Amtrak participant. A current UP employee who worked for the UP or SP prior to May 1, 1971 is in. A present UP employee who, in 1971, worked for the WP (not an Amtrak participant) is out. And everone hired less than 25 years ago is out. In other words, you have to be pretty old and a lifer with one line to get a free or discounted ride.

Now that is not to say that a given Amtrak conductor would not look the other way as a courtesy to a brother in arms. Trains are not planes: there is no formal check in or seat count. I'm sure it happens all the time. But it is technically not allowed and could get someone slapped around by the powers to be if they get caught.

Just a technicality. I hired out on the Texas & Pacific in 1968 which was taken over by the Missouri Pacific in the mid 70's. We eventually wound up with the UP in the mid 80's. The TP did not participate in the Amtrak formation but the Mighty MOP did. We were given pre-71 employee passes as if we had worked for the Missouri Pacific in 1971.

Just out of curiosity, are you still using those passes?

To be totally honest, yes. And the last time I used it (at Thanksgiving) they asked me if my son was travelling with me. He's 30 and should have lost his pass priviliges eons ago. I rarely use it as I have existed on Rail Sale, e-bay sales (now defunct) and travel vouchers for over the past few years but use the pass in a pinch. Worst part of having the pass is that you can't make a reservation until 24 hours befrore train time. And you only get 50% off the highest fare. With the discount codes I've come out way ahead both price wise and have the ability to make a reservation well in advance.

 

[Anthony]

Some fascinating stuff:

http://www.usdoj.gov/osg/briefs/1984/sg840103.txt

So here's a question - I know a guy who hired out with the IC in the mid '70s, then with the GT after '81. He had a non-public law RTPC as an IC employee which he then traded in for an RTPC under GT, by virtue of his IC hire date. He is not retired - he has since worked for two Class I railroads and is presently an employee of one. His card expired in '88 - can he apply to have this renewed even though he no longer works for either of those roads (are those non-public law privileges still preserved), or not?

Thanks

 

[had8ley]

To be perfectly honest with my fellow list members the benefits derived from having a pre-71 employee pass are almost non-existant. My home road is listed as the Missouri Pacific which means I can ride the Texas Eagle from St. Louis to San Antonio 12 times per year free. Living near New Orleans, and knowing that The Texas Eagle starts out of New Orleans as The City, does not give much incentive to drive all the way to Longview, Texas in order to board. Any other trip is allowed with a 24 hour MAXIMUM in advance reservation and you pay half the highest bucket. I'd rather hunt for the bargains and travel as any other passenger. They used to stamp your ticket "Special" when you used your pass (maybe Rafi can tell us if they still do so.) This was good in some situations and not so good in others. I was asked a couple of times to give up a sleeping space for "full fare" passengers who wanted to upgrade on board. (Didn't make much sense to me as I paid half the highest bucket and they were paying half the lowest bucket.) Yes, I had a reservation and paid half of the highest bucket but the conductor "thought" I needed to give up the space. I've yet to find any info that pertains to this. I do know that pass riders are asked to give up seats in coach when a non-reserved train is oversold. Maybe George or Alan have some info on this.

 

[sueb]

I ride the Keystone service 5 days a week Phila to ELT. Many Amtrak employees work in offices at 30th St Station in Phila. Many of them ride the same trains that I do. They all seem to get a free ride by showing their employee IDs. I've sat next to an Amtrak employee lots of times and in more than 5 yrs never seen one use a ticket. Ours is a nonreserved train on the part of the route in PA, so they do get up and stand if there are paying passengers without seats. But that is rare except around holidays.

 

[PetalumaLoco]

by the way, its a professional courtesy that I am trying to find out if it exists as I am an employee (conductor) on another adjacent railroad and its no different than cops showing their badges to get out of a traffic ticket.

Professional courtesy? Here's a wikipedia entry; "corrupt practice by law enforcement officers of not reporting each other for what they consider to be minor violations". Interesting that you should equate conductors' mutual favors with illegal police activity.

You'd have sounded better using this explanation; "Professional courtesy, the practice among many physicians and other professionals of providing free or discounted services to their fellow professionals, their employees and to others, has long been a respected tradition". From the Physician's News Digest.

 

[ALC Rail Writer]

Hmm.. I wonder Petaluma, that's a guest from two years ago. Think he's gonna come back to reply to your argument? :lol:

 

[PetalumaLoco]

Hmm.. I wonder Petaluma, that's a guest from two years ago. Think he's gonna come back to reply to your argument? :lol:

Nah, I think I'm pretty safe. I made a good point though!

Hey, blame SueB, she resurrected it!

 

[ALC Rail Writer]

Hmm.. I wonder Petaluma, that's a guest from two years ago. Think he's gonna come back to reply to your argument? :lol:

Nah, I think I'm pretty safe. I made a good point though!

Hey, blame SueB, she resurrected it!

Actually she didn't, a blank guest post did-- it seems to have been deleted.

Hey, maybe it was the same guest who posted about law enforcement persons flashing badges!

 

[blueman271]

For what its worth, sometimes the conductor allows servicemen to ride for free. Two years ago while I was in SubSchool in Groton, a buddy of mine and I rode the train down to New York City in our whites. We bought our tickets in New London but they were never lifted from us, the conductor just asked us where we were going and gave us two seat checks. Also earlier this year, when I was riding the train back to Virginia from NJ, a solider was sitting a couple of rows in front of me and the conductor did pretty much the same thing for him that he did for my buddy and I two years ago. He simply asked him where he was going and gave him a seat check without ever lifting a ticket. Having said that, I was not aware that the conductor allowing free rides could cost him his job. That seems like a mighty big penalty to pay for extending a courtesy.

 

[Long Train Runnin']

I was kind of glad this came up. The NJT transit employee I know well says he rides amtrak for free all the time. To get from Trenton to Newark when the job is called for. He says its faster and his boss actually encourages he use amtrak. He also has used his ID to go to boston and back. I didn't realize this wasn't the norm..

 

[MattW]

I'm going to go out on a limb here and say that the practice if it takes place is probably less frowned upon on the Northeast Corridor and other high-density routes where taking up one seat won't necessarily cut into revenue-passenger capability. I will admit I have absolute no idea about a practice such as this.

 

[wayman]

I was kind of glad this came up. The NJT transit employee I know well says he rides amtrak for free all the time. To get from Trenton to Newark when the job is called for. He says its faster and his boss actually encourages he use amtrak. He also has used his ID to go to boston and back. I didn't realize this wasn't the norm..

I've talked to a handful of SEPTA conductors and engineers on their Regional Rail division over the years. They've all told me they get Amtrak privileges, though they haven't explained in great details. None of them were old enough to have worked for Penn Central. I suppose it's possible they were makin' stuff up...

I also talked to one Amtrak conductor who said that her riding privileges extended to all other passenger railroads in the US (NJ Transit, SEPTA, etc). Again, maybe she was makin' stuff up...

 

[transit54]

do amtrak employees get to ride amtrak for free?

Sort of.

The policy is called 'Red, White & Blue' and it kind of goes like this: employees can show their ID (nicknamed a "flash pass") to board any unreserved (or Regional, or Empire Svc, or a few other short/medium distance routes) train anytime they want for free, on a standby basis. If your seat is needed for a ticketed passenger, you must give it up. Reserved trains are all drawn up on calendars with some days "red", some "white" and most "blue," according to anticipated demand for space on those days. On blue days, employees can ride coach for free. White, they pay 80% of the public fare, but if by the end of the trip it is not sold out, they apply for a refund. Red, they pay 80%. Note that red/white/blue tickets are reserved and even if the train is sold out, you get to keep your seat or accommodation - not standby.

Out of curiosity, how is the "public fare" determined? Is that the current bucket, or the high/low bucket? Reminds me of ID-90 agreements I used back when I was in the airlines, where you could fly on some other carriers for 90% off the full coach fare of a route.

 

[had8ley]

do amtrak employees get to ride amtrak for free?

Out of curiosity, how is the "public fare" determined? Is that the current bucket, or the high/low bucket? Reminds me of ID-90 agreements I used back when I was in the airlines, where you could fly on some other carriers for 90% off the full coach fare of a route.

I don't have an Amtrak employee pass but a "participating" RR pass that entitles me to twelve free rides on my home road a year. We get 50% off of the HIGH bucket, which can be higher than the low bucket at times. To add insult to the higher bucket we can't buy a ticket until 24 hours before train time so you really can't plan too far out unless you're willing to go low bucket as a regular pax.

 

[Bob Dylan]

Several times I have seen deadheading Amtrak employees board and wait in the lounge or diner until the conductor comes and usually gives them a room,mostly in the transition sleeper!Is this just professional courtesy or policy?

Its still unclear to me why we can get lower fares than railroad employees (50% off High Bucket is not a deal!)!

Also I think I read something somewhere about meals,are only on duty OBS and conductors allowed to eat gratis in the diner?

 

[haolerider]

Several times I have seen deadheading Amtrak employees board and wait in the lounge or diner until the conductor comes and usually gives them a room,mostly in the transition sleeper!Is this just professional courtesy or policy?
Its still unclear to me why we can get lower fares than railroad employees (50% off High Bucket is not a deal!)!

Also I think I read something somewhere about meals,are only on duty OBS and conductors allowed to eat gratis in the diner?

All Amtrak employees traveling on reserved trains are supposed to have a ticket and be on the manifest, with the exception of the corridor. All long distance trains are supposed to have only ticketed Amtrak employees traveling with no exceptions. If you see a conductor giving someone a free room in the trans dorm without that person being on the manifest, it is against company policy.

All OBS staff are allowed meals in the dining car. Conductors are not.

 

[railiner]

In my observations, over forty years of traveling, the so-called "professional courtesy" is most prevalent in the Northeast Corridor among Amtrak, commuter rail, long distance bus, and even local transit employees. As you get further away, toward the Deep South, and the Midwest, this practice is not widely tolerated, and employees are more "by-the-book".

Perhaps this is just a microcosm of society in general where the Northeast is more liberal in all repects.

Further, I sense that the older employees are more likely then younger employees to grant 'cross-honoring'.

Back in the sixties, it was very common to see PRR and Greyhound employees in uniform riding each others conveyances. Perhaps they were unofficially considered 'family', from the days when the PRR owned a major portion of Greyhound, as did some other railroads.

Regarding official pass privileges....even though the ICC is long dead. its legal policies on passes seems to have a ghost governing Amtrak and buslines....only spouses and dependant children can travel. A single employee cannot even get their parents a ride, nor siblings. On the other hand, airlines allow parents to travel, and even friends and family can get discounted standby travel. They were regulated by the CAB instead of the ICC, which had a more liberal policy.

 

[Spokker]

What's wrong with insulting railfans? If you lighten up I think the reputation will improve. No need to protect yourself needlessly.

 

[Danl]

What if I worked for the NPRR before 71 and the BN merger but was laid off back in 83 and work another job since then. Can I still get a pass and if yes, who would I contact???

 

[Halifax]

How can you tell which days are red white or blue. I don't see that online when booking a ticket.

 

[rrdude]

"Back in the Day" (God that means we're getting old, OldTimer) I NEVER needed my pass or anything else, other than my Amtrak ID to board virtually any train out of Chicago, Amtrak that is. The custom I think is slipping, and of course I never sat in a seat if the train was full, and often lent a hand when needed at stops.

While on board as an LSA, I often gave "my" conductors/train crew what they wanted, within limits, and they never asked for "freebies". Coffee, non-rev soda, and non rev water were the only "authorized" freebies, but I found that a little kindness here and there, went a long way with a hard workin' T/E crew. I fondly remember sending DC meals WAY upstairs to certain engine crews, who in turn wouldn't mind a "extra fare" when I was off duty....as long as the next stop was before the time I had to return to duty... Better than sleeping in the dorm car.