ideas

[Asst Conductor-okj]

Hello,

I am an Assistant Conductor on Amtrak in Oakland. Im running an informal survey of sorts. This survey is not affiliated with Amtak in anyway, and is purley for my own curiosity. I am interested in hearing what you, the passengers, have to say. I want your feedback on Amtrak's service, and suggestions to improve. I'm looking for reasonable responces only, things my cowerkers and myself can do to make your trips more enjoyable. Things like bring back xyz train are not what I'm interested in. What are your complaints about crews, service issues, etc. I look forward to your responces. Thanks.

 

[Guest]

Two words for making the lounge car awesome:

Jack Links

 

[MattW]

If you see someone with a camera, leave them alone unless they're inside the traction motors, or sitting on a switch frog or something extreme.

 

[rayray]

hows obout better shcedules ive never been so late in my life on the other hand the lounge and other cars are great

 

[Upstate]

The best thing that the crew can do is keep the passengers up to date on delays. I was on a train once where we stopped in the middle of nowhere for hours and the crew was gone. Turns out the train hit a car and the crew was outside but they left the passengers in the dark the whole time. Another passenger had to call "julie" to find out what was happening.

 

[amtrakwolverine]

The best thing that the crew can do is keep the passengers up to date on delays. I was on a train once where we stopped in the middle of nowhere for hours and the crew was gone. Turns out the train hit a car and the crew was outside but they left the passengers in the dark the whole time. Another passenger had to call "julie" to find out what was happening.

amen to that. stop ignoring us.

 

[ThayerATM]

The best thing that the crew can do is keep the passengers up to date on delays. I was on a train once where we stopped in the middle of nowhere for hours and the crew was gone. Turns out the train hit a car and the crew was outside but they left the passengers in the dark the whole time. Another passenger had to call "julie" to find out what was happening.

I'd like to agree with this one. One trip when our train hit a truck, the train came to a halt. It sat there for two and a half hours. For the first hour and a half our car attentendant was parked in our room while she and my wife hashed over "what might be going on." Turned out that nobody was hurt, but the truck was a mess, and there was a dent in the front of the engine. I found that out in the newspaper the next day. Still, even the car attendant wasn't being informed as to the "whys" and the "wherefores." Cetainly the conductors must know. Are they prohibited from sharing their information?

 

[rayray]

The best thing that the crew can do is keep the passengers up to date on delays. I was on a train once where we stopped in the middle of nowhere for hours and the crew was gone. Turns out the train hit a car and the crew was outside but they left the passengers in the dark the whole time. Another passenger had to call "julie" to find out what was happening.

I'd like to agree with this one. One trip when our train hit a truck, the train came to a halt. It sat there for two and a half hours. For the first hour and a half our car attentendant was parked in our room while she and my wife hashed over "what might be going on." Turned out that nobody was hurt, but the truck was a mess, and there was a dent in the front of the engine. I found that out in the newspaper the next day. Still, even the car attendant wasn't being informed as to the "whys" and the "wherefores." Cetainly the conductors must know. Are they prohibited from sharing their information?

or mabe we can say it like this if there is an accident they should inform us whats going on not just leave us in the dark and sitting on the tracks this happend on my trip to alanta on the cresent we sat there for 2 and a half hours and nobody said jack and the funny thing is i got up out of my sleeper and asked the conductor but he just acked like he didnt here me and walked away whats up with that like thayer said are they prohibeted from giving us information or what he could just have told me we hit a car <_<

 

[PetalumaLoco]

The best thing that the crew can do is keep the passengers up to date on delays. I was on a train once where we stopped in the middle of nowhere for hours and the crew was gone. Turns out the train hit a car and the crew was outside but they left the passengers in the dark the whole time. Another passenger had to call "julie" to find out what was happening.

I'd like to agree with this one. One trip when our train hit a truck, the train came to a halt. It sat there for two and a half hours. For the first hour and a half our car attentendant was parked in our room while she and my wife hashed over "what might be going on." Turned out that nobody was hurt, but the truck was a mess, and there was a dent in the front of the engine. I found that out in the newspaper the next day. Still, even the car attendant wasn't being informed as to the "whys" and the "wherefores." Cetainly the conductors must know. Are they prohibited from sharing their information?

Not to dilute the requests, but this is why some of us use scanners. The CAs should keep the pax informed.

 

[dart330]

Not to dilute the requests, but this is why some of us use scanners. The CAs should keep the pax informed.

That is exactly why I purchased one, based on the stories of hours of delays with no information being passed on to the passengers. Going to try it out for the first time in a week, hopefully no delays then though...

 

[Asst Conductor-okj]

Ok so Im getting for the most part that what your looking for I just information.

As far as a public crossing at grade incident we are not allowed to say certain things over the PA. Same idea as yelling fire in a croweded movie theatre.

I would personally anounce somthing to the effect of "May I have your attention pleas; At this time we will be delayd at this location for an unknown durration of time due to a debrie strike. We have notifed out Communication Center as to our situation and they are notifiying stations down the line of our condition. I will be updating you in regaurds to our status in approximatly 15 minutes. I apoligize for any inconvience, and thank you for your patronage."

Unfortionatly at grade crossing incidents we are not allowed to inform yo we hit a car. We are also at the mercy of the police department of when we are allowed to continue. I definatly make it a point to try to keep people informed, but will make darn sure to pay special attention to keeping the passengers nformed from now on.

MattW,

I am quite familiar with the "railfans" I don't have anything against them. I'll try to spread the word though

Rayray,

I understand what you are saying about the scheduals. I agree with you, I wish there was more that we could do. Its one of those situations where we are at the mercy of the host railways. I know that you have herd this before, I wsh I could tell you somthing else.

Everybody Else,

I will try to push the point with the other crews with making the announcments. I know that corporate knows that people are complaining about not being informed and we are starting to hear about keeping passengers "in the know" to the extent that we are allowed. I appreciate your feedback, keep it coming!

 

[rayray]

Ok so Im getting for the most part that what your looking for I just information.
As far as a public crossing at grade incident we are not allowed to say certain things over the PA. Same idea as yelling fire in a croweded movie theatre.

I would personally anounce somthing to the effect of "May I have your attention pleas; At this time we will be delayd at this location for an unknown durration of time due to a debrie strike. We have notifed out Communication Center as to our situation and they are notifiying stations down the line of our condition. I will be updating you in regaurds to our status in approximatly 15 minutes. I apoligize for any inconvience, and thank you for your patronage."

Unfortionatly at grade crossing incidents we are not allowed to inform yo we hit a car. We are also at the mercy of the police department of when we are allowed to continue. I definatly make it a point to try to keep people informed, but will make darn sure to pay special attention to keeping the passengers nformed from now on.

MattW,

I am quite familiar with the "railfans" I don't have anything against them. I'll try to spread the word though

Rayray,

I understand what you are saying about the scheduals. I agree with you, I wish there was more that we could do. Its one of those situations where we are at the mercy of the host railways. I know that you have herd this before, I wsh I could tell you somthing else.

Everybody Else,

I will try to push the point with the other crews with making the announcments. I know that corporate knows that people are complaining about not being informed and we are starting to hear about keeping passengers "in the know" to the extent that we are allowed. I appreciate your feedback, keep it coming!

but why did the conducter ignore me he could have said somthing thats my quetion

 

[AlanB]

Okj conductor,

Having been involved in this forum now for many years and as someone who reads quite a bit on trains, I'll echo the majority of the comments that you've already been given. Keep the passengers informed.

That is the number one complaint that I see over and over, even on commuter ops and I know you have nothing to do with that, but it is a huge thing. Even if you're restricted in just what you can say, I can't stress it enough, say something. Anything. Don't make it total BS as people will realize that too. But there is nothing that people hate worse than a conductor hiding in his office or the Trans/Dorm while they sit in an unmoving train.

I'm sure that you'll still have the odd idiot for whom nothing you say will be enough, and that they will rant and rave (and on rare occasions maybe even hit), but the vast majority will be far more forgiving if they are getting regular announcements. By regular I mean one for every 15 to 30 minutes of not moving.

Stress what you do know and can say, but don't promise them anything and of course don't lie.

 

[AlanB]

hows obout better shcedules ive never been so late in my life on the other hand the lounge and other cars are great

Conductors have no say on the schedules, other than to make sure that they don't leave a stop before the scheduled time. But they don't make the schedules. Amtrak does that in conjunction with the host RR.

 

[AlanB]

but why did the conducter ignore me he could have said somthing thats my quetion

RayRay,

You didn't mention if someone had been killed in that accident, maybe you don't even know if that did happen. But please consider that if someone had died, the conductor would most likely have been the first person to reach the car in an effort to provide first aid. He could have been confronted with the aweful vision of a now dead person, a person that he could do nothing for. That can be very traumatic for people, especially if it's the first time they've ever seen it.

So it is possible that the last thing that he wanted to do was to talk about what he had just seen.

There are other possible reasons too, but the above is a biggie.

 

[Mark]

Try being a bit more friendly. Too many grumpy, stone-faced, Conductors/Assist. Conductors out there. I'm an Amtrak fan and use it as much as possible but the airlines are still way ahead on the "Hello's, Welcome Aboard's, and Thank you's."

 

[GoldenSpike]

My pet peeve: the lousy PA system that seems to afflict the LD trains I've been on: EB, CS, TE...

I just returned from a r/t on the EB, VAN-MSP. During the meals at least threee times other paxs made remarks about the sporadic quality: too low, cutting out, none made, etc.....in particular when it came to announcing last call for meals.

On one train, during a stop, I wandered by the dorm car. The outside door was open. An employee had scrawled on the wall with a wide felt tip pen..."this PA is BS." I doubt he meant 'Better Sounding.' So the frustration is felt by both sides.

On the subject of informing pax of things out of the ordinary, on my return trip, I got on at MSP (sleeper). On this trip I had minimal cash so intended to just use the credit card for beer, wine and tips. At lunch the next day, I ran up a bill. Time to pay up and tip, I was told the cc machine was broken in the diner. I asked why there was no notification. Reply: We announced it leaving Chicago.

Well, duh! How about the folks getting on later?, I thought. A simple solution would have been to post signs on the diner doors or something like that. I could see somebody from coach in the same spot running up a dinner tab, wine, etc. and then learn after fact.

(It reminds me of those thoughtless retaurants I've run into on occasion that have no warning they don't take credit cards.

End result the diner employee pointed out he would get stuck paying for several beers I consumed. The gal running the lounge cars snack bar hearing our discussion came up with the solution: After she returned to duty, I charged the beers in the snack car and took them to the diner so the individual could even out his inventory. Sadly, no tips for the remaining meal on board, no wine with dinner.

 

[Sam31452]

As far as a public crossing at grade incident we are not allowed to say certain things over the PA. Same idea as yelling fire in a croweded movie theatre.I would personally anounce somthing to the effect of "May I have your attention pleas; At this time we will be delayd at this location for an unknown durration of time due to a debrie strike. We have notifed out Communication Center as to our situation and they are notifiying stations down the line of our condition. I will be updating you in regaurds to our status in approximatly 15 minutes. I apoligize for any inconvience, and thank you for your patronage."

Sounds good, although I would highly appreciate to get detailed informations about technical problems. I remember sitting in the westbound CZ for 3 hrs somewhere in western Illinois with 3 engines, but no power and no information at all for 3 hours.

Of course dinner couldn't be prepared until the problem was fixed.

Still I remember a

 

[Everydaymatters]

Try being a bit more friendly. Too many grumpy, stone-faced, Conductors/Assist. Conductors out there. I'm an Amtrak fan and use it as much as possible but the airlines are still way ahead on the "Hello's, Welcome Aboard's, and Thank you's."

Exactly what I was thinking. A pleasant Hello and Thank you goes a long way. It would put the passengers in a better state of mind and would set the mood for the crew as well

Also, please, please, please check the washrooms to see if they need to be cleaned, tp replaced, paper towels replaced.

 

[Long Train Runnin']

Look like you are enjoying your job! You get the conductor who is just doing the minium or sitting there at a cafe table talking to the AC while the train is at a dead stop for no reason. Even a plastic smile and a phrase while you lift my ticket would be enough for me to say your a "better" conductor then usual.

 

[rayray]

Try being a bit more friendly. Too many grumpy, stone-faced, Conductors/Assist. Conductors out there. I'm an Amtrak fan and use it as much as possible but the airlines are still way ahead on the "Hello's, Welcome Aboard's, and Thank you's."

Exactly what I was thinking. A pleasant Hello and Thank you goes a long way. It would put the passengers in a better state of mind and would set the mood for the crew as well

Also, please, please, please check the washrooms to see if they need to be cleaned, tp replaced, paper towels replaced.

to inform you what happened on that night we didnt hit a car we hit a deer i know this because when i got up after the train came to a big halt i fell of the top bunk and was so angry i walked out side and saw the door open i walked down the steps and walked out to the engine and there was the deer no blood it didnt even cause damge to the head lights and the crule thing is the conduter was smiling when i saw him thats my store the train got there two hours late and i missied my show :angry:

 

[PaulM]

Hopefully this is all past history, but my main pet peeve dates to when the CZ was routinely 5 - 8 hours late. I was not very impressed with the announcement that we were at the mercy of the freight railroad. I wanted to know why Amtrak wasn't suing their ...... But I guess this is one of those subjects you are not allowed to talk about.

Also, my son recently reported that the conductor refused to sell an on-board upgrade on both legs of a round trip, despite there obviously being space available.

Guest_Asst Conductor-okj: If you are actually an AC, then I think it takes guts to do what you are doing. Finally, if I were to compile a top-10 Amtrak complaint list, I doubt conductors or AC's would show up.

 

[gswager]

to inform you what happened on that night we didnt hit a car we hit a deer i know this because when i got up after the train came to a big halt i fell of the top bunk and was so angry i walked out side and saw the door open i walked down the steps and walked out to the engine and there was the deer no blood it didnt even cause damge to the head lights and the crule thing is the conduter was smiling when i saw him thats my store the train got there two hours late and i missied my show :angry:

Once the emergency brake has engaged, you cannot release it until it comes to full stop and inspection. Any debris, including animals, will likely do damage under the train where the cables, air hoses, etc. are.

For your safety on top bunk, use safety device which like seat belts that strap between the top bunk and ceiling.

 

[amtrakwolverine]

bring back full dining servce and include BABY BACK RIBS. YUM YUM YUM YUM YUM

 

[amtrakwolverine]

Hopefully this is all past history, but my main pet peeve dates to when the CZ was routinely 5 - 8 hours late. I was not very impressed with the announcement that we were at the mercy of the freight railroad. I wanted to know why Amtrak wasn't suing their ...... But I guess this is one of those subjects you are not allowed to talk about.
Also, my son recently reported that the conductor refused to sell an on-board upgrade on both legs of a round trip, despite there obviously being space available.

Guest_Asst Conductor-okj: If you are actually an AC, then I think it takes guts to do what you are doing. Finally, if I were to compile a top-10 Amtrak complaint list, I doubt conductors or AC's would show up.

conductors don't want to sell the upgrade cause 1. that would give up there hang out place and 2. its extra paper work and they don't want to be bothered doing it.