Pac.Par. Car Attendants

This is kinda sad.

In August 2005, I took a great trip from LAX-SFW on the Coast Starlight. The parlour attendant was a gentleman named Richard. He was just outstanding... pointing out all the sites and everything along the way --- even telling stories about how during WWII, train passengers had to close their shades as the train went through Vandenberg (?sp) Air Force Base. I had a roomette for the day, but spend the whole time on the train listening to him in the Parlour Car. He's one of Amtrak's BEST.

Anyhow, I went for a ride out to Galesburg and back to Chicago last weekend, and it turns out he's still around... but as a waiter on the Southwest Chief. I guess that move was made once the parlour cars were unstaffed. I mean it's great it looks like they're going to keep the cars and everything, but wow... what a waste of talent I think. I wish everyone got to have his GREAT service in the parlour car and got to hear all his stories. Maybe one day he'll be back on there.

I'm going on #14 later this spring.

we were on the ppc in january and it was odd with all the amenities the car potentially has to have our overworked sleeping car attendant cheerfully tending to all she could(cont bkfst, midnight snack and cheerful stories and banter). we were like you in that we only left the ppc to eat and sleep. it was wonderful.

yarrow said:

we were on the ppc in january and it was odd with all the amenities the car potentially has to have our overworked sleeping car attendant cheerfully tending to all she could(cont bkfst, midnight snack and cheerful stories and banter). we were like you in that we only left the ppc to eat and sleep. it was wonderful.

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Midnight snack? We've traveled on CS frequently and LOVE the Parlour Car -- but have never heard of the midnight snack -- we have obviously been missing something!!

Guest_Hello_* said:

yarrow said:

we were on the ppc in january and it was odd with all the amenities the car potentially has to have our overworked sleeping car attendant cheerfully tending to all she could(cont bkfst, midnight snack and cheerful stories and banter). we were like you in that we only left the ppc to eat and sleep. it was wonderful.

Click to expand...

Midnight snack? We've traveled on CS frequently and LOVE the Parlour Car -- but have never heard of the midnight snack -- we have obviously been missing something!!

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we were bussed around a derailment and reboarded the starlight which had been northbound but was tunred to southbound to allow us to continue our journey(and vice versa for those heading north). we boarded our new train about midnight and our sleeping car attendant had a wonderful big platter of cheese and crackers and juices set out for us in the ppc. not a regular event but memorable for us

Its just not the same with the car unstaffed. The downstairs theater isnt used anymore. Ive heard that the attendants are coming back, but like everything else at Amtrak, until it happens its just another rumor. Richard Tulme (sp?) is probably the best and most dedicated Amtrak employee there is. His stories were great, he sold so much wine it wasnt even funny. Nowadays they dont even try to sell the wine at all, in fact when I was on last month the sleeping car attendent got distracted and left between the 2nd and 3rd wine. Half the people left, the other half including myself just went up and served ourselves. The other neat thing Richard did was sell the wine tasting and one hour in the parlour car to coach passengers for ten dollars if it wasnt that busy.

I never thought I'd say this but since the cars unstaffed and not being used to their full potential and in my opinion have lost alot of their charm. I (almost) prefer the redone Sightseer lounges with the tables on one side of the upper level. Its a shame Amtrak cant have one of those on most long distance trains as a first class lounge.

amtrak_flyer said:

The other neat thing Richard did was sell the wine tasting and one hour in the parlour car to coach passengers for ten dollars if it wasnt that busy.

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Really? I wonder if Amtrak ever saw a nickel of that "revenue".

1702 said:

amtrak_flyer said:

The other neat thing Richard did was sell the wine tasting and one hour in the parlour car to coach passengers for ten dollars if it wasnt that busy.

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Really? I wonder if Amtrak ever saw a nickel of that "revenue".

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Im sure everything was reported. He even had little tickets/receipts printed up. He also brought his on videos of the SP coast daylight and would show those in the theater area. He was always doing something, including cleaning obsure areas/corners of the car. A real standup guy. Amtrak needs more of these kind of employees.