do via rail trains have conductors?

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yarrow

Engineer
Joined
Feb 25, 2006
Messages
2,235
Location
far ne washington state, 1/2 mile from canada
i read in another thread that via rail trains do not have conductors. is this so? on amtrak it is common to hear on the intercom "conductor to the diner" or "any conductor to the so and so coach immediately". if via has no conductors who is in charge? i assume it would be hard for an engineer to handle passenger problems and complaints.
 
The Service Manager is responsible for looking after the passenger's needs within the train. He collects tickets along with the attendant, insures the train is closed and ready to move etc.....and in general, the safety of the passengers.

In the locomotive, there are two engineers…..one handles duties similar to a conductor.

Only on trains between Sudbury and White River and in Northern Manitoba where the train service is contracted out to the Canadian Pacific Railway and Hudson Bay Railway respectively, there are still conductors employed by those railways looking after the passengers within the train.
 
When I took the Canadian in December, we had 2 different service managers; the entire crew, including service manager switched in Winnipeg. Both service managers were women :) - one was french speaking and the other was English speaking. Both were excellent. :)
 
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