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NorthShore

Conductor
Joined
Sep 3, 2013
Messages
1,376
Location
Chicago
What's the deal with car attendant level staffing now? On my overnight train trips to/from the Gathering, it seems that there may have only been one for the entire train. Passenger comfort certainly suffered (including a lack of toilet paper in some bathrooms for extended periods.) I don't know if there was any sort of attendant at all on the Pennsylvanian.
 
I was on a Sold Out Texas Eagle #21 from Chicago to Austin Monday and the OBS Crew was as Follows:

1 Coach Attendant for 3 Coaches to St. Louis ( #321 Coach dropped)where we picked up a 2nd Coach Attendant who also Serviced the Transdorm Revenue Passengers/1 LSA in the Cafe/1 LSA in the Diner,1 Server and 1 Chef Downstairs/ and 1 SCA for the SOLD OUT Revenue Sleeper.

All did an Outstanding Job in spite of a Full Load!

They told me that they've been working lots of runs shorthanded since the recent Cutbacks and a Short Extra Board.

And the Pennsy doesn't have attendants, just 2 Conductors and an LSA in the Cafe Car.
 
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Hmm. Every time I've been in a sleeper there's been an SCA in every single car. I've never seen one working the whole train.
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Has there ever been a Coach attendant on a short/medium distance train, at least in the East? In BC sometimes, but I do not recall ever seeing one in Coach.
I've never seen a Coach Attendant on an Eastern Short/Medium Distance Amtrak Train, just Conductors and a Cafe LSA.
Of course on the NYP-Albany Empire Trains and the Keystones, there are only Conductors.( and o the Second Cafe Car on the LSL is unstaffed after Albany)

Short staffing seems to be the current MO on ALL LD Trains.
 
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Has there ever been a Coach attendant on a short/medium distance train, at least in the East? In BC sometimes, but I do not recall ever seeing one in Coach.
I've never seen a Coach Attendant on an Eastern Short/Medium Distance Amtrak Train, just Conductors and a Cafe LSA.
Of course in the Empire Trains and the Keystones there are only Conductors.

Short staffing seems to be the current MO on ALL LD Trains.
The North/West of Albany Empire Service trains have Cafe Service and hence an LSA.

There was no short staffing on the Silver Meteor that I traveled by the other day. Although I heard that the staffing rotations are about to change to reduce the overall headcount of OBS staff needed for the Silver Service. Although it was not clear to me how the proposed changes that were explained to me would achieve a headcount reduction.
 
Although I heard that the staffing rotations are about to change to reduce the overall headcount of OBS staff needed for the Silver Service. Although it was not clear to me how the proposed changes that were explained to me would achieve a headcount reduction.
I'm probably being overly suspicious, but I have a bad feeling about this...
 
Although I heard that the staffing rotations are about to change to reduce the overall headcount of OBS staff needed for the Silver Service. Although it was not clear to me how the proposed changes that were explained to me would achieve a headcount reduction.
I'm probably being overly suspicious, but I have a bad feeling about this...
According to my Amtrak contacts it's a "done deal".
Just look @ the Chef and Food Service Crew reductions on the Star,CONO,Cap and LSL.
 
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Although I heard that the staffing rotations are about to change to reduce the overall headcount of OBS staff needed for the Silver Service. Although it was not clear to me how the proposed changes that were explained to me would achieve a headcount reduction.
What I heard was that instead of 4 days on and 4 days off, they will be going to 4 days on and 3 days off. I also heard that the crews (other than dining car attendants) will be rotating between the Star and Meteor (such as northbound on Star and southbound on Meteor or vice versa)
 
I have never seen coach attendants on short or medium trains, only on LD trains.

And the above only refers to COACH attendants. If there is a sleeper, there is an SCA for each sleeper. Although an SCA or CA may also work the trans-dorm.
 
The Meteor and Star historically I believe have always had a relationship with on board crew. Back before the star lost the diner. I believe the rotation was 92/97 and 98/91.
 
The Meteor and Star historically I believe have always had a relationship with on board crew. Back before the star lost the diner. I believe the rotation was 92/97 and 98/91.
Correct. Have you heard that they will be going back to that relationship? I heard it from many crew members on my 4 September trips on the Meteor.
 
How will they account for the unmatched consist between the two trains? I asked the crew on my train and they had no clue.
I heard that the attendant in the 12 car on the Meteor will not be alternating.
 
Not sure if you count it as LD or not but the Carolinian operates with a coach attendant, a business class attendant AND an LSA (LSA's swap in Raleigh because of the NC deal?).
 
They have to do something similar with CAs, since often the Star and the Meteor do not have the same number of Coaches either.
Not sure about that. There may be a dedicated CA for Meteor that would not alternate like dining crew and 12 car sleeper attendant. I did not speak to coach attendants about this issue on my trips last month.
 
I haven't been on recent enough. I'll see if my usual crew knows anything when I see them again soon. I generally go north on 98 because I'm connecting for western points. And return on 91.

I used to think back when the star had four coaches it was two coach attendants. The star back before the diner loss always ran with four coaches, and in the Holliday season five. I also remember a few years seeing a 9112 and 9212 sleeper on holidays.
 
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