Amtrak Enhancement Kit

[ALC Rail Writer]

So, yes. $2 bills should be an integral part of your kit.

but how many LSA or SAs will say that's a counterfeit bill and have you tossed off the train. there have been incidents like that.

While I won't deny that there have been issues with people trying to use 2 bills, neither your sleeping car attendant nor the LSA toss you off the train. Especially for tipping them with a 2 bill. Only a conductor has the power to throw you off the train. Perhaps if one tried to pay for one's meal, they might have a case with the conductor if all were so uninformed about the bills, since that could be considered theft of services.

However a tip is a reward for service, not payment for service. If they don't believe that the bill is real, the only things that they can do is to throw it away and give you lousy service. Having a condcutor throw you off the train for possible false tipping is not an option.

Other than for meals in the dining car, what types of service might one tip only $2 for? That is below the customary level of tips for sleeping car attendents, which per other threads tend to run $5-10-20.

Tip a bill every time they do something. Change wake up call? $2. Change your room? $2. Bring your meal to you? $2. Set the beds for the night? $2.

And just what did your fare include? Tips are bribes. Baksheesh.

You know what?

I agree.

You know what else?

If you don't ruddy tip in this country you get lousy service. It may not be the most pleasing aspect of travel and leisure in America but it is integrated into our society. People in the service industry A. live on their tips or B. expect tips or C. both A and B.

As for the SCA-- what I find unusual is people are more willing to tip the SA's in the diner than their SCA. SA's barely wait on people (not their fault) they just take orders and bring food and clean your mess (again, they don't usually have the time to do much else) and since their tip is given at the end of the meal it does not help or deter their service during the meal. However the SCA will be with you for your entire journey. Failure to tip may (not always) result in bare-bones service. I mean you paid for the sleeper why not cough up the extra ten bucks to get the best experience you can have?

 

[sunchaser]

So, yes. $2 bills should be an integral part of your kit.

but how many LSA or SAs will say that's a counterfeit bill and have you tossed off the train. there have been incidents like that.

While I won't deny that there have been issues with people trying to use 2 bills, neither your sleeping car attendant nor the LSA toss you off the train. Especially for tipping them with a 2 bill. Only a conductor has the power to throw you off the train. Perhaps if one tried to pay for one's meal, they might have a case with the conductor if all were so uninformed about the bills, since that could be considered theft of services.

However a tip is a reward for service, not payment for service. If they don't believe that the bill is real, the only things that they can do is to throw it away and give you lousy service. Having a condcutor throw you off the train for possible false tipping is not an option.

Other than for meals in the dining car, what types of service might one tip only $2 for? That is below the customary level of tips for sleeping car attendents, which per other threads tend to run $5-10-20.

Tip a bill every time they do something. Change wake up call? $2. Change your room? $2. Bring your meal to you? $2. Set the beds for the night? $2.

And just what did your fare include? Tips are bribes. Baksheesh.

You know what?

I agree.

You know what else?

If you don't ruddy tip in this country you get lousy service. It may not be the most pleasing aspect of travel and leisure in America but it is integrated into our society. People in the service industry A. live on their tips or B. expect tips or C. both A and B.

As for the SCA-- what I find unusual is people are more willing to tip the SA's in the diner than their SCA. SA's barely wait on people (not their fault) they just take orders and bring food and clean your mess (again, they don't usually have the time to do much else) and since their tip is given at the end of the meal it does not help or deter their service during the meal. However the SCA will be with you for your entire journey. Failure to tip may (not always) result in bare-bones service. I mean you paid for the sleeper why not cough up the extra ten bucks to get the best experience you can have?

So are you suggesting that you tip the Sleeping Car Attendant up front at the beginning of the journey? Do you think that sets them up to expect more at the end? Or should it be bits & pieces throughout?

 

[MrFSS]

So are you suggesting that you tip the Sleeping Car Attendant up front at the beginning of the journey? Do you think that sets them up to expect more at the end? Or should it be bits & pieces throughout?

I only tip at the end of the trip. What if you tip at the start and then still get lousy service? Wasted tip money in that case. And, the tip, at the end of the trip, should reflect how good or poor the service was during the trip.

 

[sunchaser]

So are you suggesting that you tip the Sleeping Car Attendant up front at the beginning of the journey? Do you think that sets them up to expect more at the end? Or should it be bits & pieces throughout?

I only tip at the end of the trip. What if you tip at the start and then still get lousy service? Wasted tip money in that case. And, the tip, at the end of the trip, should reflect how good or poor the service was during the trip.

Well that's what I was thinking too. I was thinking if you give some up front, it's almost a teaser. If you give all, they may expect more later, and then be disappointed. If you wait, then it will truly reflect their service, good or bad. I truly hope I will be tipping them real good. That is my plan.

 

[Hardworker]

I do love the Canadian "looney" and "twoney". Much easier to deal with.

Tips are easy to deal with here in the USA too.

If you get so-so service, and you are 50% satisfied, you give them the paper with the "50" printed on it. If, however, you are 100% satisfied, you give them the paper with the "100" printed on it. Anyone rated a "100", will be quite appreciative and show it by following you around for the rest of your trip. h34r:

 

[Upstate]

I suggest you d' add a disclaimer to the immigration form:"Taxes and wages of the servers not included" or even among the immigration questions: "I will tip all servers in the US with 20%"

Umm, I'm American and I rarely tip 20%. I guess I am just old fashioned, but for me its 10% for OK, 15% for good, and 20% for outstanding service. This whole tipping thing has gotten out of hand.

 

[gswager]

I suggest you d' add a disclaimer to the immigration form:"Taxes and wages of the servers not included" or even among the immigration questions: "I will tip all servers in the US with 20%"

Umm, I'm American and I rarely tip 20%. I guess I am just old fashioned, but for me its 10% for OK, 15% for good, and 20% for outstanding service. This whole tipping thing has gotten out of hand.

I agree with you. Tipping is getting out of hand.

 

[GG-1]

$1 CAN coin= Loonie (loon bird on the reverse)

$2 CAN coin= Toonie

Aloha

Not being nasty but each time I see this reference, my mind see's "loony toon's" or "whats up doc" :lol:

Mahalo

 

[Hanno]

Thanks for all the suggestions. After I review the list of items that could be included in a "survival" kit I'll let you know what we decide. Again thanks for all the input and feedback!

Bob

(now only 5 weeks till our trip)

 

[GoldenSpike]

Thanks for all the suggestions. After I review the list of items that could be included in a "survival" kit I'll let you know what we decide. Again thanks for all the input and feedback!
Bob

(now only 5 weeks till our trip)

If anybody in your group doesn't enjoy overly warm/stuffy enviroments which roomettes tend to be for me, this is what I bring: a small battery-operated fan. I also draw the curtain, but keep the door open to allow air to circulate.

On my recent trip VAN-MSP (don't head back until Train Day), the SCA was impressed with the idea and is going to to likewise.