Home from SWC #3

[ScottC4746]

Just home from SWC #3...any questions?

Hey,

If I remember right you are going on the 12/10 on the SWC # 4. I take the # 4 next day 12/11 and the #3 on 1/9. I find it odd that Bfast was only 5-6 AM on a train scheduled to arrive 8:15 AM with "normal" BFast hours 6:30-9:00 AM. I am new to AMTRAK, so I am assuming I am missing something like they need 2.5 hours to clean up prior to arrival in LAUS.

NAVYBLUE

Not odd at all. If you have an early arrival, they make breakfast that morning painfully early so the crew can have the diner cleaned up by arrival so they can go home. If your ETA is too early, they may skip breakfast.

 

[AlanB]

Just home from SWC #3...any questions?

Hey,

If I remember right you are going on the 12/10 on the SWC # 4. I take the # 4 next day 12/11 and the #3 on 1/9. I find it odd that Bfast was only 5-6 AM on a train scheduled to arrive 8:15 AM with "normal" BFast hours 6:30-9:00 AM. I am new to AMTRAK, so I am assuming I am missing something like they need 2.5 hours to clean up prior to arrival in LAUS.

NAVYBLUE

Not odd at all. If you have an early arrival, they make breakfast that morning painfully early so the crew can have the diner cleaned up by arrival so they can go home. If your ETA is too early, they may skip breakfast.

The train can never be that early, such that they skip breakfast. The train can't leave stations ahead of the scheduled time, so no matter what they'll have at least some breakfast.

Navy, part of the issue is that there is about an hour of padding in the schedule going into LA. This padding helps to get the train back on time if it is running late. However, if the train is running right on schedule that means that it gets to LA an hour earlier than the 8:15 scheduled time. So the crew must have the diner cleaned and packed up prior to arrival.

On the other hand if the train is running late, then breakfast will run longer since they'll have more time to clean things up.

 

[VentureForth]

...if the train is running right on schedule that means that it gets to LA an hour earlier than the 8:15 scheduled time. So the crew must have the diner cleaned and packed up prior to arrival.
On the other hand if the train is running late, then breakfast will run longer since they'll have more time to clean things up.

Why does this have to happen prior to arrival? Can they not pack, stow, clean, etc after the train arrives?

 

[Devil's Advocate]

From the Service Standards Manual No. 6 page 7-21

Texas

Weekday: No sales of beer, wine and mixed beverages b/w midnight-7am; no sales of liquor b/w 9pm-10am

Saturday: No sales of beer, wine and mixed beverages b/w midnight-7am; no sales of liquor b/w 9pm-10am

Sunday: No sales of beer, wine and mixed beverages b/w 1am-noon; no sales of just liquor

Holidays: No sale of just liquor on New Year's Day, Thanksgiving Day, or Xmas Day

Election Day: No special restrictions

I apologize for being off topic, since the SWC doesn't yet run through TX.

I wonder how they came up with these hours as bars in TX close at 2 AM ... well 1:30 is last call, 2AM they litterally (from experiance) turn on the overhead lights and pull the drink out of your hand.

It seems to be an odd mishmash of restaurant, bar, and market rules.

 

[AlanB]

...if the train is running right on schedule that means that it gets to LA an hour earlier than the 8:15 scheduled time. So the crew must have the diner cleaned and packed up prior to arrival.
On the other hand if the train is running late, then breakfast will run longer since they'll have more time to clean things up.

Why does this have to happen prior to arrival? Can they not pack, stow, clean, etc after the train arrives?

Because once the train hits the bumper block, the workers stop getting paid by Amtrak. Most workers aren't into donating their time to Amtrak for no benefit. So instead they pack up before arrival.

Now if Amtrak wished to change its policies and give theses workers an extra hour of pay, then things could be different at least on the California end. It wouldn't change on the Chicago end because those workers need to quickly go to their hotel for a few hours of well deserved rest, before they return the next morning to start prepping the train for its return to CA.

Also needing to be added into the mix here is the fact that in many terminating stations, Amtrak needs to clear the arriving train off the platform rather quickly. So if they were to pack up after arrival, that means that the crew has to go to the yard to do that work. Now they have to be transported back to some public transit point so that they can return to their homes. Or if they're the turning crew, ie Chicago for the SWC, they have to be transported to the hotel.

 

[ScottC4746]

From the Service Standards Manual No. 6 page 7-21

Texas

Weekday: No sales of beer, wine and mixed beverages b/w midnight-7am; no sales of liquor b/w 9pm-10am

Saturday: No sales of beer, wine and mixed beverages b/w midnight-7am; no sales of liquor b/w 9pm-10am

Sunday: No sales of beer, wine and mixed beverages b/w 1am-noon; no sales of just liquor

Holidays: No sale of just liquor on New Year's Day, Thanksgiving Day, or Xmas Day

Election Day: No special restrictions

I apologize for being off topic, since the SWC doesn't yet run through TX.

I wonder how they came up with these hours as bars in TX close at 2 AM ... well 1:30 is last call, 2AM they litterally (from experiance) turn on the overhead lights and pull the drink out of your hand.

It seems to be an odd mishmash of restaurant, bar, and market rules.

I figured something like that because it showed Utah with no restrictions at all. Anyone who has been to Utah will find it hard pressed to find a place to serve you without a club membership and then forget ordering a double anything.