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How are the LD Trains staffed? Does the entire crew go the entire distance? - OR - Do they pick up and drop off crew along the way?

We are schedule for a ORL to WAS trip in June. Specifically, I am wondering if the same car attendant will be with us for the entire trip.
 
Conductors and engineers switch out at set points along the routes, usually every 4-10 hours since these personnel can't work more than 12 consecutive hours.

All onboard staff (coach and sleeper attendants, dining room and lounge car staff) remain onboard the entire length of the trip, with a few exceptions.

Between Orlando, FL and Washington, DC you should have the same car attendant for the full lenth of the trip.
 
I've never been on that train, so maybe somebody more familiar with that route will confirm. The only crew that I'm aware of that changes on LD trains are Engineers and Conductors since they have restricted hours of service. The remainder of the crew should be with you from beginning to end.
 
To explain how the ORL to WAS trip will work as far as crew are concerned, here's the deal. I'll assume your on 92 because the Star gets into WAS at a better time of day versus 98. Your OBS crew is based out of MIA. Your sleeping car attendant will work from MIA to NYP, a two day trip. On the third day after spending the night at the Hotel Pennsylvania (7th Ave and 34th St. across from Penn Station) they'll depart on train 97 on the third day and return to MIA on the fourth day. The same goes for the rest of the crew (diner, lounge and coach attendants). I'd add that a second waiter and a second coach attendant who are based in JAX will join your train crew in KIS after swinging off 91 which they started their job trip on, but JAX closes on April 1st and the diner and the coaches will only have one attendant a piece out of MIA when you take your trip.

As for the Train and Engine crews, 92 will have MIA crews from MIA to TPA, JAX crews from TPA to JAX (they'll collect your ticket when you board in ORL), JAX crews from JAX to HAM, RGH crews from HAM to RGH, WAS crews from RGH to WAS (engineers change in RVR) and finally a crew change for the NEC (you'll never see as you're trip is over).

Hope this helps. :)
 
In this earlier thread I asked about the crewing of the Maple Leaf, which changes from Amtrak to VIA at the border in its entirity. As far as I know, however, the Amtrak crew of the Adirondack overnight in Montréal before returning the next day, because the border is so close to the city and isn't on a line that VIA operate on (unlike Niagara Falls).

The last time I rode the Thruway bus between St. Albans and Montréal (for the Vermonter, now cancelled) the driver was taking his wife with him to Montréal. They would spend a few short hours there before coming back - I thought it was rather charming he was allowed to have some company with him on his night away from home B)

On a sideline, does anyone know where the Adirondack crew overnights in Montréal? The Queen Elizabeth is right above Central Station, or is it too pricey for Amtrak?

*j* :blink:
 
On Silver Service trains, some OBS crew get off a southbound train at Kissimmee (next stop south of Orlando station) and then get right back on the next northbound train, back to NYP. I've seen that happen several times when we have taken a day-trip from WPK to KIS and back. And some OBS apparently do an overnight at KIS, since I have also seen some that were NOT on the southbound show up at KIS to get on the northbound there.
 
There's absolutely no OBS overnighting in KIS. The only authorized Amtrak overnight hotel stays for MIA and JAX crews is NYP Penn Station. I don't know what was seen with the one way boarding, other than lots of OBS employees can board at Central Florida stations if they're working jobs JAX north only or boarding at their closest home station if Crew Management couldn't fill the job out of JAX (which right now is a major problem right now due to various staffing issues).
 
Ok - that might have been somebody deadheading up to jax, then, or maybe had taken some leave or vacation? But I have definitely seen OBS get off at KIS from a southbound silver service and then get on the next northbound at KIS, working on both legs.
 
Very strange. I'll let Amtrak OBS give this one a thought as he's actively working MIA and JAX jobs now, not me. I'm in NOL and we're simple over here: NOL-CHI and NOL- NYP with WAS turnaround sometimes for the coach TA. :huh:
 
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