Questions re: a SWC SCA's Typical Work Schedule

[Eric in East County]

We know that a Sleeping Car Attendant’s working hours on a long-distance train trip are long ones. Can anyone tell us what a SCA’s typical work schedule on the Southwest Chief would be? When does their workday actually start? (This would certainly be prior to the train arriving at the platform and taking on passengers.) Do the number of working hours differ slightly when heading west on #3 or east on #4? How many hours does a SWC SCA actually get to sleep during the trip?

Having a better understanding of a SCA’s work schedule will certainly give us an even greater appreciation of the SCAs we encounter on our future trips.

Eric & Pat

 

[OBS]

The attendant would report approx 1.5 to 2 hours before train departure to check in, receive a crew briefing and to check status/set up his car for service. He/She is guaranteed a minimum of 4 hours rest enroute each overnight enroute to Chicago and completes his shift approx 30 minutes after arrival in Chicago. The next day they again report approx. 2 hours before departure and follow the same schedule on the return to LA.

 

[jis]

Is there any required rest time between runs? How late can the previous day's train arrive without causing the next day's train to be delayed if it is running with the same OBS? Such rest would be a matter of Union contracts I would presume, since FRA couldn't care less AFAICT.

 

[OBS]

Is there any required rest time between runs? How late can the previous day's train arrive without causing the next day's train to be delayed if it is running with the same OBS? Such rest would be a matter of Union contracts I would presume, since FRA couldn't care less AFAICT.

Those are great questions. Unfortunately there is no provision in the contract to provide for any type of mandatory rest, and correct about the FRA. Extremely late trains are handled on an individual basis, based on amount of extra board availability, employees desires, etc. If employees choose to be replaced, they are either flown home with a loss of most of pay from return trip, or may choose to Deadhead partially back and then resume service enroute. For example an Extraboard may work from Chi to KC or MSP and detrain and allow regullar attendant to resume after having rested.

ETA, it is almost 0 the number of times a train will be delayed for OBS rest. If necessary, the train will be sent out short staffed, with the possibility of employees boarding enroute if available.