SCA service seems to be going downhill fast

[capltd29]

I saw a Honda broken down on the side of I-94 2 days ago. Seems like the quality of Hondas are going downhill fast!

In any case, I've had great service from SCAs for the most part in my 20 years (I'm 26) of LD train travel. The worst that I've seen is when we had an attendant tell my party that bedtime was at 8:30. Dining car crews can be much much more inconsistent in my opinion, or in some cases, consistently bad employees just keep on working, but some can be consistently outstanding even with 6-8 hour delays and disruptions. Amtrak should be able to discipline and fire employees that don't do at least a decent job. I'm a pretty progressive guy, but at times Unions really impede Amtrak's customer service goals.

 

[FormerOBS]

The Union can't protect a truly bad employee if Management has a solid case. I think the more common problem is for Management to be too isolated from the location where the wheel meets the rail. They pursue cases against employees who really ought to be disciplined, but not fired. They fail to pursue cases where the employee is dragging down the Company. It takes intelligent and active Management, which is a now-you-see-it-now-you-don't commodity at Amtrak.

In those cases where one employee is covering for another who is getting some rest, Superliner II (and I assume other) sleepers have a simple switch that can be thrown so that a call button that is pushed in one car can be heard by the SCA in the adjacent car. It might take a few minutes to get to you, but it shouldn't take forever. It's not rocket science. And by the way, I don't think I've ever been in a Superliner II sleeping car where that feature didn't work.

Tom

 

[Devil's Advocate]

I don't have a dog in this specific fight but one thing I've noticed over the years is that Amtrak critics tend to have actual complaints about specific events that disappointed them while Amtrak apologists tend to just repeat the same vague "everything's fine on my trips" response over and over again.

 

[jis]

I saw a Honda broken down on the side of I-94 2 days ago. Seems like the quality of Hondas are going downhill fast!

Not quite as fast as Smokeswagen's I suppose

 

[amamba]

I have also been told the 9 pm cut off to put the beds down - but this sca was really good. He just had a system whereby he went and did everyone's room when they wanted with a last call at 9. I didn't mind it and assumed it was his own personal rule.

 

[chakk]

Peggy?

Looks like Peggy to me.

 

[JayPea]

If I had detailed a problem with Amtrak service (AmService??) here, and posters chimed in with their anecdotes about how service for them has never been bad, I would most likely feel like my problem was being trivialized at best and not believed at worst. And I would be more annoyed with that than I was at the original problem. In this case, though, perhaps those who are saying how they haven't had any recent problems with SCAs are merely saying so to show that while the OP had a problem with their SCA, that one bad incident in and of itself doesn't mean SCA service as a whole is going downhill. As for me, I think I'd have been more annoyed by the SCA not helping me with luggage rather than the 9:00 cut-off for bed service.

 

[jis]

Precise timing of bed service is an issue for me only on Superliners, since the upper berth in Roomettes is almost unusable as far as I am concerned. Which means that the bed has to be set up on the lower berth, and that means it has to be at a time when I actually want to use the bed.

On Viewliners, I usually request the SCA to make up the bed in the upper berth as soon as s/he can, and that is done and taken care of. Then whenever I want to relax horizontally I just pull the upper down and climb into the bed. And conversely whenever I want to sit, I lock the upper berth in the raised position and use the seat. It is really very convenient. it is almost like having your own little studio apartment in a closet. And of course, any cutoff time simply become nothing to worry about.

Admittedly, in my travels this year, I have not faced the 9pm dictum on any of the Superliners that I rode on. I was given that restriction in two case on Viewliners, and it did not matter to me there.

 

[Bob Dylan]

Totally agree with jis about Viewliners and the top bunk, but the only "deadlines" I've been given by SCAs was for 10pm and that was on Superliners a couple of times!

I've actually had more problems getting the beds put up in the morning than put down in the evening!

To me "tips" still stands for "to insure professional/prompt service", so I play it by ear when it comes to tipping OBS.

My Amtrak expierence has generally resulted in a ratio of 20% Outstanding Service/70% Satisfactory Service and 10% Poor/Invisible Service.

As with all things Amtrak, YMMV, but as " old timers" retire, the newbies coming aboard do seem to be less dedicated to their craft and have a poor work ethic!

 

[HARHBG]

My recent experience with the SCA (and Amtrak Conductor) happened last week on the SC at 0300 (3 A.M.). A woman collapsed in the hall immediatly outside my roomette. I was woken by the commotion, opened the door to find her huisband hovering over her trying to lift her upright, coaxing her to "try to get up".

I used the call button but no response. Eventually a Conductor appeared, apparently on night security rounds who then took command of the situation, but it took at least 10 full minutes (perhaps more) to get any help to the woman. The train was stopped shortly thereafter in nowhere at a grade crossing where an ambulance removed the woman on a stretcher with her husband following.

Unfortunatly, being rather disabled myself, I wasn't much use to ethier the woman or her husband. I certainly couldn't have lifted the woman up or if I could have gotten her tto her feet I couldn't have safely kept her and myself upright so it was best for me to just stay put and out of the way in my roomette

I asked the Conductor..........(a different Conductor than the previous night, who seemed to have no knowledge of the previous night's event).......the next day about as to the quickest way to summon help in the early morning like that and Conductor replied, "That's it. That's all you can do. Just wait for the Conductor making his rounds during the night to show up."

So if you're experiencing a major, serious, life-threatning event at 2 or 3 A.M. I guess you're just "S**T OUT OF LUCK", ........... just die, I guess?????????????

Now, I have no specific grip about that particular SCA .... EXCEPT......where was she when an emergency situation exsisted and WHO IS supposed to be "First Responder" in those situations???

 

[TylerP42]

My recent experience with the SCA (and Amtrak Conductor) happened last week on the SC at 0300 (3 A.M.). A woman collapsed in the hall immediatly outside my roomette. I was woken by the commotion, opened the door to find her huisband hovering over her trying to lift her upright, coaxing her to "try to get up".

I used the call button but no response. Eventually a Conductor appeared, apparently on night security rounds who then took command of the situation, but it took at least 10 full minutes (perhaps more) to get any help to the woman. The train was stopped shortly thereafter in nowhere at a grade crossing where an ambulance removed the woman on a stretcher with her husband following.

Unfortunatly, being rather disabled myself, I wasn't much use to ethier the woman or her husband. I certainly couldn't have lifted the woman up or if I could have gotten her tto her feet I couldn't have safely kept her and myself upright so it was best for me to just stay put and out of the way in my roomette

I asked the Conductor..........(a different Conductor than the previous night, who seemed to have no knowledge of the previous night's event).......the next day about as to the quickest way to summon help in the early morning like that and Conductor replied, "That's it. That's all you can do. Just wait for the Conductor making his rounds during the night to show up."

So if you're experiencing a major, serious, life-threatning event at 2 or 3 A.M. I guess you're just "S**T OUT OF LUCK", ........... just die, I guess?????????????

Now, I have no specific grip about that particular SCA .... EXCEPT......where was she when an emergency situation exsisted and WHO IS supposed to be "First Responder" in those situations???

I guess hope someone who has first aid or EMT training is nearby. I have first aid training and am training to be an EMT, but there's not much I can do on a train since I don't bring my EMT bag.

 

[AlanB]

It has been my experience that most conductors establish a presence in the dining car after 11 PM and stay there until the crew comes to open the dining car in the morning. I've heard the conductors make such an announcement many times as part of their final PA broadcast just before 10 PM and quiet time.

So unless the train is at a station stop, if one is aware of an emergency situation one should always head to the dining car to look for a conductor and help during the overnight hours.

 

[AmtrakBlue]

My recent experience with the SCA (and Amtrak Conductor) happened last week on the SC at 0300 (3 A.M.). A woman collapsed in the hall immediatly outside my roomette. I was woken by the commotion, opened the door to find her huisband hovering over her trying to lift her upright, coaxing her to "try to get up".

I used the call button but no response. Eventually a Conductor appeared, apparently on night security rounds who then took command of the situation, but it took at least 10 full minutes (perhaps more) to get any help to the woman. The train was stopped shortly thereafter in nowhere at a grade crossing where an ambulance removed the woman on a stretcher with her husband following.

Unfortunatly, being rather disabled myself, I wasn't much use to ethier the woman or her husband. I certainly couldn't have lifted the woman up or if I could have gotten her tto her feet I couldn't have safely kept her and myself upright so it was best for me to just stay put and out of the way in my roomette

I asked the Conductor..........(a different Conductor than the previous night, who seemed to have no knowledge of the previous night's event).......the next day about as to the quickest way to summon help in the early morning like that and Conductor replied, "That's it. That's all you can do. Just wait for the Conductor making his rounds during the night to show up."

So if you're experiencing a major, serious, life-threatning event at 2 or 3 A.M. I guess you're just "S**T OUT OF LUCK", ........... just die, I guess?????????????

Now, I have no specific grip about that particular SCA .... EXCEPT......where was she when an emergency situation exsisted and WHO IS supposed to be "First Responder" in those situations???

The SCA is getting his/her scant 4 hours sleep at that time of the night. I imagine they turn off the call button so that night owls with "me" attitudes don't disturb that precious sleep.Her husband could have tried to get someone to go look for the conductor. Unless the conductor is in a bathroom s/he should be easy to find.

 

[Devil's Advocate]

My recent experience with the SCA (and Amtrak Conductor) happened last week on the SC at 0300 (3 A.M.). A woman collapsed in the hall immediatly outside my roomette. I was woken by the commotion, opened the door to find her huisband hovering over her trying to lift her upright, coaxing her to "try to get up".

I used the call button but no response. Eventually a Conductor appeared, apparently on night security rounds who then took command of the situation, but it took at least 10 full minutes (perhaps more) to get any help to the woman. The train was stopped shortly thereafter in nowhere at a grade crossing where an ambulance removed the woman on a stretcher with her husband following.

Unfortunatly, being rather disabled myself, I wasn't much use to ethier the woman or her husband. I certainly couldn't have lifted the woman up or if I could have gotten her tto her feet I couldn't have safely kept her and myself upright so it was best for me to just stay put and out of the way in my roomette

I asked the Conductor..........(a different Conductor than the previous night, who seemed to have no knowledge of the previous night's event).......the next day about as to the quickest way to summon help in the early morning like that and Conductor replied, "That's it. That's all you can do. Just wait for the Conductor making his rounds during the night to show up."

So if you're experiencing a major, serious, life-threatning event at 2 or 3 A.M. I guess you're just "S**T OUT OF LUCK", ........... just die, I guess?????????????

Now, I have no specific grip about that particular SCA .... EXCEPT......where was she when an emergency situation exsisted and WHO IS supposed to be "First Responder" in those situations???

The SCA is getting his/her scant 4 hours sleep at that time of the night. I imagine they turn off the call button so that night owls with "me" attitudes don't disturb that precious sleep.Her husband could have tried to get someone to go look for the conductor. Unless the conductor is in a bathroom s/he should be easy to find.

Yeah, it's her husband's fault for not leaving his collapsed wife sprawled on the floor in order to walk the train looking for the conductor. Maybe Amtrak should replace their rather optimistically labeled call buttons with a plaque that says "WARNING: It might suck to be you." Despite the fact that Amtrak sleepers often resemble retirement homes you might be entirely on your own if and when a serious emergency should occur. Unless you just happen to collapse in front of the conductor right as he just happens to be walking by. On the other hand I've seen some SCA's that didn't look like they could offer much in the way of physical assistance during a true emergency anyhow. Perhaps they heard the commotion and figured it made more sense to let someone else deal with it.

 

[AmtrakBlue]

My recent experience with the SCA (and Amtrak Conductor) happened last week on the SC at 0300 (3 A.M.). A woman collapsed in the hall immediatly outside my roomette. I was woken by the commotion, opened the door to find her huisband hovering over her trying to lift her upright, coaxing her to "try to get up".

I used the call button but no response. Eventually a Conductor appeared, apparently on night security rounds who then took command of the situation, but it took at least 10 full minutes (perhaps more) to get any help to the woman. The train was stopped shortly thereafter in nowhere at a grade crossing where an ambulance removed the woman on a stretcher with her husband following.

Unfortunatly, being rather disabled myself, I wasn't much use to ethier the woman or her husband. I certainly couldn't have lifted the woman up or if I could have gotten her tto her feet I couldn't have safely kept her and myself upright so it was best for me to just stay put and out of the way in my roomette

I asked the Conductor..........(a different Conductor than the previous night, who seemed to have no knowledge of the previous night's event).......the next day about as to the quickest way to summon help in the early morning like that and Conductor replied, "That's it. That's all you can do. Just wait for the Conductor making his rounds during the night to show up."

So if you're experiencing a major, serious, life-threatning event at 2 or 3 A.M. I guess you're just "S**T OUT OF LUCK", ........... just die, I guess?????????????

Now, I have no specific grip about that particular SCA .... EXCEPT......where was she when an emergency situation exsisted and WHO IS supposed to be "First Responder" in those situations???

The SCA is getting his/her scant 4 hours sleep at that time of the night. I imagine they turn off the call button so that night owls with "me" attitudes don't disturb that precious sleep.Her husband could have tried to get someone to go look for the conductor. Unless the conductor is in a bathroom s/he should be easy to find.

Yeah, it's her husband's fault for not leaving his collapsed wife sprawled on the floor in order to walk the train looking for the conductor. Maybe Amtrak should replace their rather optimistically labeled call buttons with a plaque that says "WARNING: It might suck to be you." Despite the fact that Amtrak sleepers often resemble retirement homes you might be entirely on your own if and when a serious emergency should occur. Unless you just happen to collapse in front of the conductor right as he just happens to be walking by. On the other hand I've seen some SCA's that didn't look like they could offer much in the way of physical assistance during a true emergency anyhow. Perhaps they heard the commotion and figured it made more sense to let someone else deal with it.

Put you glasses on. . I said for the husband to try to get someone (like knock on some doors or even yell help), not himself, to go look for the conductor. I would not expect the husband to leave is wife to look for the conductor.
How is this any different than someone collapsing in a hotel hallway in the middle of the night?

 

[Palmetto]

I'm going for some popcorn...........

 

[jis]

I'm going for some popcorn...........

The DA is upto his Devillish Advocacy again I guess

 

[jebr]

Most hotels have a phone on each floor that can at least call the front desk, and each room has a telephone that can call the front desk and 911.

While it's certainly an inconvenience to have to be woken up for non-emergencies, someone should still be covering the call buttons to ensure that if it's pressed, someone responds. If the cars aren't designed for such a manner (including failover or transfer to another car if it's agreed upon by both SCAs to do rotating shifts,) then that should be fixed as soon as possible, because there are emergencies and it's the most obvious way to get help in an emergency.

 

[jis]

Are there even any unused pins on the inter car commlink connections to provide such functionality at present? Suffice it to say though that the hall phone in a reasonable sized hotel may be further away than a walk to the Dining/Lounge car in a typical Amtrak train. And of course if someone goes and bangs hard enough on the door of the SCA I find it very hard to believe that s/he will proceed to ignore it.

I am afraid we may again be finding fancy expensive solutions to a more or less non-problem, at least for those that manage to exercise a bit of common sense.

 

[Devil's Advocate]

My recent experience with the SCA (and Amtrak Conductor) happened last week on the SC at 0300 (3 A.M.). A woman collapsed in the hall immediatly outside my roomette. I was woken by the commotion, opened the door to find her huisband hovering over her trying to lift her upright, coaxing her to "try to get up".

I used the call button but no response. Eventually a Conductor appeared, apparently on night security rounds who then took command of the situation, but it took at least 10 full minutes (perhaps more) to get any help to the woman. The train was stopped shortly thereafter in nowhere at a grade crossing where an ambulance removed the woman on a stretcher with her husband following.

Unfortunatly, being rather disabled myself, I wasn't much use to ethier the woman or her husband. I certainly couldn't have lifted the woman up or if I could have gotten her tto her feet I couldn't have safely kept her and myself upright so it was best for me to just stay put and out of the way in my roomette

I asked the Conductor..........(a different Conductor than the previous night, who seemed to have no knowledge of the previous night's event).......the next day about as to the quickest way to summon help in the early morning like that and Conductor replied, "That's it. That's all you can do. Just wait for the Conductor making his rounds during the night to show up."

So if you're experiencing a major, serious, life-threatning event at 2 or 3 A.M. I guess you're just "S**T OUT OF LUCK", ........... just die, I guess?????????????

Now, I have no specific grip about that particular SCA .... EXCEPT......where was she when an emergency situation exsisted and WHO IS supposed to be "First Responder" in those situations???

The SCA is getting his/her scant 4 hours sleep at that time of the night. I imagine they turn off the call button so that night owls with "me" attitudes don't disturb that precious sleep.Her husband could have tried to get someone to go look for the conductor. Unless the conductor is in a bathroom s/he should be easy to find.

Yeah, it's her husband's fault for not leaving his collapsed wife sprawled on the floor in order to walk the train looking for the conductor. Maybe Amtrak should replace their rather optimistically labeled call buttons with a plaque that says "WARNING: It might suck to be you." Despite the fact that Amtrak sleepers often resemble retirement homes you might be entirely on your own if and when a serious emergency should occur. Unless you just happen to collapse in front of the conductor right as he just happens to be walking by. On the other hand I've seen some SCA's that didn't look like they could offer much in the way of physical assistance during a true emergency anyhow. Perhaps they heard the commotion and figured it made more sense to let someone else deal with it.

Put you glasses on. . I said for the husband to try to get someone (like knock on some doors or even yell help), not himself, to go look for the conductor. I would not expect the husband to leave is wife to look for the conductor. How is this any different than someone collapsing in a hotel hallway in the middle of the night?

Apparently the only other person who was aware of the problem was disabled and would have had difficulty reaching the conductor themselves. Hotel hallways generally have house phones that can reach the front desk 24/7. What happens after that depends on the time of day and how large the hotel is, but in general someone will be aware of the problem as soon as you can pickup the phone and assistance will be on the way to your location within a minute or two. In newer or nicer hotels there are likely to be security cameras as well. If someone is sprawled out on the floor there's a chance they could be tended to even without calling anyone.

Meanwhile, on Amtrak there are no phones or cameras and the "call button" doesn't have any warning that it's not tied to 24/7 emergency assistance, doesn't reach beyond the current car, and is highly unlikely to alert anyone who is asleep or otherwise occupied, including the SCA. That seems like some rather important information of which all passengers should be aware. Some SCA's explain this but others do not. I think including it on a plaque next to the button would help clarify the issue. Another option would be to replace the outdated call button with an emergency only button that did a better job of getting the staff's attention and contacted the conductor if not tended to in a timely fashion.

 

[fairviewroad]

My SO and I encountered the 9 p.m. curfew a few years ago on the EB. The chief problem with that was that our dinner reservation was for 8 p.m. (we did not know about the SCA's deadline at the time we made the reservation).

That meant that when we came back from dinner, we were expected to go straight to bed, as though we were churlish 8-year-olds. Nothing like cramming yourself into a Roomette bunk after downing a steak dinner. Luxury travel at its finest!

 

[jis]

But there is a guy in a room within 85' who can be raised by banging on the door even if all call buttons and phones in the world did not work.

Why is it better to be able pick up a phone or push a button and hope someone will pick up at the other end than walking a few steps down the hall and barging down a door knowing full well that there is a person behind the door who can help? What is the guarantee that the other end of the hall phone is attended at 3am, when in a typical hotel they may even not be properly attended at 8pm?

 

[Trainmans daughter]

Is this a case for texting the Amtrak police emergency contact at APD11?

 

[Devil's Advocate]

But there is a guy in a room within 85' who can be raised by banging on the door even if all call buttons and phones in the world did not work.

I've never tried to wake an Amtrak SCA in the middle of the night but I have noticed the supposed SCA room was empty during the nighttime hours. Sometimes your SCA is tending to more than one car and sometimes they're using seemingly random bedrooms. I suppose you could just bang on every room or drag a metal cup along the walls while screaming. I guess I never really considered how many ways there are to get around Amtrak's silly call button.

Why is better to be able pick up a phone or push a button and hope someone will pick up at the other end than walking a few steps down the hall and barging down a door knowing full well that there is a person behind the door who can help? What is the guarantee that the other end of the hall phone is attended at 3am, when in a typical hotel they may even not be properly attended at 8pm?

A phone or button is always in the same place and doesn't go offline at night. Conductors are always awake when on the job but may be on the opposite side of the train or tucked away where someone is unlikely to find them quickly. Seems like there should be a way for someone in serious danger to hail a conductor in an emergency. I'll admit I never really thought to keep tabs on where the staff went at night but maybe I'll look closer next time. On VIA it's easy to tell where the staff are because unlike Amtrak the rooms are labeled and easy to spot.

Is this a case for texting the Amtrak police emergency contact at APD11?

I was wondering the same thing. Out in the deep West where most of my trips take me you might be without voice service for up to an hour or more, but texting often seems to get through during the brief moments when radio waves bounce and ricochet just right.

 

[fairviewroad]

Is this a case for texting the Amtrak police emergency contact at APD11?

Perhaps, though I have my doubts about how quick/effective that is. But calling 911 in the event of a true on-board medical emergency is certainly a legitimate response, particularly if a crew member cannot be located in the first few minutes. The 911 dispatch center can't stop the train, obviously, but at the very least they could get the ball rolling.