May I ask a controversial question here? I am just curious to know why you think it is necessary to tip the SCA's? According to Amtrak, tipping is optional. You tip because want to, not because you are obligated to tip. Good service shouldn't depend on tips. It is a way of getting people to book another trip on Amtrak. I've read that most Amtrak staff are paid well for what they do, so I don't see why one should feel obligated to tip to expect good service. We do tip the staff in the dining car, however, since we're used to tipping in restaurants.
Well, at least when I worked for Amtrak, I earned the same rate of pay whether or not I went out (I was on the Extra Board most of my three years) as waiter, or an SCA. I did earn more as an LSA. Even if there is a wage difference between the dining car staff and SCA's, it's probably not significant. Sooooooo, that blows your theory of tipping the dinning car staff.
No one is EVER obligated to tip, but I (being the selfish muck that I am) tip so that I receive better service.
Back in the day, when I worked as a waiter on Amtrak, we also had to tip-out the kitchen crew too. I learned the hard way what happens if you don't. One trip on the Broadway to NYC, I didn't tip out, I was new, no one told me too....
On the return to Chicago, well, let's just say that my customers waited, and waited, and waited for very simple orders, 60 minutes for a steak dinner, 45 minutes for eggs, 30 minutes for oatmeal. LESSON LEARNED EN ROUTE.
Tip because you want to, not because you feel obligated. In my view, the hourly wage that the employee makes is a non-issue. Service is the issue. Made good money working on Amtrak 25 years ago, so much so that I rarely, and I mean
rarely if ever cashed a paycheck. I lived off of my tips. Rent, meals, spending money. Virtually 100% of my hourly rate (1978) of about $8.25 went straight into the bank for my college fund.
Tip whatever you think is right. But be careful, if you are tagged as "cheap" on the first meal, and you are ona multi-day train like the EB, or CZ or TE, etc., etc., don't expect the staff to bend over backwards for your every request in a timely matter..........