Train Service Attendant

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free2riderails

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HI All:

I would like to become a Train Service Attendant with Amtrak. Any info would be greatly appreciated. What is the starting salary for Service Attendant? Also, are there any other jobs I may want to consider before I apply.

I am a newbie at all of this.

Thanks,

Jeff. :)
 
Other members have first hand experience but I can tell you that I have personally applied for just this position, as well as others (station agent, LSA) and have never heard anything back over the years. I have talked to current Amtrak employees, and many of them said they had the exact same experience, but one day, years later, someone called. It seems Amtrak has a very low turnover rate, and they have a long list of interested and qualified applicants.

Also, where do you live? and are you willing to relocate? Train Attendants only work out of a very few number of cities.

New York, Washington DC, Chicago, New Orleans, Miami, Los Angeles. I'm sure I'm missing a few random ones, I know there are attendants for the Carolinian out of Raleigh for example.
 
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Hi Jeff,

When I applied for the DC crew base for the CL run, there were apparently 200 applicants for a total of 15 new SA/TA/FS positions. I was hired and trained in all three crafts. I was on the extra-board for a total of three months, but now have a regular. (three days on/three days off for a regular versus 3 days on/UP to 2 days off for extra-board). Keep in mind that all "regular" jobs are "bid" upon twice a year, and they are granted based on seniority. Salaries for SA/TA are slightly lower than for FS. 17ish versus 18ish. SA/TA meaning Coach Attendant, Sleeper Attendant, Service Attendant (waiter-ess) in dining car. FS meaning Food Specialist assisting Chef and taking over his duties if he/she should become ill enroute.

Its a lot of time away from home but you meet a lot of new people and have some great (and not-so-great) experiences. This job is all about what you put into it and treating people how you would like to be treated. I love talking to and helping "newbie" customers to Amtrak, because, in general, they "convert" to Amtrak from driving or flying after their first trip!

Don't get me wrong though, its not an easy job. It IS physically exhausting for my three days on, but I generally recoop in a day or so, get all of my running around done etc, then I'm back on duty.
 
I was going to bring this up..

So with me being in SE Mn, I can't start/end my shift say Red Wing (RDW) if I was to work for Amtrak?
 
TraneMan said:
I was going to bring this up..

So with me being in SE Mn, I can't start/end my shift say Red Wing (RDW) if I was to work for Amtrak?
Click to expand...
No,Red Wing is not the beginning or end of any route. You begin in whatever crew base you are assigned - primarily the origin/destinatino of long distance trains - if you are applying for an on-board position. On-board staff work the entire route of the train on long distance trains - unlike the operating crews (engines/conductors/asst.conductors).
 
haolerider said:
TraneMan said:
I was going to bring this up..

So with me being in SE Mn, I can't start/end my shift say Red Wing (RDW) if I was to work for Amtrak?
Click to expand...
No,Red Wing is not the beginning or end of any route. You begin in whatever crew base you are assigned - primarily the origin/destinatino of long distance trains - if you are applying for an on-board position. On-board staff work the entire route of the train on long distance trains - unlike the operating crews (engines/conductors/asst.conductors).
Click to expand...
Most LD trains have the OBS crew base only at one end, and the crews work a round trip from their crew base, then back.

IIRC, most of the OBS crew on the Empire Builder is based out of Seattle. The Portland cars are based out of Chicago, though, I think.

The California Zephyr is based out of Chicago, The Southwest Chief, Coast Starlight out of Los Angeles, and I think the Sunset is OBS crewed out of LA as well, but the Texas Eagle is based out of Chicago.
 
THANKS FOR THE INFO!! MUCH APPRECIATED. DO YOU KNOW THE STARTING SALARY FOR CABIN/SERVICE ATTENDANT??

When I applied for the DC crew base for the CL run, there were apparently 200 applicants for a total of 15 new SA/TA/FS positions. I was hired and trained in all three crafts. I was on the extra-board for a total of three months, but now have a regular. (three days on/three days off for a regular versus 3 days on/UP to 2 days off for extra-board). Keep in mind that all "regular" jobs are "bid" upon twice a year, and they are granted based on seniority. Salaries for SA/TA are slightly lower than for FS. 17ish versus 18ish. SA/TA meaning Coach Attendant, Sleeper Attendant, Service Attendant (waiter-ess) in dining car. FS meaning Food Specialist assisting Chef and taking over his duties if he/she should become ill enroute.
Its a lot of time away from home but you meet a lot of new people and have some great (and not-so-great) experiences. This job is all about what you put into it and treating people how you would like to be treated. I love talking to and helping "newbie" customers to Amtrak, because, in general, they "convert" to Amtrak from driving or flying after their first trip!

Don't get me wrong though, its not an easy job. It IS physically exhausting for my three days on, but I generally recoop in a day or so, get all of my running around done etc, then I'm back on duty.
Click to expand...
 
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Starting salary for TA/SA job is about 17 dollars/hour (not counting tips).
 
I am a flight attendant thinking about applying. FA's are paid only for flight hour that we are up in the air. Is the train the same way? Are you only paid while the train is moving or are you paid for every hour that you are on shift?
 
TraneMan said:
I was going to bring this up..

So with me being in SE Mn, I can't start/end my shift say Red Wing (RDW) if I was to work for Amtrak?
Click to expand...
Many of On Board Staff working the long distance trains commute a very long distance. For example, they will ride from home in NOL to CHI to work a round trip on the Zephyr, and then commute back to NOL. The time off between long haul trips is long enough to allow this. Once they have enough seniority to work a NOL based trip, they will probably do so. The smaller the crew base, the more seniority it takes usually to hold a regular assignment. The long haul jobs are best probably if you're a single person. Not good for families. If you have a family, being an LSA on a NYP WAS turnaround, where you're home every night is probably the best job.

For those that commute those long routes, they may not go home after every trip, but share with several others in a "crash pad" at their base city. Similar to what many airline employees do.
 
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What does an SCA do all day anyway? I know they have to put up and down the beds, maintain the coffeemaker/shower/bathroom, and turn around rooms for new passengers, but that still leaves them with lots of time on their hands. Is there a duty that I'm not aware of?
 
When I was the CS, my SCA was kept pretty busy bringing food to sleeper car pax during meal times. There seemed to be a bunch of people in my car that wanted the food brought to them.
 
Train2104 said:
What does an SCA do all day anyway? I know they have to put up and down the beds, maintain the coffeemaker/shower/bathroom, and turn around rooms for new passengers, but that still leaves them with lots of time on their hands. Is there a duty that I'm not aware of?
Click to expand...
They are responsible for opening the door at stops, ensuring that passengers get off at the correct stop, doing the meet & greet which includes instructing people about the things in their room, bringing meals to those who request it and clearing the same, emptying the garbage, watering the car if there are no station personnel to do it, changing the linens prior to the end of the trip and any time a room turns over during the trip, getting ice, delivering newspapers, refilling the coffee/juices/water etc, assisting with luggage if requested (the better ones offer even if you don't ask), and the safety of all passengers in their car.

Plus they still have to eat, visit the restrooms from time to time, sleep a few hours, and on some runs they even have to help with the wine tastings. I've also seen a few help out in the dining car on very full trains.
 
Hi everyone,

I was interesting in the LSA position, and I wanted to know what is training like and how long is training?
 
zephyr17 said:
haolerider said:
TraneMan said:
I was going to bring this up..

So with me being in SE Mn, I can't start/end my shift say Red Wing (RDW) if I was to work for Amtrak?
Click to expand...
No,Red Wing is not the beginning or end of any route. You begin in whatever crew base you are assigned - primarily the origin/destinatino of long distance trains - if you are applying for an on-board position. On-board staff work the entire route of the train on long distance trains - unlike the operating crews (engines/conductors/asst.conductors).
Click to expand...
Most LD trains have the OBS crew base only at one end, and the crews work a round trip from their crew base, then back.

IIRC, most of the OBS crew on the Empire Builder is based out of Seattle. The Portland cars are based out of Chicago, though, I think.

The California Zephyr is based out of Chicago, The Southwest Chief, Coast Starlight out of Los Angeles, and I think the Sunset is OBS crewed out of LA as well, but the Texas Eagle is based out of Chicago.
Click to expand...
Seattle is a crew base for the Cascades as well a Seattle cars on the Builder.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Jiy Holder said:
Hi everyone,

I was interesting in the LSA position, and I wanted to know what is training like and how long is training?
Click to expand...
You will spend approximately 2 weeks in classroom training and then the next 2-4 weeks making training trips where you work in conjunction with a regularly assigned LSA on a variety of different trains and positions, ie Cafe car, First Class in charge, FC assist, Dining Car Steward (in charge), etc.
 
Does that means its better to apply as early as possible so they can call me next year. because of the long list..
 
IceCreamTruck said:
I am a flight attendant thinking about applying. FA's are paid only for flight hour that we are up in the air. Is the train the same way? Are you only paid while the train is moving or are you paid for every hour that you are on shift?
Click to expand...
wow, i always thought that going from airlines to the trains was taking a step backwards.
 
Hi everyone,

I was interesting in the Train service attendant, and I wanted to know what is training like and how long is training?
 
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