Besides the LDs.
They have six to eight weeks to remedy such outages in a job market that is wide open with supply as the unemployment data suggests.
Are you suggesting that Amtrak has actually laid off Conductors and Engineers? That is certainly news to me. Or is it that furloughed folks are choosing in droves not to return?That might be a difficult lift for conductors and engineers, especially if they aren't qualified on that territory. OBS could likely be brought up and trained in that timeframe and pull from a wider candidate pool, but skilled conductors and engineers are likely a smaller pool of candidates and may not be as wide open for supply as the job market as a whole.
Are you suggesting that Amtrak has actually laid off Conductors and Engineers? That is certainly news to me. Or is it that furloughed folks are choosing in droves not to return?
I did not realize that to go back to daily they have to hire and train folks off the street to rebuild their T&E pool.
On my trip to/from Dallas on the Texas Eagle last Month, the OBS Crew Members were all Very Senior Employees based in Chicago who normally worked other LD Routes, such as the Zephyr,Empire Builder and the Lake Shore and Cap.Are you suggesting that Amtrak has actually laid off Conductors and Engineers? That is certainly news to me. Or is it that furloughed folks are choosing in droves not to return?
I did not realize that to go back to daily they have to hire and train folks off the street to rebuild their T&E pool.
I know the theory of what could happen. I am wondering what the actual facts and numbers are at this time.More the latter, and more noting that six to eight weeks may not be enough to fill T&E vacancies if they exist, as west point was asserting - the market for employees that can quickly be brought on board to do T&E work is much smaller than the job market as a whole. As furlough grows longer, not all will stay on board: some people will change careers, some will try to find a similar job with another company, some will retire early, etc.
On my trip to/from Dallas on the Texas Eagle last Month, the OBS Crew Members were all Very Senior Employees based in Chicago who normally worked other LD Routes, such as the Zephyr,Empire Builder and the Lake Shore and Cap.
They said that lots of the extra board folks in Chicago that were furloughed probably wouldn't be coming back since it had been so long since they'd worked.
All of them said they couldn't wait to get back to their regular Routes.
As for the T&E Crews, I didn't get to talk with any Engineers, who are based in San Antonio and Fort Worth for this portion of the Eagles route, but the Conductors I talked with( all of whom I know and are based in San Antonio and Marshall)said that several Oldtimers had Retired, and that some of the "Newbies" were furloughed since they went to the 3 days a Week Schedule.
A few of the San Antonio Conductors and Engineers are qualified on the Sunset Ltd route, and have been working those Trains, but there just hasnt been enough work for everybody.
Be interesting to see what happens on the various routes.
Perhaps there will be a hiring spree and Amteak can get some badly needed "Fresh blood" onto the Trains!
The OBS are all Chicago based on the Eagles.Interesting, I knew Marshall was crew change stop but I thought those crews were based out FTW and LIT.
I was checking that, according to arrow it’ll be 2022 I believeHas there been any word on when the Cascades will go back to a more normal schedule? Looking at a trip in July, but only one train per day right now and I can’t find anything on the website about when service might return.
I received an email from Washington DOT on Wednesday and they are adding 2 more trains effective May 24th. One Seattle-Portland-Eugene and one Seattle-Portland.Has there been any word on when the Cascades will go back to a more normal schedule? Looking at a trip in July, but only one train per day right now and I can’t find anything on the website about when service might return.
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