# Question about Attendant schedules



## Trevor Batson (Aug 9, 2019)

I am taking the family on a train ride from Chicago to California towards the end of the month, and it has made my son insatiable curious about what life on the rail is like. He is curious how much freedom the attendants who sleep over night on the train have on their routes. Does an attendant go back and forth on the same route? or if they do change routes how often would usually change. Thanks again helping make this trip more informative for my kids.


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## OBS (Aug 9, 2019)

If they are on a regular schedule, they will generally work the same train or set of trains for a 6 month period. Routes generally change in spring and fall and assignments are based on seniority. The attendant will work a round trip and then have 2-6 days off depending on length of trip worked. There are also extra board attendants who work filling in for absent employees. They can be assigned to any route staffed from that particular crew base city.


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## pennyk (Aug 9, 2019)

I am not sure about the schedules for the attendants on the trains to California, but I am familiar with the Silver service between New York and Florida.

The attendants are based in Miami. One attendant I know will travel on Saturday on train 92 from Miami, arriving in NYC on Sunday. She will spend the night in NYC on Sunday night. On Monday, she will travel south on train 97 from NYC, arriving in Miami on Tuesday. She will have Wednesday-Friday off. She works 4 days and has 3 days off. 
The California trains will be different since the trips are longer.


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## PVD (Aug 9, 2019)

I guess the "oddball" is the Eagle/Sunset combo with the crew change....


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## basketmaker (Aug 9, 2019)

I know the on-board service crew works the California Zephyr from Chicago to Emeryville and back. I had a very sweet young lady (Jackie) sleeper attendant I rode west to Emeryville. I spent the night at the Hyatt across the tracks and headed back east the next morning. She was my attendant both directions.


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## bratkinson (Aug 9, 2019)

The Lakeshore Ltd and Capitol Ltd crews are based in New York or Washington and do a same day turn at Chicago. If their trains arrived on time, they'll get 6-9 hours time in a hotel before it's back to work time.

I don't know how many extra board OBS crew Amtrak has, but it's likely very few. Maybe 6-7 years ago, I was on #421 CHI-LAX and the LSA in the diner from NOL 'doubled' and was LSA on the Coast Starlight 5 hours after arriving at LAX! I asked her, and she said that the LSA on #14 called out sick so she took the overtime. That would be 7 or 8 days in a row for her, with a night in a hotel in NOL and SEA. It would be interesting to find out if the #14 & #11 trips were paid at time and a half or even double time.


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## Rasputin (Aug 9, 2019)

The attendants certainly move around as these jobs come up for bid. My attendant on the Coast Starlight about 4 years ago was our attendant on the Southwest Chief two years ago. An attendant I had on the Boston section of the Lake Shore about 7 years ago was my attendant on the Texas Eagle around 4 years ago. Bob Heath of Chicago, who is mentioned and pictured in Henry Kisor's book on the Zephyr, was I believe a long time attendant on the Zephyr but he finished his career as the attendant on the Boston section of the Lake Shore.


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## crescent-zephyr (Aug 10, 2019)

The Chief and the Starlight are both out of LA. My room attendant on the starlight remembered me from when she worked as a waitress on the Chief. She said she works both trains.


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## OBS (Aug 10, 2019)

bratkinson said:


> The Lakeshore Ltd and Capitol Ltd crews are based in New York or Washington and do a same day turn at Chicago. If their trains arrived on time, they'll get 6-9 hours time in a hotel before it's back to work time.
> 
> I don't know how many extra board OBS crew Amtrak has, but it's likely very few. Maybe 6-7 years ago, I was on #421 CHI-LAX and the LSA in the diner from NOL 'doubled' and was LSA on the Coast Starlight 5 hours after arriving at LAX! I asked her, and she said that the LSA on #14 called out sick so she took the overtime. That would be 7 or 8 days in a row for her, with a night in a hotel in NOL and SEA. It would be interesting to find out if the #14 & #11 trips were paid at time and a half or even double time.


OT is only paid on hours you work after 190 hours in a month. Amtrak has the right to withhold extra board employees from service if they are approaching 190 hours and other employees on the board have considerably less.


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## Bob Dylan (Aug 10, 2019)

As has been said, Extra Board OBS are "On Call" , while OBS with Seniority bid their jobs on a Schedule or as they become available.

I've run into many OBS on LD Trains that I've seen on several different Routes through the years, many serving in different Roles ( ie Food Service Attendant,Coach Attendant,SCA and LSA in the Cafe and Diner).

I've seen one Senior Chicago based SCA on the Empire Builder,Zephyr and Texas Eagle several times each( and he's one of the Laziest SCAs going!The Original "Invisible Man")

And an Infamous Food Service Person was moved from the Texas Eagle to the Zephyr because of the Numerous Complaints from Passengers about her Attitude and Poor Service.

One of the Best SCAs I've ever had would always work lots of OT on the SWC Route, she called it her "Christmas Money!"

Also,IINM, New Hires are cross trained so they can serve in different positions ( Coach attendant,Waiter,SCA)as needed.

When the Schedule for the Sunset Ltd. was changed to eliminate the Layover in NOL, several of the "Old Timers" bid the Starlight and told me they they much preferred the LAX-SEA route over the LAX-NOL Route.


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## Qapla (Aug 10, 2019)

I met a conductor on the SM when I was going to NYP. She said she ran from JAX to WDC and back - then had a day or two off. She said she would be able to stay on that route if she wanted ... that she would not be forced to take a different route if she did not want to.


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## Rasputin (Aug 10, 2019)

Qapla said:


> I met a conductor on the SM when I was going to NYP. She said she ran from JAX to WDC and back - then had a day or two off. She said she would be able to stay on that route if she wanted ... that she would not be forced to take a different route if she did not want to.


Conductors and engineers have to know their territory intimately so they are usually only on a certain route for a certain distance. A dining car waiter or sleeping car attendant does not.


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## OBS (Aug 11, 2019)

Qapla said:


> I met a conductor on the SM when I was going to NYP. She said she ran from JAX to WDC and back - then had a day or two off. She said she would be able to stay on that route if she wanted ... that she would not be forced to take a different route if she did not want to.


If you mean Wash Dc, that is impossible. They can not work that long of a shift.


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## pennyk (Aug 11, 2019)

OBS said:


> If you mean Wash Dc, that is impossible. They can not work that long of a shift.


I believe the Silver Meteor conductors work from JAX to Florence.


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## Qapla (Aug 11, 2019)

It is entirely possible I did not clearly understand what she told me, she was somewhat busy doing paperwork, I was tired and there were others in the Lounge Car.


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## crescent-zephyr (Aug 12, 2019)

There are conductors who work multiple routes though. I talked to a conductor who works Chicago to Carbondale, and Carbondale to Memphis. So to a passenger they might say "I work Chicago to Memphis" if asked what route do you work.


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## Bob Dylan (Aug 12, 2019)

Yep, there are Conductors based in San Antonio that work the Texas Eagle between SAS and FTW and also the Sunset Ltd ( Three Days a Week) SAS to Del Rio and SAS to Houston.


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