# It's been 20 Years Since VIA Had Conductors!



## NS VIA Fan (Jul 13, 2018)

It's 20 years ago this month, July 1998 since VIA eliminated Conductors and Assistant Conductor/Trainmen positions. "Service Managers" took over passenger duties within the train and 2 engineers in the cab now handled operational duties.

Trains operating over CP still had a conductor i.e.: Sudbury-White River and on Vancouver Island.


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## railiner (Jul 13, 2018)

NS VIA Fan said:


> It's 20 years ago this month, July 1998 since VIA eliminated Conductors and Assistant Conductor/Trainmen positions. "Service Managers" took over passenger duties within the train and 2 engineers in the cab now handled operational duties.
> 
> Trains operating over CP still had a conductor i.e.: Sudbury-White River and on Vancouver Island.


Does the Sudbury-White River train still have one now? Wasn't sure if you meant back then or currently...


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## zephyr17 (Jul 13, 2018)

NS VIA Fan said:


> It's 20 years ago this month, July 1998 since VIA eliminated Conductors and Assistant Conductor/Trainmen positions. "Service Managers" took over passenger duties within the train and 2 engineers in the cab now handled operational duties.
> 
> Trains operating over CP still had a conductor i.e.: Sudbury-White River and on Vancouver Island.


Vancouver Island




. Service has been suspended for some time, due to track conditions. No indication that it is going to start up again any time soon.


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## NS VIA Fan (Jul 13, 2018)

zephyr17 said:


> Vancouver Island
> 
> 
> 
> . Service has been suspended for some time, due to track conditions. No indication that it is going to start up again any time soon.


Yes...suspended since around 2011 but had a conductor until the end. I think VIA now crews the White River trains.


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## VentureForth (Sep 5, 2018)

I've always thought it would make more sense for Amtrak to have a conductor in the engine room as a backup and for operational concerns. Then, have either another conductor or Head-of-Train that only handled customers in the passenger areas.

I've thought it odd that the Amtrak conductor calls out signals even though he can't see them from inside the train.


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## jis (Sep 5, 2018)

I have always thought that the Amtrak Conductor in the train just acknowledges that the Engineer called out the signal. As you say, it is quite meaningless for them to call out signals that they cannot see.


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## zephyr17 (Sep 5, 2018)

Yeah, the conductor just repeats back the engineer's call.

BTW, the Via model overall works pretty well. It is especially good that there is an actual service manager (and an assistant service manager) on the train, that the whole OBS crew is responsible to. I think that is one of the things that makes Via's onboard service both better and MUCH more consistent than Amtrak's.

On Amtrak, while technically the conductor is the "captain of the ship" when it comes to OBS crew service level, they simply generally do not want to be involved. For one thing, the T&E crews are in a different reporting chain, for another, they cycle on and off over the course of the trip.

I am not sure what the impact to safety is, though, if any. They don't do things like repeat signals, remind the conductor of upcoming slow orders and work gangs, or anything having to do with the operation of the train, other than confirming to the engineer that the train is buttoned up and ready to depart at station stops.


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