# RUDE SCA on SWC #4



## ScottC4746 (May 30, 2011)

EDIT: Should be #3 NOT #4

I think I found the rudest SCA EVER! His name is Rene and worked the SWC #3 leaving CHI on Saturday 28 May. I ended up in the trans-dorm so I understand that he now has a car and a half to deal with. We left at 3 PM on time and around 4:00 he stopped by the room closest to his full car and introduced himself and explained about the features of the car and then left. He forgot about the rest of us. At 4:45 I turned on my call light which remained on for 30 solid minutes. I then went back to the diner to find out where the Conductor was. Peggy, the other SCA, God I wish I was in her car. She was every so nice. Anyway, Peggy helped form a search party for Rene and we found him holed up in his room reading a paperback book. Good thing I was not having a medical emergency here. Anyway he came back to the room with me and I had to ask him about the features of the Transdorm. I did not know showers were on the second level or that everything, water, coffee, bath towels, life was one car back. Great. 6 Pm comes and I am exhausted and we see each other in the Trans-Drom hallway and I say in half an hour I will be ready to turn in. 6:45 comes around and no Rene. Turn the light on again for him. 7:30 no Rene. I saw the conductor pass my room and advised him of the length my call light had been on. He found Rene somewhere who came to my room and I point blank said you forgot about me, at 6 I had said I would be ready to turn in at 6:30. He admitted he did forget. The second night about 7:30 I was ready for the room to be converted and the same thing, light on for 45 minutes no Rene. By this time we had arrived and left at a very quick slow to 5 type station na the conductor who escorted some new passangers across the hall from me said he would get the SCA for them. Before he left I explained yet again my call light situation. After Rene came to speak with the new passangers he turned to me before he started to make there beds up and asked if I was ready. I at this point got tired of biting my tounge and and said I have been ready for some time. He snapped back over his shoulder as he makes up the other room, "I will just leave if you want me to." When he finished their room he was then ready to do mine. He slammed the top bunk down, threw the bed set up on the lower bunk...which amazingly looked perfectly made up, and then slammed the upper bunk back up and said there and stormed off after I asked for a 4:30 AM wakeup call for the 5 AM breakfast.

Now, I don't know if he did this or if it was just coinsidence, but all of a sudden the heat came on in the room and the hall way but was cold in the bathroom. A conductor was downstairs and he switched the cold back on.

I laid on top of the covers reading whilist the room cooled off again and then when I went to get under the covers, everthing was all askew. It was not even made properly.

I fortunately sleep with the curtains open because I enjoy seeing the stars at night and can gauge what time of the morning it is because at 4:40 AM I discovered I never got my wakeup call.

I know if I say anything to customer service it wont get very far. Any recommedations to ensure the top brass know about this type treatment?


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## had8ley (May 30, 2011)

Nothing new... "This is MY train and YOU are my prisoner until you get off". Believe me, there are a lot more Renes out there...


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## amamba (May 30, 2011)

I am sorry for your poor treatment - that stinks. Personally, I just learned how to make the bed myself so I wouldn't have to wait for an SCA that never comes. Of course this should NOT be the case - the SCA should come when you need then - but sadly it seems like there are definitely some SCAs that like to play the hiding game.


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## The Davy Crockett (May 30, 2011)

The best suggestion I have would be to write a letter. Borrow heavily from your post.

IMHO Customer Service is going to be your best bet, unless you know Mr. Boardman personally, as I think if you send it elsewhere it will just get sent to Cust. Service anyway, or worse, it will get buried in transit to Cust. Service.

Unfortunately service is too uneven across the system to not hit this attitude from time to time. :angry:


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## OlympianHiawatha (May 30, 2011)

I agree you must bring this up with Customer Service and perhaps gently "lean on them" for a proper and not canned response. With the economy like it is, I'm certain they have hundreds of apps on file from folks who would make top shelf SCAs.

I tend to be fairly independent when I travel, and if I have an SCA who goes into hiding, can handle the make up of the room and other duties (even cleaning up and organizing a poorly cared for coffee station) quite well by myself. Of course in that case my tipping hand goes into hiding when I leave the train.


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## ScottC4746 (May 30, 2011)

OlympianHiawatha said:


> I agree you must bring this up with Customer Service and perhaps gently "lean on them" for a proper and not canned response. With the economy like it is, I'm certain they have hundreds of apps on file from folks who would make top shelf SCAs.
> 
> I tend to be fairly independent when I travel, and if I have an SCA who goes into hiding, can handle the make up of the room and other duties (even cleaning up and organizing a poorly cared for coffee station) quite well by myself. Of course in that case my tipping hand goes into hiding when I leave the train.


Much as my tipping hand whet into hiding this morning when I left the train as well...he is probably still trying to find a tip in my room...good luck...not gonna find one.


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## GG-1 (May 30, 2011)

Aloha

I was on the 3 SWC May 2nd. I had Rene as my SCA. I found him helpful and courteous. My only "complaint" is I let my SCA know that he can reverse the room while I am in the diner. After dinner I stay in the lounge until I am ready to sleep. Rene did not take advantage of that window. About the only time he failed to answer a page/light, was from the guy in 11 or 12 that seemed to decide it was time for something, and repeatedly press the button. One of the times Rene was slow to come to his room we were at a station with several people getting off and on.

I cannot fathom why you had different conduct from him.


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## bobnabq (May 30, 2011)

ScottC4746 said:


> Much as my tipping hand whet into hiding this morning when I left the train as well...he is probably still trying to find a tip in my room...good luck...not gonna find one.


I'd give him a tip ~>  "_Find another job_!"

 

But seriously, I'd write and complain.

I've had a few experiences in life that drove me to that action (non railroad related) and surprisingly I've had good responses.


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## MrFSS (May 30, 2011)

I'm wondering if it would be better to call and then follow up with a letter? Anyone had experience that way?


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## me_little_me (May 30, 2011)

I'd email customer service and if the answer sounds canned, then write a letter to Boardman. I got a nice (though possibly canned) message in response to my praise for an outstanding agent an a station employee on my last trip.

Make sure the letter is factual and professional w/o invective or sarcasm.

One trick that always seems to work is to ask another employee for the name of the supervisor of the one you are unhappy with. Explain you want to write to tell the supervisor how much the SCA's service meant to you. Sure, it is misleading but it is not dishonest as you are writing to express your lack of appreciation.


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## ScottC4746 (May 30, 2011)

me_little_me said:


> I'd email customer service and if the answer sounds canned, then write a letter to Boardman. I got a nice (though possibly canned) message in response to my praise for an outstanding agent an a station employee on my last trip.
> 
> Make sure the letter is factual and professional w/o invective or sarcasm.
> 
> One trick that always seems to work is to ask another employee for the name of the supervisor of the one you are unhappy with. Explain you want to write to tell the supervisor how much the SCA's service meant to you. Sure, it is misleading but it is not dishonest as you are writing to express your lack of appreciation.


Someone told me with another company that had an issue with they researched the headquarters address and got the name of the CEO and hand addressed the envelope and wrote "Personal" or "Confidential" I don't recall which and it bypassed the secretary for screening and the CEO contacted this person back directly.


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## bobnabq (May 30, 2011)

ScottC4746 said:


> Someone told me with another company that had an issue with they researched the headquarters address and got the name of the CEO ....


I did that about 15 years ago with a problem I had. I was eating at a fancy chain restaurant (?)

and the waiters kept cutting between tables, bumping my chair, even after I'd complained.

I Googled the company, got the name of the top 3 execs, and emailed each of them.

In return, I got an apology and coupons for 4 free dinners.

A written letter may be even more effective.


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## ScottC4746 (May 30, 2011)

bobnabq said:


> ScottC4746 said:
> 
> 
> > Someone told me with another company that had an issue with they researched the headquarters address and got the name of the CEO ....
> ...


Fancy and chain I am having problems seeing in the same sentance HA! Thanks for the info though.


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## TVRM610 (May 30, 2011)

GG-1 said:


> I cannot fathom why you had different conduct from him.


I'm glad you provided this info GG-1. I'm pretty sure I would have been more rude then Rene if I was treated poorly by a customer, sounds like he did a pretty good job to me.


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## ScottC4746 (May 30, 2011)

TVRM610 said:


> GG-1 said:
> 
> 
> > I cannot fathom why you had different conduct from him.
> ...


Sounds like TVRM is saying it is my fault he treated me that way. That was nice to know. I hope I misread the posting.


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## Cristobal (May 30, 2011)

Wow... I was on the #3 just a few days ago (5/26) and in the trans-dorm as well. My SCA, named Len, was the best SCA that I've ever had and this poor guy was even doing double-duty as a server in the dining car. I'm sorry for your experience but I really hope to have Len (or at least someone almost his equal) again when I ride the SWC back home later this year.


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## ColdRain&Snow (May 30, 2011)

Having sworn that I had read good things about Rene before on this site, I did a simple search of his name and was surprised to find these two posts, both of them from you:

Sunset Chief Crew

and...

Sunset Limited Crew 

BlueJeanGirl (an Amtrak Conductor) mentions to you in the second post that she believed Rene was now working the SWC. You wrote that, "I fell in love with the level of service I received from SCA Rene" and 6 months later wrote "Alice in the diner was great as was Rene in the sleeper."

In today's post, you wrote that "I think I found the rudest SCA EVER!," language which implies you had never met Rene before your trip this weekend. So I guess I am confused about your post above. Are you saying that the Rene you had this weekend (the rudest SCA ever) is a different SCA than the Rene you had on your Sunset Limited trip who left such a positive impression on you - so much so that you wrote posts extolling his service levels that were six months apart from one another?

I'm not excusing the rude treatment from him on this weekend's trip, if that's what happened, but I guess I would like to know if there are two SCAs named Rene, one of which made a stellar impression on you in the past. If so, I would like to know more about the other one so I can be prepared if I should get him on one of my LDT trips. Or are you just not remembering that you had Rene in the past and gave him a glowing review upon your return from that trip? It would be helpful to clear this up.


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## bobnabq (May 30, 2011)

ScottC4746 said:


> Fancy and chain I am having problems seeing in the same sentence HA! Thanks for the info though.


yeah ~ not real fancy.  I can't recall the name, but it was on the order of Outback Steak House. :giggle:


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## amtrakwolverine (May 30, 2011)

TVRM610 said:


> GG-1 said:
> 
> 
> > I cannot fathom why you had different conduct from him.
> ...


Stick up for the bad employee why don't cha. How is asking to make a bed or turn the room around being a bad passenger hmmm. Ok lets they were passed over for a promotion or problems at home etc does not give someone the right to take it out on someone who paid big bucks for a room. I don't care how bad a of a day your having. if you feel your being treated poorly from your employer then find another job.


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## GG-1 (May 30, 2011)

amtrakwolverine said:


> TVRM610 said:
> 
> 
> > GG-1 said:
> ...


Aloha

In no way am I supporting a bad employee. As a Labor Representative, the worse thing I have to deal with is an Employer that is upset with a worker, when the worker is wrong. My observation was actually that the SCA, Rene, handled an unreasonable passenger well.

I am restating,

I am surprised that you experienced a problem, and from my own observation, Rene is a good SCA. I do not understand why he was not good on your trip.

Hopefully I am now Clear.


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## transit54 (May 30, 2011)

I have a somewhat ignorant question. Is the call button in the transdorm programed to light up in the attendant's room in the car he is working? Is it possible that the SCA wasn't aware that the OP had used the call button?

I've never traveled in a transdorm - the first time I'd ever been in one was at NTD this year.


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## greatcats (May 30, 2011)

I too am sorry that you had a bad experience, but I must put in a good word for Rene. If we are talking about the same man, he is Filipino, in his 50's I'd say. Last year I had him one night Flagstaff to Los Angeles and I did not care for his manner that much, but he was OK. In February of this year he was my SCA Flagstaff to Chicago and I complimented him on his exemplary service and keeping the car tidy and looking after the passengers all the way to Chicago. We were ten hours late, having been rerouted via St. Louis due to the blizzard that hit Chicago. He made the train that night a good place to be. I tipped him well and complimented him to Amtrak. I dislike bad service too, but maybe he is having a crisis in his life.


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## Ryan (May 30, 2011)

transit54 said:


> I have a somewhat ignorant question. Is the call button in the transdorm programed to light up in the attendant's room in the car he is working? Is it possible that the SCA wasn't aware that the OP had used the call button?
> 
> I've never traveled in a transdorm - the first time I'd ever been in one was at NTD this year.


I haven't traveled in one either, but I'd be very surprised if there was a connection between cars that allowed the call light to work between cars.

Of course, that would have been a real good thing for Rene to mention in his initial introduction.

Sounds like you caught a good guy on a bad day.


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## ScottC4746 (May 30, 2011)

ColdRain&Snow said:


> Having sworn that I had read good things about Rene before on this site, I did a simple search of his name and was surprised to find these two posts, both of them from you:
> 
> Sunset Chief Crew
> 
> ...


This is a different Rene than on the SS LTD.


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## ColdRain&Snow (May 30, 2011)

ScottC4746 said:


> ColdRain&Snow said:
> 
> 
> > Having sworn that I had read good things about Rene before on this site, I did a simple search of his name and was surprised to find these two posts, both of them from you:
> ...


Can you provide a description of each Rene so I can differentiate the two on a future trip should I discover my SCA is named Rene? I have seen photos of the Rene greatcats referenced above, taken along the SWC route, but haven't seen or read about the other one. Thanks.


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## TVRM610 (May 30, 2011)

ScottC4746 said:


> TVRM610 said:
> 
> 
> > GG-1 said:
> ...


Well it doesn't sound like this guy is the best SCA ever that's for sure. What I was saying is that if someone conducted a "search party" in order for me to tell them where the shower was, and then made negative comments two nights in a row I probably wouldn't have kept a smile on my face either. I'm making a pretty large assumption that you weren't being the cheeriest customer. Your attitude directly effects the type of service you receive, not just on amtrak, but throughout the service industry.

I'm not saying that you deserved it, but I'm saying that your attitude probably didn't help the situation. My guess is that Renee is one of the SCA's that doesn't like dealing with the Trans-dorm, so he probably also had a negative attitude to start with.


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## AlanB (May 30, 2011)

transit54 said:


> I have a somewhat ignorant question. Is the call button in the transdorm programed to light up in the attendant's room in the car he is working? Is it possible that the SCA wasn't aware that the OP had used the call button?
> 
> I've never traveled in a transdorm - the first time I'd ever been in one was at NTD this year.


You hit the nail right on the head!

In a regular sleeper when one pushes the call button, three things happen. It lights up a light on the little metal plate with the room number above the doorway in the hall. It rings a chime downstairs and lights up on a panel there indicating what room. And it lights up an indicator in the attendants room.

In a Trans/Dorm, the light above the doorway goes on and I believe that it lights up on a panel downstairs. However, no inidcation that a call button has been pushed is transmitted to the next sleeping car where the attendant is located.

I don't say this to excuse things, after all if he was busy reading a book one time with his door shut, we're not off to a good start IMHO. And there were other issues that I also feel he didn't handle properly.

But I can excuse him not realizing that a call button had been pushed at least right away; read within 15 minutes or so. But he is supposed to look into the Trans/Dorm for those lights above the doorway on a semi-regular basis. Especially at times when people would most need help, like bedtime.


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## ScottC4746 (May 31, 2011)

ColdRain&Snow said:


> ScottC4746 said:
> 
> 
> > ColdRain&Snow said:
> ...


Rene SS LTD is Phillipino with an accent(sp)

Rene SWC is probably mid to late 40's black hair glasses dark complexion no accent not sure of his background other than caucassion.


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## Mackensen (May 31, 2011)

ScottC4746 said:


> ColdRain&Snow said:
> 
> 
> > ScottC4746 said:
> ...


I had Filipino Rene on the #3 SWC and in my opinion was the best SCA I've ever had. He was funny, witty and charming (and doesn't seem to be the Rene you've just had). As an aside, the same batch of crews in LA work the Coast Starlight, Sunset Limited and Southwest Chief (and apparently sometimes even the Cascades as a lounge attendant).


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## rrdude (May 31, 2011)

Curious, 'cause I have never been "made prisoner" as a pax in the trans-dorm. (though I have walked thru them, upper and lower levels, just looking around)

Anyway, does the SCA assigned to the trans-dorm "live" in the full sleeper adjacent to the trans-dorm? (I think that's correct) IF they do, and you are in your room in the trans-dorm, and you push the "CALL" button, will that "indicate" in the SCA's room in the adjacent car?

I'm betting that it does/should. If it didn't, then I guess you could press that "CALL" button all day long, and it would only be noticed IF/WHEN the SCA walked into the trans-dorm, and checked the SCA-room in there.

Someone with more knowledge, please advise. TYVM.


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## rtabern (May 31, 2011)

I'm thinking there might be some "interesting" SCAs floating around on the Southwest Chief for whatever reason... I had one of the worst SCAs I ever had on Amtrak on the eastbound Southwest Chief this past March.

I'll spare blasting her name in a public forum... but she was something else. The "average" Amtrak passenger who doesn't know a lot about the cars and room sizes and how everything worked probably wouldn't have even noticed what she was trying to pull... but it was clear to us.

The problems started the first night out of LAX, around San Bernardino, when she came to make up the beds in our Bedroom. My friend and I were traveling in "C". Anyway, the latch on the top bunk wouldn't latch properly... meaning it wasn't safe for someone to use/sleep in the top bed. She wanted to move us permanently into "A". I explained that we really didn't want "A" because it was somewhat smaller than the other bedrooms... and just because the bed didn't latch... we didn't want the smaller room for 2 people for the next 2 days.

I got on the phone and had a friend who worked for Amtrak pull up the manifest for #4... and there were A LOT of unsold roomettes in the car all the way to CHI... so I threw out the suggestion to the SCA that we keep "C" (the larger room), use it during the day as we paid for... and then at night... my friend would use the lower bed... and I'd just go and sleep in one of the un-sold roomettes.

She didn't like this idea... and insisted she could try and "fix" the bed. My friend who I was traveling with is pretty handy when it comes to mechanical and technical things like fixing the latch... and I told her... if he couldn't fix it... chances are... it's not going to be fixed... can't we just go with my idea of me just retreating to a roomette at night to sleep and us keeping the room? Well, NO. She proceeds to try and fix the latch... then gives up... and goes and takes her dinner break in the diner... leaving us for almost an hour wanting to go to bed, but not able to because the top bunk was not us-able. VERY UNPROFESSIONAL. She comes back an hour later... and proceeds to try and get everyone on the train to try and fix the latch... conductor, assistant conductor, other sleeping car attendant, even the LSA and other waiter in the dining car!! No such luck... surprise, surprise.

Finally, she agrees on the idea of us keeping "C" and also having Room #2 at night to sleep in.

I'm sorry... the bed latch thing wasn't our fault... so why should be get stuck in a smaller bedroom for 2 days because of it??

Anyway, our SCA's true motive was discovered when I overheard a conversation between her and someone on her cell phone... SHE wanted "C" for herself... and made a comment that she refuses to stay in the Room #1 which attendants traditionally get... she will 'only stay in a big bedroom with my private bathroom'. Nice, huh?

This was further proven when we overhead a conversation she was having with the ticket agent in La Junta, CO... where she and the other SCA had the agent block off "A" and "B" for themselves all night on the second night of the trip so the rooms couldn't be sold in the middle of the night between La Junta and Chicago.

What crap... I mean I can see wanting the bigger bedroom and your own bathroom... but it's also cheating Amtrak out of potential revenue. I mean maybe someone wanted to upgrade along the line to a larger bedroom... that's $200+ in revenue stolen from Amtrak potentially.

And yes, we did call and complain and report her for doing that.


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## Devil's Advocate (May 31, 2011)

What possible benefit can come from hiding her name? If she did what you say she did then I say spill it!


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## CrewMember (May 31, 2011)

I am familiar with the situations described by the OP. I was trying to sleep in the same transdorm on the same trip. The OP (if it is who I believe it to be, based upon the fact that only one person traveled virtually the entire distance in that car) was not traveling alone, but had another person in the room. The room had its lower mattress replaced THREE times, with no explanation as to where the previous mattresses went (I'm sure the cleaning crew is in for a rude surprise; I get it, people pee the bed or worse, but own up to it!). The call button was rung (apparently by someone who didn't understand that the signal doesn't go through to the 31 car, and that you have to LEAVE THE BUTTON ON or no one will know which room is calling!) roughly EVERY 20 MINUTES ALL NIGHT LONG on the first night out of Chicago, waking most of the crew and other passengers in the car! (The conductors were in the diner all night, as they tend to be on this train overnight). The only other people in the car for more than one night (wanna see the manifest? I still have a copy!) were the yakking woman who complimented the entire staff yet left not one thin dime for anyone (and she was in coach on the first night out, anyway), and BT travelers. For those who don't know, BT's are employees or other "passriders", who pay little or nothing for the room, don't get meals, and are responsible entirely for making up their own rooms.

There's something SERIOUSLY wrong with this post, either in leaving out little details like the second person in the room, or perhaps just making up a story based on second-hand information...


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## Employee (May 31, 2011)

rtabern said:


> I'm thinking there might be some "interesting" SCAs floating around on the Southwest Chief for whatever reason... I had one of the worst SCAs I ever had on Amtrak on the eastbound Southwest Chief this past March.
> 
> I'll spare blasting her name in a public forum... but she was something else. The "average" Amtrak passenger who doesn't know a lot about the cars and room sizes and how everything worked probably wouldn't have even noticed what she was trying to pull... but it was clear to us.
> 
> ...


The attendant (why are people using "SCA" when there is no such position? They are sleeper t.a.'s...) did right by you in offering room "A" - it costs the same as room C! It is smaller by about one square foot - it feels different because the lavatory is set in the middle of the room, instead of by the door. Asking for an extra roomette is NOT a viable option unless you're paying for it. It's a lot of likely lost revenue (on busy trains, roomettes almost always sell out on board by upgrading coach passengers). If you HAD done the wise thing and taken room A, the TA would likely have slept in room C. As far as the relative safety of room C, the upper berth latch is a problem when it's up, for day use, not when it's down. When it's down, it is perfectly safe for any normal use. As to blocking off the room/rooms for personal use, I'm going to have to call you on that one: it's not allowed, and no ticket agent who values their job is going to do such a thing, nor will any conductor. I've been on train 4 perhaps 10 times this year so far, and there have been NO sleepers (except the TransDorm) which have had more than one or two empty roomettes for any significant portion of the trip when I've been there, and that's been the experience of all crew members I've spoken to. I know all this because I work there (I'm no the TA described, though I can sympathize). Just because you want to get all fussy about exactly which bedroom you get doesn't make a bad TA!! In fact, with similar mechanical situations occurring occasionally, you may not necessarily get the room that's shown on your ticket. Stop asking for the moon, when you've been offered a reasonable alternative!


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## rtabern (May 31, 2011)

Texas Sunset said:


> What possible benefit can come from hiding her name? If she did what you say she did then I say spill it!


I'll have to check my notes when I get home to Milwaukee this afternoon (doing train watching in Glenview, IL today near my parent's house)... and she did what I said... I traveled with another AUF member... and he can back me up on this.


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## AlanB (May 31, 2011)

rrdude said:


> Anyway, does the SCA assigned to the trans-dorm "live" in the full sleeper adjacent to the trans-dorm? (I think that's correct)


That is the current procedure; although Amtrak has tried various ways to handle it.



rrdude said:


> IF they do, and you are in your room in the trans-dorm, and you push the "CALL" button, will that "indicate" in the SCA's room in the adjacent car?
> I'm betting that it does/should. If it didn't, then I guess you could press that "CALL" button all day long, and it would only be noticed IF/WHEN the SCA walked into the trans-dorm, and checked the SCA-room in there.





AlanB said:


> In a Trans/Dorm, the light above the doorway goes on and I believe that it lights up on a panel downstairs. However, no inidcation that a call button has been pushed is transmitted to the next sleeping car where the attendant is located.
> 
> But I can excuse him not realizing that a call button had been pushed at least right away; read within 15 minutes or so. But he is supposed to look into the Trans/Dorm for those lights above the doorway on a semi-regular basis. Especially at times when people would most need help, like bedtime.


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## AlanB (May 31, 2011)

CrewMember said:


> I am familiar with the situations described by the OP. I was trying to sleep in the same transdorm on the same trip. The OP (if it is who I believe it to be, based upon the fact that only one person traveled virtually the entire distance in that car) was not traveling alone, but had another person in the room. The room had its lower mattress replaced THREE times, with no explanation as to where the previous mattresses went (I'm sure the cleaning crew is in for a rude surprise; I get it, people pee the bed or worse, but own up to it!). The call button was rung (apparently by someone who didn't understand that the signal doesn't go through to the 31 car, and that you have to LEAVE THE BUTTON ON or no one will know which room is calling!) roughly EVERY 20 MINUTES ALL NIGHT LONG on the first night out of Chicago, waking most of the crew and other passengers in the car! (The conductors were in the diner all night, as they tend to be on this train overnight). The only other people in the car for more than one night (wanna see the manifest? I still have a copy!) were the yakking woman who complimented the entire staff yet left not one thin dime for anyone (and she was in coach on the first night out, anyway), and BT travelers. For those who don't know, BT's are employees or other "passriders", who pay little or nothing for the room, don't get meals, and are responsible entirely for making up their own rooms.
> 
> There's something SERIOUSLY wrong with this post, either in leaving out little details like the second person in the room, or perhaps just making up a story based on second-hand information...


I have to say that it sounds like we're talking about 2 different situations. The OP said:



ScottC4746 said:


> 6 Pm comes and I am exhausted and we see each other in the Trans-Drom hallway and I say in half an hour I will be ready to turn in. 6:45 comes around and no Rene. Turn the light on again for him. 7:30 no Rene. I saw the conductor pass my room and advised him of the length my call light had been on. He found Rene somewhere who came to my room and I point blank said you forgot about me, at 6 I had said I would be ready to turn in at 6:30. He admitted he did forget.


First issue, he left the call light on. Second issue, he got his bed put down just after 7:30 PM and went to sleep. I've never seen the crew of the SWC all in their rooms trying to sleep at 7:30 PM on the first night out of Chicago. In fact, the dining car crew would still be serving dinner at that hour in the dining car, not sleeping in their rooms.

So frankly it sounds like these are two separate incidents.


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## amamba (May 31, 2011)

I rode #3 all the way from CHI to LAX this March. I was in bedroom "D", and I can absolutely verify that my SCA slept in bedroom C both nights. E was empty for the first night but had a couple in there the second night, and bedroom B was occupied both nights by paying pax. Bedroom A was vacant for some time, I can't remember the exact details.

But the SCA DEFINITELY slept in bedroom C for both nights. My SCA never wore a nametag nor did he tell me his name, but it was a heavy-set caucasian gentleman about 40-50 years old.


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## A.J. (May 31, 2011)

irregardless, if a SCA is assigned to both a regular sleeper and the trans-dorm, they need to do their job. even if the OP hadn't pressed the call bell, the SCA should have at some point stopped by to see how he was doing, made sure he knew where everything was, etc. what if it was a passenger who had never ridden in a sleeper at all? I've been in the trans-dorm once, on the CS, and although the SCA was very busy, he always made a point of coming back to check on myself and the other passengers. he did a great job, better than some SCAs who only have one car to look after. bottom line is that they're being paid to do a job, just like we all are at our own jobs, and doing it well is important.


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## ColdRain&Snow (May 31, 2011)

Employee said:


> The attendant (why are people using "SCA" when there is no such position? They are sleeper t.a.'s...)


 Per the Route Guides provided by Amtrak:

_*Sleeping Car Attendant is responsible for providing all service for passengers ticketed in Sleeping car accommodations, including room preparation, luggage service and any assistance necessary to ensure a comfortable journey. He or she can also assist with meal reservations or arrange for your meal to be served in the privacy and comfort of your accommodation.*_

To best answer the question you raise above, perhaps you as an Amtrak employee can have Amtrak's marketing team work with the operations team and reconcile the title to its proper form. Until and unless you do so, it is perfectly reasonable for pax to use the term _Sleeping Car Attendant/SCA_ since Amtrak itself uses it in its marketing collateral.


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## MrFSS (May 31, 2011)

CrewMember said:


> The call button was rung (apparently by someone who didn't understand that the signal doesn't go through to the 31 car, and that you have to LEAVE THE BUTTON ON or no one will know which room is calling!) roughly EVERY 20 MINUTES ALL NIGHT LONG on the first night out of Chicago, waking most of the crew and other passengers in the car!



So - you, as a "Crew Member", couldn't get up and go see why the button was being pushed so much? Or, is this a case of, that's not in my job description, and I'll let it annoy everyone all night long. What if the person pushing the button was having a medical emergency?


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## The Davy Crockett (May 31, 2011)

MrFSS said:


> CrewMember said:
> 
> 
> > The call button was rung (apparently by someone who didn't understand that the signal doesn't go through to the 31 car, and that you have to LEAVE THE BUTTON ON or no one will know which room is calling!) roughly EVERY 20 MINUTES ALL NIGHT LONG on the first night out of Chicago, waking most of the crew and other passengers in the car!
> ...


HERE! HERE! Well said. I've never used the call button, and never plan to, EXCEPT if there was a true emergency.


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## AlanB (May 31, 2011)

The Davy Crockett said:


> I've never used the call button, and never plan to, EXCEPT if there was a true emergency.


I have! But that was because I was instructed to do so by one attendant. He requested that I hit the button before heading to the dining car in the morning for breakfast, that way he'd know that he could get into my room and do it up while I was at breakfast.


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## ScottC4746 (May 31, 2011)

CrewMember said:


> I am familiar with the situations described by the OP. I was trying to sleep in the same transdorm on the same trip. The OP (if it is who I believe it to be, based upon the fact that only one person traveled virtually the entire distance in that car) was not traveling alone, but had another person in the room. The room had its lower mattress replaced THREE times, with no explanation as to where the previous mattresses went (I'm sure the cleaning crew is in for a rude surprise; I get it, people pee the bed or worse, but own up to it!). The call button was rung (apparently by someone who didn't understand that the signal doesn't go through to the 31 car, and that you have to LEAVE THE BUTTON ON or no one will know which room is calling!) roughly EVERY 20 MINUTES ALL NIGHT LONG on the first night out of Chicago, waking most of the crew and other passengers in the car! (The conductors were in the diner all night, as they tend to be on this train overnight). The only other people in the car for more than one night (wanna see the manifest? I still have a copy!) were the yakking woman who complimented the entire staff yet left not one thin dime for anyone (and she was in coach on the first night out, anyway), and BT travelers. For those who don't know, BT's are employees or other "passriders", who pay little or nothing for the room, don't get meals, and are responsible entirely for making up their own rooms.
> 
> There's something SERIOUSLY wrong with this post, either in leaving out little details like the second person in the room, or perhaps just making up a story based on second-hand information...


That was not me. I travelled solo and know that repeatedly pushing the button does nothing but turn the light on and off. I also don't ring past 9 PM or earlier than 7 AM for that very reason that EVERYONE, except obviously the SCA can hear it even with a door closed.


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## boxcar479 (May 31, 2011)

I can totally sympathize with someone who paid for the kind of service and the grandeur of train travel as advertised in the literature provided by Amtrak, and once again was expected to accept poor to mediocre service levels most all of us have experienced. Sadly Amtraks wording in the brochures and the price paid leads one to believe they will be pampered, if not totally catered to on their LD trains. I complained to Amtrak about a family trip I took in march, by phone and in writing, someone assured me I would be contacted in the next few days. I am still waiting. I love traveling by train. I wish I had another choice other than Amtrak. Out of the dozen or so LD trips(or shorter trips) I have taken in the last year and a half I've only had service to crow about once, maybe twice. My expectations were only high because of the level of service I was led to believe I would receive as provided by the literature. I wish there was a way to weed out these bad employs, but when I read post like ScottC's and many others, I fear we will have to practice acceptance, or worse yet fly. It's just so hard to see this country from 35,000+ feet in the air. I guess it just boils down to expectation vs acceptance. :blink:


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## ScottC4746 (May 31, 2011)

MrFSS said:


> CrewMember said:
> 
> 
> > The call button was rung (apparently by someone who didn't understand that the signal doesn't go through to the 31 car, and that you have to LEAVE THE BUTTON ON or no one will know which room is calling!) roughly EVERY 20 MINUTES ALL NIGHT LONG on the first night out of Chicago, waking most of the crew and other passengers in the car!
> ...


I fear it falls under a union thing...if one is not and SCA you would not expect someone from the dinning car to answer the bell...however in the middle of the night it could have very well been a liability issue if one had a medical emergency.


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## guest (May 31, 2011)

ScottC4746 said:


> MrFSS said:
> 
> 
> > CrewMember said:
> ...


Anyone who was awakened that often, crew member OR passenger, would respond if they knew who was doing it so often!


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## RealTA (May 31, 2011)

boxcar817 said:


> I can totally sympathize with someone who paid for the kind of service and the grandeur of train travel as advertised in the literature provided by Amtrak, and once again was expected to accept poor to mediocre service levels most all of us have experienced. Sadly Amtraks wording in the brochures and the price paid leads one to believe they will be pampered, if not totally catered to on their LD trains. I complained to Amtrak about a family trip I took in march, by phone and in writing, someone assured me I would be contacted in the next few days. I am still waiting. I love traveling by train. I wish I had another choice other than Amtrak. Out of the dozen or so LD trips(or shorter trips) I have taken in the last year and a half I've only had service to crow about once, maybe twice. My expectations were only high because of the level of service I was led to believe I would receive as provided by the literature. I wish there was a way to weed out these bad employs, but when I read post like ScottC's and many others, I fear we will have to practice acceptance, or worse yet fly. It's just so hard to see this country from 35,000+ feet in the air. I guess it just boils down to expectation vs acceptance. :blink:


Gads. When I read posts like this I really think some people need a reality check. If you were looking for onboard grandeur and pampering/catering-to, you missed that opportunity when the AOE went out of business (and broke) a couple of years back. Amtrak provides transportation. If you pay for a sleeper, we will do our best to make you comfortable, but it is NOT a cruise in the Presidential Suite on the Queen Mary II. I spend money out of my pocket for little extras like candies by the coffee station, etc., things that we are technically not supposed to do. But given the limitations of equipment and supplies, we can only describe sleeping car service as a nice upgrade above coach. We are not nurses, babysitters, therapists, mechanics, or magicians. The literature gives a very accurate description of services available onboard, including freshly prepared meals, room make-up service, etc. Anything left out of brochures (seat/bed dimensions, menu options, etc.) can generally be accessed online or by calling Amtrak. Bring it down a notch!


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## boxcar479 (Jun 1, 2011)

Reality check? Or Are you just another Guest posing as an employee trying to make us believe that p*ss poor service is to be expectected when we ride the train? I've ridden Amtrak before I know the deal. I'm just saying the level of service expected is not (always) the level of service delivered. There are Good SCA's and there are bad ones. If you are a "real TA" I get the idea of which one you are. Go find a job you like, why don'tcha


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## chandj (Jun 1, 2011)

AlanB said:


> CrewMember said:
> 
> 
> > I am familiar with the situations described by the OP. I was trying to sleep in the same transdorm on the same trip. The OP (if it is who I believe it to be, based upon the fact that only one person traveled virtually the entire distance in that car) was not traveling alone, but had another person in the room. The room had its lower mattress replaced THREE times, with no explanation as to where the previous mattresses went (I'm sure the cleaning crew is in for a rude surprise; I get it, people pee the bed or worse, but own up to it!). The call button was rung (apparently by someone who didn't understand that the signal doesn't go through to the 31 car, and that you have to LEAVE THE BUTTON ON or no one will know which room is calling!) roughly EVERY 20 MINUTES ALL NIGHT LONG on the first night out of Chicago, waking most of the crew and other passengers in the car! (The conductors were in the diner all night, as they tend to be on this train overnight). The only other people in the car for more than one night (wanna see the manifest? I still have a copy!) were the yakking woman who complimented the entire staff yet left not one thin dime for anyone (and she was in coach on the first night out, anyway), and BT travelers. For those who don't know, BT's are employees or other "passriders", who pay little or nothing for the room, don't get meals, and are responsible entirely for making up their own rooms.
> ...


Also, just because OP complained about a bad service experience doesn't mean he/she or companion peed the bed "or worse" three times! Most people over 6 years of age with incontinence issues have learned how to manage the situation without hanging on a call light all night. I sometimes feel it takes pretty thick skin for a poster to complain on this board. I especially love riding LD trains, but it does not stretch my imagination to believe people occasionally have bad service experiences without being personally to blame.


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## CrewMember (Jun 1, 2011)

ScottC4746 said:


> CrewMember said:
> 
> 
> > I am familiar with the situations described by the OP. I was trying to sleep in the same transdorm on the same trip. The OP (if it is who I believe it to be, based upon the fact that only one person traveled virtually the entire distance in that car) was not traveling alone, but had another person in the room. The room had its lower mattress replaced THREE times, with no explanation as to where the previous mattresses went (I'm sure the cleaning crew is in for a rude surprise; I get it, people pee the bed or worse, but own up to it!). The call button was rung (apparently by someone who didn't understand that the signal doesn't go through to the 31 car, and that you have to LEAVE THE BUTTON ON or no one will know which room is calling!) roughly EVERY 20 MINUTES ALL NIGHT LONG on the first night out of Chicago, waking most of the crew and other passengers in the car! (The conductors were in the diner all night, as they tend to be on this train overnight). The only other people in the car for more than one night (wanna see the manifest? I still have a copy!) were the yakking woman who complimented the entire staff yet left not one thin dime for anyone (and she was in coach on the first night out, anyway), and BT travelers. For those who don't know, BT's are employees or other "passriders", who pay little or nothing for the room, don't get meals, and are responsible entirely for making up their own rooms.
> ...


So, you know all of that...but have no idea where the TA's room is in the next car???!!!??? I smell shenanigans...


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## busboy (Jun 1, 2011)

This is easy. When you get treated badly, don't tip.

I've always had great service on every Amtrak trip I've taken. I wonder if the level of service you receive is a function of how nice you are. I have friends who are sour and demanding and always complain of being treated poorly, while others who smile and say thank you, consistently are treated well.

Anyway, if your service is truly bad, just don't tip. If everyone followed this rule, bad behavior by service providers would be self correcting. The worst thing you can do is leave a tip if you feel you've been treated badly.


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## chandj (Jun 1, 2011)

busboy said:


> This is easy. When you get treated badly, don't tip.
> 
> I've always had great service on every Amtrak trip I've taken. I wonder if the level of service you receive is a function of how nice you are. I have friends who are sour and demanding and always complain of being treated poorly, while others who smile and say thank you, consistently are treated well.
> 
> Anyway, if your service is truly bad, just don't tip. If everyone followed this rule, bad behavior by service providers would be self correcting. The worst thing you can do is leave a tip if you feel you've been treated badly.


Absolutely agree about the tipping--but even very nice people can get bad service on Amtrak and anywhere else they choose to go. I have never had a service person on Amtrak be mean to me, but I have certainly had them go MIA. It is hard to impress my SCA with my overall friendliness and happy nature when I can't find him/her. Of all my train rides, this has only happened a couple of times but when it did happen, my usually generous tip money stayed in my pocket.


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## Devil's Advocate (Jun 1, 2011)

busboy said:


> I've always had great service on every Amtrak trip I've taken.


I don't doubt that some folks have great service on some trains at some times. I've seen it myself so I know it's perfectly possible. But _only_ receiving great service every single time on every single train with every single interaction? No, I don't think that's very believable. I wouldn't buy into that level of excessive praise in the air or on the water either. I wouldn't expect anyone to believe me if I said that every single interaction on every single train was always terrible either.

Also, contrary to the assumptions of some folks, not everyone who is disappointed with Amtrak's service levels goes around baiting the staff into unnecessary conflicts. I'm generally a calm and quiet customer while on board. People have different ideas of what constitutes "friendly" but while I may be a little distant sometimes I'm definitely not mean or disagreeable.

Most of the problems I have with Amtrak are related to the poorly tuned bureaucracy that allows their service levels to continue to suffer without sufficient recourse. Yes, I can demand and receive a voucher every time Amtrak screws something up, but that's not what I really want. I would much rather that they take ownership of their mistakes and retrain their staff to expect more of each other and of themselves. I also want them to weed out the folks who simply aren't wired for the service sector.

In any case I find your overly simplistic solution rather perplexing. Do you really think people who are seriously disappointed with their service levels are leaving large tips anyway? I've had some great attendants who went out of their way did their best to make my trip the best it could be within the realm of realistic expectations. Naturally I tipped them very well indeed. I've also had employees that seemed to go out of their way to make my trip as unpleasant as possible. In those cases I didn't tip at all, just as you would expect.

I think after forty years of declining service levels we can see that merely withholding tips is not enough to fix the problem. So these days I grudgingly suggest that people demand a voucher as compensation and hope that if enough folks make similar demands then maybe somebody at Amtrak will get the message.


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## A.J. (Jun 1, 2011)

RealTA said:


> The literature gives a very accurate description of services available onboard, including freshly prepared meals, room make-up service, etc. Anything left out of brochures (seat/bed dimensions, menu options, etc.) can generally be accessed online or by calling Amtrak. Bring it down a notch!


Unfortunately, not every train trip in a sleeper involves even these services. I've had great experiences and some so-so experiences. Out of nine separate trips in a sleeper, only once have I been given the cute little bag with the toiletries in it. I was so accustomed to not receiving it that it was quite a neat surprise when I did! I once asked to eat in my compartment and was given the exasperated response of, "you don't want every meal in here, do you?" I try not to do that too often, unless I have a migraine, because i'm afraid of a similar cranky response. On the other hand, a SCA once offered that without me asking. Same goes for making the bed up and taking it down. I often do it myself just to make things easier. My long and rambling point is that I think that the service we get varies from person to person and train to train.


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## amamba (Jun 1, 2011)

RealTA said:


> The literature gives a very accurate description of services available onboard, including freshly prepared meals, room make-up service, etc. Anything left out of brochures (seat/bed dimensions, menu options, etc.) can generally be accessed online or by calling Amtrak. Bring it down a notch!


So what do we suggest the pax do when the SCA goes into hiding around bedtime? I shouldn't have to beg to get a bed put down or my room put back into daytime configuration while I am at breakfast.


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## ScottC4746 (Jun 1, 2011)

CrewMember said:


> ScottC4746 said:
> 
> 
> > CrewMember said:
> ...


Not at all...I know all that because I can hear everyone else's bell go off.


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## busboy (Jun 1, 2011)

Texas Sunset said:


> busboy said:
> 
> 
> > I've always had great service on every Amtrak trip I've taken.
> ...


I have no expectations on whether or not you believe me, nor do I really care. I'm just stating my experience on the 7 long distance trains I've been on. Maybe I've been lucky, or my expectations of service are different than yours. I just want my bed to be made in the evening and put up in the morning. I also want the waiters to take my order and deliver my food. If they do those things, and are reasonably pleasant, I consider it great service. So yes, every time I've ridden, I've received great service.


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## amtrakwolverine (Jun 1, 2011)

When we pay allot of money for a sleeper we expect the service we are entitled to. that includes the free coffee our beds being made clean rooms and sheets. i don't want to sleep on the same sheets that someone else has yet we have SCAs who say its not my job to change the sheets. Then whos job is it? I didn't know amtrak had maid service to do the jobs the SCAs are supposed to do.


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## Devil's Advocate (Jun 2, 2011)

RealTA said:


> If you pay for a sleeper, we will do our best to make you comfortable, but it is NOT a cruise in the Presidential Suite on the Queen Mary II. We are not nurses, babysitters, therapists, mechanics, or magicians. The literature gives a very accurate description of services available onboard, including freshly prepared meals, room make-up service, etc. Anything left out of brochures (seat/bed dimensions, menu options, etc.) can generally be accessed online or by calling Amtrak. Bring it down a notch!


I'd feel more comfortable if you brought your own hyperbole down a notch. I didn't see anyone asking for service that equates to a room on a ship that costs as much as buying out the whole train. Nor did I see anyone requesting the services of nurses, babysitters, therapists, mechanics, or magicians. Although you might want to see a therapist of your own if this is how you think a service job is supposed to work.



busboy said:


> I just want my bed to be made in the evening and put up in the morning. I also want the waiters to take my order and deliver my food. If they do those things, and are reasonably pleasant, I consider it great service.


Ah, I see. You use the word "great" where many people would probably use a word more like "adequate."



amtrakwolverine said:


> When we pay allot of money for a sleeper we expect the service we are entitled to. that includes the free coffee our beds being made clean rooms and sheets. i don't want to sleep on the same sheets that someone else has yet we have SCAs who say its not my job to change the sheets. Then whos job is it? I didn't know amtrak had maid service to do the jobs the SCAs are supposed to do.


Is this true? Specifically the part about SCA's reusing the same sheets the last passenger used? If so that's rather disappointing to me, even in the context of Amtrak's already sub-par service levels.


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## ScottC4746 (Jun 2, 2011)

Texas Sunset said:


> RealTA said:
> 
> 
> > If you pay for a sleeper, we will do our best to make you comfortable, but it is NOT a cruise in the Presidential Suite on the Queen Mary II. We are not nurses, babysitters, therapists, mechanics, or magicians. The literature gives a very accurate description of services available onboard, including freshly prepared meals, room make-up service, etc. Anything left out of brochures (seat/bed dimensions, menu options, etc.) can generally be accessed online or by calling Amtrak. Bring it down a notch!
> ...


That almost gives the EWWW factor. I assume if you go end to end that is not an issue. hboy:


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## Cristobal (Jun 2, 2011)

ScottC4746 said:


> Texas Sunset said:
> 
> 
> > RealTA said:
> ...


I don't believe that there is much truth to that at all. When I returned home last Saturday on the CS the SCA, as we were rolling into SJC, pulled the pillowcases off of the pillows that were in my roomette even though it had been a day trip between LAX and SJC. I had actually only been in that room for maybe 1 hour total (the PPC is a wonderful place to sit and socialize  ). She did say that someone was going to be occupying the room again starting at OKJ. My guess is that amtrakwolverine is just repeating a rumor instead of something that he actually witnessed to be true.


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## ScottC4746 (Jun 2, 2011)

Thats good.


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## Cristian (Jun 2, 2011)

I've never had issues with the sheets - always have been clean. That being said, however, in all my recent travels in the sleepers, with the exception of one ride in the CS, all the blue blankets that sit on top of the sheets have had hair other than mine on it....i.e. long blonde hairs, etc. I'm not sure if only the sheets get changes but the blue blankets get reused or what exactly.... :excl:


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## Cristian (Jun 2, 2011)

And on the topic of bedroom usage by SCAs - I've had one trip on the EB where the SCA kept trying to make me move downstairs to H after I remarked to her that bedroom A is slightly smaller than the rest. To quote her: "You can go downstairs to H which is much bigger, I used bedroom A on the outbound and I like to sleep there" ...


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## rtabern (Jun 3, 2011)

Employee said:


> rtabern said:
> 
> 
> > I'm thinking there might be some "interesting" SCAs floating around on the Southwest Chief for whatever reason... I had one of the worst SCAs I ever had on Amtrak on the eastbound Southwest Chief this past March.
> ...


EGH... WRONG, WRONG, WRONG... :angry: :angry: :angry:

First off, I should have the right to stay in "C" if I want to... it's the room we booked.

Second, why should we be forced to go to a smaller room during the day too because the bed latch was broken?? There was nothing wrong with the room for day use and we wanted "C".

I don't think staying in the room we booked is "ASKING FOR THE MOON" as you stated!!!

Third, your response totally made me laugh because you acted like me asking to sleep in one of the many un-used roomettes was AND I QUOTE YOU --- "lots of lost revenue". Ummmm... dude... isn't the sleeping car attendant blocking off a Bedroom costing "lots of lost revenue" more than what I was suggesting? She needs to stay in her Room #1 which she was assigned by the company instead of playing games and blocking of Bedrooms for herself so she could have her private potty.

Finally, what's so wrong about asking to keep the original Bedroom and I just sleep in an empty roomette at night? I had a friend who work for Amtrak check and there were a total of 12 empty roomettes on the train --- so NO lost revenue. If the train was near sold out, I would have just done the Bedroom A thing because the last thing I'd do is cost Amtrak extra revenue.

So there...


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## Guest (Jun 3, 2011)

> Finally, what's so wrong about asking to keep the original Bedroom and I just sleep in an empty roomette at night? I had a friend who work for Amtrak check and there were a total of 12 empty roomettes on the train --- so NO lost revenue. If the train was near sold out, I would have just done the Bedroom A thing because the last thing I'd do is cost Amtrak extra revenue.
> 
> So there...


You are getting two rooms for the price of one and other passengers are not offered the same deal.....that is what's wrong. Revenue is not directly lost by allowing you to use the room, but you are preventing them from using the room for revenue if the opportunity presents itself. I have seen a few trains go from mostly empty to sold out in a matter of hours. All it takes is some passengers a few stops down who missed a connection and are put on your train by Amtrak. Do you want to be the sleeper passenger who was delayed and missed a train, and then got kicked down to Coach on the next train out because someone demanded they get to use two rooms?

SCAs are not conductors, so they cannot wheel and deal with you. They have limited powers on how they can make things right. They made an effort to make it right, and I'm sorry it wasn't the solution you wanted. After reading these posts, I feel sorry for the SCAs for having to deal with some of you.


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## A.J. (Jun 3, 2011)

for pete's sake! bedroom A is not THAT much smaller. i agree that you're essentially asking to use another sleeping compartment without having to pay for it. that isn't right. I can see how it's frustrating that the SCA apparently wanted one of the bedrooms for herself, but that's beside the point. if she wanted a bedroom so badly she would have slept in A. a lot of people travel on amtrak who can't afford a bedroom, much less a roomette. perhaps you should focus on the positive aspects of your vacation. you were offered another bedroom and you wouldn't take it. that's your problem, not the staffs. i apologize for being so cranky about this, but it just seems a bit overly picky to me.


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## ScottC4746 (Jun 6, 2011)

A.J. said:


> for pete's sake! bedroom A is not THAT much smaller. i agree that you're essentially asking to use another sleeping compartment without having to pay for it. that isn't right. I can see how it's frustrating that the SCA apparently wanted one of the bedrooms for herself, but that's beside the point. if she wanted a bedroom so badly she would have slept in A. a lot of people travel on amtrak who can't afford a bedroom, much less a roomette. perhaps you should focus on the positive aspects of your vacation. you were offered another bedroom and you wouldn't take it. that's your problem, not the staffs. i apologize for being so cranky about this, but it just seems a bit overly picky to me.


At least they did not bump down to a roomette.


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## GG-1 (Jun 9, 2011)

Aloha

Almost do not want to revive this thread as some of th exchanges were heated. But since I had such good service from this Rene




I want to know if we have been talking about the same guy. Sorry I took me so long to get through my pictures and find this. I am still adding to my Southwest Chief gallery pictures from the April-May trip.


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## greatcats (Jun 9, 2011)

GG-1 said:


> Aloha
> 
> Almost do not want to revive this thread as some of th exchanges were heated. But since I had such good service from this Rene
> 
> ...


Yes, that is the Rene I referred to. A good man and an asset to Amtrak.


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## ScottC4746 (Jun 10, 2011)

greatcats said:


> GG-1 said:
> 
> 
> > Aloha
> ...


NOT the same Rene I had. He looks a little like the Rene I had on SS Ltd and agree an asset to Amtrak, but NOT the Rene I had on SWC.


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## pdxjim (Jun 10, 2011)

I agree GG-1, Rene was a great attendant on my trip last August on the SWC. I was in bedroom A because it was the last bedroom on the train. The room is slightly smaller, but big deal. Had a great time other than no water between La Junta and Alburquerque and discovered that when I went to put my contacts in and had compressed air send my lens down the drain. Ah, riding Amtrak is always an adventure!

Jim in PDX


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## ColdRain&Snow (Jun 10, 2011)

ScottC4746 said:


> NOT the same Rene I had. He looks a little like the Rene I had on SS Ltd and agree an asset to Amtrak, but NOT the Rene I had on SWC.


Hmm, so it sounds like there are two different male SCAs named Rene working on the Southwest Chief? Aside from ScottC4746's experience with the other Rene, has anyone else had any experiences with the SCA named Rene that is not the man in the picture above? I guess I am still confused about all of this, especially in light of BlueJeanGirl's post cited above and the fact that the name Rene is a rather unique name for a guy. The odds of having two Sleeping Car Attendants working the same train route with the same unique name of Rene must be astronomical.

I'm not insinuating dishonesty here, but I am sure you can understand why this all seems a bit odd.


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## ScottC4746 (Jun 13, 2011)

ColdRain&Snow said:


> ScottC4746 said:
> 
> 
> > NOT the same Rene I had. He looks a little like the Rene I had on SS Ltd and agree an asset to Amtrak, but NOT the Rene I had on SWC.
> ...


Not so strange in the Hispanic or Filopino culture.


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## amtrakwolverine (Jun 13, 2011)

Cristobal said:


> I don't believe that there is much truth to that at all. When I returned home last Saturday on the CS the SCA, as we were rolling into SJC, pulled the pillowcases off of the pillows that were in my roomette even though it had been a day trip between LAX and SJC. I had actually only been in that room for maybe 1 hour total (the PPC is a wonderful place to sit and socialize  ). She did say that someone was going to be occupying the room again starting at OKJ. My guess is that amtrakwolverine is just repeating a rumor instead of something that he actually witnessed to be true.


I saw it posted on here. I don´t know if it was one of those infamous guest posted ``i´m never riding amtrak again`` posts but someone said that they boarded the sleeper said it was ready yet there was peanut shells in the bed etc and the sca said ´´it´s not my job to change them´´ etc


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## ScottC4746 (Jun 21, 2011)

I contacted Customer Services and received a $100 travel voucher good for one year.


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