# Crew Change Points



## saxman (Jul 23, 2009)

I was wondering what all the crew change points for the LD trains are. I know many but can't seem to figure them out. Here's what I know: base means that the train crew is station there. IE: Marshall is a change point and layover point for the crews but no one is actually based there. Am I right?

Texas Eagle:

Chicago- b

St Louis- b

Little Rock- b

Marshall

Fort Worth- b

San Antonio- b

Empire Builder:

Chicago- b

Winona- b

St Cloud

Minot- b

Shelby?

Whitefish?

Spokane- b

Portland- b

Seattle- b

Sunset Limited:

New Orleans- b

Beaumont

San Antonio- b

Alpine?

not sure of the rest

Anyone else know the crew change points and all the bases crews are stationed at? Keep in mind I'm talking operating crew and not the on board service crew. I know they travel the entire route.


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## Bob Dylan (Jul 23, 2009)

On the TE the diner crew gets off in Austin/rejoins in the AM for #22 North/also the engineer(s)

change here!Ive seen 1 and 2 engineers change, dont know if there are trainees or what,the station

agents werent sure!


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## stntylr (Jul 23, 2009)

jimhudson said:


> On the TE the diner crew gets off in Austin/rejoins in the AM for #22 North/also the engineer(s)change here!Ive seen 1 and 2 engineers change, dont know if there are trainees or what,the station
> 
> agents werent sure!


I saw the engineers change on TE #21 in Austin back on Monday.


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## battalion51 (Jul 24, 2009)

Regionals:

BOS-NHV

NHV-NYP

NYP-WAS

WAS-RVR/NPN

Acela:

WAS-NYP

NYP-BOS

Silver Star:

NYP-WAS

WAS-RGH (Engineer WAS-RVR RVR-RGH)

RGH-HAM

HAM-JAX

JAX-TPA

TPA-MIA

Silver Meteor/Palmetto:

NYP-WAS

WAS-FLO (Engineer WAS-RVR RVR-FLO)

FLO-JAX (SAV for Palmetto)

JAX-MIA

Vermonter:

WAS-NYP

NYP-NHV

NHV-SPG

SPG-SAB (Engineer SPG-BRA BRA-SAB)

Empire Service:

NYP-ALB

ALB-NFN (Engineer ALB-SYR SYR-NFN)

Adirondack/Ethan Allen:

NYP-ALB

ALB-RUD/MTL

Lake Shore:

NYP/BOS-ALB

ALB-CLE (Engineer ALB-SYR SYR-BUF BUF-TOL)

CLE-CHI (Engineer TOL-CHI)

Capitol Limited:

WAS-PGH (Engineer WAS-CUM CUM-PGH)

PGH-CHI (Engineer PGH-TOL TOL-CHI)

Crescent (Engineers, don't know about Conductors):

NYP-WAS

WAS-CVS

CVS-CLT

CLT-ATL

ATL-MEI

MEI-NOL

Auto Train:

SFA-XFL

XFL-LOR


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## ALC Rail Writer (Jul 24, 2009)

> Lake Shore:NYP/BOS-ALB
> 
> ALB-CLE (Engineer ALB-SYR SYR-BUF BUF-TOL)
> 
> ...


Not too sure about that buddy. Amtrak has been hiring conductors for TOL. I have also seen conductors get off in TOL.

It takes the CL about 6 hours to reach TOL from CHI. The Conductors may have to pull the train out of the yard and board after a safety briefing with the crew. This means they work about 1-2 hours before their 6 hour journey. They may not outlaw until 12 hours but Amtrak likes to keep their shifts at or under 8 hours (as does the union).


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## battalion51 (Jul 24, 2009)

I could be wrong, but that's how it was the last time I knew. One of my friends used to work as a Conductor to Cleveland from Albany on the LSL back in the day, so that's what I was going based off of.


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## had8ley (Jul 24, 2009)

The CONO changes engineers in Jackson while the train crew goes on to Greenwood, MS


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## CREW-DORM #2524 (Jul 24, 2009)

battalion51 said:


> Capitol Limited:WAS-PGH (Engineer WAS-CUM CUM-PGH)
> 
> PGH-CHI (Engineer PGH-TOL TOL-CHI)



WAS-PGH Cond/AC

WAS-CUM Egr

CUM-PGH Egr

PGH-TOL Egr & Cond/AC

TOL-CHI Egr & Cond/AC


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## Acela150 (Jul 24, 2009)

Why do the regionals change crews in NHV? I could never understand that. Why can't it be like Acela NYP-BOS?


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## battalion51 (Jul 24, 2009)

It's all because of the Unions (and I'm pro-Union, so don't mistake my comments as disdain). Essentially the prior rights rules that date back to the New Haven RR days dictate that there has to be a separate crew for NHV-NYP and NHV-BOS. There used to be the same rule with the Meteor's Engineer for JAX-SAV and then when the last person covered by prior rights retired they were able to set the job to work JAX-FLO. The Acelas are not covered by prior rights because that service did not exist when the contracts were written.


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## EB_OBS (Jul 24, 2009)

saxman66 said:


> I was wondering what all the crew change points for the LD trains are. I know many but can't seem to figure them out. Here's what I know: base means that the train crew is station there. IE: Marshall is a change point and layover point for the crews but no one is actually based there. Am I right?
> Empire Builder:
> 
> Chicago- b
> ...



Empire Builder

Chicago - Crew base

Winona - Layover stop for crews from SCD and CHI

St. Cloud - Crew base

Minot - Layover stop for crews from SCD and SBY

Shelby - Crew base

Whitefish - BNSF crew base, layover stop for AMTRAK engineer from SBY and SPK

Spokane - Crew base (engineers only) and layover stop for crews from SEA and SBY

Wenatchee - Layover stop for engineers only from SEA and SPK

Pasco - Layover stop for engineers only from PDX and SPK

Portland - Crew base

Seattle - Crew base

I think there is an engineer change between Spokane & Portland also. I'm not sure but I'll find out.

edit... engineer swap in Pasco, WA


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## battalion51 (Jul 25, 2009)

There is a change halfway between on both the SEA and PDX side for the Engineers.


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## EB_OBS (Jul 25, 2009)

For a little bit more detail here's an example of the Shelby, MT T&E crew's schedule

Day 1- Train 7/27 departs SBY at 5:22pm, engineer swap at Whitefish, arrive into SPK around 1:30am, layover in SPK

Day 2- Engineer picks up train #8, departs WFH at 7:46am and returns to Shelby, Conductors layover all day in SPK

Day 3- Train 8/28 departs SPK at 1:15am, arrives into SBY at 11:30am, they go home overnight.

Day 4- Train 8/28 departs SBY at 11:30am, arrives into Minot, ND around 9:00pm, layover in MOT overnight

Day 5- Train 7/27 departs MOT at 8:30am, arrives into Shelby, MT around 5:00pm, conductors then have two days off


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## saxman (Jul 25, 2009)

ez223 said:


> For a little bit more detail here's an example of the Shelby, MT T&E crew's schedule
> Day 1- Train 7/27 departs SBY at 5:22pm, engineer swap at Whitefish, arrive into SPK around 1:30am, layover in SPK
> 
> Day 2- Engineer picks up train #8, departs WFH at 7:46am and returns to Shelby, Conductors layover all day in SPK
> ...


Shelby to Minot is quite a distance compared the other changes for the engineers. Surely there's the engineer change in between Minot and Shelby.


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## JayPea (Jul 25, 2009)

saxman66 said:


> ez223 said:
> 
> 
> > For a little bit more detail here's an example of the Shelby, MT T&E crew's schedule
> ...



Several years ago a Spokane TV station did a special on the Empire Builder. It was mentioned then that the Minot-Shelby run is the longest run on the Empire Builder without a crew change.


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## EB_OBS (Jul 25, 2009)

saxman66 said:


> ez223 said:
> 
> 
> > For a little bit more detail here's an example of the Shelby, MT T&E crew's schedule
> ...


I think the better stretches of double-track between Shelby and Minot make for much less freight congestion. The train is on mostly flat land as opposed to the rocky mountains west of Shelby. Flathead tunnel delays going west and the schedule padding at Minot all add up to less chance of the T&E crew going over their Hours of Service between Shelby and Minot. Additionally it's daytime travel as opposed to darkness. I know there are FRA regulations and/or BNSF requirements that either the engineer be relieved mid-way or two engineers be on-board for the entire trip betweens SEA/PDX & SPK and SPK & SBY. The night-time running and more difficulty replacing the crew at night may be the deciding reason why the engineer is replaced at Whitefish, Wenatchee and Pasco.


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## printman2000 (Jul 26, 2009)

Does not seem anyone has done the Southwest Chief. While I do not know about crew bases, here is what I believe are crew change points..

Chicago

Kansas City

La Junta

Albuquerque

Flagstaff

???????

Los Angeles

From Flagstaff to LA is scheduled to be about 11 hours so there is most likely another change somewhere in there, but not sure where.


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## BlueJeanGirl (Jul 26, 2009)

AFAIK...

Chicago

Kansas City

_DDG_

La Junta

Albuquerque

Flagstaff _no, not FLG_

_KNG...where the temp was 97 when we got in at 1am last night_

Los Angeles

Travel light!

~BJG



printman2000 said:


> Does not seem anyone has done the Southwest Chief. While I do not know about crew bases, here is what I believe are crew change points..
> Chicago
> 
> Kansas City
> ...


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## rtabern (Jul 26, 2009)

I have seen a crew change once recently on the EB at Havre, MT. I'm not sure if they did this because we were running late and the Shelby to Minot crew would have run out of hours or what... but the conductors definitely swapped out there for new ones!! Again, maybe it was a rare 1-time thing?


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## Bob Dylan (Jul 26, 2009)

BlueJeanGirl said:


> AFAIK...
> Chicago
> 
> Kansas City
> ...


Have seen your 2 posts today,I take it you are an SA/do you always work COACH(are you on the extra board?),

I haven t been on the SWC yet,hope to run into you someday along the way! :lol: (pun intneded!)


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## BlueJeanGirl (Jul 26, 2009)

I'm a LAX-based conductor, working as an AC, generally on LAX/SAN runs, but not on the xboard if I can avoid it.

And absolutely! AUs are more than welcome on my trains! 

Travel light!

~BJG



jimhudson said:


> Have seen your 2 posts today,I take it you are an SA/do you always work COACH(are you on the extra board?),I haven t been on the SWC yet,hope to run into you someday along the way! :lol: (pun intneded!)


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## Bob Dylan (Jul 26, 2009)

BlueJeanGirl said:


> I'm a LAX-based conductor, working as an AC, generally on LAX/SAN runs, but not on the xboard if I can avoid it.
> And absolutely! AUs are more than welcome on my trains!
> 
> Travel light!
> ...


Thanks, can I get a low bucket upgrade on your trains? :lol:


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## ALC Rail Writer (Jul 27, 2009)

jimhudson said:


> BlueJeanGirl said:
> 
> 
> > I'm a LAX-based conductor, working as an AC, generally on LAX/SAN runs, but not on the xboard if I can avoid it.
> ...


She doesn't work with sleepers currently.


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## BlueJeanGirl (Jul 27, 2009)

You bet! No problem!**

:lol:

Travel light!

~BJG

**This is a limited-time offer, good between SNC-SNP, before 9am, on the third Thursday of the month, during the monsoon.



jimhudson said:


> Thanks, can I get a low bucket upgrade on your trains? :lol:


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## saxman (Jul 27, 2009)

BlueJeanGirl said:


> You bet! No problem!**
> :lol:
> 
> Travel light!
> ...


Do you ever work the other long distance trains out of LAX? I'm curious to know those change points for ya'll.


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## BlueJeanGirl (Jul 29, 2009)

Again, not if I can help it. 14/11 crew change in SLO, is all I know about that - I haven't ever worked 14/11.

1/2 are a different xboard, and until they get going daily, I choose to stay on the SAN runs 

Sorry. Move along folks. No information here, nothing to look at :lol:

Travel light!

~BJG



> Do you ever work the other long distance trains out of LAX? I'm curious to know those change points for ya'll.


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## AlanB (Aug 1, 2009)

battalion51 said:


> Acela150 said:
> 
> 
> > Why do the regionals change crews in NHV? I could never understand that. Why can't it be like Acela NYP-BOS?
> ...


The practice started because New Haven was where the electrification ended and one needed to swap the electric motor for the diesel engine to reach Boston.

It continued today because of what Battalion51 stated.


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