Conductors

[Rail Freak]

Do the conductors continually walk thru all cars or do they have a certain place they hang out? :unsure:

 

[AmtrakWPK]

Most of them do walk the train, so to speak, but not continually - usually just for ticket checking or it there is a reported problem. Most of the time, the conductors seem to occupy a seat in the lounge, where they do their paperwork. And of course they are also listening on the hand-held radio to each signal called by the engineer, and they keep track of slow orders and work orders and so forth and remind the engineer of them before they get there. And they take care of passengers doing on-board upgrades, etc. They do a lot more stuff than you might imagine.

 

[Rail Freak]

Most of them do walk the train, so to speak, but not continually - usually just for ticket checking or it there is a reported problem. Most of the time, the conductors seem to occupy a seat in the lounge, where they do their paperwork. And of course they are also listening on the hand-held radio to each signal called by the engineer, and they keep track of slow orders and work orders and so forth and remind the engineer of them before they get there. And they take care of passengers doing on-board upgrades, etc. They do a lot more stuff than you might imagine.

If I have a problem just grab any attendant & they'll relay the message?

What are Slow Orders?

 

[Tony]

Talking to your attendant should always be enough. If they can't help you directly, they will get the right person involved.

However, I have never had any Amtrak employee on board, not be helpful if they can at all be.

 

[the_traveler]

What are Slow Orders?

Slow Orders are just what it sounds like. The train's speed is restricted in a certain area - it must go slow. (Example - the train is authorized to run a certain area at 65 MPH. Because of bad track in an area, it must go no more than 30 MPH for 10 miles. It has been issued Slow Orders for that 10 mile stretch.)

 

[AmtrakWPK]

What are slow orders?

There is a normal speed limit for passenger trains, and a speed limit for freight trains, for any given section of track. If an inspection reveals a track defect in a given section of track, the railroad owning the track will slap a slow order on that section, which reduces the speed limit for all trains traversing that section of track. It could be a small reduction, or a large one, even to 10 mph or less, They can, and sometimes do, call a complete halt to the use of that track section until at least temporary repairs are made. A broken rail would justify something like that. The slow order stays in effect until that track section is repaired and then passes a final up-to-speed inspection. There will also typically be a slow order in any area where there is track work being done, and the train must have the permission of the foreman of the work crew before entering that work area limits. This helps to ensure that all men and equipment are clear of the track and that the track is safe for the travel of the train through that track section. The work foreman will generally tell the engineer what the maximum permitted speed is for that train through the limits of the work order.

There are typically lots of work orders and slow orders, all over the place. In summer, in the South, where the temperature gets very hot, there may be "blanket" slow orders, reducing the maximum speed of all trains because of the danger of a "heat kink", where the rail heats up (and expands) and then it is a contest between the ties/spikes, and the rails, to see which is stronger, the rail kink or the ties and spikes. It was a heat kink, where the rail escaped from the ties and spikes, that caused the Auto-Train derailment, with huge damage and injury and loss of life, a few years back.

Slow orders and work zones obviously tend to wreak havoc with Amtrak's On-Time Performance, because the schedules are based on running at full normal speed.

Railroads have special rolling stock, Track Geometry cars or track inspection cars, that run completely through the rail system on a continuous basis, measuring and testing the track down to very, very small tolerances. When one of those cars finds a track defect, a slow order (or worse) will be put into effect for that track section until it is fixed and re-inspected.

 

[jackal]

They do a lot more stuff than you might imagine.

Indeed. They are far more than just ticket-takers. They spend several weeks training for the position and have to know material from several rulebooks, including (click the links to see just how much material there is):

General Code of Operating Rules (GCOR)

Air Brake and Train Handling Manual (ABTHM)

Hazardous Materials (more applicable to freight trains, but still)

System or Division Special Instructions ("Employee Timetable")

General Orders

Operating Circulars

Safety Manuals

Signal Indications

They are responsible for the safety of the train and the train's compliance with federal rules and regulations, Amtrak rules and regulations, and host railroad rules and regulations (Amtrak conductors have to know the rules and regulations for each host railroad that they work on, which can be several in a single day!).

 

[Rail Freak]

They do a lot more stuff than you might imagine.

Indeed. They are far more than just ticket-takers. They spend several weeks training for the position and have to know material from several rulebooks, including (click the links to see just how much material there is):

General Code of Operating Rules (GCOR)

Air Brake and Train Handling Manual (ABTHM)

Hazardous Materials (more applicable to freight trains, but still)

System or Division Special Instructions ("Employee Timetable")

General Orders

Operating Circulars

Safety Manuals

Signal Indications

They are responsible for the safety of the train and the train's compliance with federal rules and regulations, Amtrak rules and regulations, and host railroad rules and regulations (Amtrak conductors have to know the rules and regulations for each host railroad that they work on, which can be several in a single day!).

Hmmmm,

They should delegate the responsibility of Schooing Lounge Car Hogs off!

:unsure:

 

[chuljin]

Do the conductors continually walk thru all cars or do they have a certain place they hang out? :unsure:

I defer to the other excellent replies as to how often and why conductors walk the train, I can tell you that between trainwalks on the Pacific Surfliner, at least, the conductors 'hang out' in the two four-seater tables right next to the door at the 'engine' end (i.e. front when pulled, back when pushed, right next to the business car) end of the upper level of the cafe car. Especially on busy trains, these tables can wind up completely covered with stacks of tickets they're counting.

 

[Cascadia]

Besides all the paperwork and reports they have to fill out, and all the radio communication they maintain constantly with the engineer, the dispatchers, the stations along the way, etc., I have been on the train when the conductors had to get off to shovel snow and chop ice off switches, while it was coming down hard too, it took a long time plus they had to walk far to do it. One run they had to do that three times in just a couple of short hours.

Also I have seen the conductor kick someone off the train for riding without a ticket AND smoking in the restroom, same person, and hold them til the police came. (They thought the guy was trying to get put in jail so he'd have a place to stay, maybe).

The guys on my train have to know the Canadian rules, which they say are very different and they also say they don't like them.

 

[Campervanman-eurotrip]

Is this the most attractive conducter ever!

(Sorry for the sexist connotation..)

 

[George Harris]

Is this the most attractive conducter ever!(Sorry for the sexist connotation..)

Where ever this is, it is not in the US or Canada. The euqipment tells me that.

 

[caravanman]

The uniform tells you that too!

Bohemian Czech republic, last week, en route to Prague.. Great that the windows open too!

More Pics: Also Budapest at the bottom of screen..

Ed B)

 

[Walt]

Hmmmm,They should delegate the responsibility of Schooing Lounge Car Hogs off!

:unsure:

Delegate? Has anyone ever seen a conductor actually chase off a Lounge Car hog? Well, sternly ask them to leave?

 

[Rafi]

Hmmmm,They should delegate the responsibility of Schooing Lounge Car Hogs off!

:unsure:

Delegate? Has anyone ever seen a conductor actually chase off a Lounge Car hog? Well, sternly ask them to leave?

Sure, in the case of a person in a sleeping bag on the floor of a sightseer overnight, I've seen them be told that the lounge is closed until an announcement has been made (I was in to see the sun rise). Not sure if that's legit or if it's just an easy way to muffle any argument.

-Rafi

 

[Green Maned Lion]

I've seen them read many people the riot act, once on my behest.