Does anyone know that if the attendants are working a long distance train if they get to sleep at all or they have to be awake the whole time?
Do long distance train attendants get to sleep?
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Car attendant are supposed to be off duty from about 10 pm to about 6 am. I may have the hours a bit wrong, but they do have off duty time en route and it is in that range. It can also vary a bit due to requirements of different trains.
They'll prepare roomettes for those boarding overnight before going off duty. Conductors will handle boarding and detraining passengers for the car during an attendant's off duty hours.
On Superliner sleepers, attendants are assigned roomette 1. Often, they sit in them and have supplies in them, but usually do not sleep in them if the train has a transition-dormitory. They'll usually have a room in the transdorm to sleep in and go back to their assigned car upon going back on duty at around 6 (and starting the coffee pot).
Note also they work round trips. A car attendant on, say, the Seattle section of the Empire Builder, is based in Seattle. They'll work the train for 3 days to Chicago, rest overnight, and return and work the train back to Seattle the next day. That is 6 very long days.
This is very different from the operating crews. Operating crews are strictly limited to 12 hours maximum on duty which must be followed by a minimum 8 hours off duty by Federal Hours of Service regulations, which must be off the train. Engineers and conductors work between defined crew bases/terminals where the running time between is usually considerably less than 12 hours. Once a crew reaches 12 hours the train stops, wherever it is. This is known as "dying on the law" and is a situation that is strenuously avoided.
One peculiarity about Amtrak is its labor contracts with the engineers calls for two engineers to be in cab for any run scheduled over 6 hours. Amtrak, understandably, prefers not have two engineers if it can reasonably be helped, so in some cases engineer districts and conductor districts vary. An example is the Empire Builder, both conductors and engineers have their "home" terminal in Seattle. Engineers work to an "away" terminal in Wenatchee where a Spokane based engineer takes over. Conductors work to their "away" terminal in Spokane.
Acela150
Super Buff
Having worked OBS, yes they definitely get some sleep.
Interesting. I struck up a conversation with a conductor waiting on the platform at Orlando, and he told me it was a crew change point for conductors, but not engineers. Now I know why,
Someone once posted that Sleeping Car Attendants (SCAs) are only guaranteed four (4) hours of sleep per night.
Maglev
Conductor
On the Empire Builder, the SCA opens the sleeper door at Spokane, in the middle of the night.
Spokane is one of the places where the requirements of the route cause it to vary. Sacramento on 14 is another one. Very late night/early morning stops with significant turnover need the attendant to turn rooms. Conductors will open the door and show a passenger to their seat/room, they don't change bedding.
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crescent-zephyr
Engineer
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Which is why they get lots of days off after that 6 day run. Isn't it like 6 days on and 6 days off for a train like that?
In practice I've often seen SCA's greet passengers or open the door in the middle of the night at stations of all sizes.
Also don't forget the Coach Attendants - I've seen them trade out so that 1 attendant handles all of the coaches while the other gets some sleep.
I seem to recall it is actually more for those on regular bid jobs. I think the Builder crews on regular bid jobs take about 2 trips per month.
Those on the extra board can get called for another job with minimal time off though. There is probably a minimum rest time for folks on the extra board in the contract somewhere, but I don't know what it is. I do know being available to work is a condition for getting their guaranteed monthly minimum payment.
trimetbusfan
OBS Chief
Yes, but only for the attendants that are senior enough to hold a permanent job.
The younger ones on extraboard only get 48 hours before going back on call.
crescent-zephyr
Engineer
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What does that mean in practice? Like can't you "bid" for a permanent job whenever but it's filled based on seniority?
So, for example, you can spend a couple years in Chicago on the extra board or you can move to Miami (example) and get a regular schedule if you want? Or am I totally wrong?
Bidding, seniority rights, and working conditions vary by craft, location and are governed by regulations in some cases, and union contract agreements in all cases.
In general, seniority governs ones choice in job selection, and all jobs may be periodically up for a “pick”, or sometimes only vacancies.
Usually, those with higher seniority will select the more desirable specific assignments, and those with lower seniority will get what remains, when it is their turn to pick. Sometimes someone will choose the extra board over an “undesirable” regular assignment, and then if no one takes it, it will be force-assigned in reverse seniority order.
Extra boards cover short term vacancies, or extra assignments not covered on a regular basis. Most extra boards receive a “guaranteed” wage, but not all. Someone who is “hungry”, can make more working the extra board in busy times than they would working a regular assignment, however, someone on a regular assignment can make themselves available for overtime work, once the extra board is exhausted…
In general, seniority governs ones choice in job selection, and all jobs may be periodically up for a “pick”, or sometimes only vacancies.
Usually, those with higher seniority will select the more desirable specific assignments, and those with lower seniority will get what remains, when it is their turn to pick. Sometimes someone will choose the extra board over an “undesirable” regular assignment, and then if no one takes it, it will be force-assigned in reverse seniority order.
Extra boards cover short term vacancies, or extra assignments not covered on a regular basis. Most extra boards receive a “guaranteed” wage, but not all. Someone who is “hungry”, can make more working the extra board in busy times than they would working a regular assignment, however, someone on a regular assignment can make themselves available for overtime work, once the extra board is exhausted…
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Actually in my experience the sleeping car attendants get up to handle the overnight stops. They plan their night's sleep based on the stops they have to get up for - if there's a bunch they may split them with another car attendant so that they can all get some amount of sleep but I'm not 100% sure how they share that. I have gotten off at Florence at zero dark thirty on 97 a number of times and it has been my car attendant that lets me off.
andytiedye
Train Attendant
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The SCA might want to be at the door when passengers detrain so he has some chance of getting tips.
The train conductor has a list of passengers and knows who will be boarding and leaving the train at every stop. The SCA usually goes to bed around 11pm and gets al rooms prepared for those boarding after that time. The then conductor takes over. If there are no passengers expected at a stop at night, the door to the sleeper may not even open. The SCA's do sleep and I would guess the average time is about 6 hours. AFAIK, they stay with the train the entire way.
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Except on the Texas Eagle where the sleeping car attendants change at San Antonio. One works the Texas Eagle sleeping car between Chicago and San Antonio and another works the car between San Antonio and LA.
The same is true on the VIA Canadian where the sleeping car attendants change at Winnipeg. I believe the kitchen and dining car staff may also change at Winnipeg, at least they did pre-VIA on both the CP Canadian and the CN Super Continental. Updates and corrections would be welcome.
You are correct Sir!
Entire OBS staff changes at Winnipeg. A few might be asked to stay on if incoming crew is short staffed, but usually in a different role. For example on one trip a Prestige concierge/Park attendant Vancouver-Winnipeg was asked to stay on and worked Winnipeg-Toronto as a Sleeper Plus car attendant on the same train.
