New OBS Trainee Train Attendant here! I will be starting my career with Amtrak in January and am very excited! Nice to meet you
Newly hired Amtrak train attendant. Hello👋
- Thread starter TrainAttendantLady
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Congratulations and welcome to Amtrak Unlimited.New OBS Trainee Train Attendant here! I will be starting my career with Amtrak in January and am very excited! Nice to meet you
Thank you very much! I am happy to be here
So happy to "meet" you! Would love to hear your experience as you settle into the job. Some of my best train attendants have been new trainees. In general, they work hard and care for their passengers.
Devil's Advocate
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Agreed.
Nice to "meet" you as well. I have been in working in customer service for 20 years and I am looking forward to working! I know that I cannot make everyone happy,but it is my job to take care of customers and this is what I plan to do in my new career.
I am glad to hear it.
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As long as you attempt to "do the right thing" for the customer, within the boundaries you are given, you'll be appreciated by passengers.
I agree with this!
Cal H
Train Attendant
Welcome aboard @TrainAttendantLady , nice to have you here. Good luck with the new job, hope it's the right fit for you and that you enjoy it.
Hello
Thanks for the warm welcome! I am excited about my new role, just anxious to get started! I've always wanted a job where I could travel and I've lucked out! I've heard that it is very difficult to get hired at Amtrak, so I did not expect to get the offer on the first try. However, I did and jumped onto the opportunity quickly
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Your twenty years of making customers happy are the kind of experience they need, glad to see they recognized that!Hello
Qapla
Engineer
Make sure to let us know what train(s) you work on so we can introduce ourselves if we ride that train
I am glad! I had to endure a panel interview with 11 other finalists. Did not think that I would get it on the first try, but I did. Customer service is not an easy field in, but I love it. 20 years of experience has fibally paid off
Definitely! Just waiting to see where I willl be going for my training!
Always fun to get an insight on hiring practices. All of us here love train travel, and I hope (if you don't already) that you do as well.
caravanman
Engineer
Good luck in your new career! Do be aware that this is a train fans website, and despite the name, has no connection to Amtrak itself, so listen to your trainers, rather than all the amateur "experts" on this site! 
No connection except most are customers. Except for a bit of whining now and then, there’s thoughts to taken notice of.Good luck in your new career! Do be aware that this is a train fans website, and despite the name, has no connection to Amtrak itself, so listen to your trainers, rather than all the amateur "experts" on this site!
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And another enthusiastic welcome! Congrats on the job offer. We really need some new faces on board. If you've travelled on Amtrak you must have noticed that the quality of service varies widely. Many employees really care and do their jobs well, but unfortunately some are burned out or were never really interested in customer service from the beginning.
As you know, employees on trains are split into two very different groups. The railroad staff, such as conductors, assistant conductors and "brakemen" (if that term is still used) work relatively short runs and are mostly responsibly for the safe operation of the train, collecting tickets and dealing with customer issues. Customer service staff, OTOH, work the entire distance of the run, and are responsible for assisting people in coaches, serving people in sleeping cars, and providing food service in the cafe car and dining car, depending on the train.
Are you being hired for a specific specialty, or do you go through a general training and then specialize? Also, do you have any choice or preference for long haul trains or shorter runs like the Northeast corridor? Are you being hired for a specific crew base? If it is at all like the airlines you'll need to work the reserve board for a while until you get enough experience to bid for good runs.
I'd love to hear more about where you applied, where you think you'll be based, and if you are going for a specific role. And within the limits of confidentiality, it would be great to hear how your training goes and some stories about your early experiences. If Amtrak's training and crew assignment is anything like the way they run the railroad, you can expect some confusion and frustration, but when you get through it, I think you'll really like the job.
Keep in touch!
As you know, employees on trains are split into two very different groups. The railroad staff, such as conductors, assistant conductors and "brakemen" (if that term is still used) work relatively short runs and are mostly responsibly for the safe operation of the train, collecting tickets and dealing with customer issues. Customer service staff, OTOH, work the entire distance of the run, and are responsible for assisting people in coaches, serving people in sleeping cars, and providing food service in the cafe car and dining car, depending on the train.
Are you being hired for a specific specialty, or do you go through a general training and then specialize? Also, do you have any choice or preference for long haul trains or shorter runs like the Northeast corridor? Are you being hired for a specific crew base? If it is at all like the airlines you'll need to work the reserve board for a while until you get enough experience to bid for good runs.
I'd love to hear more about where you applied, where you think you'll be based, and if you are going for a specific role. And within the limits of confidentiality, it would be great to hear how your training goes and some stories about your early experiences. If Amtrak's training and crew assignment is anything like the way they run the railroad, you can expect some confusion and frustration, but when you get through it, I think you'll really like the job.
Keep in touch!
Thank you
Noted!No connection except most are customers. Except for a bit of whining now and then, there’s thoughts to taken notice of.
NotedGood luck in your new career! Do be aware that this is a train fans website, and despite the name, has no connection to Amtrak itself, so listen to your trainers, rather than all the amateur "experts" on this site!
Devil's Advocate
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Is the most significant divide really between trainers and customers, or is it between trainers and autonomous OBS fiefdoms?
I'm glad you're on here. Sometimes, Amtrak management comes to AU to check things out, so be aware of your post. Stay strong and positive with yourself. Some of the veteran employees may not be supportive of you. Don't let them get you down.
Do they, really?
Yep, lots of Lazy and Unqualified OBS don't want Newbies to show them up!
This Culture has existed @ Amtrak since the Old Timers from Pre-Amtrak started retiring,and has only gotten worse over the years.
Devil's Advocate
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They’ve reached out to ask me about posts I’ve made in the past so it does seem they really do, at least sometimes.
Wonderful! I am sure all of us in this community with you the best and are eager to meet you!New OBS Trainee Train Attendant here! I will be starting my career with Amtrak in January and am very excited! Nice to meet you
Maybe the List Owners need to start a Merch store. I for one would proudly wear a jacket, hat or pin (or all!) in order to recognize others in the group.
Maybe we could have secret sign or handshake <Insert smiley here>.
Members of the "Cruise Critic" boards wear Mardi Gras beads on the first day to identify themselves.
How about one of these?
How about one of these?
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