Amtrak dining and cafe service

[Cal]

I would think they would rather have one large base out of New York instead of several bases across the east, but hey, what do I know?

 

[crescent-zephyr]

Reading recent posts, it was said that these employees are making over $40 per hour with everything considered.

Amtrak is paying over $40 per hour - the employees aren’t making that. That includes insurance and other expenses that Amtrak has. (They are still over paid if they aren’t doing the basics of their job which includes good customer service skills).

I was under the impression that the Crescent is staffed out of New Orleans.

It’s both. In the past the dining car was staffed out of nyc and attendants were from New Orleans.

 

[jis]

Amtrak is paying over $40 per hour - the employees aren’t making that. That includes insurance and other expenses that Amtrak has. (They are still over paid if they aren’t doing the basics of their job which includes good customer service skills).

I was wondering what is included in the $40. If it includes RRRB payments that in itself is quite a chunk. I presume that it includes health insurance etc. or is that all separately handled thought the Union for unionized employees? I am afraid I am not too familiar about how these things work for Unionized employees, having never been one myself.

 

[TEREB]

I’m currently on the northbound Meteor. Just finished lunch. I was excited to try the enchiladas. Let’s just say I’m glad I packed a chicken cutlet sandwich. Worse meal ever. Now, I make my own enchiladas so I know how they should taste. These had a strange taste. Plus everything was mushy. Like mashed potatoes. Roll tasted raw in the center.
Please bring back the veggie burger!!!

 

[zephyr17]

I would think they would rather have one large base out of New York instead of several bases across the east, but hey, what do I know?

Crescent is crew based out of New Orleans, Silvers out of Miami. Not sure about the LSL, but think it is out of Chicago.

 

[jis]

I would think they would rather have one large base out of New York instead of several bases across the east, but hey, what do I know?

Crew bases are relatively inexpensive and can be placed wherever is most convenient, unlike maintenance facilities which are expensive capital investments to set up and expensive also to keep going. None of the reasons for centralizing maintenance facilities really apply to crew bases.

 

[Dakota 400]

I’m currently on the northbound Meteor. Just finished lunch. I was excited to try the enchiladas. Let’s just say I’m glad I packed a chicken cutlet sandwich. Worse meal ever. Now, I make my own enchiladas so I know how they should taste. These had a strange taste. Plus everything was mushy. Like mashed potatoes. Roll tasted raw in the center. View attachment 22831
Please bring back the veggie burger!!!

The meal is quite unappetizing in appearance.

It’s both. In the past the dining car was staffed out of nyc and attendants were from New Orleans.

I don't know about the dining car, but I do know that my SCA was based/lived in New Orleans.

 

[willem]

Other transportation companies are cognizant of current health issues. Let me cite the current Cunard Line policy for its ships. The point is that some adjustments need to be made because of the pandemic:

"Solo travellers who do not wish to dine independently will have the option to dine with other solo travellers on a socially-distanced table that we will arrange for you on board."

You can find the policy stated in Cunaard's "Sailing with Confidence" website.

The Cunard home page has a pop-up that says

In light of continuing restrictions on international travel we've extended our pause in operations.

Perhaps this renders moot any page discussing dining.

On the other hand, if Cunard were sailing and I were traveling solo on one of the ships, I might rather be at a table with five family members than at a table with five strangers. I'd figure five strangers raises the chances that someone has a disease. Put another way, with members of the same family, if anyone is ill, then likely they all will have been exposed, it's more likely that someone would be symptomatic, and thus the family would be barred.

 

[Cal]

The meal is quite unappetizing in appearance.

Are any of them?

 

[Sidney]

No

 

[Dakota 400]

Are any of them?

No

A Swanson Hungry Man frozen dinner looks better than most of the meals being served. Even the inexpensive Banquet frozen dinners look better!

 

[OBS]

I was under the impression that the Crescent is staffed out of New Orleans.But things have been changing quite a bit since the last time I looked, so it is quite possible I am wrong.

This is correct.

 

[OBS]

Crescent is crew based out of New Orleans, Silvers out of Miami. Not sure about the LSL, but think it is out of Chicago.

This is correct!

 

[OBS]

I was wondering what is included in the $40. If it includes RRRB payments that in itself is quite a chunk. I presume that it includes health insurance etc. or is that all separately handled thought the Union for unionized employees? I am afraid I am not too familiar about how these things work for Unionized employees, having never been one myself.

Health Insurance is handled thru the company so presumably is included in the Average rate quoted.

 

[Mailliw]

Other transportation companies are cognizant of current health issues. Let me cite the current Cunard Line policy for its ships. The point is that some adjustments need to be made because of the pandemic:

"Solo travellers who do not wish to dine independently will have the option to dine with other solo travellers on a socially-distanced table that we will arrange for you on board."

You can find the policy stated in Cunaard's "Sailing with Confidence" website.

I love the idea of seating solo travelers together, pandemic or not. It seems like it'd be much less awkward than being seated with a couple.

 

[Dustyroad]

Other transportation companies are cognizant of current health issues. Let me cite the current Cunard Line policy for its ships. The point is that some adjustments need to be made because of the pandemic:

"Solo travellers who do not wish to dine independently will have the option to dine with other solo travellers on a socially-distanced table that we will arrange for you on board."

You can find the policy stated in Cunaard's "Sailing with Confidence" website.

I'm not trying to argue here but I have sailed and know how packed ships are.
While you are on the Cunard ship you are sailing with how many thousands of other passengers? Who knows how many haven't had the shot. That table wouldn't ease my mind of not getting around infected passengers that don't know they are. Every one has their own steps with what the CDC says is save and letting their confidence take them there.

 

[daybeers]

Crescent is crew based out of New Orleans, Silvers out of Miami. Not sure about the LSL, but think it is out of Chicago.

This is correct!

On 48(6), the dining car attendant was from NY.

 

[lizpackslight]

Our conductor on the Crescent had a distinct New Orleans accent, but I don't know about the rest of the crew.

 

[Bob Dylan]

Our conductor on the Crescent had a distinct New Orleans accent, but I don't know about the rest of the crew.

During the Pandemic, Seniority ruled who worked, many OBS with much Seniority had to bid Routes and assignments that were not their "Regular " jobs, hence you had " Mixed Crews" based in different Crew Bases working Trains.

 

[Devil's Advocate]

Not all people in power are doing a good job....

Indeed. Bolsonaro and Modi remain powerful despite mostly ignoring the problem. Closer to home DeSantis and Abbot have joined their legislatures signing laws ensuring businesses and organizations will be unable to use vaccination status for purposes of lifting restrictions. These laws will apparently force cruise lines to treat vaccinated travelers as if they were unprotected or risk turning ships into floating petri dishes for the unvaccinated. I believe prior federal law prevents states from imposing similar restrictions on interstate airlines but if I'm wrong it might prevent me from traveling internationally despite being fully vaccinated.

 

[jis]

The situation in India is complex. It is almost certain that BJP and hence Modi will keep winning at the federal level until the Congress Party can rid itself of the Italian Mother doting over her Unwilling Son of the Gandhi dynasty from the leadership of the Party, so that it can rebuild itself with a competent leadership, or the most unlikely coaltion of the opposition Parties who mostly cannot stand each other, materializes In New Delhi, after a not so great performance by BJP in the next Parliamentary election many years away - an unlikely thing in and of itself. COVID is but a blip in all of this as it seems, as things go in India.

 

[Cal]

Our conductor on the Crescent had a distinct New Orleans accent, but I don't know about the rest of the crew.

Conductors change every 8-12 hours, they aren't based in an OBS base, they're based somewhere along the route.

 

[crescent-zephyr]

This is correct!

In the past the Crescent and LSL diners were definitely New York based. That may have changed with flex dining of course.

 

[zephyr17]

Our conductor on the Crescent had a distinct New Orleans accent, but I don't know about the rest of the crew.

Train and engine service crews work back between set points. Don't know them for the Crescent.

Onboard service crews work round trips on the whole route from an OBS crewbase. That's New Orleans for the Crescent. OBS crews are not subject to the Federal Hours of Service regulations the operating crews are.

 

[OBS]

On 48(6), the dining car attendant was from NY.

You are right. The Bos section is crewed from CHI. But until recently the Diner attendant was Chi based as well. Must have changed with tri weekly service. The NY Sleepers/Coach attendant are NY jobs.