City of New Orleans (train) discussion

[alanh]

Looks like it ran two hours early as 1059.

 

[bwaisanen1975]

From now until 4/19 or 4/20 CONO trains will be running 2 hours early in both directions due to track work. I found out the hard way, I'm taking this train in a couple of weeks, and when I booked Amtrak didn't say anything, then I got the message. Oh well, it's about the adventure not the destination

 

[Metra Electric Rider]

I thought I saw the CONO heading north around 1:30 on Wednesday afternoon through the south side (assuming since it was Superliners) - I thought it was earlier, typically, than that.

 

[chadamfleetrailfan]

I thought I saw the CONO heading north around 1:30 on Wednesday afternoon through the south side (assuming since it was Superliners) - I thought it was earlier, typically, than that.

Around that time, it's usually either Illini or Saluki heading north through the Chicago area.

 

[chadamfleetrailfan]

Those on tonight's (4/8) #59 out of Chicago will be saddened that there is not a sightseer lounge in the trainset.


I know that CONO sometimes has two on it to help meet CN's axel requirement.

 

[Memphisdoug]

I had the pleasure of riding the CONO from Chicago to New Orleans and then from Memphis back to Chicago a few days ago. I have ridden plenty of Amtrak long distance trains but I would have to say if I was a first time rider this would be my last trip on Amtrak. The trip south was rather uneventful except for one big issue - the food served to sleeper car passengers. I'm not sure it could even be called food. All they have available now is the microwaved in plastic bag crap from the snack car. Buns are chewy. The mac and cheese didn't seem completely cooked. Part of being in a sleeper is the dining experience and this experience was bad. We caught the train northbound in Memphis. The Memphis station is a nasty place that no one seems to want to take care of anymore. Our train was 6 hours late due to weather problems to the south. An extra 6 hours in that station is hell. When the train did arrive it was pouring rain and there isn't much shelter outside the station. We walk along the train until we come to a sleeper with the same car number as my ticket but no open door. Soon two Amtrak employees walk up, open the door, go inside and close the door. I knock on the window and one of the guys opens it and says "What do you want?". I say there are a bunch of sleeper car passengers standing here in the rain and we want to get in. He tells me its not a sleeper car and closes the window. We then get in line with everyone else waiting in the rain to board at the one open door on the train. Finally someone walks by and says that all sleeper car passengers need to go to the 2nd to last car to get on. We do that and finally at close to 5:00 AM we are on the train. Soaking wet but on. I can't believe how bumpy the tracks are for parts of the CONO. This train has a dining car but it is the same crap food as the first car but this time the sleeper car attendant goes and gets it for us. Different rules depending on which way you are going. Once we arrive in Chicago we head over to the Metropolitan Lounge to wait for our next train - the Wolverine. We had to wait for the late train since we missed our connection to the one we were supposed to be on. Why does Amtrak employee the grumpy lady that works behind the lounge desk? She just doesn't seem to like people. I was surprised the Amtrak didn't give us any food vouchers since we had missed our connection. Maybe I needed to seek them out at the ticket office or something. All in all it was a very disappointing trip for us and I imagine others that were on the train.

 

[Bob Dylan]

I had the pleasure of riding the CONO from Chicago to New Orleans and then from Memphis back to Chicago a few days ago. I have ridden plenty of Amtrak long distance trains but I would have to say if I was a first time rider this would be my last trip on Amtrak. The trip south was rather uneventful except for one big issue - the food served to sleeper car passengers. I'm not sure it could even be called food. All they have available now is the microwaved in plastic bag crap from the snack car. Buns are chewy. The mac and cheese didn't seem completely cooked. Part of being in a sleeper is the dining experience and this experience was bad. We caught the train northbound in Memphis. The Memphis station is a nasty place that no one seems to want to take care of anymore. Our train was 6 hours late due to weather problems to the south. An extra 6 hours in that station is hell. When the train did arrive it was pouring rain and there isn't much shelter outside the station. We walk along the train until we come to a sleeper with the same car number as my ticket but no open door. Soon two Amtrak employees walk up, open the door, go inside and close the door. I knock on the window and one of the guys opens it and says "What do you want?". I say there are a bunch of sleeper car passengers standing here in the rain and we want to get in. He tells me its not a sleeper car and closes the window. We then get in line with everyone else waiting in the rain to board at the one open door on the train. Finally someone walks by and says that all sleeper car passengers need to go to the 2nd to last car to get on. We do that and finally at close to 5:00 AM we are on the train. Soaking wet but on. I can't believe how bumpy the tracks are for parts of the CONO. This train has a dining car but it is the same crap food as the first car but this time the sleeper car attendant goes and gets it for us. Different rules depending on which way you are going. Once we arrive in Chicago we head over to the Metropolitan Lounge to wait for our next train - the Wolverine. We had to wait for the late train since we missed our connection to the one we were supposed to be on. Why does Amtrak employee the grumpy lady that works behind the lounge desk? She just doesn't seem to like people. I was surprised the Amtrak didn't give us any food vouchers since we had missed our connection. Maybe I needed to seek them out at the ticket office or something. All in all it was a very disappointing trip for us and I imagine others that were on the train.

Please call Customer Relations ( not Customer Service) and report the crappy Crews and so called Food, and the conditions @ the Memphis Station!(not owned by Amtrak)

You'll have to wait on the phone but this needs to be reported ASAP!

 

[Cal]

What's the dining situation on the CONO?

 

[Charles785]

I had the pleasure of riding the CONO from Chicago to New Orleans and then from Memphis back to Chicago a few days ago. I have ridden plenty of Amtrak long distance trains but I would have to say if I was a first time rider this would be my last trip on Amtrak. The trip south was rather uneventful except for one big issue - the food served to sleeper car passengers. I'm not sure it could even be called food. All they have available now is the microwaved in plastic bag crap from the snack car. Buns are chewy. The mac and cheese didn't seem completely cooked. Part of being in a sleeper is the dining experience and this experience was bad. We caught the train northbound in Memphis. The Memphis station is a nasty place that no one seems to want to take care of anymore. Our train was 6 hours late due to weather problems to the south. An extra 6 hours in that station is hell. When the train did arrive it was pouring rain and there isn't much shelter outside the station. We walk along the train until we come to a sleeper with the same car number as my ticket but no open door. Soon two Amtrak employees walk up, open the door, go inside and close the door. I knock on the window and one of the guys opens it and says "What do you want?". I say there are a bunch of sleeper car passengers standing here in the rain and we want to get in. He tells me its not a sleeper car and closes the window. We then get in line with everyone else waiting in the rain to board at the one open door on the train. Finally someone walks by and says that all sleeper car passengers need to go to the 2nd to last car to get on. We do that and finally at close to 5:00 AM we are on the train. Soaking wet but on. I can't believe how bumpy the tracks are for parts of the CONO. This train has a dining car but it is the same crap food as the first car but this time the sleeper car attendant goes and gets it for us. Different rules depending on which way you are going. Once we arrive in Chicago we head over to the Metropolitan Lounge to wait for our next train - the Wolverine. We had to wait for the late train since we missed our connection to the one we were supposed to be on. Why does Amtrak employee the grumpy lady that works behind the lounge desk? She just doesn't seem to like people. I was surprised the Amtrak didn't give us any food vouchers since we had missed our connection. Maybe I needed to seek them out at the ticket office or something. All in all it was a very disappointing trip for us and I imagine others that were on the train.

Yes, by all means, call customer relations.

In restaurants, hotels, and retailers in general I've found it very rare and unusual to run into customer-facing employees with bad attitudes, but it doesn't seem to be that unusual with Amtrak.

I would guess that most non-unionized employers would simply not tolerate attitude problems with employees and would not hesitate to fire them.

Am I right in that this has to be because Amtrak employees are unionized (for some reason) and they feel they probably can't be fired for customer attitude reasons?

In any event, why do we keep hearing about some Amtrak employees that have no business being in a customer-facing position - whether they be dining car employees, coach or sleeping car attendants or sometimes even conductors - who don't cheerfully serve the customers and sometimes seem to forget they ARE there to serve the customer, not the other way around.

Surely Amtrak must know who these employees are. Can't they be fired? And even though they hold customer-facing jobs will their unions actually defend them if they don't display the best customer people skills?

I've never thought a dedicated, resourceful employee always trying to do their best and putting their best foot forward needed a union anyway.

 

[zephyr17]

It ultimately remains a management responsibility that should not be shrugged aside and palmed off on the unions.

There are many companies that are unionized and yet maintain a competent and productive workforce and one that can provide good customer service. As an example, Disney Parks, often considered leaders in customer satisfaction, are largely unionized. Employee discipline is more involved with an organized labor force but does not have to be non-existent. It is up to management to use the disciplinary processes available to them as well ensuring that they negotiate for fair, but still useful, disciplinary and grievence processes.

Amtrak management appears not to be willing to utilize tools available to them to improve customer service and make it more consistent.

It has to start by Amtrak executive management truly making customer service a genuine priority instead of the object of lip service as it appears today. Customer satisfaction scores need to be a major component of managerial reviews and compensation at all levels. They need to do surveys of customers of recent trips consistently, follow up on negative ones, seriously follow up on complaints, for every person that complains, there are many more that don't but silently will not return. Gathering that data should provide factual grounds to take action when necessary, even with a unionized work force. But that requires a significant investment of management time, focus, and attention that appears to be entirely lacking at Amtrak and has been for many years. Ensuring that is available is the responsibility of executive management in setting the priorities and incentive structure for middle and lower management.

I have often thought that Amtrak ought to recruit their CEO from the hospitality industry, hotel, cruise lines, or Disney. They can get technical expertise for the VP levels. A CEO sets direction and priority.

They also need to get OBS supervision onboard. Free-range OBS crews with little or no immediate supervision is a big part of the problem, IMHO. VIA, which likewise has a unionized work force, is much more consistent in their onboard service. My opinion is that this is in no small part due to every train having an empowered Service Manager onboard that is the direct supervisor of the crew.

It has to start with management.

 

[PaTrainFan]

I agree, Amtrak's customer relations issues cannot be pinned on unions. Airlines are unionized and while you have the occasional rogue employee, most are well trained and courteous.

 

[west point]

Amtrak has made it become a chicken and egg problem. Amtrak has no reason / interest in getting on board service improvements. Amtrak can sell the few available seats without making riders have a very comfortable trip. Until Amtrak is required to operate and sell seats on 80% of all its rolling stock Amtrak will have no incentive to get its trains up to best service. Along that line that IMO is a prime reason that food service is so poor.

 

[Asher]

I agree, Amtrak's customer relations issues cannot be pinned it on unions. Airlines are unionized and while you have the occasional rogue employee, most are well trained and courteous.

Speaking of airline employees, some are jacked around having to fly standby across the country to get to a flight they are working. Its no wonder they come up short with patience on occasion. Not that it's right. I'm sure Amtrak employees sometimes are put in the same situations.

 

[Cal]

I'm sure Amtrak employees sometimes are put in the same situations.

Well, I don’t think Any Amtrak employees have to commute halfway across the country to get to work… but any customer service job will test your patience.

 

[Bonser]

Yes, by all means, call customer relations.

In restaurants, hotels, and retailers in general I've found it very rare and unusual to run into customer-facing employees with bad attitudes, but it doesn't seem to be that unusual with Amtrak.

I would guess that most non-unionized employers would simply not tolerate attitude problems with employees and would not hesitate to fire them.

Am I right in that this has to be because Amtrak employees are unionized (for some reason) and they feel they probably can't be fired for customer attitude reasons?

In any event, why do we keep hearing about some Amtrak employees that have no business being in a customer-facing position - whether they be dining car employees, coach or sleeping car attendants or sometimes even conductors - who don't cheerfully serve the customers and sometimes seem to forget they ARE there to serve the customer, not the other way around.

Surely Amtrak must know who these employees are. Can't they be fired? And even though they hold customer-facing jobs will their unions actually defend them if they don't display the best customer people skills?

I've never thought a dedicated, resourceful employee always trying to do their best and putting their best foot forward needed a union anyway.

It has nothing to do with unions. Airline employees are unionized as are many servers in restaurants. It has everything to do with Amtrak’s lack of resolve in training good employees and enforcing existing rules.

 

[JamesWhitcombRiley]

I've never thought a dedicated, resourceful employee always trying to do their best and putting their best foot forward needed a union anyway.

The Pullman Porters union (Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters) is such an interesting part of labor history. On the other hand, no one wants Amtrak to become the US Postal Service of the 1990s (I knew people that worked there). On the other-other hand, the USPS is no longer known for workplace shootings. Package and mail delivery, coincidentally, moved from Amtrak to private services, which then began to contract with USPS. I'm always amazed to see those white trucks delivering for Amazon on Sunday.

They also need to get OBS supervision onboard. Free-range OBS crews with little or no immediate supervision is a big part of the problem, IMHO. VIA, which likewise has a unionized work force, is much more consistent in their onboard service. My opinion is that this is in no small part due to every train having an empowered Service Manager onboard that is the direct supervisor of the crew.

Key.

 

[MARC Rider]

It ultimately remains a management responsibility that should not be shrugged aside and palmed off on the unions.

There are many companies that are unionized and yet maintain a competent and productive workforce and one that can provide good customer service.

I once knew a guy who was a shop steward for a teacher's union. He said that when disciplinary issues arose, the union would investigate and most of the time would side with the management. The point of the union was to support the workers in those few other times when management was out of line.

I agree, Amtrak's customer relations issues cannot be pinned on unions. Airlines are unionized and while you have the occasional rogue employee, most are well trained and courteous.

Actually, in my experience, most Amtrak customer-facing employees are also well-trained and courteous.

Well, I don’t think Any Amtrak employees have to commute halfway across the country to get to work… but any customer service job will test your patience.

Well, I've had some Amtrak folks tell me that they have to commute fairly long distances to get to work. I mean having to ride from Washington to New York (3 hours) would be the equivalent of an airline employee commuting "halfway across the country." I would be even more of a chore if the employee has to drive a hundred miles or so to their duty station (especially in the Northeast with its traffic!).

 

[John Santos]

Well, I don’t think Any Amtrak employees have to commute halfway across the country to get to work… but any customer service job will test your patience.

Actually, the first time I rode the EB all the way to Seattle, I saw my SCA in the waiting room after collecting my checked bags. She said she was waiting for the east-bound EB to go home to Shelby (or one of those other towns east of Glacier), where she lived. She told my she as based in Seattle and took the EB there, worked a round trip Chicago and back (maybe twice? but that would be 12 nights!), went home to Shelby (overnight) and had about a week off. Longest commute I ever heard of, but I guess she loved riding trains and living in Northern MT!

 

[crescent-zephyr]

All they have available now is the microwaved in plastic bag crap from the snack car. Buns are chewy. The mac and cheese didn't seem completely cooked.

Do they not allow you to order anything from the menu? There are usually several items other than microwave items at the cafe car.

The Memphis station is a nasty place that no one seems to want to take care of anymore.

It's been a few years but Central Station was always a decent place in my experiences. I wouldn't say luxurious but certainly not nasty.

 

[railiner]

I

Well, I don’t think Any Amtrak employees have to commute halfway across the country to get to work… but any customer service job will test your patience.

I used to know an OBS employee that worked the CZ out of Chicago (6 days on, 6 days off, I believe), that commuted to Chicago from/to New Orleans on the City….

 

[Cal]

Actually, the first time I rode the EB all the way to Seattle, I saw my SCA in the waiting room after collecting my checked bags. She said she was waiting for the east-bound EB to go home to Shelby (or one of those other towns east of Glacier), where she lived. She told my she as based in Seattle and took the EB there, worked a round trip Chicago and back (maybe twice? but that would be 12 nights!), went home to Shelby (overnight) and had about a week off. Longest commute I ever heard of, but I guess she loved riding trains and living in Northern MT!

I

I used to know an OBS employee that worked the CZ out of Chicago (6 days on, 6 days off, I believe), that commuted to Chicago from/to New Orleans on the City….

Alright I stand corrected. Wow! I wonder if they tended to be a nicer and better employee, being subjected to Amtrak themselves.

 

[basketmaker]

Transition sleepers are cars that have a door on one end that can access the baggage car. And it’s used for the crew but they will sell revenue roomettes if needed. It is not unique to the CONO.

https://www.craigmashburn.com/amtrakcardiagrams.html
View attachment 35611

My favorite accommodations car. Little foot traffic, quiet and amicable crew. Did DEN-EMY and enjoyed it immensely.

 

[Traveller]

City of New Orleans - Will they serve dinner?

The CONO departure time for leaving Chicago on the 18 September has changed. It was 8:05pm but is now brought forward to 7:05pm.

As it is earlier, will they serve dinner immediately it leaves Union station or not at all?

Thanks for any insight.

Edit: Are flex meals served in the diner/cafe car or only in the passenger's room?

 

[Cal]

City of New Orleans - Will they serve dinner?

The CONO departure time for leaving Chicago on the 18 September has changed. It was 8:05pm but is now brought forward to 7:05pm.

As it is earlier, will they serve dinner immediately it leaves Union station or not at all?

Thanks for any insight.

Edit: Are flex meals served in the diner/cafe car or only in the passenger's room?

They already served dinner at the previous departure time, so I think they will definitely serve dinner now.

 

[Traveller]

They already served dinner at the previous departure time, so I think they will definitely serve dinner now.

Thanks Cal