CONO getting chef back?

[NativeSon5859]

Amtrak is hiring a Chef/Food Specialist in NOL. Good sign that the Chicken Bone Express will be seeing improved meal service in the not-too-distant future?

 

[Bob Dylan]

Amtrak is hiring a Chef/Food Specialist in NOL. Good sign that the Chicken Bone Express will be seeing improved meal service in the not-too-distant future?

Isn't the CONO staffed out of Chicago?

This is good news if the CCC will once again have a Chef no matter where they're based!

 

[Thirdrail7]

Amtrak is hiring a Chef/Food Specialist in NOL. Good sign that the Chicken Bone Express will be seeing improved meal service in the not-too-distant future?

Not necessarily. The position title remains but the function differs slightly between the two titles. I look at the posting as a search for someone qualified to work either kind of car.

 

[cirdan]

There are two other trains that end at NOL so it could be for any of these.

 

[NativeSon5859]

Crescent's diner is NYP based. Sunset is entirely LAX based for OBS.

 

[Triley]

Crescent's diner is NYP based. Sunset is entirely LAX based for OBS.

They are talking about shaking up the Crescent crews from what I read, but I have no details on what that entails right now, other than looking in to moving jobs around to another crew base.

 

[Thirdrail7]

Crescent's diner is NYP based. Sunset is entirely LAX based for OBS.

They are talking about shaking up the Crescent crews from what I read, but I have no details on what that entails right now, other than looking in to moving jobs around to another crew base.

It's not talk. It is likely reality. The NYP likely pool at NOL.

 

[Bob Dylan]

How many NYP OBS with Seniority would want to leave the Apple for the Crescent City?

Will be interesting to see what goes down!

 

[Triley]

Crescent's diner is NYP based. Sunset is entirely LAX based for OBS.

They are talking about shaking up the Crescent crews from what I read, but I have no details on what that entails right now, other than looking in to moving jobs around to another crew base.

It's not talk. It is likely reality. The NYP likely pool at NOL.

I don't follow much about the goings in NY, so I wasn't sure how true it was. Saw a comment on a post regarding the upcoming NY union meeting. Thanks for letting me know, though.

Any reason in particular they're moving the jobs, I wonder?

 

[manchacrr]

Amtrak is hiring a Chef/Food Specialist in NOL. Good sign that the Chicken Bone Express will be seeing improved meal service in the not-too-distant future?

Isn't the CONO staffed out of Chicago?

This is good news if the CCC will once again have a Chef no matter where they're based!

The CONO is staffed out of New Orleans. All the sleeper/coach attendants and the dining staff in the CCC, including the LSA, are from the New Orleans area.

 

[Palmetto]

Is it a chef, or a cook?

http://www.reluctantgourmet.com/difference-cook-chef/

After reading the above, it's not easy to tell what Amtrak employs.

 

[Palmland]

Based strictly on a limited sample of maybe a half dozen trips, my impression is that NOLA crews are more efficient and friendlier than those from NYP on east coast trains. My best Amtrak meal (perfectly cooked and spiced catfish dinner) and drink (Bloody Mary with attendant's Carribbean spices) were on the CONO. The meal was maybe 10 years ago and the drink several years ago. They seem to try harder and work as a team.

 

[Triley]

Based strictly on a limited sample of maybe a half dozen trips, my impression is that NOLA crews are more efficient and friendlier than those from NYP on east coast trains. My best Amtrak meal (perfectly cooked and spiced catfish dinner) and drink (Bloody Mary with attendant's Carribbean spices) were on the CONO. The meal was maybe 10 years ago and the drink several years ago. They seem to try harder and work as a team.

We are forbidden from adding anything to food or drinks that Amtrak does not tell us to add, in case of allergies, and to maintain standards from trip to trip. Not to mention anything not supplied by Amtrak is not allowed in any food service/preparation areas, due to FDA rules we are forced to comply with.

So if anyone has an experience such as this that's more recent or in the future, you may want to be careful about sharing details. When it comes to the FDA, I've had co-workers written up for far less. I'd go in to some silly examples, but that's a topic for another thread!

 

[Palmland]

Thanks for the tip, Triley. But, I thought at one time Amtrak approved the Chef using their own spices - maybe they were supplied by Amtrak? Obviously now little if anything is done prior to nuking the food.

 

[Shortline]

How nice would a real Bloody Mary be, not just a can of mix and a bottle of vodka in a 6 oz plastic cup......

 

[Thirdrail7]

Any reason in particular they're moving the jobs, I wonder?

One word: Optimization. It has been going on for quite some time. Some crew bases/sign up locations have been realigned, downsized and closed while in other cases, runs have been altered.

Here is an extreme example:

Amtrak relocating half its Denver train crew to Nebraska

Please allow a brief "fair use" quote:

Amtrak relocating half its Denver train crew to Nebraska

By Danika Worthington | [email protected] | The Denver Post

Amtrak hopes to save nearly $1 million a year by moving half of its Denver-based train crew to Lincoln, Neb.

If all 21 employees agree to the move, no one will lose their job, company spokesman Marc Magliari said. The employees will retain their seniority with the company, he said.

The change affects only conductors and engineers working on the California Zephyr east of Denver. The train service will not be interrupted and the remaining 21-person train crew will work the train between Denver and Grand Junction, he said.

There are many factors weighed when these decisions are made. Sometimes, it doesn't work out as intended and the savings don't come to fruition. Indeed, some times it may cost more money due to operational factors. However, in this case, it may cost less to house crews in NY in the long run than New Orleans. It may cost less in transportation fees since the hotel in NYP is generally nearby. Maybe they are trying to keep the NOL crew together as Palmland mentioned. That way you don't have a NYP dining crew working with a NOL train crew.

We'll see what happens next.

Thanks for the tip, Triley. But, I thought at one time Amtrak approved the Chef using their own spices - maybe they were supplied by Amtrak? Obviously now little if anything is done prior to nuking the food.

That was a long time ago.

 

[Carolina Special]

When I took a round trip on the Crescent last fall, one sleeping car attendant was based out of New Orleans and the other out of New York.

What I found interesting was that the NY based attendant actually lived in Charlotte, NC. He used two of his four consecutive days off commuting back and forth to NY on the train. I've been curious how common this is.

 

[Triley]

When I took a round trip on the Crescent last fall, one sleeping car attendant was based out of New Orleans and the other out of New York.

What I found interesting was that the NY based attendant actually lived in Charlotte, NC. He used two of his four consecutive days off commuting back and forth to NY on the train. I've been curious how common this is.

Common enough. I know of an LSA in Vermont that commutes to Chicago. It's no longer a secret that once I get enough seniority I want to transfer to and commute to Chicago and spend some time working long hauls. 6 days on, 8 days off. Not sure if I would commute using the Lake Shore Limited (usually for free), or fly United non-stop for about $50 each way.

 

[Gulfwind2]

When I took a round trip on the Crescent last fall, one sleeping car attendant was based out of New Orleans and the other out of New York.

What I found interesting was that the NY based attendant actually lived in Charlotte, NC. He used two of his four consecutive days off commuting back and forth to NY on the train. I've been curious how common this is.

I know the fellow you're talking about: a fine company asset indeed. I have also tried exploring how common such a commute is and I have concluded that out of state commutes among LD OBS crews are nearly somewhat common. Although Charlotte to New York is the most extraordinary case I have ever witnessed.

 

[Bob Dylan]

Lots of the LD OBS Crews that work out of Chicago have told me they don't actually live in Chicago, but commute from Cities like Milwaukee,Galesburg,St.Louis,South Bend,Toledo and even Cleveland!

I had an SCA on the Crescent that lived in Pittsburgh and commuted to NYP for work!

 

[tommylicious]

When I took a round trip on the Crescent last fall, one sleeping car attendant was based out of New Orleans and the other out of New York.

What I found interesting was that the NY based attendant actually lived in Charlotte, NC. He used two of his four consecutive days off commuting back and forth to NY on the train. I've been curious how common this is.

Common enough. I know of an LSA in Vermont that commutes to Chicago. It's no longer a secret that once I get enough seniority I want to transfer to and commute to Chicago and spend some time working long hauls. 6 days on, 8 days off. Not sure if I would commute using the Lake Shore Limited (usually for free), or fly United non-stop for about $50 each way.

Until they give the LSL a proper diner, I'd fly!

 

[Triley]

When I took a round trip on the Crescent last fall, one sleeping car attendant was based out of New Orleans and the other out of New York.

What I found interesting was that the NY based attendant actually lived in Charlotte, NC. He used two of his four consecutive days off commuting back and forth to NY on the train. I've been curious how common this is.

Common enough. I know of an LSA in Vermont that commutes to Chicago. It's no longer a secret that once I get enough seniority I want to transfer to and commute to Chicago and spend some time working long hauls. 6 days on, 8 days off. Not sure if I would commute using the Lake Shore Limited (usually for free), or fly United non-stop for about $50 each way.

Until they give the LSL a proper diner, I'd fly!

The problem is, free travel in the sleepers isn't necessarily a guarantee. It would basically be an expensive gamble for me. I could do business class without a problem, but...a 22 hour commute in a chair, and then I have to work? Eeeeeh...

 

[ScouseAndy]

On the CS I travelled on the PPC attendant worked out of LA but lived in Salt Lake City and flew to LA and back for her shifts I was amazed at that commute

 

[snvboy]

I was on the EB a couple weeks ago and got to know a young man who is a pilot for a regional carrier based in Bethel, Alaska. His schedule is 2 weeks on, 2 weeks off. He has a crash pad in Bethel, and a suitcase. On his off weeks he literally travels the globe using his crew & jump seat privileges. It was his first time on Amtrak, and was very excited about.

A few years back I was on a VERY early flight from Richmond to... some hub, my memory fails me. A LOT of the passengers that morning (15+) were air crew commuting to the hub.

And the craziest of crazy - another young man who works for a large international consultancy who is dating a flight attendant. And not some very senior FA - she's only been doing it about 3 years and works for a regional, but nonetheless gets travel privileges for herself and apparently others. He has long periods between clients, and isn't expected in any office on a set schedule. Have laptop, will travel. He literally flies around mindlessly all day long and meets back up with his girlfriend at the end of the day wherever she has landed.

So, the commutes are amazing though not that uncommon.

Of course, if I had those privileges on the train.... well, have laptop, will travel!

 

[Saddleshoes]

Lots of the LD OBS Crews that work out of Chicago have told me they don't actually live in Chicago, but commute from Cities like Milwaukee,Galesburg,St.Louis,South Bend,Toledo and even Cleveland!

TRUE!

Last time I rode the California Zephyr the SCA was from a town very near to me. (My home is 140 miles from Chicago union Station.)