Issues with an SCA

[joelkfla]

Actually he was a NYC based crew. He did stated he had limited experience with this kind of train. Sound to me a pick up crew, he was definitely not familiar with the service level. He was trying hard to smooth things out. The impression I got, was the OBS crew was taken advantage of his inexperience. This whole OBS crew was just weird, or a weird vibe.

Sounds like kids in school when Teacher's out and a sub is at the front of the room.

 

[mcropod]

You’ve certainly ridden VIA more than me and I do agree that I’ve yet to see anyone on VIA as bad as the worst I’ve seen on Amtrak. But I’ve seen some pretty poor customer service on VIA as well, one being borderline discriminatory towards a French speaking patron I was seated with in the diner but that may be a “friendly” Canadian rivalry? Haha.

If it takes an extra employee to make the service “average” - is the extra employee worth it?

I was at a table on the Canadian's diner one mealtime with a Francophone couple and one other English-speaker who turned out to be a Chicago bloke. The two French-speakers were decidedly unimpressed and sniffy when the member of the diner crew who attended our table was able to interact with them only in English.

They were a bit less cranky with me once they discovered I was just an Aussie and so shouldn't be assumed to have any culture or learning, but they certainly expected a staffer in the nation's publicly-owned rail company in the dual-language nation to be able to interact with them in French.

I subsequently raised the matter with a fellow traveller, an ex- or maybe still then current Canadian Army bloke in the pipped ranks who explained his French-language exposure in the army was a short course, and that little of his business was conducted in other than English. And then you go to bits of Switzerland where there are *four* official languages and you'd be hard-pressed to have any credibility in public office were you to be monolingual.

I was on my Francophone friends' side

 

[AmtrakBlue]

Actually he was a NYC based crew. He did stated he had limited experience with this kind of train. Sound to me a pick up crew, he was definitely not familiar with the service level. He was trying hard to smooth things out. The impression I got, was the OBS crew was taken advantage of his inexperience. This whole OBS crew was just weird, or a weird vibe.

Did he say he was based in NYC? The T&E for 97 begin their day in Washington by working a morning NER to NYP then working 97 back to WAS. He may be a recently trained conductor (or still in training) who hasn’t worked on LD train yet.
Or he was called in to cover for someone.

 

[Just-Thinking-51]

No he stated that he was a NYC based crew.

 

[AmtrakBlue]

No he stated that he was a NYC based crew.

Which probably means he normally works either NYP-BOS or the Keystones.

 

[OBS]

And that's the sad part. When I worked the Builder an issue came up about one of my trips and the train manager pulled me into his office and we had a rather in depth conversation about the issue. As he was reading the complaint he was looking at the crew roster for that day and was baffled about the complaint and how it was about me and my car, when the passenger was clearly in another car with another attendant. But management takes things very serious in Seattle. Simply cause they all have been in the OBS shoes.

The one thing that I do remember is that an LSA can take an OBS crew member out of service for something. But I honestly can't remember if a Conductor can do the same for any OBS employees. OBS? Triley?

Just thinking... I am truly sorry that your SCA and the LSA left you with an extremely poor taste in your mouth. I'm glad to hear that the Conductor between NYP-WAS did their best to step up for you. 97 is based out of WAS between the two these days and they have some good people working down there.

Absolutely, the Conductor can take any OBS person out of service.

 

[OBS]

Which probably means he normally works either NYP-BOS or the Keystones.

Or possibly spends most of his time in the Yard, and just helping out, on his day off, on the road.

 

[Steve4031]

I witnessed a series of interactions between a conductor and a sca on the Sunset Limited on the way to an OTOL Los Angeles railfests that was shocking. IIRC there was an operating crew change somewhere east of Houston. The conductor came on the PA and gave a folksy, somewhat casual safety announcement. A moment later the SCA in our sleeper gave a very crisp, professional safety announcement and ended the announcement with the phrase, "We here at Amtrak take your safety seriously". There were several members of our group who commented on this PA exchange. We got to Houston and sat there for 30 or 40 minutes. About 15 minutes before departure the SCA walked away from the door to the sleeper. We did not know she had left because we had ended our steamy fresh air stop much earlier. Suddenly, the SCA was knocking on the window of one of my friend's roomette on the lower level. She wanted him to open the door. Apparently, the conductor had come by and shut the door with the intent of leaving her. This SCA had done well by us, and why not exactly friendly, she was courteous and professional in her treatment of us. We agreed to keep an eye on the door for her for the rest of the trip. When we woke up after San Antonio, she had a box of donuts set out for the passengers in the car.

 

[dennisw]

I was at a table on the Canadian's diner one mealtime with a Francophone couple and one other English-speaker who turned out to be a Chicago bloke. The two French-speakers were decidedly unimpressed and sniffy when the member of the diner crew who attended our table was able to interact with them only in English.

They were a bit less cranky with me once they discovered I was just an Aussie and so shouldn't be assumed to have any culture or learning, but they certainly expected a staffer in the nation's publicly-owned rail company in the dual-language nation to be able to interact with them in French.

I subsequently raised the matter with a fellow traveller, an ex- or maybe still then current Canadian Army bloke in the pipped ranks who explained his French-language exposure in the army was a short course, and that little of his business was conducted in other than English. And then you go to bits of Switzerland where there are *four* official languages and you'd be hard-pressed to have any credibility in public office were you to be monolingual.

I was on my Francophone friends' side

I had a similar experience with a francophone Canadian when I was in Montreal a few years back. I was waiting for the city's express bus that moves you quickly from the airport to a variety of stops in the city that are convenient to hotels. All the stops were named on the map, so I asked the gentleman behind me if he knew if the operator announced all the stops. I got a snide-sounding "Je ne parle pas Anglais" in response. I would have asked in French, but as a typical person whose use of French ceased with my formal education decades ago, I wasn't sure of several words ("Savez-vous si le operateur annonce tous les arrets?"). Meanwhile, once I was on Via to Quebec city the next day (the heart of the heart of Francophone Canada, the train personnel were all quite able to converse in both English and French. And in Quebec city I was able to buy stamps for postcards to the US in French (only because as a stamp collector I knew the key words to use).

 

[Acela150]

Or possibly spends most of his time in the Yard, and just helping out, on his day off, on the road.

I can see this being the case. Simply cause a lot of guys are doing that these days and NYP-BOS is a completely different crew base.

 

[crescent-zephyr]

Suddenly, the SCA was knocking on the window of one of my friend's roomette on the lower level. She wanted him to open the door. Apparently, the conductor had come by and shut the door with the intent of leaving her.

You can open a superliner door from the outside.

 

[Steve4031]

You can open a superliner door from the outside.

I never noticed. I just remember hearing the knocking and then my friend telling me what happened. It never occurred to me to actually look. LOL. Even after all of these years.

 

[Bob Dylan]

I had a similar experience with a francophone Canadian when I was in Montreal a few years back. I was waiting for the city's express bus that moves you quickly from the airport to a variety of stops in the city that are convenient to hotels. All the stops were named on the map, so I asked the gentleman behind me if he knew if the operator announced all the stops. I got a snide-sounding "Je ne parle pas Anglais" in response. I would have asked in French, but as a typical person whose use of French ceased with my formal education decades ago, I wasn't sure of several words ("Savez-vous si le operateur annonce tous les arrets?"). Meanwhile, once I was on Via to Quebec city the next day (the heart of the heart of Francophone Canada, the train personnel were all quite able to converse in both English and French. And in Quebec city I was able to buy stamps for postcards to the US in French (only because as a stamp collector I knew the key words to use).

In order to be hired by VIA ( and the Federal Government) you must pass a Bi-Lingual Profficency Test.( French/English)

When my Late Wife transfered from a BC Provincial Job to a Federal Job in Ottawa, she took a French Language Refresher Course so she could Pass the Test!( and would be using Both in her job)

 

[Amtrak709]

I recall the days of the Chief of Onboard Services. Always very formally dressed in an attractive uniform (at least on the Florida trains). My buddies who worked or still work as agents (not onboard) in JAX, DLD, and SFD were of the opinion that the person who held the job of Chief was generally hated and disliked by not only most of the Onboard Service Staff BUT ALSO the T & E crew--therefore filling this position with good staff was difficult. Does anyone know how true this may have been and did this cause the elimination of the position?? I am just curious.

 

[OBS]

I recall the days of the Chief of Onboard Services. Always very formally dressed in an attractive uniform (at least on the Florida trains). My buddies who worked or still work as agents (not onboard) in JAX, DLD, and SFD were of the opinion that the person who held the job of Chief was generally hated and disliked by not only most of the Onboard Service Staff BUT ALSO the T & E crew--therefore filling this position with good staff was difficult. Does anyone know how true this may have been and did this cause the elimination of the position?? I am just curious.

That is very true, but did not cause the elimination of positions...$$$$ did...

You can open a superliner door from the outside.

True, but the top security latch is a tall reach from the platform

 

[Acela150]

True, but the top security latch is a tall reach from the platform

Some stations are worse than others too.

 

[Steve4031]

This sca was a lady and this was at Houston. The conductor had also removed the stool from the platform. So it is quite possible she could not reach the latch. Since I would never consider opening a train door from the outside I never noticed the handle at the top.

I had a close call where I almost missed 11 in EMY because I did not follow directions. I remember rushing out to the platform to find the door closed and saw the conductor preparing to high ball. I knocked on the window and waved at the sca. I could see her through the window. Knowing that the train might move, I stepped back so she would hopefully understand that i was not going to do something stupid. Fortunately she called the conductor and then Opened the door to let me on. I got a well deserved scolding and she got a tip. Since I was knocking on the windows noticed there was no handle on the outside where there is one on the inside.

 

[railiner]

I recall the days of the Chief of Onboard Services. Always very formally dressed in an attractive uniform (at least on the Florida trains). My buddies who worked or still work as agents (not onboard) in JAX, DLD, and SFD were of the opinion that the person who held the job of Chief was generally hated and disliked by not only most of the Onboard Service Staff BUT ALSO the T & E crew--therefore filling this position with good staff was difficult. Does anyone know how true this may have been and did this cause the elimination of the position?? I am just curious.

My memory of this is somewhat hazy, but from what I can recall there was some truth to this. The Conductors and Trainmen at the time were still employed by the host railroads, and when the Chief of On Board Services position was introduced, some of them thought this might be a threat to the existence of their own positions. (They weren't but Amtrak took over T&E position's themselves a few years later). The On Board Services personnel, depending on their attitude, either welcomed, resented, or were ambivalent about having the Chief's supervise them. And the Chief's themselves had a lot to do with their acceptance. Some were very skillful in handling the balance between being "one of the crew" (the union's negotiated, and got them to be so-called "partially exempted" position's represented by the American Railway and Airway Supervisor's Association). Partially exempted, means that it is a union represented position, but that management may choose who to appoint, with no regard to seniority. They still have to pay union dues. Other's were not so balanced...they could either be too strict and authoritarian, or too 'chummy' with their charges, especially if they were good 'buddies' with some.

Some of the best, were well regarded by the crews, the passengers, and management. Some were promoted to Train Manager, a true management position, and went on up from there.

 

[BlackDiamond]

Meanwhile, once I was on Via to Quebec city the next day (the heart of the heart of Francophone Canada, the train personnel were all quite able to converse in both English and French.

In order to be hired by VIA ( and the Federal Government) you must pass a Bi-Lingual Profficency Test.( French/English)

It should be noted that French speakers in Canada are not found just in Quebec Province but also in New Brunswick and Ontario and probably several other places. A while back my son and I who was living on Fort Kent ME at the time traveled to Edmundson NB and found everything was in French there even the signage at the local Wal Mart. So it would make sense for everyone at VIA to be fluent in both languages.

 

[mcropod]

In order to be hired by VIA ( and the Federal Government) you must pass a Bi-Lingual Profficency Test.( French/English)

When my Late Wife transfered from a BC Provincial Job to a Federal Job in Ottawa, she took a French Language Refresher Course so she could Pass the Test!( and would be using Both in her job)

That was my assumption, which is why I was a bit taken aback by the event I described, and why I subsequently queried my Canadian Army travelling friend. My antennae are always at the ready when I'm in one of those places where there are significant internal political/cultural/language/religion divides.

 

[TheCrescent]

So my Sleeping car attendant xxxxx just when to get the conductor because she does want me in her car anymore. I know I am having a stressful day (actually weekend) but can a Amtrak SCA kick someone out of a room?

So the conductor just came by, and I will be left alone. The SCA is refusing to take my meal now, because I want to be left alone. Seem I am on my own for dinner.

Wow when I step in it, I step in a big pile.

Something similar happened to me. When I was boarding, my room was in car 10, but I boarded through car 11. He came screaming at me and threatened me, and the next morning, he refused to let me off the train at my stop and yelled again. The next trip, when he saw me board, he came to my room and told me that he wasn’t comfortable with me and that I should get out and go to another car, and that if I stayed I wouldn’t receive any service.

Similarly, if I were a bad passenger, wouldn’t the crew have kicked me off the train entirely, instead of this SCA just wanting me to go to another car?

I contacted Amtrak and got an apology. But this level of customer service was appalling (an airline wouldn’t do that) and I am not taking Amtrak again.

Please raise this to Amtrak. Customer Service didn’t respond to an email but Amtrak’s Twitter team did respond.

 

[TheCrescent]

There is a reason that I try to form a quick first impression of each Amtrak employee I encounter on a trip, and unless I discern good vibes I avoid any interaction like the plague. It is just not worth the energy and aggravation, service be damned. I am yet to come across an airline where I have had to employ this approach even though airlines have their own share of under performers.

My thoughts exactly.

American Airlines employees are on average more helpful, friendlier and more professional than Amtrak crews. I’ve been flying at times weekly (or more), and at least once a month, since the 1990s and I’ve never had an experience on any airline as bad as on Amtrak.

 

[Old MM]

Crew chiefs are a great idea. So is anything where there is a supervisor type who can mediate and resolve difficult situations. Companies have no doubt gotten rid of many humans - many good jobs - once they started using the email survey tool to get customers to do the job for free.