Things OBS wish you would stop doing.

[KmH]

Amtrak OBS (current or former) - here's your chance to let AU members know!

 

[Seaboard92]

Do I count as a Private Car OBS?

 

[Acela150]

Do I count as a Private Car OBS?

I'm only aware of one AU member who has done PV trips.

 

[Triley]

Please don't come up after the closing announcement and say "I know your closed and trying to eat, I don't want to bother you, but can I get [insert something small like bottle of water or ice]?"

On the corridor we're only closed for around 30 minutes from NWK-NYP or NRO-NYP, and we're only human and need to eat too!

Last year, the day before Thanksgiving I was on 171, and I only was able to sit for maybe three minutes from Boston to Manassas, VA. Heading in to NY I finally cleared the line once we were already in the tunnel, and I was already running low on stock so I had to call in a big order out of DC, had to run in to the station for change, and try to inhale a piece of pound cake for "lunch".

This excuse was not good enough for a lady who came up and wanted to buy a bottle of water over 15 minutes after the closed announcement was made, and she decided to sit across the aisle at the conductor's table and stare at me while I was trying to eat. I told her there was water taps available in the coaches but she wasn't interested in that either.

 

[Palmetto]

On heavy travel days, would it be feasible to put another attendant behind the counter with you, Triley?

 

[crescent-zephyr]

Do I count as a Private Car OBS?

I'm only aware of one AU member who has done PV trips.

I've taken a few private car trips. I don't think they directly compare. But if seaboard wants to act like he's a real railroad employee he can if he wants to. I would find his "complaints" amusing most likely.

 

[Thirdrail7]

Hmmm. Here's my prediction:

 

[FormerOBS]

On heavy travel days, would it be feasible to put another attendant behind the counter with you, Triley?

Palmetto definitely has a sense of humor!

Tom

 

[Triley]

On heavy travel days, would it be feasible to put another attendant behind the counter with you, Triley?

Palmetto definitely has a sense of humor!

Tom

No kidding!

The real answer? Back in the good ol' days they use to, from what I've been told. Or they'd even put on a second cafe car, especially during the holidays.

Now, generally the only time you'll see two people behind the counter is when someone is in training.

 

[Bob Dylan]

Please don't ring the attendant button at 3am while I'm getting my 3 Hours of sleep!

Please don't mark the order form with your order,just put your Room and Car Number on the bottom and sign it!

 

[Seaboard92]

Please don't shove a video camera in my face and try and interview about the train.

Please don't congregate in the vestibule to the point it becomes impassible.

Please follow all instructions given by the crew.

Please don't pop the trap at every station.

 

[Triley]

Please don't shove a video camera in my face and try and interview about the train.

Please don't congregate in the vestibule to the point it becomes impassible.

Please follow all instructions given by the crew.

Please don't pop the trap at every station.

I'd be laughing so hard at the person who popped the trap, because on Amtrak, that's likely going to be your stop!

 

[FormerOBS]

Please don't shove a video camera in my face and try and interview about the train.

Please don't congregate in the vestibule to the point it becomes impassible.

Please follow all instructions given by the crew.

Please don't pop the trap at every station.

I'd be laughing so hard at the person who popped the trap, because I Amtrak, that's likely going to be your stop!

Yeah. Safety stuff like that was always my biggest concern, and it always bothered me when they didn't know or care that

1. their safety is my job

2. I really do care about their safety

3. I've done this a couple times before (like maybe thousands of times) and I just might know what I'm talking about

I also didn't appreciate it when they intruded on my personal space or time. Sometimes this was innocent ignorance, which is forgivable. Often it was self-absorbed intentional intrusion, which isn't so easily excused. .An example is the Auto train crew car (transition sleeper). That car is used 100% for crew, and a large sign is posted, indicating that the area is off limits to passengers. Nevertheless, just about every trip at least one passenger would come wandering through the car --- usually looking for the diner or lounge --- in spite of announcements, signage, and personnel that could direct them correctly. COME ON! We don't ask that you be Einstein. We just ask that you be awake!

Tom

 

[RalphCT]

Please don't pop the trap at every station.

Hey Seaboard92,

Can you explain to me what that means?

 

[crescent-zephyr]

Please don't pop the trap at every station.

Hey Seaboard92,Can you explain to me what that means?

He's referring to the "trap door" in the vestibules on the single level equipment. Basically, don't open the door and get out just because the train stopped.

 

[railiner]

Please don't shove a video camera in my face and try and interview about the train.

Please don't congregate in the vestibule to the point it becomes impassible.

Please follow all instructions given by the crew.

Please don't pop the trap at every station.

I'd be laughing so hard at the person who popped the trap, because I Amtrak, that's likely going to be your stop!

Yeah. Safety stuff like that was always my biggest concern, and it always bothered me when they didn't know or care that

1. their safety is my job

2. I really do care about their safety

3. I've done this a couple times before (like maybe thousands of times) and I just might know what I'm talking about

I also didn't appreciate it when they intruded on my personal space or time. Sometimes this was innocent ignorance, which is forgivable. Often it was self-absorbed intentional intrusion, which isn't so easily excused. .An example is the Auto train crew car (transition sleeper). That car is used 100% for crew, and a large sign is posted, indicating that the area is off limits to passengers. Nevertheless, just about every trip at least one passenger would come wandering through the car --- usually looking for the diner or lounge --- in spite of announcements, signage, and personnel that could direct them correctly. COME ON! We don't ask that you be Einstein. We just ask that you be awake!

Tom

I suspect that some of those "lost" passengers encroaching crew area's, aren't really lost or ignorant of the meaning of the signs, but rather, they are just curious to see the "forbidden zone", and just act that way, when they get caught...

 

[railiner]

sorry for duplicate post, please delete...

 

[SarahZ]

Tom, sometimes my SCA is in his/her room, reading a book and relaxing. The door is open, but I'm never sure if that means "it's ok to ask me a question".

If an SCA is on an actual break, do they usually go to the dining car or another area? Or do they shut the door to their room and close the curtain? Perhaps a mix of both? I'd hate to bother my SCA if they're on a break and my request isn't urgent.

 

[Seaboard92]

Please don't pop the trap at every station.

Hey Seaboard92,Can you explain to me what that means?

He's referring to the "trap door" in the vestibules on the single level equipment. Basically, don't open the door and get out just because the train stopped.

I was specifically referring to in stations on platforms. I like to know we don't leave our passengers behind. So I generally like to be the one to open it so that I can keep my eye on them.

 

[Steve4031]

Opening a door when your not a crew member is just not excusable imho. On 21 I once observed that the door to the outside was partially open while the train was moving. My gf and I were traveling in a lower level roomette. Now I knew how to close the door. However I was also concerned that if a crew member came by as I was closing it, it could be assumed I had opened it. I had gf stand in the hallway between the stairs and vestibule and instructed her to caution anybody who came by to stay away from the door. I went and found a crew member who then thanked me and closed it. We returned to our room without comment. I knew this was a serious issue that should be dealt with internally.

 

[FormerOBS]

Tom, sometimes my SCA is in his/her room, reading a book and relaxing. The door is open, but I'm never sure if that means "it's ok to ask me a question".

If an SCA is on an actual break, do they usually go to the dining car or another area? Or do they shut the door to their room and close the curtain? Perhaps a mix of both? I'd hate to bother my SCA if they're on a break and my request isn't urgent.

When I worked sleepers, I usually tried to stay in my car as much as possible. Most of the time I got my meal from the diner and brought it back to the sleeper to eat in my room, although I might relax this general rule if it was a light trip & my passengers knew where I was. If I was all caught up with the service aspects of the job, I usually checked my supplies to see if I needed to order anything for a topoff order at the next terminal and generally tidied up. But if that's all done, there's no point bustling around the car just because you can, like Mrs Ogmore-Pritchard in Under Milk Wood. In such a situation, I would quietly kick back with a book or magazine, waiting for the call bell to ring. I didn't mind being interrupted because I wasn't being paid to read. On the other hand, an interruption of actual sleep time could be forgiven for an emergency, but if it's not an emergency it's rude.

It's like life elsewhere in the world. Most of the time, you're not being rude if you're being nice & reasonable.

Tom

 

[FormerOBS]

Please don't shove a video camera in my face and try and interview about the train.

Please don't congregate in the vestibule to the point it becomes impassible.

Please follow all instructions given by the crew.

Please don't pop the trap at every station.

I'd be laughing so hard at the person who popped the trap, because I Amtrak, that's likely going to be your stop!

Yeah. Safety stuff like that was always my biggest concern, and it always bothered me when they didn't know or care that

1. their safety is my job

2. I really do care about their safety

3. I've done this a couple times before (like maybe thousands of times) and I just might know what I'm talking about

I also didn't appreciate it when they intruded on my personal space or time. Sometimes this was innocent ignorance, which is forgivable. Often it was self-absorbed intentional intrusion, which isn't so easily excused. .An example is the Auto train crew car (transition sleeper). That car is used 100% for crew, and a large sign is posted, indicating that the area is off limits to passengers. Nevertheless, just about every trip at least one passenger would come wandering through the car --- usually looking for the diner or lounge --- in spite of announcements, signage, and personnel that could direct them correctly. COME ON! We don't ask that you be Einstein. We just ask that you be awake!

Tom

I suspect that some of those "lost" passengers encroaching crew area's, aren't really lost or ignorant of the meaning of the signs, but rather, they are just curious to see the "forbidden zone", and just act that way, when they get caught...

The "forbidden zone" is where crew members shower & change, and where the all-night attendant gets a couple hours' sleep when others are awake. If you need to see somebody coming out of the shower room in his/her bathrobe, you probably have problems that can't be cured by a trip on Amtrak. The all-nighter doesn't really appreciate it when he is awakened, hearing a crew member explaining several times why somebody should do what the sign already said.

This reminds me of the time a coach passenger came into my sleeper, past the "sleeping car passengers only" sign, on an occasion when the sleepers were completely sold out. I said the area was not open to the public, & he said "But I just want to see." I said he couldn't see because privacy was one of the things the sleeper passengers were paying for. He said he wanted to see because he might want to take a sleeper in the future. I reminded him that I didn't have any empty rooms to show him & said it would be best to wait for arrival at the terminal, where he could see rooms after the sleeper passengers had detrained. "But I just want to see!" he repeated. I repeated that would be an invasion of the sleeper passengers' privacy. This went on for quite a while until I finally wore him down & he headed back to his coach. I'm real proud that I didn't strangle him.

Tom

 

[FormerOBS]

Steve 4031 : You did exactly the right thing. ANY onboard equipment including doors, windows, etc. should be presumed to have pinch points and design features that you don't know about. Let the employees deal with it.

 

[Bob Dylan]

I've closed the downstairs doors lots of times on Superliner Trains when they are left open when the train Highballs and no OBS was around.

I've also opened the doors to get off at my stop when no-one was around to do it!

Carrybys are not something Crews want to happen, but I've seen lots of them too!

I agree with Tom about the safety factors, but Putting the beds Up and Down can also be dangerous, and lots of us have done that too when the invisible SCA is no where to be seen!)

 

[railiner]

Opening a door when your not a crew member is just not excusable imho. On 21 I once observed that the door to the outside was partially open while the train was moving. My gf and I were traveling in a lower level roomette. Now I knew how to close the door. However I was also concerned that if a crew member came by as I was closing it, it could be assumed I had opened it. I had gf stand in the hallway between the stairs and vestibule and instructed her to caution anybody who came by to stay away from the door. I went and found a crew member who then thanked me and closed it. We returned to our room without comment. I knew this was a serious issue that should be dealt with internally.

Looks like you handled the situation properly.

This does raise a question, however....shouldn't there be some kind of alarm or indicator warning the train crew, including the engineer, if a door is open when brakes are released or the train is moving? Perhaps even an interlocking device to prevent the train from moving, unless necessary for some operation by the crew, in which case a means of overriding it can be provided...