Amtrak Guest Rewards - Roving Trash Collection

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Aboard Amtrak 174 en route to BOS:

Prior to reaching New Haven, a crew member came through my car (the Quiet Car) with a large garbage bag, collecting trash from the passengers. While this courtesy is common practice on commercial airline flights, I don't recall ever experiencing it on Amtrak. Is this a new initiative? If so, it's certainly welcome, and is a nice touch.

It's a semi-new program. Amtrak first started doing this on Acela well over a year ago, might even be two years now. It was an initiative started by VP of Product Management and Customer Service Emmett Fremaux. I actually thought that they only went between NY and Stamford, but maybe on the Regionals which have more cars they go to New Haven.

In addition to picking up trash, they are also supposed to freshen up the bathrooms too. They can't do a thorough cleaning, but they are supposed to wipe things down, empty the trash cans, and quickly mop the floor if needed.

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It's possible that it occurred between New Rochelle and Stamford, or between Stamford and Bridgeport. I wasn't paying too much attention to where we were, and just know it occurred before we reached New Haven. Anyway, kudos to Emmett for coming up with this idea!

This has been going on LD trains for some time now. All of my Capital Limited trips in the last year or its happened. Good idea, it keeps the back of seat net from over flowing.

This has been going on LD trains for some time now. All of my Capital Limited trips in the last year or its happened. Good idea, it keeps the back of seat net from over flowing.

The difference is, LD trains have always had car attendants whose jobs include light cleaning and emptying trash receptacles at intermediate stops. The cleaning aspect became tougher about eight years ago when service cutbacks meant that most attendants had to work two or three coaches instead of one.

Most short-distance trains, on the other hand, never had attendants to assist with that until this particular service initiative. I believe it's based on the Pacific Surfliners, which for several years have had roving attendants to clean the cars, plus dedicated Business Class attendants.

We only had two conductors and the cafe car attedant onboard for the overnight 67 last night. Though they did change in NYP of course, I didn't pay attention to them from that point on. The head conductor was a bit rude for my taste, between BOS and NYP. Disgusting too. Was constantly sniffling and clearing his throat loudly. I didn't even bother asking him about upgrading to Business Class like I wanted.

In addition to picking up trash, they are also supposed to freshen up the bathrooms too. They can't do a thorough cleaning, but they are supposed to wipe things down, empty the trash cans, and quickly mop the floor if needed.

Heading from BOS-NYP, I have noticed they board at the trains that stop in New Haven, and announce they will be on board through PHL, and will collect the trash and freshen up the bathrooms. However they never come into the first class car, just leaving the one F bathroom pretty ripe by the time the trains gets close to NYP. It would be nice if this person actually started in F - they dont need to do anything other than address the bathroom.

We only had two conductors and the cafe car attedant onboard for the overnight 67 last night. Though they did change in NYP of course, I didn't pay attention to them from that point on. The head conductor was a bit rude for my taste, between BOS and NYP. Disgusting too. Was constantly sniffling and clearing his throat loudly. I didn't even bother asking him about upgrading to Business Class like I wanted.

Actually the conductors on 67, along with the engineer, change at New Haven and then again in NY. All Regional trains, of which 67 is one, see three sets of conductors/engineers between Boston and DC; Boston-New Haven, New Haven-New York, New York-DC.

Acela's are the only trains that see just two sets of conductors/engineers between Boston & DC.

In any event however, the cleaning is not being done by "normal" staff. The cleaning is being done by people hired specifically for that job and it is their sole job. Each person I believe makes two runs per day. And I don't believe that 66/67 get that treatment, since no other trains run at that hour.

With H1N1 swine flu around, cleaning and disinfecting should play a larger and more serious role in public transport. Amtrak has a policy.

http://www.amtrak.com/servlet/ContentServer?c=AM_Content_C&pagename=am%2FLayout&cid=1241245663079

"Front line Amtrak employees that interact directly with passengers (on board train crews and station staff) have been instructed to review and implement the company's Serious Communicable Disease Protocol.

Employees have been educated on the symptoms of the H1N1 virus and are reminded to practice good personal hygiene, such as frequent hand washing.

Based on the information available, current cleaning and disinfection practices for facilities and train equipment is effective against the H1N1 virus. Amtrak will continue to make sure our passenger car cleaning procedures remain effective."