Amtrak Guest Rewards - Train staff use of seats in the cafe car

One of the things I enjoy about the NE regional trains is the ability to get some work done on my laptop in the cafe car... if I am lucky enough to get a seat in the cafe car. Getting on the train midway between NYC and WAS often means that the tables are already occupied.

On my last trip to Baltimore, 3 of the 14 tables were occupied by train crew, four crew members using 3 tables, including one being used by the cafe car attendant. If there was no one in line to buy something, he popped out from behind the counter, and sat down at the table he had reserved for himself.

I understand that on the regionals, there appears to be no place else for the conductors to do their paperwork, but is it reasonable for the train crew to be commandeering over 20% of the tables?

I did get one of the last available seats, but there were others who came in later and did not.

A similar problem: Acela first class attendants "saving" one of the coveted small tables for themselves. They pile things on the table and seats so that others can't sit there. I've been round-and-round on this with Amtrak Customer Service; of course they insist that their crews should not do this and that I should remind the crews of that policy (yeah, right, that's my job?). I've also been told to alert the conductor if the first class attendants refuse.

On one such occasion a last year I asked the attendant if anyone was sitting there (it was an early board at BOS and I was the first one on!), and she told me she didn't know whose belongings they were. So I told her I would seek out the conductor to let him know there was unattended baggage and that the police should be alerted ("see something, say something"). She shrugged. I went to get the conductor, and when we returned, magically the belongings were gone. I asked the attendant where they went, and she said the owner must have picked them up when she wasn't looking (yeah, right). Pathetic.

It seems everytime I'm on an Amtrak train and I stroll through the Cafe car the crew has appropreated one table for themselves. I've noticed they usually stack all the boarding pass halves they keep on the table. Perhaps that's why the points take so long to post.

In BOS-NYP Acela F on 9/11, the F attendants weren't using the tables. One attendant had her stuff on the left-side seat pair closest to the galley, and the other had his stuff on the right-side single seat's traytable two rows back from the galley (the seat right in front of me). When someone boarded midway along the route and asked the female attendant if anyone was sitting in the seat in front of me (I think it was the only single seat left that was aligned with a window), she said it was her partner's stuff but he wouldn't mind being moved, so she moved his stuff to another seat.

Good service and classy behavior, although I'm used to west coast Alaska Airlines flight attendants who smile more (people on the east coast seem to be more efficient but smile less). No complaints.

It seems everytime I'm on an Amtrak train and I stroll through the Cafe car the crew has appropreated one table for themselves. I've noticed they usually stack all the boarding pass halves they keep on the table. Perhaps that's why the points take so long to post.

The points would probably take even longer to post if the conductors didn't sort them.

However, the real reason that they take a while to post is simply the fact that there are only a few places where those tickets are sent to be scanned into the computer to record their use. If you happen to be riding a train that ends at one of those few places, then your points will post much faster. Further complicating things is the fact that on long distance trains, the tickets stay on the train from the start of the run to the end of the run.

So if for example you board the Empire Builder in Chicago and ride to say Minneapolis-St. Paul, your ticket remains on that train for another two days until the train reaches Seattle, even though you got off that first night.

And then I believe that the nearest ticket processing center is in San Antonio, Texas. Maybe there is one in LA, but I'm not positive. Either way, the tickets then need to be shipped to one of those locations. So it can easily be 5 or 6 days after you got off the train, before the ticket ever arrives at a processing center.

Then of course with only a few centers, they have mounds of tickets to process at any given time.

E-ticketing when it arrives may well speed up AGR postings, since the conductors will be scanning your tickets, regardless of what type you have. But that's still a few years off at this point I believe.

Interesting...

On my DYE-IND run last month, I did stop in the cafe car and saw them utilizing the seats as well... wasn't sure what was up with that, but guess its SOP for Amtrak...

[Note, they did not get in the way of anyone else using the car, as it was late at night anyway, but was just odd to see]

Amtrak's older car designs didn't leave much of a place for the train crew and support staff to leave their personal belongings or do their paperwork, which is why, in many cases, you see them occupying various seats and tables. Even the newer designs, like Acela, don't always factor in all the different crew members' needs--either that, or Amtrak just planned to set aside regular seats and tables in the train for them to do their work.

Amtrak train crews consist of the following crew and staff members, and I've briefly listed their job descriptions:

1) Train crew in train service--conductor, assistant conductor (aka brakeman): responsible for the overall safe operation of the train. Train cannot move without their permission. On some runs, they communicate with the train dispatcher and copy track warrants, slow orders, track work orders, notate signal indications, and the like. They're also responsible for collecting tickets and ensuring passenger's compliance with laws and Amtrak policies. Their word is final on the train, and they have every authority to kick someone off the train or even have them arrested, if necessary.

Single-level trains especially don't really have a dedicated place for the conductor to copy track warrants and other forms, so you'll often find the conductor grabbing a table in the diner or cafe car.

Acela has a dedicated conductor's office in the cafe car, where he and his paperwork hangs out, although the engine can be accessed without exiting the train, so he'll often head to one of the locomotive cabs in between stops.

Long distance bi-level trains with transition dorm cars have a work area where the conductor can spread out his paperwork. You may see conductors in the bottom of the Sightseer Lounge occupying a table if they want to be closer to the rest of the crew, as the trans-dorm car is usually at the very front of the train.

Conductors usually work either day-turns or, at most, have a single overnight layover before returning to their base, so they tend to pack like pilots and don't require a lot of room for their personal belongings, which they can either stash in the locomotive cab or at whatever table they've commandeered.

2) Train crew in engine service--engineer, assistant engineer (aka fireman): drive the train itself. On most long-distance runs, where there are two engineers in the cab, they take over the responsibilities of communicating with the train dispatcher.

These guys usually stay in the engine, and there's ample room in the cab for their paperwork. ;) They also work either day-turns or overnight-and-back trips and so don't lug around a lot of stuff.

3) Lead Service Attendant: the (sort of) supervisor for the on-board-services staff, but primarily responsible for the dining car. He or she monitors (and is held personally responsible for) the inventory of the dining car's supplies and the cash taken in, which involves paperwork.

Since they work in and are responsible for the diner, and there isn't really any place they can spread their inventory sheets and store their stuff other than at a table in the diner. Unfortunately, this reduces the capacity of the diner, but without their own work alcove, there's not really any way around this, so yes, it's SOP.

LSAs work from one end of a train's run to the other, so they tend to carry more stuff (changes of clothes, stuff for their off-duty times, etc-they may work upwards of six days in a row (three out, three back on some western routes) before returning to their home base. On long-distance (overnight) runs, they are assigned a roomette in a specified dormitory car where they crash in the few hours between dinner and breakfast. This provides them with a place to store their bags and personal items.

4) Cafe attendant: monitors the inventory of (and is held personally responsible for) the cafe car's supplies and cash taken in, which also involves paperwork.

His or her personal belongings can usually fit in the cafe alcove (or a storage closet nearby), and he or she can do the inventory from the cafe, so not much extra room is required. Sometimes you'll see them borrowing a table in the cafe/lounge (next to their work area) to work on paperwork, though.

Like the LSA, they work from end-to-end on a route, but they're also assigned a room to sleep in and store their stuff in. During their breaks, they may head up to their dorm room or hang out in (if on a longer run with a trans-dorm car) the staff break area, where you won't see them.

5) Train attendants (diner, sleeper, and coach): oversee specific cars (or sections of a dining car) and are responsible for the safety of the passengers in those cars. Also provide services to the passengers of those cars (more so in sleeper class--turndown service, beverage service, etc.) and may be responsible for assigning seats (in coach class).

These guys don't have much in the way of paperwork to do, since they're there primarily for passenger safety and comfort, so their stuff stays up in their dorm room (if they're on an overnight run--like other OBS staff, they work train runs end-to-end). They still need a place to sit and watch over their car, though, so they'll usually grab the last seat pair in a car to sit, do crossword puzzles, read magazines, or whatever while they're on duty. If they're on a shorter run, they'll stash their bags in this seat, too. This is SOP, too, since there's not really a designated attendant seat or work alcove. These guys will also often head up to the trans-dorm car and hang out in the staff break area (if available) or at the designated staff table in the diner/cafe (less kosher, but usually acceptable) between stations.

Based on jackal's detailed response [Does he work for AMTRAK :p] I can confirm one of the Amtrak employees was in fact a cafe attendant. They sat down between orders right by his area - wasn't certain what they were doing there, but probably paperwork... :D I also saw another employee with all the tickets, so would that be the train attendant, or conductor (or are they the same person?)

Interesting insight nonetheless ^

I also saw another employee with all the tickets, so would that be the train attendant, or conductor (or are they the same person?)
Tickets? That would be the conductor. (I'll edit my post above.)

The Cardinal is a single-level long-distance run that doesn't have a dedicated trans-dorm car, so there's no dedicated place for the conductor to work except for in the cafe, which is why you saw him there.

And no, they're not the same person...or I wouldn't have listed them as separate job descriptions above! Conductors are operating crew members and, like flight attendants and pilots, are governed by the federal Hours of Service Act, which is why they usually work shorter shifts (around eight hours--they cap out at 12) and therefore return back to their home base at least every other night, if not every night (i.e. on NEC Regional or Acela runs, they'll usually work BOS-NYP (4 hours) and then NYP-BOS (4 hours), for an eight-ish hour workday). OBS staff (including train attendants) are not governed by this, and so they usually stay on the train until its endpoint and often work upwards of 20 hours per day for the time they're on board.

A similar problem: Acela first class attendants "saving" one of the coveted small tables for themselves. They pile things on the table and seats so that others can't sit there. I've been round-and-round on this with Amtrak Customer Service; of course they insist that their crews should not do this and that I should remind the crews of that policy (yeah, right, that's my job?). I've also been told to alert the conductor if the first class attendants refuse.

On one such occasion a last year I asked the attendant if anyone was sitting there (it was an early board at BOS and I was the first one on!), and she told me she didn't know whose belongings they were. So I told her I would seek out the conductor to let him know there was unattended baggage and that the police should be alerted ("see something, say something"). She shrugged. I went to get the conductor, and when we returned, magically the belongings were gone. I asked the attendant where they went, and she said the owner must have picked them up when she wasn't looking (yeah, right). Pathetic.

This has really gotten out of control recently, and I too have been round and round with Customer Service. There are some trains where the crew seeks to create a buffer, and blocks off not only the last row closest to the galley, but the 4 top table and the 2 top table - essentially the grab 9 seats for themselves!

There is one crew member who sets up a fake cup of coffee, newspaper, and bottled water at the two top as the train pulls into NYP. She insists someone is sitting there (even though there is no ticket stub). Last trip when she told me the seat was occupied, I told her I enjoy meeting people on the train and looked forward to meeting someone new when the passenger returned.

It is kind of tough to make a scene when you are on the train every week, and see the same crews. I just dont understand why Amtrak cant manage to go back to the assigned seating in F (tried it originally) or tell the crew to keep their stuff off the seats - except for 2 seats in the last row.

There is one crew member who sets up a fake cup of coffee, newspaper, and bottled water at the two top as the train pulls into NYP. She insists someone is sitting there (even though there is no ticket stub). Last trip when she told me the seat was occupied, I told her I enjoy meeting people on the train and looked forward to meeting someone new when the passenger returned.

That's pretty funny, I haven't seen that one. But the ticket stub is the perfect foil. No stub, no one sitting there.

It is kind of tough to make a scene when you are on the train every week, and see the same crews. I just dont understand why Amtrak cant manage to go back to the assigned seating in F (tried it originally) or tell the crew to keep their stuff off the seats - except for 2 seats in the last row.

Don't make a scene, take names and report them to customer service. If you see no change after several reports and a few months, send those names to Mr. Boardman, along with your comments and dates of contact with Customer Service.

As for the last two seats, technically they aren't even allowed those two. If Amtrak sells out FC, those seats belong to passengers. And I did see one crew member that didn't want to give up those two seats, even though it was quite clear that all other seats were occupied. Wisely the other attendant removed the belongings before the situation escalated.

Regarding assigned seats, Amtrak could easily bring that back, the system can still handle it. The problem is that the Metroliner customers who were used to free seating policies on the Metroliners revolted when they found themselves assigned to a seat facing backwards, or to a table seat when they wanted a tray seat or vice versa.

Many didn't realize that they either could pick a seat when booking, or just figured that it wouldn't matter. Guess who had to enforce that seating? The very crew who wanted tips from the passengers. Guess what they didn't want to do? Anger those passengers, such that they got no tip. I'm sure you can guess what happened.

So with the major reason for assigned seats eliminated, that being electronic ticket collection (it wasn't a true e-ticket), Amtrak quietly eliminated assigned seats.

I suspect however that if Amtrak ever gets it's e-ticketing program off the ground, they're having lots of problems I hear and falling way behind schedule, that we may eventually see a return to assigned seating. It would be better for Amtrak from a revenue point of view, as it allows Amtrak to resell the seats of no shows further up the line.

I've seen printed, official Amtrak cards that say "reserved for crew use," so presumably there are some circumstances where this is allowed?

Yes, there are times and places where the crew is allowed to set tables and/or seat aside for their use. Like again, on a single level train the conductors must occupy at least one table for their paperwork. There simply is no other options. However, they really shouldn't be taking up two or even three tables. But it's hard to argue with someone who has the power to have the police remove you from the train. So just take names and report them later.

And there are trains where crew members are assigned to a specific car and need a seat to themselves, which isn't sold by the way. However, on Acela First Class, all seats are indeed up for sale in inventory, so there is no such thing as a seat resereved for the crew. If the train is sold out, they are supposed to stand, if not then they can occupy a seat.

The Amfleet II Diner/Lounge conversions have a little enclosed work station for the Conductor at one end. It is inadequate, though, and I cannot fault them for not using it. I do find fault when each crew member occupies an entire booth by him/herself. On occasion a conductor and assistant conductor will sit opposite each other at the same table. This seems to be the exception, however.