Golden grrl
Service Attendant
A couple of times since Oct., I've been waiting in a lounge when someone identified him or herself as the train manager - CS and CL were the two trains involved. What duties does such a position involve?
So you're telling me that trains, which are basically metal boxes filled with rows of chairs, actually used to carry dedicated cars for chairs? :lol:... They supervised the sleeper, chair car, lounge...
You need to supervise those chairs while they're lounging around and sleeping - or they get in trouble!So you're telling me that trains, which are basically metal boxes filled with rows of chairs, actually used to carry dedicated cars for chairs? :lol:... They supervised the sleeper, chair car, lounge...
Here is the linkedin resume of Cynthia Winslow. Looks like she started as a ticket agent then worked her way up relatively fast to Train Manager and then far beyondJust curious, what would the "career path" be for a Train Manager. Would they come from the ranks of OBS crews or be hired into that job from outside of Amtrak. Sounds like a job I would love to have, especially as halorider wrote of the expectation to spend a significant amount of time on their train.
This is the new position I had mentioned in a previous post. The position has P&L responsibility, so there is major job responsibility involved. Most people in this new position have many years of Amtrak experience,involving operations and other front line jobs. It should be interesting to see how they interface with OBS and the Operations staff.Here is the linkedin resume of Cynthia Winslow. Looks like she started as a ticket agent then worked her way up relatively fast to Train Manager and then far beyondJust curious, what would the "career path" be for a Train Manager. Would they come from the ranks of OBS crews or be hired into that job from outside of Amtrak. Sounds like a job I would love to have, especially as halorider wrote of the expectation to spend a significant amount of time on their train.
http://www.linkedin.com/pub/cynthia-winslow/63/b7/7a6
I don't recall exactly when Amtrak took over direct employment of Conductors, but I'm quite sure that it was long before 2000; maybe in the 1980's. The Chief of OnBoard Services position still existed back in the early 2000's. I'm thinking maybe around 2003 or 2004 was when Amtrak eliminated the COB position.IIRC, back when they had a "Chief of Onboard Services" on each long haul train (basically ended when Amtrak took over direct employment of Conductor's and AC's), these were union agreement covered supervisor's. They supervised the sleeper, chair car, lounge, and diner employees, traveled the whole route, and they were under the authority of the railroad conductor's. In addition, they reported to a Train Manager, who devided their time between the crew base, riding the train, and occasionally headquarters, etc...Not sure of the position, as it may exist now, but probably similar.
When Amtrak took over direct employment of the operating crews from their host railroads, they were assured of a passenger service familiar crew, dedicated to the interests of Amtrak, and were able to eliminate the 'Chief' position at a nice savings....
The takeover started on the Northeast Corridor I believe in the late seventies...even though Amtrak owned the NEC beginning in 1976, all the operating personnel were still railroad (Conrail) employees for a few years. The takeover of other lines did occur in the early eighties, route by route, so you are correct.I don't recall exactly when Amtrak took over direct employment of Conductors, but I'm quite sure that it was long before 2000; maybe in the 1980's. The Chief of OnBoard Services position still existed back in the early 2000's. I'm thinking maybe around 2003 or 2004 was when Amtrak eliminated the COB position.IIRC, back when they had a "Chief of Onboard Services" on each long haul train (basically ended when Amtrak took over direct employment of Conductor's and AC's), these were union agreement covered supervisor's. They supervised the sleeper, chair car, lounge, and diner employees, traveled the whole route, and they were under the authority of the railroad conductor's. In addition, they reported to a Train Manager, who devided their time between the crew base, riding the train, and occasionally headquarters, etc...Not sure of the position, as it may exist now, but probably similar.
When Amtrak took over direct employment of the operating crews from their host railroads, they were assured of a passenger service familiar crew, dedicated to the interests of Amtrak, and were able to eliminate the 'Chief' position at a nice savings....
And they eliminated it largely because the program wasn't as successful as they had hoped. Part of the problem was the fact that this was a union position. Some who were promoted took the job seriously and did a wonderful job; I personally encountered several who were excellent. But there were also enough, if not too many, who didn't have the backbone to boss around their former colleagues and therefore did not do the job that they were tasked to do. I found several of them too. And there were a few who never left their room at all, except to eat meals and disembark at the bumper post. Saw a few of them too, or rather, I never saw them except at meals.
Amtrak tired to bring back the position a few years ago as a non-union position, but the union fought back against that and won forcing Amtrak to stop that attempt.
I thought that it went on for a few years, region by region.....not all at once, but I may be wrong......1987 is when Amtrak hired all the conductors from the freights.
I thought that it went on for a few years, region by region.....not all at once, but I may be wrong......1987 is when Amtrak hired all the conductors from the freights.
Okay...that's more like I remember it....it went on for several years. I forgot that it started so late in the NEC. I suppose NJT took over from Conrail crews around the same time as Amtrak in the NEC--1983?On corridor was 1983. Off corridor was August 1986. Amtrak lastly took over operations of the Cardinal from CSX in 2001.
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