Amtrak LSA Openings

[AMTK@AUS]

I've been eyeing the Amtrak job board for a while, and upon checking today, found positions for LSA in Washington, Boston, and New York. I am seriously thinking about applying, but have a few questions:

1) Is there one crew base people on these forums may prefer?

2) My understanding is they start you on extra board, but once you get off, do you get a certain number of days off for how ever many days worked?

3) Do you rotate from Dining Car Steward to Lounge Attendant to Sleeper Attendant, etc?

There are also openings for Auto Train Attendants, but I would rather something that circulates more around the Amtrak system. Auto Train does, however, seem like it would be a more relaxing envrionment.

Any positive or negative input is appreciated!

Brandon

 

[had8ley]

I've been eyeing the Amtrak job board for a while, and upon checking today, found positions for LSA in Washington, Boston, and New York. I am seriously thinking about applying, but have a few questions:
1) Is there one crew base people on these forums may prefer?

2) My understanding is they start you on extra board, but once you get off, do you get a certain number of days off for how ever many days worked?

3) Do you rotate from Dining Car Steward to Lounge Attendant to Sleeper Attendant, etc?

There are also openings for Auto Train Attendants, but I would rather something that circulates more around the Amtrak system. Auto Train does, however, seem like it would be a more relaxing envrionment.

Any positive or negative input is appreciated!

Brandon

First of all an LSA is authorized to handle money. You will be assigned to an extra board that covers lounge car service; LSA in a diner and the rolling cart on the Acela. Depending on where you are assigned as a crew base you will have differing days off. It depends on the length of the run and the lay-over before you return. New Orleans was always considered a "good" crew base while New York I'm told can be a "zoo." To my understanding there is no guarantee of days off on the extra board. Christmas is pretty much like today; people travel and need the service that you provide. And yes, the Auto Train is considered one of the better assignments for an on board service person probably closely followed by the Empire Builder and Acela.( My personal favorite is the Downeaster but that service is outsourced to a caterer.) Also, the job is demanding especially when you are in charge as an LSA of a sold out train. Although the conductor is in charge you will be approached about many matters that will require split second decisions.

 

[Amtrak OBS Employee gone freight]

Well out of those crewbases I would chose either one. NYC has a few more jobs as far as OBS jobs on the long distance trains are concerned. You could work the "Crescent, Lake Shore, Cardinal, and the Palmetto" out of that crewbase. And there are also some LSA jobs on some of the NEC trains. I think WAS has a lot of those in addition to the "Capital" as their long distance train. BOS is strictly Acela and NEC trains, I believe. If it were me, I would go more for NYC for the many options as far as OBS dept is concerned. "Auto Train" is a good bet if you go ahead and start out there, but keep in mind they are sorta their own company.

In the regular Amtrak OBS system you are trained in a two or three crafts (or more should you decide), and you must bid on regular positions in your highest craft at job bid time. Otherwise, you either give up your seniorty in the higher craft (unless it isn't available at the crewbase your at). And you keep that/those seniority dates in those crafts for the term of your employement. At "Auto Train" you are trained in every craft, and work in rotation in every craft there. It is also its own separate seniorty date! In other words you can't start in OBS at a crewbase such as NYC, and then expect to take your seniorty to LOR. And that is the same likewise should you start at "Auto Train" in LOR, you can't take that seniority to a crewbase like NYC either. In short, if your in Amtrak OBS dept in the long distance trains your seniority is national meaning the crewbase your at or anywhere you are able to hold should you be displaced except "Auto Train." This way if you start at "Auto Train" an old head from LAX couldn't come into LOR and displace you unless he/she actually had previous "Auto Train" seniorty, and most don't!

As far as the differneces are concerned, be prepared to work where ever you end up! Don't get this idea of "Auto Train" as being relaxing! It is gang busters over there, though there is downtime and quiet times, too. It is either feast or famine out there on the railroad! Ready for on call work? Ready for wierd hours? Ready to not be home every night or day?Ready to be able to deal with displacements/furloughs when they occur? Ready for extreme situation as they occur? If so, go for it! The railroad is a promising career path if you stick with it. The retirement benefits alone are what make it worthwhile for me. I spent for first six years of railroad employment with Amtrak in MIA and JAX crewbases in the OBS department as an attendant in either coach, sleeper, or dining car (waiter). I enjoyed my time there in Amtrak OBS for the most part, but left to go to the freight sector due to a furlough and didn't place myself due to location and other personal reasons.

Good luck.......

OBS gone freight......

 

[Amtrak OBS Employee gone freight]

Also, the job is demanding especially when you are in charge as an LSA of a sold out train. Although the conductor is in charge you will be approached about many matters that will require split second decisions.

I wanted to emphasize this (not to scare you), as I kinda failed to mention this in my posting. This poster is a fellow railroader, too.

You will be placed in situations where you may have to make the decision! Many times conductors will approach you to get your ideas on how to handle things when a situation arises affecting the entire train's OBS crew. Remember, he/she gets off at the next T&E (conductor/engineer) crew change point, and most acknowledge that. You stay on till the end of the trip.

There will also be times when the conductor isn't even a part of the equation, due to his/her absence from the situation, etc. where you're expected to make the right decision!

OBS gone freight.......

 

[AMTK@AUS]

Thanks for all your replies! It sounds like my experience as a Customer Service Manager at Wal-Mart would come in handy... I'm still thinking about it, considering this would mean relocating and has the strong potential to hurt my personal life. Right now I've got a good job with Pepsi and maybe it would be best not to make such a drastic move at this time.