My Best Sleep Car Attendant

[buck1108]

I just got back from an amazing train vacation in which I went from Norman, OK to Ottawa, Ont and back again.

Took the Heartland Flyer to FW a few weeks ago, caught the Texas Eagle to Chicago (on which were splendid company),

Lakeshore Ltd to Depew (coach), Maple Leaf to Toronto, Via between Toronto-Ottawa and Ottawa-Montreal, Adirondack back to

Schenectady, Lake Shore to Chicago, Texas Eagle to FW, and Heartland Flyer to Norman. The Texas Eagle from Chicago had a

roomcar attendant whose name, I'll just say, was "Jim". He was outstanding! He made thorough explanations of car procedures

over the intercom, which were well appreciated, and he even stopped by our roomette to help us with our dinner billing questions,

offered to make things right from a little incident in the dining car, and was just all around a champ. He said that he was

a trainer for the dining car employees and that he would be sure that things were made right. We weren't intending to

be complainers, but at the first mention, he made things right. All of the way back to FW, he was incredible!

I've a new vocabulary word: "Mega-Am-Tip"!

I wanted to share this, as it has greatly improved my recently diminished view of train service.

Next time I book, I might not book based upon date, but upon where "Jim" might be!

 

[Devil's Advocate]

Sounds like you had an wonderful experience. Might I suggest you also call Amtrak to thank them for his service? Tips are great but sometimes it pays even better to get a lot of thank you's ringing in corporate ears.

 

[buck1108]

Sounds like you had an wonderful experience. Might I suggest you also call Amtrak to thank them for his service? Tips are great but sometimes it pays even better to get a lot of thank you's ringing in corporate ears.

Excellent suggestion! Thanks.

 

[Guest]

:hi: Notice a pattern happening, a SCA named Jim on the TE is getting lots of mentions for the best SCA, the administrators were supposed to be considering this as a "pinned" topic,it might not be a bad idea, could even call it OBS Hall of Fame!

 

[A.J.]

on a train in 2009, I witnessed an interesting occurrence: as we all exited in chicago the SCA asked a passenger, a popular and grammy award winning artist, to write a nice letter about her to amtrak hq. he took it well and was nice to her about it, but he certainly seemed surprised! when i told the SCA on my next train about it, her comment was, "she must be in trouble"!

 

[greatcats]

Why don't you tell us the real SCA's name, so we would know if we encounter him?

 

[buck1108]

Why don't you tell us the real SCA's name, so we would know if we encounter him?

Well, I guess it'll be ok - after all, his name was on his badge. His name is actually Jim, and he's a tall, trim guy. He tries to always have a smile, and he seems very genuine. What might help to identify him even more is that he does give comprehensive announcements, pre-departure, or just thereafter, as well as a few witty witticisms thrown in, here and there. He'll make the extra effort to find the people bedding in his car (for example, he came into the dining car and visited those in his car, asking for the "room 5 people", to ask them about their room requests or dining billing, for example, as well). He's the kind of employee who has a very positive effect upon other employees, bringing out the better qualities in them, as well, with his positive influence.

He's very professional, and as I tipped him, he extended his hand and we shook (hands).

That was almost as good as meeting Keith Emerson.

That was another first.

 

[Rail Freak]

So far, the best SCA I've encountered was Brenda on the CL. I've had her twice. I understand she has recently retired!

 

[rrdude]

I guess I'll "throw it up here again" and prolly bring it to the board meeting, but again call for AU to nominate, and provide some type of "prize" to the best Amtrak, (fill in the categories) employee(s)

K.I.S.S.

Maybe three or four positions.

Conductor/Assistant Conductor

SCA

Dining Car Staff

LSA

Tix Agent?

Like I said, each year AU nominates and announces award winner(s). Over time it grows, and more Amtrak employees become aware of it.

As said before, I realize Amtrak has their own employee recognition program, that's fine.

But this is a BONUS on top of that. Hell, I'll donate $100 right now to get the thing going. Imagine if each year, each regular AU poster contributed just $10.00 to the pot. If / when it grows, we could prolly get some sponsors to kick in some $$$ or prizes too.

Think of the "prestige". Think JD Powers. Think of all the other independent awards out there. Think outside the box.

 

[AlanB]

We can't run such a contest as aside from possible legal issues, the biggest problem is that we would have no way to give out any prizes to the winners. Amtrak will not, and legally cannot, provide us with the employees' address. And I rather doubt that they would willing pass on any prizes for us either, as they wouldn't want to undermine their own recognition programs.

 

[rrdude]

We can't run such a contest as aside from possible legal issues, the biggest problem is that we would have no way to give out any prizes to the winners. Amtrak will not, and legally cannot, provide us with the employees' address. And I rather doubt that they would willing pass on any prizes for us either, as they wouldn't want to undermine their own recognition programs.

Bah! After the winner is announced, next time any AU member runs into the winner, they can give them the email addy of the "prize guru", and he/she can fwd gift certificate, or whatever.

It's a matter of WANTING to do it, and coming up with a way to recognize. Not dealing with Amtrak.