Quick Emeryville Question

[AMTRAK-P42]

Hey guys. I have a quick question I am hoping some of you who still live in the Bay Area can answer.

Last summer when I was out in California visiting some friends and riding the rails I was in the Emeryville, CA station and noticed this flyer. The flyer advertised the possibility of high school seniors or other people interested in trains the ability to help out around the station (no pay involved). Telling people which train is which, etc. Since my senior internship is quickly approaching, this idea came up in a discussion during class today. We have the opportunity to travel and I would love to go back to my home town and do this for a few days.

I spent some time today searching for the Emeryville contact information, and the best I could come up was 2 numbers. The first, 510-450-1080, put me through to the generic capital corridor automated system, which EVENTUALLY lead me to a real person. Unfortunately the person I had the privilege of talking to could clearly not care less about my interest in the Emeryville phone number, and replied "No" when I asked her if she knew what the number to the station was. Then she instructed me to call 411 and that was it. I then proceeded to call the second number, 510-450-1087, which I tried a few times throughout the day. Basically, it rang for 5 minutes and nobody picked up. I finally called 411 and was given the same number I had dialed the first time, taking me to the capital corridor automated system.

Now is where I need your help. I was hoping that somebody in that area could do me a huge favor and let me know whether or not this opportunity was still available? Or if they had a working number for the Emeryville station? I have to try and get this worked out in the coming 2 weeks so I have my fingers crossed. Thanks in advance guys!

 

[tp49]

Check your inbox.

 

[trainboy325]

Your best bet would be to call the Capital Corridor Joint Power Authority that owns the Amtrak California trains in that area (operated under contract by Amtrak). The business office will be able to determine if the flyer is legitimate and how you enroll in the program. I can tell you that the "Amtrak people" won't have a clue. <_<

 

[AMTRAK-P42]

Thanks guys for both of your suggestions. I have yet to hear anything back from my email.

If anyone is going to be headed through the EMY station any time over the next couple of days, would you mind seeing if they have a flyer/asking if the oppurtunity still exists.

Thanks for all your help.

 

[jccollins]

You must have seen one of our California Corridor Station Host Association flyers. "Love Helping People? Love Train Travel? Become a Station Host!" Sound familiar? The program has been in place for five or six years now at the Sacramento, Martinez, Emeryville, and Oakland-Jack London stations. I enjoyed working the Sunday mornings shift at the Martinez station my junior and senior years in high school. Station host duties include restocking passenger brochure and schedule displays, announcing trains, directing passengers to the proper boarding locations and assisting them on and off trains, talking with the passengers, working the line at the ticket counter to answer simple questions so people don't tie up an agent's time when the line is really long, etc. etc. I developed a routine after a couple weeks and stayed busy on my feet for my entire shift (6:30a-12noon); there was never a lack of things to do. I am now a junior at the University of Nevada-Reno so it has been a few years since I have been an active member of the program.

You can contact program coordinator Doras Briggs at [email protected] for more information about the program, or ask away here on the forum and I'll respond when I get a chance.

 

[battalion51]

You know it really is a shame that they don't expand that program to other areas in the country, especially at the large stations where people are needed. Heck I wouldn't even mind being there to open up the Tallahassee station when the Sunset comes back, free of charge. It can get pretty darn cold here for those Westbound departures.

 

[AMTRAK-P42]

You know it really is a shame that they don't expand that program to other areas in the country, especially at the large stations where people are needed. Heck I wouldn't even mind being there to open up the Tallahassee station when the Sunset comes back, free of charge. It can get pretty darn cold here for those Westbound departures.

That is literally exactly what I said when I saw it this summer; that it should be in more stations around the country. It would allow for a lot more students to get involved and learn more about Amtrak and passenger rail in general.

 

[AMTRAK-P42]

You must have seen one of our California Corridor Station Host Association flyers. "Love Helping People? Love Train Travel? Become a Station Host!" Sound familiar? The program has been in place for five or six years now at the Sacramento, Martinez, Emeryville, and Oakland-Jack London stations. I enjoyed working the Sunday mornings shift at the Martinez station my junior and senior years in high school. Station host duties include restocking passenger brochure and schedule displays, announcing trains, directing passengers to the proper boarding locations and assisting them on and off trains, talking with the passengers, working the line at the ticket counter to answer simple questions so people don't tie up an agent's time when the line is really long, etc. etc. I developed a routine after a couple weeks and stayed busy on my feet for my entire shift (6:30a-12noon); there was never a lack of things to do. I am now a junior at the University of Nevada-Reno so it has been a few years since I have been an active member of the program.
You can contact program coordinator Doras Briggs at [email protected] for more information about the program, or ask away here on the forum and I'll respond when I get a chance.

Alright awesome JC, thanks. I sent an email to Doras around 3 EST havent heard anything yet. Ill get back to you in a few days.

 

[jccollins]

Here's an excellent article about the program that appeared in the August, 2002 edition of the TRAC (Train Riders Association of California) California Rail News. You might also want to send an e-mail to Ray Ahearn; his e-mail is at the bottom of the article. I haven't heard from Doras in a while even though I have sent her a few e-mails within the last few years...

Station Host Program Expands
The California Station Host program began its trial run in March 2001 at the Emeryville Station with the official blessing of Amtrak and concurrence of the Transportation Communication Union. Its expansion was subsequently authorized in Oakland, Martinez, San Francisco, and Sacramento.

Developed by TRAC member Doras Briggs and headed by TRAC member Ray Ahearn, the program is proving a success for Amtrak, for passengers, and for the Hosts.

What is a Station Host? A volunteer who likes people and who, after successfully completing a training program and donning the official cap and badges, spends his or her time helping waiting riders. It's fine to like trains, but the emphasis must be on the people in the station.

"We need volunteers who enjoy talking with and helping rail travelers by answering peripheral questions for which the busy Amtrak staff have little or no time."? said Briggs. "For a first time rider through the station, just knowing where to catch the bus to San Francisco or how to get to a BART station, or the location of an ATM machine, can be a great relief.?  Hosts learn the schedules in their stations so they can help tell people which train to board or which train connects to which bus.

They help Amtrak personnel but are specifically banned from performing employees' duties.  Hosts never interfere with employee actions; they are there to assist.  Each station presents its own challenges and unique personality. The Oakland Station Host program hasn't yet attracted as many volunteers as Emeryville despite its attractive location adjacent to Jack London Square and the Estuary. If you're lucky, Oakland Mayor Jerry Brown, whose home is in the block across the street, may drop by). Doras hopes TRAC's publicity will encourage more people to volunteer for Oakland.

Martinez has always been a prime train watching spot for local railfans. A small subgroup of these fans has assisted confused passengers in need of directions or information for many years. Now, under the guidance of Assistant Scheduler Vern Spaulding, the Station Host program is proving a natural fit for this station. Those local fans who always enjoyed working with the public have completed the training course, donned the official cap, and now earn the appreciation of the station staff by helping out. The beautiful new station, just west of the old station, offers a pleasant atmosphere. An abundance of bus connections to

local transit and other Amtrak locations makes those with a good head for details and rail operations invaluable partners at Martinez.

The Sacramento Station is a bit more of a challenge. The ongoing battle over the future of the property and Union Pacific's delays on interim improvements have left a situation wherein passengers may step off the train and wonder where the station is. The unwelcoming rear of the station unfortunately resembles the loading dock of an old warehouse. Cars may be parked in the bus stalls. Passengers don't know

whether to use the tunnels or cross the tracks, and freight trains sometimes come rumbling

through as passengers ignore loudspeaker instructions to use the tunnel. A herd of connecting buses, sometimes with incorrect destinations displayed, adds to the turmoil.

"It is one of the more confusing stations, and it will really help to have someone around to help people out," said Bob Koski, longtime TRAC member and new Assistant Scheduler recruited for Sacramento's Station Host operation. "I've seen people go down into the tunnel and come right back up on the other side with befuddled looks on their faces."  

Assisting sister organizations like the Station Host Association of California is one of the ways TRAC helps the cause of improving passenger rail in the State. A recent email to Sacramento area TRAC members announcing the Station Host program brought a seed group of volunteers to the first training session. Doras and Ray have expressed great appreciation for TRAC's willingness to assist in recruiting Station Hosts as the program expands.  

You don't have to be a TRAC member to become a Station Host, you just have to enjoy helping the traveling public. If you are interested in the Station Host program, pick up an application in your preferred station or email Ray Ahearn ([email protected]) or Doras Briggs ([email protected])

 

[jccollins]

Here's another article. This one's about Doras Briggs, the mastermind behind the program.

Amtrak deems rider ‘Champion of the rails’
By Mary Spicuzza, Special to the [berkeley]Daily Planet (10-26-01)

EMERYVILLE – Doras Briggs can remember details of her first train ride down to the day, year and Amtrak line.

“It was the Fourth of July, 1923. My dad gave me a train ride as my fifth birthday present,” said Briggs, who turned 84 on July 4. “It was the Waterloo-Cedar Falls and Northern Line, in Iowa.”

Nearly 80 years later, Briggs said she could never forget this gift.

And at an Emeryville City Council meeting this month, the five-foot tall Briggs stepped up to the podium to receive praise not only as a life-long devoted train passenger, but as a powerful Amtrak advocate and “champion of the rails.”

Briggs, director of the National Association of Railroad Passengers – a group of 16,000 volunteer train advocates – became a mass transit pioneer when she began a host program at the Emeryville Amtrak station. She now trains other volunteers to help passengers with directions, bus schedules, and travel advice.

When passengers stop at one of her stations when Briggs is on duty, she bustles around providing assistance to anyone looking like they need it. She effortlessly explains the best direct train lines and bus routes, and probably knows the exact time a train pulls into stations around the country. Wearing a jacket with her short, curly gray hair covered by a volunteer host cap, Briggs serves as a brochure-carrying savior to the confused commuter.

Hers is the first Amtrak-approved station host program in the country, and is quickly spreading to other stations.

To honor her work, Mayor Nora Davis and other councilmembers declared Oct. 26, as “Doras Briggs/ Amtrak Volunteer Day.” Davis said councilmembers crafted the proclamation because of Brigg’s daily work helping Emeryville passengers.

“Clearly, she is such an ardent fan of Amtrak, the train, and moving people by rail,” Davis said after the meeting. “For this city, that is so important. Her assistance has been so valuable.”

Briggs is now training more than 20 volunteers as hosts for the Emeryville, Oakland, and Martinez stations. She said she keeps getting increasing numbers of host applications.

In the Bay Area, where a BART strike is looming and airport lines are notoriously long, Amtrak West spokeswoman Vernae Graham said she couldn’t have hoped for a better friend for rail passengers.

“She’s just incredible, she’s a spitfire,” said Graham. “She’s just our best friend.”

Graham said Briggs also sends her articles about trains gathered from newspapers printed all over the country, usually before Graham receives them from Amtrak’s clipping service.

“I hope I have that much energy when I’m that age,” Graham said. “It doesn’t get any better than Doras.”

Briggs and her volunteers help rail passengers with travel tips, as well as information about local lodgings and events. Like Briggs, each host dons a jacket, volunteer station host cap, and a badge while on the job. This week hosts began carrying new security badges, complete with photographs for additional passenger safety.

“The people behind the counter are so busy,” Briggs said. “We’re really just filling in the cracks.”

Amtrak Service Manager Jeff Snowden said Briggs and her crew have helped more than they could know. While sitting in his office at the Emeryville station, Snowden said when he moved from Los Angeles last year, he turned to Briggs for information about restaurants and recreation in the Bay Area.

“Some of our passengers get off the train and look for her,” Snowden said. “And she can’t wait to get out there to give information.”

For example, Briggs easily listed the departure locations, destinations, and route numbers for buses to each of the major BART stations during one phone interview.

Briggs has plenty of information about the Bay Area based on her own experiences. While a student at UC Berkeley, where she earned a music degree in 1942, Briggs funded her education by working as a church organist. She also worked as an associate chimes mistress, playing the Campanile bells four times a week.

After retiring from her job at the university in the late 70s, she started devoting her days to the rails. Briggs, who is also a member of the Train Riders of California and similar groups in Washington and Oregon, frequently takes Amtrak around the country to attend railroad meetings. But Emeryville station employees said she always has time for their station.

“She knows everybody here,” Amtrak employee Carita Leyx said. “She is just a lovely, lovely spirit.”

Briggs said she will soon be moving to an apartment next door to the Emeryville station, and can’t wait to live closer to Amtrak.

As Briggs accepted her honors at the Emeryville council meeting, she encouraged everyone there to ride the rails.

“I hope I see you all on a train one of these days,” she said.

 

[AKA]

Thanks J C for a great story.

 

[AMTRAK-P42]

Thanks for the storys JC. My only questions is do you have any phone numbers I should try? I am running out of time to set this up so I have to hope to hear from these emails soon.

 

[AMTRAK-P42]

Well guys, I have great news. After about a week or 2 of work, I was able to secure my internship!

Thanks to Doras, I will be flying out there during the afternoon on February 21st and ill stay at the Woodfin adjacent to the EMY station. I will be working the station on the 22nd and 23rd. Hang out friday (probably do some train riding) and then head to the NARP meeting on Saturday in Sacramento.

Thanks JC for your info!

 

[jccollins]

I am glad to hear you got everything worked out! Emeryville is a busy station and will keep you on your toes. I'll be at the NARP meeting in SAC on the 25th as well.

 

[haolerider]

The state of NC also has a very effective Train Host program, which is administered by the NCDOT.

The key to this is to have a strong leadership volunteer who is willing to administer the program. Amtrak does not have enough people to coordinate such a program - so anyone who is interested enough to develope such a program in other states/cities/etc should contact a station manager to see what can be done. Again, the key is a strong hard-working and dedicated volunteer like Doras Briggs.

 

[AMTRAK-P42]

Well guys, Im headed out tomorrow! . Ill be working for a few days then be doing some short rail riding of my own. Ill be updating posts daily from the internship.

 

[AMTRAK-P42]

Well im reporting from my room at the Woodfin here in Emeryville. Today was a very busy day, I am wore out. Highlights of the day were most definatly getting lunch/spending time with Doras (what a wonderful lady!) and helping with #11 and #6. #11 was exactly 6 hours late today, loosing almost 3 1/2 hours between Chico and Sacramento. #6 got out right on time. Have another full day of station hosting tomorrow then I am off for some day riding on Friday before heading up to the NARP meeting on Saturday.

I am happy to report that both #11 and #14 (from last night) had parlours. #14 last night even arrived in the station early and had to wait for time!

 

[rail rookie]

If I see any of those flyers, I will pick one up for you. I will be in the Emeryville Station on Sunday March 5th. With that said, I have a question. My girlfriend and I booked a rental car at the Oakland Airport since some of the rental car companies at the Emeryville Station are closed on Sundays. Can we take a "shuttle" to thee airport or will we have to "call" or "hail" a cab? Is there a cab stand at the Emeryville Station? I see the choice of cabs is "Yellow Cabs" , appreciate all input from all of you.

 

[AMTRAK-P42]

If I see any of those flyers, I will pick one up for you. I will be in the Emeryville Station on Sunday March 5th. With that said, I have a question. My girlfriend and I booked a rental car at the Oakland Airport since some of the rental car companies at the Emeryville Station are closed on Sundays. Can we take a "shuttle" to thee airport or will we have to "call" or "hail" a cab? Is there a cab stand at the Emeryville Station? I see the choice of cabs is "Yellow Cabs" , appreciate all input from all of you.

Dont worry about the flyer anymore, its all taken care of. But Thank you! And in terms of a cab stand, there is one right outfront of the EMY station across from Subway. I would recommend Supershuttle if your headed to the airport, its 38 dollars to East Bay.

 

[AMTRAK-P42]

Well more good news from my second day of work. All of the starlight trainsets I have seen so far do have a parlour! They all seem to be back in working order. The starlight came through about an hour late last night and 3 1/2 hours late today.

 

[tp49]

If I see any of those flyers, I will pick one up for you. I will be in the Emeryville Station on Sunday March 5th. With that said, I have a question. My girlfriend and I booked a rental car at the Oakland Airport since some of the rental car companies at the Emeryville Station are closed on Sundays. Can we take a "shuttle" to thee airport or will we have to "call" or "hail" a cab? Is there a cab stand at the Emeryville Station? I see the choice of cabs is "Yellow Cabs" , appreciate all input from all of you.

If you are riding the Capitol Corridor you can take a train to Oakland Coliseum station walk over to the BART station and take the AirBart bus to Oakland Airport. This might not work for you though if there is no train heading to Oakland Coliseum at the time you need to go.

 

[jccollins]

Since it is a Sunday the majority of the Capitols (6 out of the 9) go all the way through and will stop at OAC Coliseum Station. From there walk the 200 yards or so down the little exit street driveway in front of the train station and you'll see the AirFART shuttle bus right there. It will take you directly to the airport and be a lot cheaper than hailing a cab.

 

[AMTRAK-P42]

Since it is a Sunday the majority of the Capitols (6 out of the 9) go all the way through and will stop at OAC Coliseum Station. From there walk the 200 yards or so down the little exit street driveway in front of the train station and you'll see the AirFART shuttle bus right there. It will take you directly to the airport and be a lot cheaper than hailing a cab.

JC, didnt see you at the meeting today, were u there? I was wearing a blue shirt with black pants, sitting in the front next to Doras.

 

[AmtrakFan]

How did the internship go?

 

[jccollins]

JC, didnt see you at the meeting today, were u there? I was wearing a blue shirt with black pants, sitting in the front next to Doras.

Yup... I was wearing a green checkered shirt and blue jeans and sat further up in the auditorium. I was the only other guy there (besides you and Matt Melzer) under 30. I had guessed that was you in the blue shirt but by the time I made it down to the stage area at lunch and after the meeting you had already left. I went to lunch with Doras and the other station hosts at a thai restaurant. Doras had great things to say about you and wished you could stay as a permanent member of the program. Where did you go for lunch? Did you enjoy the meeting? Which trains did you get to travel on while you were in California?