Service on the Empire Builder

[BigRedEO]

After a comedy of errors where our bus driver from the CS in Klamath Falls got lost in Portland for 40 minutes, making the Eastbound Empire Builder 45 minutes late leaving, we got into the Portland Sleeper. Our SCA, Angie, was VERY helpful the first hour, but after that? All downhill. She doesn't seem to be very happy. No towels in the room. Hardly anything in the coffee station, our call button stopped working so we have to try and find her on the car, and she always seems bothered by our requests. I'd like to get some ice to chill the little champagne bottle they left for us in our rooms, but I'm almost afraid to ask. Richie, our SCA on the Northbound Coast Starlight, was spectacular! I now wish we'd tipped him even more! We're coming up on Havre, which it says is a service stop. Anyone know if they change crew, too??

 

[RRrich]

Unfortunately the SCA does not change at Havre, you got her until you get off the EB :angry2:

 

[OlympianHiawatha]

Operating Crews change in Havre as well and it should be a long enough stop to allow you to explore the platform area including the 4-8-4 Steam Engine that pulled the Great Northern Empire Builder circa 1930s.

 

[EMDF9A]

Are #27/28 still crewed with Chicago based peopleor have they been moved to Seattle?

 

[OBS]

Are #27/28 still crewed with Chicago based peopleor have they been moved to Seattle?

Chicago based.

 

[NAVYBLUE]

After a comedy of errors where our bus driver from the CS in Klamath Falls got lost in Portland for 40 minutes, making the Eastbound Empire Builder 45 minutes late leaving, we got into the Portland Sleeper. Our SCA, Angie, was VERY helpful the first hour, but after that? All downhill. She doesn't seem to be very happy. No towels in the room. Hardly anything in the coffee station, our call button stopped working so we have to try and find her on the car, and she always seems bothered by our requests. I'd like to get some ice to chill the little champagne bottle they left for us in our rooms, but I'm almost afraid to ask. Richie, our SCA on the Northbound Coast Starlight, was spectacular! I now wish we'd tipped him even more! We're coming up on Havre, which it says is a service stop. Anyone know if they change crew, too??

I am new to the LD train riding (last time 1993) but below is a post I did from another thread. A letter to AMTRAK personnel/marketing might be in order on the lady.

"I guess I got lucky on wife and I's first LD since 1993. On the SWC 12/11 from LAX-CHI we were lucky to get SAM (LSA) and Richard (SA) and they were great and we had coach people eating with us and there was no animosity that I could see. And on the CARDINAL 12/13 CHI-BAL we had Craig aka Cedric the Entertainer and what a hoot. Same great service for sleeper and coach people and assistance (Subway box lunches gratis) to coach people who had to buy an extra lunch due to our delay after a freight train hit the RV in Indiana. A retired freight train engineer at dinner told me Sam/Richard were one of the (2) best meal crew he has seen on AMTRAK in 20 years riding LDs.

I am writing individual PERSONAL letters of commendation for Sam, Richard, Craig and Eugene (CARDINAL) Sleeper SCA and Louisa(Philly Reservations) to AMTRAK personnel V.P. It is so easy to ***** as customers, but we need to see the good ones get rewarded with letters of praise so HOPEFULLY great LSA/SA/Sleeper SCAs get promoted and become great Conductors and OBSs. I am also writing a negative letter which will name some personnel (reservations/station personnel) who in my opinion performed below the satisfactory level. I always ask for name and employee number

We as riders are the solution or problem to making the service personnel get on the stick."

NAVYBLUE

 

[amamba]

Sometimes there is an ice chest left out near the coffee/juice station. If not, I would track down Angie and ask her to get you some. Ice is supposed to be provided for sleeper pax.

Good luck - at least you made it onto the train, right? It could be worse - you could be overnighting in Portland and heading out the next day in coach.

And you are on a train while the rest of us are stuck at home!

 

[Rail Freak]

There's nothing worse than an SCA with a bad/rude attitude, especially on a multi day trip!!!

 

[EMDF9A]

Are #27/28 still crewed with Chicago based peopleor have they been moved to Seattle?

Chicago based.

Thats what I thought. When AMTRAK moved 7 & 8 to Seattle based crews, the service got markedly better, but the infestation of the Chicago based crews who work 27/28 tend to negate a lot of that. Last year it was discussed that they were going to crew 27/28 from Seattle and even hired 2 classes of SAs, 1 class of Cooks & one class of LSAs. It seems that that hasnt happened.

 

[gn2276]

If you want to you can write a letter to John Kukec, he is the Empire Builder Manager, his address is John Kukec Manager OBS Empire Builder 187 South Holgate Street Seattle Wa 98134. He would be the best to complane to about sleeper crews.

 

[Donctor]

Are #27/28 still crewed with Chicago based peopleor have they been moved to Seattle?

Chicago based.

Thats what I thought. When AMTRAK moved 7 & 8 to Seattle based crews, the service got markedly better, but the infestation of the Chicago based crews who work 27/28 tend to negate a lot of that. Last year it was discussed that they were going to crew 27/28 from Seattle and even hired 2 classes of SAs, 1 class of Cooks & one class of LSAs. It seems that that hasnt happened.

When did 7/8 switch to Seattle-based crews?

 

[OBS]

Are #27/28 still crewed with Chicago based peopleor have they been moved to Seattle?

Chicago based.

Thats what I thought. When AMTRAK moved 7 & 8 to Seattle based crews, the service got markedly better, but the infestation of the Chicago based crews who work 27/28 tend to negate a lot of that. Last year it was discussed that they were going to crew 27/28 from Seattle and even hired 2 classes of SAs, 1 class of Cooks & one class of LSAs. It seems that that hasnt happened.

When did 7/8 switch to Seattle-based crews?

I'm not exactly sure "when", but it has been that way for many years; the only exception being an extra waiter that would "turn" enroute (in Whitefish, iirc) as a seasonal position...

 

[Donctor]

When did 7/8 switch to Seattle-based crews?

I'm not exactly sure "when", but it has been that way for many years; the only exception being an extra waiter that would "turn" enroute (in Whitefish, iirc) as a seasonal position...

I think it has been that way for as long as I've taken any interest in Amtrak (but I'm not sure). I had a conversation with someone much older than I, and the impression I got was that this hadn't always been the case.

 

[gn2276]

Everyone other then the 28 crew has been based out of Seattle for about the last 10 years.

 

[BigRedEO]

If you want to you can write a letter to John Kukec, he is the Empire Builder Manager, his address is John Kukec Manager OBS Empire Builder 187 South Holgate Street Seattle Wa 98134. He would be the best to complane to about sleeper crews.

Thank you!

 

[BigRedEO]

Just listened to someone else outside our bedroom complain about Angie to the conductor. She needs to get her act together.

 

[BigRedEO]

Well, no tip for this SCA. Beds were not put up until 30 minutes ago and I had to find a conductor so they could find the SCA. Luckily, the woman in the lounge was overly gracious and gave me snacks and drinks "on Amtrak" and went out of her way to get that conducor for us.

 

[SP&S]

You've certainly had some curves (or were they spitballs) thrown at you this trip! At least the Builder's been pretty much on time.

Might I suggest that when you write the nasty-gram about Angie you also write a complementary letter about Richie on the CS. Since people are so much more likely to complain than to write about good service, attaboy letters do get attention.

 

[BigRedEO]

You've certainly had some curves (or were they spitballs) thrown at you this trip! At least the Builder's been pretty much on time.

Might I suggest that when you write the nasty-gram about Angie you also write a complementary letter about Richie on the CS. Since people are so much more likely to complain than to write about good service, attaboy letters do get attention.

I was also going to write about Alexis in the lounge and how kind she was!

 

[Donctor]

Everyone other then the 28 crew has been based out of Seattle for about the last 10 years.

Thanks.

 

[Trogdor]

Operating Crews change in Havre as well and it should be a long enough stop to allow you to explore the platform area including the 4-8-4 Steam Engine that pulled the Great Northern Empire Builder circa 1930s.

Crews don't change in Havre. Conductors and engineers work Minot to Shelby.