Trails and Rails announcements interrupted constantly

[Blackshirt Husker]

Why is it so hard for Amtrak to coordinate its PA announcements so that the dining car staff or other personnel aren't constantly talking over the Trails and Rails volunteers? Personally, I think the T&R folks add something valuable to the trip with their commentary, but on the Zephyr just a few minutes ago, the dining car attendant broke into the guy's talk no less than three times (once to read the lunch menu aloud). What kills me is that whenever this happens (and it happens a lot), both parties continue talking, completely oblivious to one another, for up to five minute stretches!

Seriously--it can't be that hard to coordinate talk-times on a PA system, can it?

 

[Devil's Advocate]

How about they simply get off the PA system for anything but irregular operations and stop reading the whole damn menu to the whole damn train for no damn reason. Amtrak is like Long John Silvers. Role a die and pick whatever comes up. It's all frozen the same way, cooked the same way, and comes out tasting the same in the end. :lol:

 

[guest]

A lot of LSAs and Conductors turn the volume way down in their own cars, because they don't really care about anyone else's announcements, so you frequently hear overlapping and unintelligible messages. Just a lack of professionalism from those individuals.

 

[saxman]

On the CZ they do the Trails and Rails throughout the entire train right? Every other train they seem to just do it in the Lounge Car. But either way, the Dining Car LSA probably can't hear the volunteer. I don't think it's because they are trying to be unprofessional. They just can't hear. You know how the PA systems is on those cars. Some cars you can hear the PA's. Some you just can't, or they come in broken or quiet. Conductor's consider it amazing if the PA actually works throughout the entire train from any microphone.

 

[OlympianHiawatha]

Somewhere on the Web I downloaded a 1949 California Zephyr Dining Car Employees Handbook and it has very set rules for when and how the PA, Radio and Wire Reproducer (recorded music) will be used and by whom. It also includes text for the Dining Car announcements. Back then, I imagine if someone violated protocol, they'd be quickly looking at a write up or perhaps the unemployment line.

 

[EMDF9A]

The CZ T&R program may have a different set of guidelines, but for those of us who work the Builder & Starlight from Seattle, we are very limited to how many, how frequent and how long train-wide announcements can be. We have out own wireless PA systems that we set up in the SSL on both trains for the presentations. (The SEA/SPK is done trainwide from a coach because there is no SSL) Our instructions are that whenever an AMTRAK crewmember makes a PA announcement, we are to stop what we're saying. I have to admit that I have been somewhat frustrated when the LSA & PPC attendants read the entire menu on the Welcome Aboard speech, as I cannot do my welcome until all three of the foodservice cars have done theirs & the conductor has done his/hers. This is especially frustrating on #11 as we depart King Street. There is a lot to see in those first few miles, and I want to invite folks to come & hear our presentation. Its not so bad on #14 leaving PDX however, as they usually only do a brief anouncement about dinner.

I'm glad to see there are folks here that appreciate our efforts in the T&R program.

David

Seattle

 

[TVRM610]

How about they simply get off the PA system for anything but irregular operations and stop reading the whole damn menu to the whole damn train for no damn reason. Amtrak is like Long John Silvers. Role a die and pick whatever comes up. It's all frozen the same way, cooked the same way, and comes out tasting the same in the end. :lol:

I know you were being somewhat sarcastic (i hope) but a steak grilled to order is not prepared the same way as a vegetable pasta dish that is heated in a convection oven.

 

[Ispolkom]

I know you were being somewhat sarcastic (i hope) but a steak grilled to order is not prepared the same way as a vegetable pasta dish that is heated in a convection oven.

And not everyone has the menu memorized, the way frequent travelers on Amtrak do. Mrs. Ispolkom was dumfounded when I showed her that the Canadian has a different menu every day.

 

[SarahZ]

I've never understood why they feel the need to read the menu to everyone. There's a menu in the back of the seat. I can read the menu before we go to the DC, or I can read it when I'm sitting in the DC. It doesn't take that long to read 4-5 items.

Also, the reason the PA is usually low/off in the crew car is because the crew sleeps 'round the clock. My favorite car attendant on the SWC wished us a goodnight around 6:00 PM once. I must have given him an odd look because he told me, "I have to be up at 2:00 AM." Later, when he was trying to page someone, another CA came over the PA and reminded him the PA is off in the crew car.

 

[dan72]

When my dad and I took a trip on the Southwest Chief about four years ago, we had a SSL attendant who not only read the menu, but detailed descriptions of all the items! We could tell the LSA in the dining car was getting frustrated as he needed to get seating announcements made. When we went down to the dining car for our seating, one of the servers jokingly greeted us by saying 'would you go down to lounge car and tell him to SHUT UP!' Although annoying, it did provide some good humor for the trip.

Unfortunately, there were no R&T due to it being the off-season (early March).

Dan

 

[Devil's Advocate]

I know you were being somewhat sarcastic (i hope) but a steak grilled to order is not prepared the same way as a vegetable pasta dish that is heated in a convection oven.

Whenever someone criticizes Amtrak's on board menu someone always brings up the steak. They never bring up the stale roll, the McLettuce bowl, the defrosted vegetable brick, or the powered potatoes that accompany this steak. :lol:

And not everyone has the menu memorized, the way frequent travelers on Amtrak do. Mrs. Ispolkom was dumfounded when I showed her that the Canadian has a different menu every day.

The Canadian did things the way I would want them done with very little mindless blabbering on the PA. Nobody seemed to be having trouble handling an unmemorized menu of three or four options. They simply consulted it as you would in any other restaurant, asked questions when necessary, and ordered. Simple, easy, effective. Never saw a single person request that the whole entire train be notified over the PA.

 

[TVRM610]

I know you were being somewhat sarcastic (i hope) but a steak grilled to order is not prepared the same way as a vegetable pasta dish that is heated in a convection oven.

Whenever someone criticizes Amtrak's on board menu someone always brings up the steak. They never bring up the stale roll, the McLettuce bowl, the defrosted vegetable brick, or the powered potatoes that accompany this steak. :lol:

And not everyone has the menu memorized, the way frequent travelers on Amtrak do. Mrs. Ispolkom was dumfounded when I showed her that the Canadian has a different menu every day.

The Canadian did things the way I would want them done with very little mindless blabbering on the PA. Nobody seemed to be having trouble handling an unmemorized menu of three or four options. They simply consulted it as you would in any other restaurant, asked questions when necessary, and ordered. Simple, easy, effective. Never saw a single person request that the whole entire train be notified over the PA.

I brought up the steak because I know how it is cooked. The best meal I had on Amtrak was on the CCC on the City of New Orleans. Catfish, green beans, and mashed potatoes. Everything about that meal was excellent.

You either have the worst luck ever with Amtrak food, or you are being way over critical IMHO. I have had a few lousy meals on Amtrak, but I've had just as many decent meals and several excellent ones. I would like to see Amtrak dining cars become more consistent, but other than that Im quite fond of them

 

[Texan Eagle]

or the powered potatoes that accompany this steak. :lol:

How are the potatoes powered? From the locomotive's HEP?

 

[Devil's Advocate]

You either have the worst luck ever with Amtrak food, or you are being way over critical IMHO. I have had a few lousy meals on Amtrak, but I've had just as many decent meals and several excellent ones. I would like to see Amtrak dining cars become more consistent, but other than that Im quite fond of them

Luck? Are you saying the bread is fresh when you ride? That the vegetables don't come out of a freezer? That the mashed potatoes were not powdered? Or that all of those things taste a lot better than I give them credit for? I guess I'm just not sure what you're actually disputing at this point.

or the powered potatoes that accompany this steak. :lol:

How are the potatoes powered? From the locomotive's HEP?

I had a feeling someone would catch that eventually. :lol:

 

[Nickrapak]

or the powered potatoes that accompany this steak. :lol:

How are the potatoes powered? From the locomotive's HEP?

Is this what you mean?

 

[TVRM610]

You either have the worst luck ever with Amtrak food, or you are being way over critical IMHO. I have had a few lousy meals on Amtrak, but I've had just as many decent meals and several excellent ones. I would like to see Amtrak dining cars become more consistent, but other than that Im quite fond of them

Luck? Are you saying the bread is fresh when you ride? That the vegetables don't come out of a freezer? That the mashed potatoes were not powdered? Or that all of those things taste a lot better than I give them credit for? I guess I'm just not sure what you're actually disputing at this point.

In a word... yes.

I have had warm and fresh dinner rolls, I have had salads with fresh ingredients, I've had mashed potatoes that tasted excellent, and I've had veggies that tasted great. (Weather the potatoes were powdered or not, or weather the veggies were frozen or not really doesn't matter if they tasted good.)

I am saying that I know for a fact that the food that Amtrak sends out CAN be delivered tasting good to excellent.

Again.. I've had meals that tasted like you described, I've had horrible tasting mashed potatoes on amtrak as well, I'm saying it's a mixed bag depending on the care that is taken in the kitchen. Same as in any chain restaurant. Most "casual sit downs" (i.e. Fridays, Ruby Tuesdays, Applebees) in the USA use frozen veggies, convection ovens, etc. all the same "tricks of the trade." And.. just like Amtrak many of those restaurants are very inconsistent depending on staff.

 

[Swadian Hardcore]

I heard about a system where when one person is using the PA, every time someone else uses it the PA blacks out, making no sound. Also, the T&R commentators are not Amtrak employees, AFAIK, so even if Amtrak had a handbook, they still wouldn't have had it.

 

[EMDF9A]

I heard about a system where when one person is using the PA, every time someone else uses it the PA blacks out, making no sound. Also, the T&R commentators are not Amtrak employees, AFAIK, so even if Amtrak had a handbook, they still wouldn't have had it.

T&R guides are volunteers with the National Park Service. Although we receive some AMTRAK training & have some AMTRAK safety & service materials, we do not have the entire service or safety manuals.

 

[railiner]

It is interesting when you compare the use of the public address system on 'transcon' trains and say, NEC trains. For those embarking on a train like the Southwest Chief, the passengers probably enjoy the announcements as a 'diversion', that it is of 'entertainment' value on their long multiday journey. Doesn't matter if it's sights along the way, rules of the train, or detailed menu.

Try doing the same on Northeast Corridor train full of businessmen, and there would be revolution....

 

[fillyjonk]

It is interesting when you compare the use of the public address system on 'transcon' trains and say, NEC trains. For those embarking on a train like the Southwest Chief, the passengers probably enjoy the announcements as a 'diversion', that it is of 'entertainment' value on their long multiday journey. Doesn't matter if it's sights along the way, rules of the train, or detailed menu.

Try doing the same on Northeast Corridor train full of businessmen, and there would be revolution....

Mnnnn, I don't know. I take the TE more or less regularly and get really bugged by the regular announcements about "you gotta wear shoes while walking around the train" or "don't smoke, not even in the bathrooms, or we'll put you off." Of course, I'm reading a book, so that could be why, but...

Also, I don't remember the dinner menu ever being read on the TE. Sometimes they read the lunch menu, and occasionally if they're trying to drum up breakfast business they'll mention some of the items.

 

[Devil's Advocate]

I have had warm and fresh dinner rolls, I have had salads with fresh ingredients, I've had mashed potatoes that tasted excellent, and I've had veggies that tasted great. Weather the potatoes were powdered or not, or weather the veggies were frozen or not really doesn't matter if they tasted good. I am saying that I know for a fact that the food that Amtrak sends out CAN be delivered tasting good to excellent.

Some restaurants keep me happy with fresh bread (tastes nothing like Amtrak's rolls). Some keep me happy with amazing salads (none of which use iceberg McLettuce). And still others keep me happy with fresh fruit and veggie platters. There are any number of ways to impress my palate, but unfortunately Amtrak doesn't have much in the way of fresh ingredients to work with. They do have their tiny $25 "Butcher’s Cut Choice Steak" that can be anywhere from good to bad depending of what actual cut it is and how closely the cook follows your request. I generally go with the baked potato and simply ignore the limp and watery veggie medley. The rest of Amtrak's menu is generally of poor quality, at least on the trains I ride the most. Others have pointed out that Amtrak only has so much time and money to work with, and I certainly agree, but that doesn't change the end result. Food doesn't suddenly taste better to me just because it's on the move.

Again.. I've had meals that tasted like you described, I've had horrible tasting mashed potatoes on amtrak as well, I'm saying it's a mixed bag depending on the care that is taken in the kitchen. Same as in any chain restaurant. Most "casual sit downs" (i.e. Fridays, Ruby Tuesdays, Applebees) in the USA use frozen veggies, convection ovens, etc. all the same "tricks of the trade." And.. just like Amtrak many of those restaurants are very inconsistent depending on staff.

I'm not a fan of any of those restaurants but I can't imagine putting Amtrak's rolling cafeteria in the same group. When was the last time Friday's, Ruby Tuesdays, or Applebees did nothing more than warm up a dry PRECOOKED frozen beef patty, threw some potato chips on the side and called it a burger? I don't expect everything to be gourmet, but I do expect it to be freshly prepared. On Amtrak that includes very little of their dinner menu and virtually nothing from the breakfast and lunch meals. Over time I've discovered that some entrees (French toast, chicken/sausage & rice) seem to handle Amtrak's McKitchen reheating process better than others. And it's true that some cooks will make an effort to do whatever they can to make AmFood taste better than you'd expect. Unfortunately there's only so much they can do with what they have and this shows through in the result. -_-

It is interesting when you compare the use of the public address system on 'transcon' trains and say, NEC trains. For those embarking on a train like the Southwest Chief, the passengers probably enjoy the announcements as a 'diversion', that it is of 'entertainment' value on their long multiday journey. Doesn't matter if it's sights along the way, rules of the train, or detailed menu. Try doing the same on Northeast Corridor train full of businessmen, and there would be revolution....

I don't mind them mentioning truly unique sights along the way. When the SL staff get fired up about the "Pecos High Bridge" it's a little corny, but it's also kind of amusing and I can see why people would want to know about it beforehand. I've heard some variation of that announcement more times than I can remember, but I have no problem with it. Or if there is any sort of irregular operations I honestly appreciate them giving us an update on what's going on and how much it will set us back. No complaints for any of those types of truly legitimate uses. But when they simply read what's on the menu or remind people what time it is or list every stop on the schedule for the next twenty-four hours it begins to get on my nerves. Not every staff member is like that, some are very responsible about it, but it only takes one mindless blabbermouth to screw it all up with endless updates that only apply to a tiny minority of passengers. One way they could mitigate this is to only broadcast the diner announcements in the sightseer lounge car. That way people who are about to eat and go there and will hear if things are running behind schedule before entering the diner while those of us who are sleeping or reading or watching a movie aren't forced to hear update after update for a meal that has absolutely nothing to do with us. Seems like a good compromise to me anyway.