Two ‘Cardinal’ veterans look back at rewarding careers

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Sleeping-car attendant Janice Adams retired in May 2021 after 37 years at Amtrak

“Mama J” really made our Fall 2020 trip (CHI>ALX) on the Cardinal more enjoyable.

https://www.trains.com/trn/railroads/history/two-cardinal-veterans-look-back-at-rewarding-careers/

She can speak her mind as she retired...

"The money they get doesn’t go to fix up crew quarters or these trains or supplies we can hardly ever get — it’s just cut, cut, cut,” Adams says, adding with emphasis, “I can say what I want to say because I’m retired!”

she also credits her work ethic to the example set early on by another Claytor, Amtrak President W. Graham Claytor Jr. A frequent passenger aboard the Crescent, he ran the company from 1982 to 1993 and later succumbed to cancer.
“If we could pull him from that grave, I would love for him to run this company now,” she confides. We’re sitting in the Cardinal’s cafe car after her last westbound run while waiting for the equipment to be pulled to the Chicago coach yard for servicing.
“He fought to keep onboard standards high and Amtrak afloat. I watched that man come into the dining car to make sure we had everything we needed: jelly and marmalade to sugar and sodas and food stocked to the ceiling, so we would never run out. The whole train had to be spotless,” Adams recalls. Prophetically, after the train pulled around the wye on that beautiful May morning, it bypassed the washer, so the windows would remain dirty for the eastbound trip that evening. Rather than go to the hotel, Adams stayed with the car to make the beds for her last revenue run. She’s done that for the past 10 years.
 
She can speak her mind as she retired...

"The money they get doesn’t go to fix up crew quarters or these trains or supplies we can hardly ever get — it’s just cut, cut, cut,” Adams says, adding with emphasis, “I can say what I want to say because I’m retired!”

she also credits her work ethic to the example set early on by another Claytor, Amtrak President W. Graham Claytor Jr. A frequent passenger aboard the Crescent, he ran the company from 1982 to 1993 and later succumbed to cancer.
“If we could pull him from that grave, I would love for him to run this company now,” she confides. We’re sitting in the Cardinal’s cafe car after her last westbound run while waiting for the equipment to be pulled to the Chicago coach yard for servicing.
“He fought to keep onboard standards high and Amtrak afloat. I watched that man come into the dining car to make sure we had everything we needed: jelly and marmalade to sugar and sodas and food stocked to the ceiling, so we would never run out. The whole train had to be spotless,” Adams recalls. Prophetically, after the train pulled around the wye on that beautiful May morning, it bypassed the washer, so the windows would remain dirty for the eastbound trip that evening. Rather than go to the hotel, Adams stayed with the car to make the beds for her last revenue run. She’s done that for the past 10 years.
Another Jewel rides off into Retirement! 😟
 
I would simply like to add my congratulations to these two Amtrak staff who seem to exemplify my concept of what a railroad (Amtrak) employee should be. I don't believe I ever rode with either, but I wish I had. Ms. Adams mentioned W. Graham Claytor Jr. Anytime Mr. Claytor's name is mentioned is these forums, I have to say--in my opinion--W. Graham Claytor Jr. was the finest CEO that has ever led Amtrak. I feel privileged to have met Mr. Claytor twice--once as a passenger on the Crescent; and the other when he appeared at the courtroom hearing in Putnam County, Florida answering the complaint against Amtrak for dumping waster over Buffalo Bluff Creek on the St. John's River. He was a real "railroad" man and I can see how employees would be influenced by him. I wonder how he might have responded to managerial decisions that have been needed in the last 30 or so years with respect to the anomalies like the current situation with COVID staffing issues causing schedule changes and cutbacks.
 
I also rode twice with Mama J. She was funny and did her job extremely well. It was three years between trips and she remembered me. Wish there were more attendants like her.

On the flip side,I rode the Crescent last October. Didn't catch his name but I never had a more sour attendant. When I asked him to put my bed down,he grumbled and it took him over an hour to get to my roomette. I thanked him and he just muttered and walked away.

There are your two parameters in sleeper car attendants.
 
Mama J was amazing I've shared many a meal with her and LL. I've dealt more with LL though he was quite a character too. All of the old timers out of Huntington are gone now I believe.
 
I think you are right....I didn't realize LL was still working.

He just retired. All of Huntington I believe is gone now. I believe they are also closing the T&E Base there and moving it to Charlottesville. There will still be a crew change at HUN it'll just be an overnight layover. For the Indy crews they might be able to head back that night I think they have enough rest hours. But for the CVS crews it's a two night over night.
 
I rode with them both three times. They were two of the best in their jobs. I'll miss them greatly and hope for the best for them, especially Mama J, who told me she was going to get married once she retired.
 
He just retired. All of Huntington I believe is gone now. I believe they are also closing the T&E Base there and moving it to Charlottesville. There will still be a crew change at HUN it'll just be an overnight layover. For the Indy crews they might be able to head back that night I think they have enough rest hours. But for the CVS crews it's a two night over night.
Another cost casualty of three times/week service...
 
He just retired. All of Huntington I believe is gone now. I believe they are also closing the T&E Base there and moving it to Charlottesville. There will still be a crew change at HUN it'll just be an overnight layover. For the Indy crews they might be able to head back that night I think they have enough rest hours. But for the CVS crews it's a two night over night.

There are no current plans I've even heard rumored to close HUN. Amtrak is currently advertising for new hire AC jobs there.

Now, when the Roanoke train is extended to Christiansburg, we might see an engineer base open in CVS.
 
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