What's a "protect" room?
- Thread starter Miami Joe
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Joe,
I think that it was only happening on the Super Train, since the dorm couldn't hold the expanded crew for a train that long and they didn't add a second dorm to the consist.
However back when the Cardinal ran with Superliner equipment, they used to block out a few rooms for the crew too, since that train ran without a Trans-Dorm.
I think that it was only happening on the Super Train, since the dorm couldn't hold the expanded crew for a train that long and they didn't add a second dorm to the consist.
However back when the Cardinal ran with Superliner equipment, they used to block out a few rooms for the crew too, since that train ran without a Trans-Dorm.
Amfleet
Engineer
When I was in the diner on the Supertrain back in April I remember over hearing the train crew talk about it. Both diner crews were put up in the dorm. Then the two lounge attendants and four coach attendants each had there own room in one of the four Viewliners.
amtrakmichigan
Lead Service Attendant
I asked this question to our sleeping car attendent on the C of NO last year. From what he said, at one time employees shared a room. But with one of the union contract renewals, the employees demanded to have a room to themselves. I beleave he gave me a year that this all happened, but I can't remember now what he said regarding the dates.Anthony said:I'm almost positive that everyone gets their own room.jccollins said:
haolerider
Conductor
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This was a real problem on the City of New Orleans last year, when there was a sortage of dorm cars. The crew has to be accommodated, but it ate into revenue by "protecting" space that could have been sold It has since be corrected, in fact space is now being sold in the dorm cars to regular customers with no complaints from anyone....extra revenue, which is much needed.
battalion51
Engineer
Joe, like Alan said the protect rooms are only place because there's only one Dorm on the Super Train. If they had put two dorms on the train there would not be a need for the protect rooms because the Dorms could accomodate the whole crew. The other situation recently with regular portect rooms was last year when the Meteor didn't have a Dorm due to a shortage.
What happens if all the sleepers on the train are sold out, and then that morning the dorm is bad ordered? Do they refund the sleeper pax and give the rooms to the crew? Under normal circumstances the sleepers are totally sold out without protect rooms right? (refering to a silver service train not under this current curfew)
Amfleet
Engineer
Usually there's an extra sleeper laying aroun Hialeah that can be used in place of a dorm.
Now that you mentioned it, I remember when there was a shortage of crew cars.
What's really interesting is about a year ago, we didn't have enough V/L's in the yard. But with the PM schedule the way it is, there are usually 2 or 3 V/L's waiting for PM. How is Amtrak dealing with the shortage? There are 2 V/L's sitting now for major repairs(A/C), plus the PM cars.
Maybe someone was holding them as spares and showing them as B/O?
Miami Joe B)
What's really interesting is about a year ago, we didn't have enough V/L's in the yard. But with the PM schedule the way it is, there are usually 2 or 3 V/L's waiting for PM. How is Amtrak dealing with the shortage? There are 2 V/L's sitting now for major repairs(A/C), plus the PM cars.
Maybe someone was holding them as spares and showing them as B/O?
Miami Joe B)
AMTK@AUS
Train Attendant
I had a room in a transition sleeper on the Texas Eagle a few days ago, and I was constantly reminded that I was in a crew dorm. You could always hear the crew talking (loudly), radios, and the upstairs bathroom was off limits to passengers. I felt like I was invading the crew's space by being in a sleeper. Hopefully the Superliner sleeper shortage will be fixed soon...haolerider said:
Selling out rooms in the trans/dorm isn't do to a sleeper shortage, this is a revenue thing.AMTK@AUS said:
In fact the orginal plan when Amtrak first purchased the trans/dorms was to sell out half the rooms to passengers. That lasted about 3 weeks or so, I'm told and then they stopped selling those rooms.
However I for one am glad to see this practice return, as it is a huge waste of space for that entire car to be reserved for just crew. With the exception of the Auto Train, which carries a very large crew, the trans/dorm normally runs half empty.
It may be a waste of space not to sell them, but you will need a huge change in crew behavior. I would expect there would VERY quickly be he** to pay if the behavior AMTK@AUS reported didn't come to a very quick halt at the point where those rooms are being sold to paying pax. I for one would sure be royally ticked if I paid the high tariff for a sleeper and then couldn't sleep for the crew's carousing all night..........
battalion51
Engineer
I personally understand the radios being up loud because many times the crews use that to help them stay awake, and downstairs in the table section is the best place for them to run the show IMHO. But as far as the OBS employee behavior that should be addressed, whether it's a solid door installed to seperate the car, or basic courtesy something should be done.
amtrakmichigan
Lead Service Attendant
Well Alan there is an idea for Amtrak to expand on. A new car should be designed with that in mind. Half the car would be dorm sleeper, the other half second class coach seats or slumbercoach type rooms for pax. That way Amtrak can totally get rid of the heritage sleepers (dorms) and also offer a second class seat that we were all talking about on another post. That way the other half of the dorm could generate $$.AlanB said:
AMTK@AUS
Train Attendant
A few months ago, on days when the Texas Eagle ran with a thru coach/sleeper, there were two sleepers in the consist - one for Los Angeles passengers on the rear and one for San Antonio passengers at the head end. Lately, on these same days there is only one sleeper for the L.A. pax and then the dorm. Thus, there is about 1/4 less sleeping car space for paying customers.
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