Passenger Trains > a question about sleeper protocol

I am on 97 today [97 (2)] put of NYP - in boarding 9710 I was scolded for using the vestibule for my car, being told I needed to walk down the platform to the vestibule for 9711 and walk back to my room.

I was raised to use the proper vestibule. This seemed to be done only to accomodate a car attendant who wanted to do other things elsewhere and leave boarding for both cars to my car's attendant.

With about 10 minutes to departure I stepped off through my vestibule and this other attendant (not mine) closed and secured the entry door behind me not allowing me back onto my car - had to walk down to another sleeper to board.

is this acceptable operations? (I understand for middle of the night this might be normal practice but at the origin stain is this another example serving the staff rather than the customer?)

This sounds to me like another glaring case of the Amtrak employee who cares less about the passengers providing the $$$$ to help pay their wages.  I have had a better experience when assigned to the revenue section of the Transition Sleeper (#XX40) car.  My car attendant was also working the #XX32 car.  When approaching the 32 car, the attendant was outside - welcomed me and introduced themselves (by name) - indicated they were working 2 cars and directed me to the 40 car and explained to me where I would find me roomette.  The attendant further indicated they would stop by my roomette and explaing the accomaditions and answer any questions after we got underway.

[edited out]

I think I would ask your attendant what the deal is on having to walk up, and then walk back. (With your luggage?) There may be a good  reason, like the two guys dividing the work for three cars, etc. Or it could be just a way to make the work a little easier.  Either way, I'd probably ask him in a non-threatening manner why a protocol of 100 plus years changed. It's possible there's a good reason.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/02/15 14:14 by Lackawanna484.

It's called customer service and seems to be lacking for some folks...

Bill Deaver
Tehachapi, CA

Since the attendants typically no longer offer to carry bags to your room, as someone famously said "at this point what difference does it make" since the attendants don't do anything other than check you off their manifest anyway when you board. If the door is open, you should be able to board. I don't think you did anything wrong except you forgot Amtrak is run for the convenience of some of it's employees....not the passengers (with many exceptions of course).

RevRandy Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I am on 97 today [97 (2)] put of NYP - in boarding
> 9710 I was scolded for using the vestibule for my
> car, being told I needed to walk down the
> platform to the vestibule for 9711 and walk back
> to my room.
>
> I was raised to use the proper vestibule. This
> seemed to be done only to accomodate a car
> attendant who wanted to do other things elsewhere
> and leave boarding for both cars to my car's
> attendant.
>
> With about 10 minutes to departure I stepped off
> through my vestibule and this other attendant (not
> mine) closed and secured the entry door behind me
> not allowing me back onto my car - had to walk
> down to another sleeper to board.
>
> is this acceptable operations? (I understand for
> middle of the night this might be normal practice
> but at the origin stain is this another example
> serving the staff rather than the customer?)

Lets see here, you were told to not use that vestible and you did it anyway. What were you expecting, hugs and kisses?

The one door operation is standard for the two viewliner sleeper trains trains.  Most crews, not all but most, will combine loading and unloading at one door between the 10 and 11 car, using the 11 car door.  On the Meteor, where three sleepers operate, they will use a second door at the front of the 12 car.  This makes it easier for the employees since it puts two of them together for any reason that one can think of.  For paying customers it is an inconvenience.  It clogs the doors while people attempt to exit from two directions, one group from the 10 car and another from the 11 car.  It also makes on-coming passengers have to line-up and wait, as they are weeded out and loaded.  It is confusing when people ticketed for 1910, 9710, 9210, etc, have to walk passed their car seeing a closed door.  It takes longer for double car loading, a practice done in the coaches on the low-level trains as well.   It has gone on for years.   Supervision is blind to this issue and the employees see nothing wrong with it.  It is another case of Amtrak service that misses the mark of class and customer focused attention. 

> Lets see here, you were told to not use that
> vestible and you did it anyway. What were you
> expecting, hugs and kisses?


no, I was not told not to use it, and my car attendant told me it was OK with him that I came in there. It was the other attendant who closed it. it had never been completely closed and the porter leading us down from the Acela Lounge was the one who opened it.

The Kindergarten antics continues past the Gate Dragons, right to the loading of the sleepers.

At the company I work for, the customer is the reason for our existance, not an inconvience.
That's something I never loose sight of.  Hearing stories like this and others gives me no desire
to ride Amtrak.  Ever.

rfprr

Amtrak evidently thinks customers consist only of Acela passengers and 535 members of Congress. The rest of the passengers are children who must be told when to stand in line, then when and where to sit. Saw and wrote up a $hyt show in Philly 2 weeks ago.
Employees are the elementary school hall and school yard monitors.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/02/15 16:51 by joemvcnj.

Any trip that begins with a car attendant scolding a passenger will likely end with no tip.

Maybe they just don't care.

Posted from iPhone

That was going to be my suggestion also.  Take care of that problem with no tip.

walstib Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Any trip that begins with a car attendant scolding
> a passenger will likely end with no tip.
>
> Maybe they just don't care.
>
> Posted from iPhone

But the attendant with the bad attitude and swelled head wasn't HIS attendant but the one in the next car.

Maybe they want to be able to stand next to each other so they can shuck & jive between passengers boarding?  To hell with what's easiest on the passengers toting their luggage.

railaddict Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> The one door operation is standard for the two
> viewliner sleeper trains trains.  Most
> crews, not all but most, will combine loading and
> unloading at one door between the 10 and 11 car,
> using the 11 car door.  On the Meteor, where
> three sleepers operate, they will use a second
> door at the front of the 12 car.  This makes it
> easier for the employees since it puts two of them
> together for any reason that one can think of. 
> For paying customers it is an inconvenience.  It
> clogs the doors while people attempt to exit from
> two directions, one group from the 10 car and
> another from the 11 car.  It also makes on-coming
> passengers have to line-up and wait, as they are
> weeded out and loaded.  It is confusing when
> people ticketed for 1910, 9710, 9210, etc, have to
> walk passed their car seeing a closed door.  It
> takes longer for double car loading, a practice
> done in the coaches on the low-level trains as
> well.   It has gone on for years. 
>  Supervision is blind to this issue and the
> employees see nothing wrong with it.  It is
> another case of Amtrak service that misses the
> mark of class and customer focused attention. 

railaddict Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
>  Supervision is blind to this issue . . .

No, supervision is NOT blind to this issue.  Supervision is trying to explore new extremes as to how much productivity can be wrung from one employee.  

When you've got ONE train attendant trying to staff TWO sleeping cars, certain misunderstandings, shortcomings and revised ways of doing things are part of the mix.  

nsrlink Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Maybe they want to be able to stand next to each
> other so they can shuck & jive between passengers
> boarding?  

Expand on that a little for the benefit of all of us, if you dare . . . 
 

rfprr Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> At the company I work for, the customer is the
> reason for our existance, not an inconvience.
> That's something I never loose sight of.  Hearing
> stories like this and others gives me no desire
> to ride Amtrak.  Ever.
>
> rfprr


Nobody ever writes about planes landing safely...

Posted from Android

< No, supervision is NOT blind to this issue.  Supervision is trying to explore new extremes as to how much productivity can be wrung from one employee.  When you've got ONE train attendant trying to staff TWO sleeping cars, certain misunderstandings, shortcomings and revised ways of doing things are part of the mix.  >

I do not think that is the case. The original poster said:
" This seemed to be done only to accommodate a car attendant who wanted to do other things elsewhere and leave boarding for both cars to my car's attendant. "

What it is, is employees making up their own rules for their convenience, and a corporate culture that gets pleasure from making passengers stand in line and wait.

NEC-Centric management does not care, nonetheless ought to be written up. Customer complaint metrics matter to Congress Critters. Remember that Amtrak now considers Congress to be their customer, not the passenger.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/03/15 13:10 by joemvcnj.

NSClevelandLine Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> rfprr Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > At the company I work for, the customer is the
> > reason for our existance, not an inconvience.
> > That's something I never loose sight of. 
> Hearing
> > stories like this and others gives me no desire
> > to ride Amtrak.  Ever.
> >
> > rfprr
>
>
> Nobody ever writes about planes landing safely...
>
> Posted from Android

Dog bites man. Eh. Not newsworthy
Man bites dog. Aaah. Newsworthy.

Unfortunately, reports like this, however rare, undermine the great work done by 95%+ of Amtrak employees, day in, day out.