While riding on the Amtrak Cardinal on my way back to Lafayette, Indiana it got me to thinking about train crews and what it is like for them to be travelling all the time. I was wondering how far/long does a train crew operate a train? What happens to the crew once there shift is over. Do they wait for a return train to take control over or are they trucked back to there starting point?
Also what about Locomotives how often are they changed over along a trains route or do they stay on till the trains run is over?
On my last trip on the Empire Builder, I talked with a crew guy and asked him how it was working for Amtrak and what his territory was. He was out of Portage Wis and he would catch the #7 northbound at Portage, run all the way to the West Coast. Stays in a hotel overnight there and then catch the very next Eastbound train back to Chicago. He would take it to Chicago and then catch the next Northbound from there to Portage. Then he would be off for the next 6 days. Normally worked 12 hour shift. So basically a complete round trip.
The engineer and conductor have assigned crew change points they are ty&e and can not go over 12hours of service, the rest of amtrak personnel on the train are srevice and they are assigned to the train for the whole trip.
Yes, Amtrak on-board service crew have accomodations set aside for them. On the trains with Superliner cars, one car is designated for them; any unused rooms may be sold to the public.
Years ago, on some trains, diner crews on cars that ran overnight slept on the tables in the diners. Often on trains with full-length diners, there would be a combination kitchen-dormitory car. The Santa Fe, and others, had baggage-dormitory cars. I am sure that the roads that provided sleeping accomodations for the on-board personnel were liked much better than those that did not.The trains that had passenger service representatives, stewardesses or nurses had accomodations for them. Pullman porters would use one of the berths or rooms; the Pullman conductor had a room (unless the only accomodation was sections). Coach porters did not make the entire run of many trains, but changed at major cities; their runs were not co-terminous with those of the operating crews. The Santa Fe, and others, had baggage-dormitory cars. I am sure that the roads that provided sleeping accomodations for the on-board personnel were liked much better than those that did not.
Old time operating crews worked under conditions that were not always the best. The basic day for passenger train crews (conductor, headend brakeman–who may also have been the baggageman–and rear brakeman–who was the flagman) was 150 miles. If his run was less than 150 miles, he was still paid for a full day; if it was more than 150 miles, he was paid proportionately, unless there was a agreement that he would be paid only for the basic day. I know of one such agreement: Nashville to Chattanooga was 151.5 miles, but the train crew were paid for one day only. Chattanooga to Atlanta was 133.7 miles, and the train crew was paid for a full day. If a run on a particular day, for some reason, took more than a stated time, overtime would be paid. The basic day for all engine crews and for freight train crews was 100 miles–which called for overtime pay every trip when the run was more than 100 miles. It would be possible for a passenger train crew to get a full day’s pay for four hours or so of work.
The actual run was determined by the layout of the railroad. Some had division points about every 100 miles (possibly especially when the road was being built in unsettled territory); others had division points at major cities or just outside major cities–Spencer, N. C., is just above Salisbury and Monroe, Va., is just above Lynchburg.
Carl, Maybe you and Ed B. need to work something out.
.Maybe he could export Doofus for Doofus . I am sure they probably have a carload of “Yankees” (maybe Boomer Doofuses’[#oops] ?) down there that want to go home.
Anyway, we feel you pain. Being afflicted with Doofusitis at work is really problematic. At least politicians can throw their Doofuses ‘under the bus’ to get rid of them. I shudder to think how railroaders do it…At least the MOW guys have buses[}:)].
Well the reason I ask About the locomotive change over was becuase when we were stopped in Indie the cars lost power, and it seemed like we set there for a good 15 minutes with out it, and then we would move a little piece then stop and move a little piece more before we finally left. I assumed the constant slow moving was tacking the slack out of the train. I really had no idea about what was going, and that is the only thing I could think of sense we lost power.
The Hours of Service Law regulates the number of hours train and engine crews may operate in either freight or passenger service.
In it’s most basic form, a crew is permitted to work 12 hours from the time the go in duty. A crews basic rest period is 8 hours off duty. Any crew member may request extended rest to a total of 10 hours off duty, the 10 hours is not automatic, it must be requested.
Crews that Hog Law on line of road, will stop the train and relieve themselves at 12 hours on duty. The crews, while relieved of responsibility for moving the train will continue to be paid until they arrive at t
Thanks, BaltACD, for the additional information concerning hours of service. I thought, after posting my last post, that I should have asked for correction and/or additional information on hours of service. It’s been several years since I have had extended conversation with operating personnel, and I have not always remembered what news I have read about changes.
Legislation enacted as a result of the Chatsworth incident has some changes to the HOS rules, however, the official enactment of this legislation has yet to be implemented.