ink
A Monthly Publication for and by
Amtrak Employees
Volume 16 • Issue 3 • March 2011
Heading
Toward 40:
Amtrak’s
Past, Present
and Future
The newly repainted anniversary
engine – one of six – sports the Phase III
design which was introduced in 1979.
Photo: Matt Donnelly
2
|
March 2011
Amtrak Ink
Quick Quotes
Nearly 1,000 employees participated in the first round
of the Amtrak-sponsored “Stay on Track … Keep
Walking” competition, which ended March 14. Many
others will get a chance to participate in a second
round, which starts April 1. Here, employees talk
about what impact wearing a pedometer and tracking
their steps has had on them.
The Loafers
Contact Center Operations
Philadelphia
“I used to be a certified aerobic and kickboxer instructor, but in the past few years
my schedule has caused me to put all of
that second. I began to become very lazy
and lost my drive to work out. This has
brought back that motivation. I wake up
early on Saturdays and do an aerobic
workout, as well as go for a walk. My
energy level has risen, and I feel better!”
“This contest has really kept me on my
toes. Now I’m parking my car farther away
at the grocery store, taking the stairs
instead of the elevator. I find myself
looking at the pedometer constantly,
seeing how many more steps I can get in
on a day.”
Mary Glickin
Finance Clerk, Chicago
Devon Archy
Foreman, Bear Car Shop, Del.
“The best part has been how interesting
and easy it has been to add steps to the
otherwise sedentary activities of the day.
When SAP is running slowly and I’m
watching the wheel graphic spin on my
screen, I jump up and do a quick couple of
laps around the office.”
“This contest has sparked a spirit of
friendly competition and motivation
among our ‘Loafers’ team members. Each
day our ‘Loafer Leader’ Betty Cameron
actively solicits and compiles our reports,
during which time a great deal of goodnatured ribbing ensues regarding how
many steps we walked that day.”
Barbara Wu
Officer, Human Resources, Seattle
ink
Vol. 16, Issue 3, March 2011
Bob Cook
Manager, Contact Center Operations,
Philadelphia
Amtrak Employee and Customer Communications
Joe McHugh, Vice President
Govt. Affairs & Corp. Comm.
60 Massachusetts Ave., NE
Washington, DC 20002
Margaret Sherry, Sr. Director
Employee & Customer Comms
60 Massachusetts Ave., NE
Washington, DC 20002
Jennifer Moore, Manager
Amtrak Ink
60 Massachusetts Ave., NE
Washington, DC 20002
Sharon Slaton, Manager
525 West Van Buren Street
Chicago, IL 60607
Doug Riddell, Photographer
60 Massachusetts Ave, NE
Washington, DC 20002
Julia Quinn, Coordinator
Digital and Social Media
60 Massachusetts Ave, NE
Washington, DC 20002
Amtrak Ink is a monthly employee publication of Amtrak, the National Railroad Passenger Corporation.
® AMTRAK is a registered service mark of the National Railroad Passenger Corporation © 2011 National Railroad Passenger Corporation
Amtrak Ink
March 2011
|
3
Train of Thought
L
ast month, I approved a formal corporate vision and goals
that give shape and direction to everything employees do,
from day-to-day responsibilities to specific initiatives and
projects.
With the ultimate goal of being the country’s top choice for convenient and safe travel and leading “…the development and growth
of the high-speed and intercity rail passenger system in North
America,” Amtrak’s vision describes the kind of company we strive
to be.
There are so many projects underway and we have so many
objectives that it can be difficult sometimes to see how everything
connects to a cohesive vision. That is
the value of having a clearly articulated vision and corresponding goals.
We kept the goals to a manageable number and made them broad
enough so that they are meaningful
to a range of employees and departments. While specific metrics for
each goal are still being finalized,
department heads will tailor the
goals according to the respective
departments’ responsibilities.
Depending on their duties, most
employees may be focused on one or
two of the goals. However, all
employees help contribute directly
Joseph H. Boardman
and indirectly to all five goals.
Management employees’ performance will be based according to
these goals this fiscal year, and they have been loaded into IMPACT,
the company’s performance plan management tool.
The goals set the stage for the strategic planning workshops that
will feed the Corporate Strategic Plan that will be produced by
Oct 1, 2011.
Thank you for helping contribute to our vision with the work you
do every day.
Amtrak Vision
“Amtrak will become America’s first intercity travel
choice for connections to and between the nation’s key metropolitan areas, providing customer-driven, safe,
environmentally sustainable, energy-efficient and intermodally linked service to passengers, communities and
partners. Through recognized organizational excellence,
Amtrak’s diverse and talented team will lead the development and growth of the high-speed and intercity rail
passenger system in North America.” ■
The Five Vision Elements
1
Safety
2
Customer Focus
3
Mobility and Connectivity
4
Environment and Energy
5
Organizational Excellence
Nominations are now being accepted for the 2011 President’s Service and Safety Awards
(PSSA) program. The program provides the highest recognition for employees and external business partners who have made outstanding contributions to the company. A
committee of employees representing various departments and locations review the
nominations and select award recipients. Later this year, award recipients will be
announced and formally recognized at a luncheon to be held in Washington, D.C.
Nomination forms for the 2011 program are currently posted on the Intranet under
“Employees” → “Awards and Achievements” → “2011 PSSA Nomination Forms.” Forms
are also posted on the Intranet under “Library” → “Forms” → “New and Revised
EForms.” The nomination period runs until Friday, May 13.
4
|
March 2011
Amtrak Ink
40 Years of Stories: Bringing History to Life
E
Thousands of items from Amtrak’s
history have been donated or loaned by
employees for the 40th celebration.
mployees have responded with
train will feature three Heritage
enthusiasm to the company’s call
baggage cars filled with exhibits.
for memorabilia to
showcase Amtrak’s 40year history, sending in
boxes filled with uniforms,
china, posters, pins, hats,
menus and much more.
“The generosity of
people has been extraordinary,” says Suzi Andiman,
editor of the Great
American Stations
website, and who is overseeing the collection and
anniversary celebrations.
She and other
members of the 40th
Photo: Steve Ostrowski
anniversary team — Fran
Berk (Associate, Sales and Members of the 40th anniversary team tour one of the three display
cars that will be used on the exhibit train. The cars are being outfitted
Marketing), Matt
with cases that will hold memorabilia and with artifacts, such as
Donnelly (Product
original seating from various periods over the years.
Development Officer),
Steve Ostrowski (Passenger Engineer)
It will also include an Amfleet Bistro
and Ann Owens (Senior Officer,
car, half of which will be a gift shop and
National Advertising) — have just comthe other half a display dedicated to the
pleted sorting and categorizing the
future of passenger rail in America.
items, which will be displayed as part of
In the coming weeks, employees at
an anniversary exhibit train that will
the mechanical shop in Bear, Del., will
travel around the country.
assemble the display cases, and then the
The exhibit
anniversary team will create the
train makes its
exhibits.
debut May 1 in
Much of the design work for the
Washington,
anniversary train is being handled by
D.C., Amtrak’s
Seth Geist, senior industrial designer,
actual birthday.
and John Skalski, industrial designer,
The festivities will
Mechanical Rolling Stock Engineering.
be linked with the
“One of our biggest challenges has
celebration of
been to find ways to keep people
Employee
involved as they walk through the
Appreciation Day
exhibits,” says Skalski.
(May 2).
With that goal in mind, the design
The train tour
team is incorporating many visual and
will begin on May 7,
interactive elements.
on National Train
continued on the following page
Day. The exhibit
Amtrak Ink
March 2011
|
continued from the previous page
Video monitors will air clips from the documentary that is being
created for the anniversary. A display of train horns will include
digital recordings of each.
The collection
will be divided up
by decade and will
feature passenger
One of our biggest
seats from each,
challenges has been to find
model trainsets
ways to keep people
with the different
paint schemes and
involved as they walk
mannequins
through the exhibits.
wearing the uniforms from each
period.
Almost all of
the work is being
done in-house, both to keep costs low and to highlight the talent
and expertise of Amtrak’s employees.
Keeping an eye on our wallets while creating a high-quality
exhibit has been a rewarding challenge, says Geist. “We just discov-
Photo: Steve Ostrowski
Amtrak employees John Skalski and Seth Geist are designing the exhibit space
for the anniversary train, which will highlight collections from each of the past
four decades, as well as an exhibit dedicated to the future.
ered a site in New York where we can get the mannequins for $40
each,” he says, with a laugh. “That’s roughly $400 less than what
they typically cost.” ■
National Train Day is
Coming!
Feel the rumble under your feet? Hear the whistle
blow? National Train Day is coming on May 7 with
exciting new activities and entertainment, plus model
train displays and tours of Amtrak equipment, freight
and commuter trains and notable private railroad cars.
Employees were an integral part in making last year’s
National Train Day a great success. Nearly 400 Amtrak
employees volunteered at the major National Train
Day events, helping to make them a memorable experience for more than 34,000 attendees. Together, we
can make it happen again, especially as we celebrate
the 40th anniversary of Amtrak as America’s Railroadsm.
This milestone is a reflection of the continued dedication, loyalty and pride demonstrated
by Amtrak employees every day.
Amtrak has launched TrainDay411.com, the employees’ exclusive website and 24/7
resource for news and information related to this year’s National Train Day celebrations.
The site also offers advice on how to host your own National Train Day event at your local
station and build buzz to generate community excitement for the festivities.
Other features on TrainDay411.com are a trivia challenge where employees can enter for
the opportunity to win prizes and be included in the May issue of Amtrak Ink and an
online form for employees interested in signing up to volunteer at one of the four major
National Train Day events in Chicago, Los Angeles, Philadelphia and Washington, D.C.
Volunteers will receive a complimentary National Train Day polo shirt and a gift bag.
Be sure to check www.TrainDay411.com and come back often to stay tuned to the latest
updates.
Order
Your
Calendar
Quick!
This year, the Amtrak Wall Calendars are selling at a record
pace. Presently, we have sold more than 10,000 units. To order
your 2011 40th Anniversary Commemorative
Wall Calendar
•
Visit the Amtrak Online Store at:
http://amtrak.ai-estore.com
•
Call 1-800-369-4257
•
Mail your order to:
Staples Promotional Products
Attention: Amtrak Customer Service Representative
1520 Albany Place, S.E.
Orange City, IA 51041
5
6
|
March 2011
Amtrak Ink
Vision for 2011: Our Corporate Goals
A
mtrak’s corporate vision and corresponding goals were approved
by President and CEO Joe Boardman last
month. The vision and its five elements —
Safety, Customer Focus, Mobility and
Connectivity, Environment and Energy,
and Organizational Excellence — extend
to all functions and areas of responsibility.
“There are so many projects underway
and we have so many objectives that it can
be difficult sometimes to see how everything connects to a cohesive vision. That is
the value of having a clearly articulated
vision and corresponding goals,” said
Boardman.
Not all goals apply specifically to all
employees. Boardman noted that employees will identify with one or two goals very
specifically, but he added that it’s important that employees recognize that they
have a role to play in all of the vision elements, in one way or another.
Management employees’ performance
will be measured against these goals this
fiscal year, and they have been loaded into
IMPACT, the company’s performance plan
management tool.
Amtrak Vision
“Amtrak will become America’s first
intercity travel choice for connections to
and between the nation’s key metropolitan
areas, providing customer-driven, safe, environmentally sustainable, energy-efficient
and intermodally linked service to passengers, communities and partners. Through
recognized organizational excellence,
Amtrak’s diverse and talented team will
lead the development and growth of the
high-speed and intercity rail passenger
system in North America.”
Safety
Goal: Become North America’s safest,
most secure railroad by creating a collaborative, team-oriented workplace culture
that minimizes risks and maximizes passenger and employee safety.
What this means: By participating in
Safe-2-Safer and embracing system safety
plans, we support a more collaborative
workplace that helps increase awareness
and teamwork, removes barriers to safety
and enhances security.
Customer Focus
Goal: Advance customer service
quality by responding to the wants, needs
and expectations of our customers in
order to improve their experience and
maximize passenger and partner satisfaction.
What this means: We deliver consistent
and excellent service by putting our passengers first. In addition, we take steps to
better anticipate and respond to the needs
of our state and commuter partners with
humility and commitment to followthrough. We strive to maintain and
improve our infrastructure and equipment
to meet customers’ expectations.
Mobility and Connectivity
Goal: Improve national mobility and
connectivity by growing Amtrak’s business
through new partnerships, routes and frequencies to increase ridership
system-wide.
What this means: Working in partnership with freight, state and commuter
partners, we reinforce and enhance a
national system comprised of long-distance, corridor and high-speed service that
connects communities and links with other
modes of transportation to provide the
traveling public coast-to-coast and borderto-border seamless travel.
Environment and Energy
Goal: Contribute to the nation’s environmental health by attracting
automobile and air travelers to trains,
while improving Amtrak’s efficiency and
reducing transportation-related carbon
emissions and fossil fuel consumption.
What this means: As one of the more
environmentally friendly modes of transportation, we provide balance among
other transportation options. We serve as a
feeder and conduit between modes, while
also serving as a solution to reducing the
nation’s dependence on foreign oil.
Organizational Excellence
Goal: Attain a standard of organizational excellence by aligning our products,
services, processes and culture with stakeholder expectations to improve financial
performance and overall business results.
What this means: Our workplace is
team-oriented, and enables and empowers
its employees to reach a high standard of
performance. Leveraging our expertise, we
will become the leader in technical training
over the next five years. We practice sound
and prudent fiscal management, smart
revenue tactics, consistent pricing and
quality, innovative thinking and teamwork
to achieve excellent business results. ■
Amtrak Ink
M
echanical employees on the
overnight shift in New Orleans
— carmen, cleaners, electricians and pipefitters — took initiative to make the
most of a difficult time by giving equipment some extra care and attention
during a recent service disruption.
Due to Norfolk Southern Railway
track work for a six-week period in
January and February, the Crescent did
not operate on weekdays between
Atlanta and New Orleans. So instead of
the usual 12-hour turnaround, trains
New Orleans employees Shawn Jimison, Paul
Dupre, and Greg Meyers (from left to right) make
repairs to the Crescent equipment.
Photo: M.S. “Mick” Nussbaum
Crescent Train 20 crosses Lake Pontchartrain
after depature from New Orleans.
spent five nights in New
Orleans before being put back
into service during that time.
The extended layover from
Sunday to Friday in New
Orleans gave the group of
about 15 employees on the late
shift an opportunity to perform
extra deep cleaning and preventive maintenance on the
cars, says Raul Delgato, assistant superintendent,
Mechanical Operations
Support South.
Shampooing the carpets and pressure-washing the vestibules involved
some hard work, says Robert
Duvigneaud, lead coach cleaner in New
Orleans. “But you can really see a much
better product when we’re done. This
gave us a chance to do that little something extra.”
The New Orleans team coordinated
with Ed Alderman, superintendent,
Mechanical, at the Hialeah, Fla., facility,
where much of the service work on the
trains is usually performed.
March 2011
Alderman says
the extra-long
layover provided
an opportunity for
employees to do
work that usually
has to be done
when a car is temporarily taken out
of service.
For example,
they were able to
identify bubbles on
linoleum floors and fix them, something
that requires at least 24 hours for the
glue to dry. There were also able to do
some interior hardware work, such as
repairing latches or fixing electrical
problems.
“By the time a train left out of here
on Friday, it was almost like new,” says
Delgato. “It’s been shampooed, it’s been
repaired properly, everything’s in perfect
shape. It’s clean inside and out. We did
everything we could to make it a goodlooking train.” ■
|
7
8
|
March 2011
Amtrak Ink
New Facilities Offer K-9 Teams a Space of Their Own
N
ew kennel facilities are being constructed for the 47 teams of
dogs and handlers who comprise Amtrak’s police K-9 units.
Officers can use the space to take a brief break from
patrolling the station for explosives, catch up on paperwork, and
bathe and groom their dogs.
Boston, Chicago, and New Haven, Conn., currently have new
sites, and a facility in Philadelphia is near completion. Additional
sites are scheduled
for New York and
Washington, D.C.
And a K-9 facility is
being considered for
If they have to be away from
Sanford, Fla., where
their dogs, they’ll have a safe
officers have started
place to keep them.
to have a presence
during periodic
“surges,” says
Inspector William
Parker, who oversees
the K-9 unit.
“With the new sites, officers can do their desk work and their
dogs can be with them. If they have to be away from their dogs,
they’ll have a
safe place to
keep them,”
says Parker.
“Previously,
the only
option we had
was for officers to put
their dogs in
their vehicles,
which wasn’t a
good solution.
Now they have
a place to call
their home.”
The facilities are being
paid for, in
large part, with
Officer Stan Bailey weighs his dog, Riot, at the new facility near
Chicago Union Station. Monitoring sudden weight changes in their
dogs helps alert officers to potential health problems. Officer
Venturelli waits in line with Logan.
A M T R A K
P O L I C E
D E P A R T M E N T
money from the
American Recovery
and Reinvestment
Act. Each site has
cages for the dogs,
tubs and grooming
stations, hair dryers,
washers and
dryers for
cleaning
towels,
scales for
weighing the
dogs, desks
and computOfficer Susan Venturelli, in Chicago, gets ready to bathe
ers.
and groom Logan.
“With
these tubs, the handlers can bathe their own dogs, saving
costs we’d otherwise have to outsource. Plus, they can do
their health checks on their dogs at the same time, feeling
for any lumps and bumps to catch them early.”
Adds Parker: “This is part of our ongoing effort to expand and
continue to be on the cutting
edge.”
A major benefit of the facilities is that they provide a safe
space for the dogs to be kept
while the officers hanle office
work or eat lunch.
“You never know how
people are going to react. Some
people love dogs, some people
hate dogs or complain about
them being too close,” says
Officer Micah Jones, who works
at Washington Union Station
with his Belgian Shepherd
Blecky. “These facilities are like
a sigh of relief, a space of your
own.” ■
Photo: Dave Smith
Officer Micah Jones, at Washington Union
Station, says the new K-9 facilities provide
a quiet spot to do paperwork and care for
the dogs.
Amtrak Ink
S
afe-2-Safer, the company’s approach to
injury prevention, has reached a milestone with
participation from every
division and department.
Safe-2-Safer has had
an intentionally staggered start. The
Mid-Atlantic and Northeast Divisions, for
example, have been working on Safe-2Safer for more than a year now. The Pacific
and Pacific Northwest Divisions, by comparison, are still in the early phases.
With the most recent addition of the
Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way
(BMWE) employees, most of the unions
that represent Amtrak employees formally
and actively support Safe-2-Safer.
At the program’s core is the Behavioral
Accident Prevention Process (BAPP), in
which trained volunteers meet
with and observe their colleagues as they perform
their jobs. Helping
everyone feel comfortable with that
approach, which is
fairly new for Amtrak,
has been a high priority.
“Each observation is
done under the motto, ‘No blame. No
Name. No sneak-ups,’” says Peter Hall,
Safe-2-Safer’s senior director. What that
means is that employees are always greeted
by the observer before being observed. All
findings, after being shared with the
employee at the time of the observation,
help identify any ways the employee might
be putting himself or herself at risk of
injury. Then the information is used to build
a database of information to
shape best practices, without
any names or negative results
attached to the data.
The goal is to help workers
identify behaviors they’ve
been using that are safe and
should continue, as well as
those that may put an
employee at risk. Observers also identify
any systems and equipment issues that
could prevent a worker
from performing safe
behaviors.
‘A Lot in Common’
The Mid-Atlantic
Division, Transportation,
has already conducted and logged over 550
observations, says Ray O’Connell, a train
dispatcher who is the Safe-2-Safer facilitator in that division.
Educating workers about the process
has been ongoing, says O’Connell. “Most
workers say they know the name Safe-2Safer, but don’t know that much about the
process.” The peer-to-peer observations
have been a big part of that education
process and of building a culture in which
employees feel they can talk openly about
safety and risks.
Wilbert J. Benoit, a conductor based in
La Junta, Colo., says he wasn’t sure what to
expect when he agreed to go through the
training to become an observer. “I thought
this might be another management-driven
program,” he says. “It was a pleasant
surprise to find that this process is
something essentially by the
people and for the people. It’s a
perfect opportunity for both
labor and management to learn
and accept that we are all on the
same team and work towards
common goals.”
Jim Morrison, a locomotive engineer
based in Philadelphia who serves on the
Mid-Atlantic, Transportation, Safe-2-Safer
steering committee, says the vast majority
of employees he’s approached —
at least 80 percent — have been
very responsive to the idea.
Others took a little convincing.
Only one of the roughly 65
people whom Morrison contacted
to be observed turned him down,
he says, and that was because of a
schedule conflict. That person has
March 2011
|
9
since signed up to be trained as an observer
himself.
“When I approach people I tell them
I’m an engineer. I’m not in a manager’s
position, so we have a lot in
common,” Morrison
says. “I tell them,
we want to walk
away from this
job the way we
came to it, in
one piece, with
no incidents.”
Ceiling Tiles and
Wires
Observers use a check list of safe and atrisk behaviors based on years worth of past
injury reports. “They’re looking for things
such as body position, pinch points, whether
someone is using a flowing or jerky motion.
We look at walking and working surfaces,”
says O’Connell.
Recent observations have identified
potential risks on the café cars, such as floor
matting that had to be replaced, cash-register drawers that weren’t closing properly
and latches on refrigerators that
could be pinch points.
In ticket offices, observers
have noticed such things as
missing floor or ceiling tiles or
hallways with ceiling panels that
were missing, leaving exposed
wires. All of these potential barriers
to safety have now been fixed or are in
the process of being fixed.
While it’s too early to chart changes in
injury rates, the effort has shown signs of
changes in behavior, says Hall. He says an
effort like Safe-2-Safer in 2008 at the
Pacific Northwest Stations resulted in the
stations going injury-free for nearly two
years.
Safe-2-Safer already has triggered a shift
in the way people within the company communicate with each other, says Martin
Yurth, program director, Safe-2-Safer West.
continued on page 12
10
|
March 2011
Amtrak Ink
Auto Train Trip: No Paper Ticket Required
SM
F
or passengers on the Auto Train, travel has become even
easier. In an important step toward making electronic ticketing available on all Amtrak trains, the Auto Train has adopted
Ticketless Check-In, whereby passengers on that route no longer
have to carry traditional paper tickets.
Under the new system, passengers simply check in at the station
by showing a copy of the confirmation page they received when
they paid for their trip, along with their ID.
If a passenger does not have a copy of his or her reservation
confirmation, an Auto Train ticket agent can still locate the booking
on the system after checking the
passenger’s ID.
The service is a major benefit
for Auto Train customers, many
of whom book stays of a month
or longer before returning.
“In the past, if customers lost
or misplaced their return tickets,
they had to buy new ones,” says
Todd Wetzel, lead ticket agent,
Sanford station. “It was a major
issue, because passengers had to
buy new tickets and then apply
for a partial refund later.
Under the new system, we can
just look up the reservation by
the last name.”
Adds Fred Nardelli, district
superintendent — Auto Train,
“It’s another step we've taken
to improve customer convenience.”
The Auto Train also offers service to motorcyles to and from the Sanford
station. Bike Week in Flroida tends to be the busiest season for transporting
motorcycles by train.
The Ticketless Check-In process took effect at the end of
February at the two Auto Train stations (Lorton, Va., and Sanford,
Fla.).
While many current passengers already have their paper tickets
in hand, as more passengers use the ticketless system in the future,
the stations will see an added benefit of a big reduction in card
stock needed to print out paper tickets, says Tina Brown, district
manager stations, Sanford.
continued on the following page
The Auto Train, Train 53, prepares for departure from Lorton, Va., to Sanford, Fla.
Amtrak Ink
March 2011
continued from the previous page
The new system manages reservations completely electronically by connecting directly to the company’s
reservation, finance and revenue systems. This new way of
tracking and reporting ticket revenue is one of the foundations that will
enable Amtrak to
introduce
eTicketing to
other routes later
this year.
The Auto
Train’s simple
route structure —
having a single
departure and
arrival location,
rather than
numerous stops
along a route —
made it the
obvious choice
to become the
first service to
use full
eTicketing.
“Because
of the Auto
Train’s unique
airport-style check-in process, it provides
an excellent opportunity for Amtrak to get familiar with ticketless travel,” says Tony Flynn, program director, Sales and
Reservation System Programs.
Much of the back-end infrastructure being used for the
Auto Train is the same that will support future eTicketing on
Amtrak trains.
In a related move, the process for making changes to Auto
Train bookings has been significantly streamlined.
Employees at the call center and at ticket desks in the stations can now make changes to a passenger’s ticket without
having to cancel the previous purchase, process a refund and
then ring up the change as a completely new sale.
Under the improved system, reservation agents can make
the needed changes to the reservation and the customer
simply has to pay any additional amount due.
“This is a great example of how the changes eTicketing
has made to the core reservation system are now giving us
the ability to better respond to customer and agent needs,”
says Flynn. ■
Re-Enactment of
Lincoln Inaugural Trip
Marks 150-Year
Civil War Anniversary
The U.S. Department of the Interior, with help from
Amtrak, last month recreated Abraham Lincoln’s historic
train trip from Baltimore to Washington 150 years ago to
assume the presidency.
The re-enactment, on February 23, featured the actor
Fritz Klein portraying the 16th president of the United
States.
“Just a few short years after President Lincoln took his
historic journey to Washington by rail, the
Transcontinental Railroad was completed,” says Emmett
Photo: Tami Heilemann, U.S. Department of the Interior
Fremaux, vice president, Marketing and Product
Development.
The trip to Washington Union Station marked the conclusion of a journey that revisited 16 cities and towns at
which Lincoln stopped to speak at during his inaugural
journey.
The 150 year Civil War celebration will include other
future events, including one at Fort Sumter National
Monument (in South Carolina) April 9-17 and one at
Manassas National Battlefield Park (in Virginia) July 21.
For more information, go to nps.gov/civilwar150.
|
11
12
|
March 2011
Amtrak Ink
Women in Railroad Honored for National Women’s Month
I
n honor of National Women’s History Month, Eileen Magee,
coordinator, Office of the Inspector General, selects four
female employees each March to be honored for their many
contributions to the company.
“Throughout the years, Amtrak has been transformed due to
the work ethic, talent, persistence and accomplishments of many
women, including those mentioned below,” says Magee.
Here, Magee presents her selections for 2011:
Karen Shannon
Assistant Superintendent
On-Board Services, Chicago
A 22-year Amtrak employee with a
commitment to performing quality
work, often in a demanding and fastpaced environment, Karen always
displays integrity and professionalism.
Although a no-nonsense manager,
Karen is also passionate and caring
toward those for whom she has responsibility. Karen has had
numerous achievements, including a 2007 President’s Service &
Safety Award for Sustained Excellence and the successful implementation of cash registers in café cars. During her career with
Amtrak she has excelled at various positions of increasing responsibility. In her current position, she has accountability for over 400
employees.
Caroline Decker
Assistant Vice President
Government Affairs and Corporate
Communications, Washington, D.C.
While working on Capitol Hill as
chief of staff for former Tennessee Rep.
Bob Clement, Caroline formed a connection with the railroad. In 2003, this
connection led to her accepting a position with the Government Affairs
department and ultimately becoming
one of the company’s highest-ranking female employees. Today,
Caroline is Amtrak’s Senate liaison and works closely with
continued from page 9
“We’re seeing people from all different
crafts and all different management levels
talking,” says Yurth. “Engineers and conductors are talking openly, face-to-face
with clerks and baggage handlers and
warehouse personnel and mechanics. This
Congress and the administration on a wide range of transportation-policy and legislative issues that impact intercity passenger
rail service and development. There is no doubt that Amtrak has
benefited from this phenomenal and invaluable role model.
Brenda Breeden
Sergeant
Amtrak Police Department (APD),
Los Angeles
With over 30 years of consistently
exemplary and conscientious performance, Brenda continues to be dedicated
to her profession. As one of the highly
respected senior ranking patrol officer
in her area, she has responsibility for
law-enforcement concerns south of Bakersfield to San Diego.
Over the years, she has worked on many cases and been involved
in many situations, including derailments, fraud, theft, threats,
missing persons and providing emergency medical assistance. For
her stellar performance she has been recognized several times as
Officer of the Month. She received a 1984 Mayor’s Certificate of
Appreciation for Outstanding Humanitarian from the city of Los
Angeles and was a 2004 Amtrak President’s Service & Safety
Award winner for Sustained Excellence.
Patricia Murphy
Foreman III
Mechanical, Boston
In a craft that is predominately male,
Patricia is tremendously reliable and
commands the respect of others by the
manner in which she leads. She has
oversight for numerous craft personnel,
predominately coach cleaners, and
maintains a strong focus on safety as an
active member of three safety committees. In her 20 years with
Amtrak, her passion for her job has not diminished, as evidenced
through recognition as a 1994 Customer Services Crew Base
Employee of the Month and a 2006 President’s Service & Safety
Award for Sustained Excellence. ■
has really provided a
way to break down barriers and have more
inclusive conversations.”
Employees collaborated to create each of the
Safe-2-Safer division logos.
The great amount of work
devoted to Safe-2-Safer is also
beginning to change the culture
at Amtrak, says Hall, citing early
data from a recent employee
survey, the details of which are
still being compiled. ■
Amtrak Ink
March 2011
Pacific Surfliner
Adds an Express
Option
Commuters traveling from San Diego
to Los Angeles by train now have an
“express” option that shaves about 18
minutes off of the trip. Five station
stops have been eliminated from the
route of the early morning Pacific
Surfliner Train 563 as part of a pilot
program to test interest in the express
service.
Marketing Team Earns Praise for
Recent Overhaul of Route Guides
D
id you know that the Illinois town of
Galesburg — one of many stops along
the California Zephyr route — is
rumored to be where the Marx Brothers
received their nicknames during a 1914 poker
game? Or that Roseville, Calif., not only has
one of the country’s largest auto malls, but
was touted as one of
the “skinniest”
U.S. cities in a
CNN study?
These and
many more details
can be found in the
recently updated
Route Guides,
which were written
by Keith
Bonnecarrere and
designed by Ann
Owens, both
Marketing officers.
Marketing Manager Joe Wenclawiak directed
the project.
Trains magazine recently featured the
team’s work in a six-page article in its January
2011 issue.
“The guides capture the essence of the
localities through which our trains pass,” says
Bonnecarrere. “They’re one of the more traditional and yet also the most up-to-date of
the on-board amenities that we
provide to our passengers.”
The updated guides feature a mix of
history, geography, pop culture and littleknown facts about the towns and cities
along the long-distance and selected corridor train routes in the Amtrak system.
To view the guides online, go to
Amtrak.com → Routes → Browse Regions
→ Downloadable Route Guides. There are 18
guides in all. ■
|
13
14
|
April 2008
Amtrak Ink
Human Resources
Offers Help
in Time of Grief
W
hat if you could get a glimpse
of your life 10, 20, 30 years
from now and then use that
information to alter your future for the
better?
That’s what a new pilot project known
as the Wellness Program aims to do, says
Malva Daniel Reid, senior director,
Health Service.
The voluntary
program grew
out of discussions
between union
and management
leaders on the
Joint Medical
Administration
Committee. The
program is
expected to be
tested at major
locations nationwide, starting
with sites in
Delaware in
April.
The goal is to help employees
improve their health by arming them
with information about their current
health status, pointing out areas of potential concern in the future, and then
providing guidance for how to avoid a
major health crisis.
Reid says many illnesses, such as diabetes, heart disease and stroke, can be
predicted and hopefully then prevented
— or at least treated early before they
become more serious.
To participate, employees will fill out
a health-assessment survey and then go
through a basic “biometrics” medical
screening that includes a blood-pressure
check, height and weight check and a
finger-prick blood test.
Employees who participate are
encouraged to then share the informa-
tion generated from the initial screening
with their primary-care doctor and to get
an annual check up.
“Amtrak pays for nearly all of the cost
of wellness care, but too many of us are
letting that benefit go to waste by rarely
using it,” says Robert Lynch, principal
officer, Employee Benefits. “Our data
shows that as a company, we’re below the
national average for seeking out preventative care.”
Adds Reid: “Why wait until you’re
sick and a problem becomes hard or
impossible to reverse. Why do that to
your spouse or girlfriend or boyfriend or
children? Now is the time to start building a relationship with your doctor so
that you can enjoy life with the people
you love for years and years to come.”
Employees in the program can tap
into nutrition and exercise information
tailored to various risk factors or illnesses, and use it to make informed
choices about their health.
“This is all about you,” says Reid,
“about giving you the information you
need to be your own health advocate.” ■
Losing a loved one is always painful. The
Human Resources department hopes to do
all it can to help family members of employees or retirees who pass away by
streamlining its survivor benefits process.
“The death of a loved one is a very difficult experience,” says Robert Lynch,
principal officer, Employee Benefits. “It is at
this time that we must be of service to our
employees by providing information about
such items as life insurance, continuing
medical coverage, obtaining the final paycheck, continuing rail pass privileges and
retirement benefits.”
Under the updated process, survivors
now receive a comprehensive letter describing all of the benefits available to them and
the name and phone number of a specific
benefits representative whom they can
contact if they have questions or need help.
The letters are mailed out within 10 business days from when the company receives
notice of a death.
Previously, various Amtrak departments
communicated information about the
various benefits, which was sometimes overwhelming to family members.
Melissa Alleman assisted in bringing
about the new process after her husband,
Steve — a former general superintendent
and Transportation and Engineering
employee with more than 30 years of
service — died last May. Mrs. Alleman’s
feedback from her perspective as a widow
brought to light improvements to the
process.
Jed Dodd, general chairman of the
Brotherhood of Maintenance Way
Employees (BMWE), also helped shape the
new approach.
Lynch stresses that, while it’s not a pleasant thought, all employees should make
sure their beneficiary elections for life insurance and 401(k) investment plans are
up-to-date.
Employees can review and update their
beneficiary designation for life insurance by
logging into AmtrakBenefits.com or calling
800-481-4887. For the 401(k) Plan, employees can complete a beneficiary designation
form online at www.netbenefits.com or
they can obtain a copy of the form by contacting Fidelity at 1-877-477-2685. ■
Amtrak Ink
April 2008
|
Local Leaders Gather in Huntington,W.Va.,
for Civic Conversation
A
mtrak recently held its
with Disabilities Act requirements and
seventh Great American
practices.
Stations Civic
The goal of the event was to generate
Conversation in Huntington,
ideas for ways to make improvements to
W.Va., where local, state and
stations along the Cardinal route.
federal representatives united
“Local activists return from these
with Amtrak officials along the
meetings armed with information tools
route of the Cardinal.
they can use to improve their stations,”
The discussion focused on
says Joe McHugh, vice president,
innovative ways communities
Government Affairs and Corporate
can use Amtrak’s expertise to
Communications. “These events
help preserve, restore and
strengthen our relationships with comCincinnati Union Station is one of the more beautiful stations along
the route to Huntington, W.Va.
upgrade existing train stations
munity leaders, who get to meet their
to ensure that they remain vital
colleagues along the routes. Amtrak is in
centers of transportation.
a unique position to forge these relationships and help communiThe event, held on Thursday, March 3, featured a combination
ties come together to collectively improve their service.”
of case studies and presentations of transportation-oriented
Participants at the event included representatives for Sen. Joe
development, funding sources and a review of the Americans
Manchin III, Rep. Shelley Moore Capito and Rep. Nick Rahall. ■
YouTube Channel Offers New Way to
Tell Company’s Story
Want to get another glimpse of that commercial with the speeding Acela
Express train? Or to watch the winning entries of the ‘Trainsportation’ annual
video contest?
Amtrak now has its own YouTube channel to provide easy access to what
will be a growing collection of online videos that showcase the Amtrak
experience. Featured topics include Amtrak vacations, safety and security,
the Trails & Rails program and future plans for high-speed rail.
“Social media is another tool in our marketing toolkit to engage our
current customers and reach new audiences,” says Darlene Abubakar,
director, National Advertising. “Now with the launch of our YouTube
channel, we will be able to visually extend our message that Amtrak is a
more comfortable and greener way to travel to the more than 500 communities that we serve.”
Amtrak has had an active Facebook page since 2009, and now has nearly
43,000 fans. The company just recently concluded its Facebook contest, “A Perfect Day on
Amtrak,” in which fans were asked to describe a day or overnight trip.
Approximately a year ago, Amtrak launched its corporate Twitter page to share quick updates on news and events.
Follow Amtrak at Twitter@Amtrak, on Facebook.com/Amtrak and subscribe at YouTube.com/Amtrak.
15
16
|
March 2011
Amtrak Ink
Employee Milestones
Congratulations to All of You!
BRADLEY, CHINESE
Chicago Crew Base
BRODERDORP,
EDWARD
Wilmington Shops
DESVIGNES,
EMMANUEL
Sunnyside Yard N.Y.
BROSNAN, DAVID
Wilmington Shops
DIMEDIO, ANDREW
Wilmington Shops
BRYANT, MICHAEL
Sunnyside Yard N.Y.
DINONNO, NICHOLAS
Sunnyside Yard N.Y.
BRYCK, JOSEPH
Wilmington Shops
DOERING, PHILLIP
Wilmington Shops
BUCKLEY, JOHN
Sunnyside Yard N.Y.
DUBE, ROBERT
Wilmington Shops
CAGNONI, RICHARD
New York Penn Station
DUGAN, JAMES
Sanford Station
AHMED, KAMAL
Bear Car Shop
CALLAHAN, EDWARD
Sunnyside Yard N.Y.
ENTROP, MARK
Chicago Union Station
ANDERSON,
REYNOLDS
Sunnyside Yard N.Y.
CARLIN, KENNETH
Sunnyside Yard N.Y.
EVANS, WILLIAM
Wilmington Shops
CARMAN, GREGORY
Sunnyside Yard N.Y.
FERRETTI, THOMAS
Bear Car Shop
KELLY, ROBERTA
Phila. 30th Street
Station
CASTRONUOVA, JOHN
Sunnyside Yard N.Y.
FIGLIOLA, MICHAEL
Wilmington Shops
KIRBY, KATHY
Chicago Union Station
ARNONE, ANTHONY
Miami Mechanical Yard
CERMINARA,
PASQUAL
Wilmington Shops
FITZWATER, PAUL
Wilmington Shops
KONKLEWSKI, JOSEPH
New York Penn Station
ASKEW, JANIE
New York Penn Station
CHAGA, MICHAEL
Perryville M/W Base
FORGIONE, JOHN
Wilmington Shops
KRAVITZ, GARY
Wilmington Shops
BAKER, STEPHEN
CNOC
CHERICO, GERALD
Bear Car Shop
GANC, MARK
Wilmington Shops
KUMPEL, CLAUDE
Wilmington Shops
BARDY, RICHARD
Beech Grove
Maintenance Facility
CHIN, ALBERT
Sunnyside Yard N.Y.
GAWEL, PHILLIP
Wilmington Shops
LANCIANESE, PATRICK
Wilmington Shops
GREGORY, JAMES
Wilmington Shops
LAZARTIC, PETER
Wilmington Shops
CONNERS, RICHARD
Sunnyside Yard N.Y.
GREY, JOHN
Beech Grove
Maintenance Facility
LEPKOWSKI, GARY
Sunnyside Yard N.Y.
COPPOL, FRANCIS
Bear Car Shop
HASSEL, EDWARD
Wilmington Shops
COSTELLO, ROBERT
Wilmington Shops
HOEY, CHARLES
Sunnyside Yard N.Y.
LEWANDOWSKI,
JAMES
Wilmington Shops
DALY, SEAN
Sunnyside Yard N.Y.
HOWARD, GARY
New York Penn Station
LOMBARDO, FRANK
Wilmington Shops
DAVIDSON, WILLIAM
Miami Mechanical Yard
HUHN, JOHN
Phila. 30th Street
Station
MACCHIO, FRANK
Sunnyside Yard N.Y.
CAIAZZA, VITO
New York Penn Station
POUSTUS, STANLEY
Bear Car Shop
CHU, PETER
W. Oakland Maint.
Facility
RAIA, LARRY
Los Angeles Offices
IVAN, IOSIF
Oakland Station
JACKSON, JOHNNY
W. Oakland Maint.
Facility
LUNA, DAVID
Boston South Station
MARQUES, CLIFFORD
Los Angeles 8th St.
Coach Yard
NAPPI, AMEDEO
Los Angeles Offices
PLUMMER,
STARKODA
Wash. Crew Base
WATKINS, VICTOR
Salisbury T&E Crew Base
HASTINGS, LORA
Seattle King St. Station
NEELY, ANGELA
Trenton Station
PARKER-SMITH,
WANDA
Corp. HQ, Wash., D.C.
PIECHOCINSKI, MARK
New York Division
RIZZO, ELLEN
New York Penn Station
WEASE, DAVID
Auto Train Lorton
BOOK, RONALD
Lancaster Station
ROJAS, REBECCA
Chicago Union Station
WUCHICH, WALTER
Chicago Union Station
APANAH, RAMESH
Sanford Station
APPOLD, RAYMOND
New York Penn Station
BARRY, DOUGLAS
New York Penn Station
BEHRLE, DOUGLAS
Wilmington Shops
BEST, TIMOTHY
Wilmington Shops
BLOUNT, ANTHONY
Sunnyside Yard N.Y.
BLUE, CARROLL
Wilmington Shops
BRADFORD, KERREY
Bear Car Shop
BRADFORD, WAYNE
Sanford Station
CLINE, DENNIS
Wilmington Shops
DENNEHY, THOMAS
Chicago Locomotive
Shop
ISAACS, DONALD
Miami Mechanical Yard
JOHNSON, VELMA
Chicago Offices
JOSSA, LOUIS
New York Penn Station
JULIANO, AUGUSTINE
New York Penn Station
KANICH, MICHAEL
Wilmington Shops
KARDOS, JOSEPH
Wilmington Shops
KEARNEY, JOHN
Wilmington Shops
KEAT, STEVEN
New York Penn Station
KELLY, ALAN
New York Penn Station
LEPORE, GARRY
Wilmington Shops
MACCOLL, JOHN
Wilmington Shops
Amtrak Ink
March 2011
|
17
Employee Milestones
Congratulations to All of You!
MARINO, MICHAEL
Rensselaer Mech.
Facility
OCHS, ANTHONY
Sunnyside Yard N.Y.
SALVATORE, JAMES
Wilmington Shops
PANTALINO, RICHARD
Wilmington Shops
PARKER, WILLIAM
New York Penn Station
SEENEY, LINDA
Mid-Atlantic
Reservation Sales
Contact Center
PERINE, LINDA
Trenton Station
SERFASS, RICKY
Bear Car Shop
MCGRORY, MICHAEL
Bear Car Shop
PERRY, JOHN
Phila. 30th Street
Station
SEUBERT, HARRY
Sunnyside Yard N.Y.
MCGUIRE, DENNIS
Wilmington Shops
PETRUCCI, GERALD
Wilmington Shops
MCNEIL, CLIFFORD
New York Penn Station
POPIEL, CHRIS
Wilmington Shops
SLONIEWSKI,
THOMAS
Wilmington Shops
MCSHEA, KEVIN
Philadelphia Coach
Yard
PRZYBYLEK, STEVEN
Wilmington Shops
MATTHES, MAX
Wilmington Shops
MCALPINE, GEORGE
Sunnyside Yard N.Y.
MCCLAFFERTY, PAUL
Wilmington Shops
SIMS, TYRONNE
New York Penn Station
TROWER, DOROTHY
Phila. 30th Street
Station
CARNEY, WILLIAM
Phila. 30th Street
Station
VASQUEZ, MICHAEL
Chicago Crewbase
HAMILTON, KAROLYN
Oakland Crew Base
WIERTZ, KEITH
New York Penn Station
CHAPIN, IRWIN
Spokane Station
WILEY, TOM
Corp. HQ, Wash., D.C.
WILLEY, LESLIE
Spokane Station
WILSON, JAMES
Wilmington Shops
CLARK, HOWARD
Wilmington Shops
CONAWAY, CLAUDINE
Phila. 30th Street
Station
WINSTON, MICHAEL
Sunnyside Yard N.Y.
CONLEY, EDWARD
Boston South Station
SMITH, JAMES
Wilmington Shops
ZANDERS, CARTER
Sunnyside Yard N.Y.
CONNOLLY, ROBERT
Boston South Station
PSOMIADES, DEAN
Sunnyside Yard N.Y.
SMITH, JERRY
New York Penn Station
ZIZZO, ANTHONY
Sunnyside Yard N.Y.
DEPIETRO, DONALD
Thorn Tower
PUGH, KEITH
Bear Car Shop
SNYDER, GARY
Wilmington Shops
ZOLI, JOSEPH
Wilmington Shops
DIXON, ROCKLAND
Perryville M/W Base
PUIT, MICHAEL
Wilmington Shops
SOMERS, HENRY NY
Sunnyside Yard N.Y.
PULGINI, JOSEPH
Wilmington Shops
SORCE, CHARLES
Wilmington Shops
MILLER, MICHAEL
Sunnyside Yard N.Y.
RAPPOSELLI,
DOMINIC
Bear Car Shop
STAFFORD, ARTHUR
New York Penn Station
MITZEL, BRIAN
Niagara Falls Station
REEVES, EDWARD
New York Penn Station
MOONEY, PATRICK
Wilmington Shops
REILLY, DONALD
Wilmington Shops
MORRELL, JON
Wilmington Shops
REILLY, MICHAEL
Wilmington Shops
MURPHY, JOSEPH
Sunnyside Yard N.Y.
ROOF, RICHARD
New York Penn Station
SZCZYPIENSKI,
JAMES
Dearborn Station
MURRAY, JOHN
Wilmington Shops
ROSOFSKY, MICHAEL
Sunnyside Yard N.Y.
THOMPSON, EDWARD
Wilmington Shops
MYERS, JOHN
Wilmington Shops
RUDE, WAYNE
Bear Car Shop
TOTARO, MICHAEL
Wilmington Shops
NEWTON, RICHARD
Wilmington Shops
RYAN, ROBERT
Wilmington Shops
TREUT, DONALD
Bear Car Shop
BERGMAN, RONALD
Baltimore Station
ONEILL, ALBERT
Wilmington Shops
SALVATORE, FRANCIS
Wilmington Shops
TROVINGER, ROGER
Wilmington Shops
CAPRONI, WILLIAM
Phila. 30th Street
Station
MEALEY, THOMAS
Wilmington Shops
MEDORA, JOSEPH
Wilmington Shops
MERENA, THOMAS
Wilmington Shops
MILLER, CARLOSNY
Sunnyside Yard N.Y.
DUBERRY-CARTER,
LYNNE
Pelham Tower
AFFOON, WINSTON
New York Penn Station
DUSSAULT, RAYMOND
Providence MOW Base
STERLING, HENRY
Wilmington Shops
ANDERSON, WILLIAM
Rensselaer Mech.
Facility
FIKE, JEFFREY
Caltrain Main Office
SYGOWSKI, THOMAS
Wilmington Shops
ASEVES, MARTIN
Brighton Park Facility
FOLEY, RICHARD
Boston South Station
AUDELO, DAVID W.
Oakland Maint. Facility
FOLSOM-SLIMBOCK,
LENORE
Phila. 30th Street
Station
SZCZESIAK, RONALD
Wilmington Shops
BAILEY, HARRY
Phila. 30th Street
Station
BELL, DANNY
Beech Grove
Maintenance Facility
GREENE, GEORGE
Chicago Offices
HARKINS, ROBERT
South Hampton St.
Yard
HAYNES, HAROLD
New York Penn Station
HUNG, HAK
Los Angeles Offices
18
|
March 2011
Amtrak Ink
Employee Milestones
Congratulations to All of You!
JANKOWSKI, JOHN
NW Base
NARUSEWICZ, JAMES
Raymond Plaza West
PETERSON, LEO
New York Penn Station
SCHRAMM, CHARLES
Washington Crew Base
STITH, SYLVIA
Sanford Station
KAUFMAN, JAMES
Rensselaer Station
NELSON, MAGDA
Washington Crew Base
PROLA, FRANK
Johnstown Station
SCOTT, KEVIN
CNOC
STOVALL, WAYNE
Los Angeles Offices
LAMANUZZI, LEO
Springfield Station
O NEIL, KENNETH
Phila. 30th Street
Station
RHYNE, LURETHA
Corp. HQ, Wash., D.C.
SHEERAN, RICHARD
Phila. 30th Street
Station
TROXELL, JAMES
Beech Grove
Maintenance Facility
SLAUGHTER,
ELIZABETH
Phila. 30th Street
Station
VALLE, CASTOR
Wilmington Shops
LUNDQUIST, VICTOR
Perryville M/W Base
MCCANN, THOMAS
Phila. 30th Street
Station
MCCARTHY, CARLENE
Phila. 30th Street
Station
MCDANNELL, WAYNE
Wilmington Shops
MOYER, JILL
Los Angeles Offices
O'NEAL, ROBERT
Beech Grove
Maintenance Facility
RICHARDSON, ALVIN
Corp. HQ, Wash., D.C.
ROBINSON, PAUL
Los Angeles Offices
ODOM, SHARON
Chicago
Mech.&Terminal Offices
RUFFNER, CHARLES
Pittsburgh Station
PASTERNIAK, JOSEPH
Wilmington Shops
SANTOYO,
FLORENTINO
Chicago Union Station
PEREZ, ANGEL
Sunnyside Yard N.Y.
SAVIDGE, DONALD
CNOC
SMITH, RANDALL
San Juan Capistrano
Station
STEPP, BENNIE
Beech Grove
Maintenance Facility
VINCENT, GORDON
Richmond Station
WAGNER, DANE
New York Penn Station
YANNUZZI, JOSEPH
Los Angeles Offices
Front Line Focus
Dear Amtrak,
On December 19 I returned from Vancouver, B.C., to Tukwila,
Wash. … When I arrived at the station, I was informed there had
been a landslide and the train was not running, so I would have
to take the bus to Seattle. All went well. … [When] I checked in,
the gentleman gave me my ticket and a yellow slip of paper with
what I thought was a check mark. It was hectic at the counter, so
I thought I would ask the conductor about it when I got on the
train. …
[When] they announced the Tukwila stop, I gathered my
things and went to the door, but it did not open. Apparently I was
scheduled to depart at Vancouver, Wash., hence the check mark
or “V.” Conductor Steve Brown offered to stop the train at
Renton for me, but … my car was at Tukwila. He got on his
[company issued] cell phone and made arrangements for me to
get off the train at the next crossing and catch an oncoming train
back to Tukwila.
When I got home there was a message on the land line and
my cell phone from Conductor Brown asking if I had arrived
home safely and had I accrued any expenses. … I was very
impressed with Conductor Brown’s help and concern for me. I
have told all my friends about it, and I plan to take the trip again
in the spring.
Sincerely,
Amtrak Cascades Passenger
Dear Amtrak,
I recently approached the Amtrak station window with two
issues more complicated than a simple ticket purchase, including
figuring out how and if an unaccompanied minor could travel.
I was delighted with the service I received from Sid Ball. He
helped me with what I needed with kindness, humor, efficiency
and imagination. I saw him treat others with the same level of
courtesy and professionalism, even when they were lacking in
good manners.
I admired his attitude and appreciated his help.
Sincerely,
Northeast Regional Passenger
Amtrak Ink
March 2011
|
19
Promotions in Motion
Celebrate with Extra Points
Amtrak Guest Reward® members
will earn bonus points on all routes
starting on March 21.
Between March 21 and May 6,
members will receive double points on
all travel.
Then, from
May 7
(National Train
Day) through May 21, members will earn
triple points.
Registration is required, and certain
terms and limitations apply.
Discount Offered for Philadelphia
Festival in April
Amtrak Employees and members of the
Amtrak Guest Rewards program can get
$5 off the price of admission to events at
the upcoming 25-day Philadelphia
International Festival
of the Arts.
The new festival,
which starts on April
7, is a $10-million
effort paid for by a
grant from the
Annenberg
Foundation. It will
feature music, dance,
drama, and visual arts
— a collaborative
endeavor by 125
regional arts and cultural groups. Events
even include high-flying
aerial and acrobat performances from members of the
Philadelphia School of
Circus Arts.
To receive the discount,
use the promotional code
AMTRAK when purchasing tickets to the PIFA
performances. Events will take place at the
Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts, in
Philadelphia. For more information, go to
pifa.org.
Broadway 40% Discount
Through April 24, employees can
purchase tickets for as low as $79.50
— a 40-percent discount — to see
“How to Succeed in Business
Without Really Trying.”
The award-winning Broadway
musical stars Daniel Radcliffe
(of “Harry Potter” fame) and
John Larroquette (from
“Night Court” and “The Practice”).
This special offer is due to the
ongoing marketing alliance with
Sponsorship Live in NYC.
For more information, go to
www.howtosucceedbroadway.com.
Use the code HSGEN21 to
receive the discount.
‘Cool’ Exhibit at Cool Price
The Delaware Art Museum, in
Wilmington, is offering Amtrak
employees a Buy-One, Get-One-Free discount on museum admission now through
the end of the year.
The $12 ticket includes admission to all
special exhibits, including the current “Cool
and Collected: Portfolios from the Museum
Collection” exhibit and the highly anticipated “Howard Pyle: American Master
Rediscovered" exhibit scheduled for later
in the year.
These exhibits, along with the museum’s
acclaimed Pre-Raphaelite collection, will
be heavily
marketed by
the museum
throughout
the Northeast
Corridor. The
museum
expects to
welcome more
than 81,000 visitors in the next
12 months, most
of those from outside the immediate
Wilmington area.
“An alliance with Amtrak is instrumental in attracting attendees from other NEC
cities,” says Paul Siegel, manager, Sales and
Marketing.
The promotion is the latest in a series of
marketing alliances between Amtrak and
the Delaware Art Museum, Siegel said.
For more information, go to
www.delart.org. ■
Mark Your Calendars!
Employee Appreciation Day is May 2
The company will celebrate Employee Appreciation Day on Monday, May 2. Events will take place
at approximately 50 major locations across the country, offering tools and resources to become
safer, greener and healthier. Representatives will be on hand to provide safety, health and wellness information, employee discounts on products and services, and much more. Additional
details will be announced over the next several weeks, so stay tuned. ■
Presorted
Standard
U.S. Postage
PAID
Des Moines, IA
Permit No. 589
60 Massachusetts Avenue, N.E.
Washington, D.C. 20002
To change your address, call 1-888-MY-HR-ESC (1-888-694-7372)
or send an e-mail message to HRESC@Amtrak.com.
This Month In Amtrak History
MARCH
March 6, 1974
San Joaquin service is inaugurated
between Oakland and Bakersfield,
Calif. Today the service runs six daily
round trips, with connecting Thruway
bus service to multiple Southern
California destinations.
March 16, 1983
The first Head End Power (HEP) dome
car is released from Beech Grove. The
refurbished car’s heat and cooling
system utililized electrical power generated by the locomotive rather than
steam heat and a generator installed on
the car.
March 20, 1999
California Zephyr celebrates its 50th
anniversary.