ink A Monthly Publication for and by Amtrak Employees Volume 19 • Issue 2 • February/March 2014 Operation Lifesaver ACS-64 Maiden Voyage Wi-Fi in the Midwest Train of Thought T Amtrak Government Affairs and Corporate Communications Joe McHugh, Vice President Government Affairs & Corporate Communications I. Suzi Andiman Director, Employee Communications Liliana Lopez Sr. Communications Officer Marlon Sharpe Principal Graphic Designer Lisa V. Pulaski Graphic Designer Chuck Gomez Multimedia Specialist Check out one of our social media channels today! 2 | February/March 2014 Amtrak Ink We Reached our Safe-2-Safer Goal! 200,000 January: 230,896 December: 192,718 November: 185,038 October: 173,624 September: 161,114 August: 147,102 July: 138,253 June: 130,351 May: 122,509 AA ran them in the cold, in the snow and in the hursday, Feb. 6, 2014, was a historic rain. They’ve performed beautifully. And day for Amtrak. At a ceremony that our locomotive engineers and mechanical took place at Philadelphia 30th Street teams are thrilled to have this technologiStation attended by Vice President Joe cally advanced equipment, too. Biden and Secretary of Transportation As I rode back to Anthony Foxx, we formally Washington from Boston on accepted the first of Northeast Regional train #171 70 new Amtrak Cities led by ACS-64 #600, on its Sprinter (ACS-64) electric first revenue run, I couldn’t locomotives for service on help but notice our people in our Northeast Corridor the field and at the different (NEC)—North America’s stations stopping and admirbusiest stretch of railroad. ing the new locomotive. It This was not just a histurns heads, and it also brings toric day for the company, hope. We are a changing but also for the rest of our Joseph H. Boardman company, and that day was country as well. Amtrak is the first day of a new era for integral to the daily life of the Amtrak and for the mobility of this region. Northeast, linking communities in states Amtrak expects to have several more along the NEC. Our new locomotives will new locomotives enter revenue service in help power the economy of the greater the coming weeks and then will receive Northeast and usher in a new era of delivery of the remaining units through improved reliability, mobility and connec2015.These locomotives and the work being tivity for intercity rail. done by CAF on the new long-distance Our new locomotives are truly motors fleet order show that we are investing in for growth—ready to support current and our future and by doing so, we are investing future ridership. They are and will continue in our economy. It is great to see the “Made to generate employment for Americans in America” plates on these new locomoacross the country. Constructed by Siemens tives. I hope each and every one of you is at its plant in Sacramento, Calif., parts for as proud as I am to be part of our company. the new locomotives come from approxiWe are evolving every day to continue to mately 70 suppliers in more than 23 states. be the best and safest intercity passenger The locomotives have been run under transportation operation in the nation. n every condition our daily services face. We 200,000 180,000 160,000 140,000 120,000 100,000 The peer-to-peer injury prevention program, Safe2-Safer, reached its previous goal of 100,000 observations in February 2013. Track Amtrak’s system-wide progress each month. Table of Front Line Focus Contents 4 This Month’s Leading News Helping a Passenger Rejected by the Airlines Mildred Stalling, Chicago Union Station manager, and Marlene Snipes, on-board service attendant, received this letter of gratitude for helping a 500 pound passenger return home to France. Part of his travel included travel on Amtrak from Chicago to New York. Know a high school student interested in attending RailCamp? Read about how to sign up. 5 Bulletin Board President’s Service and Safety Awards (PSSA) nominations are currently being accepted. Learn about what our Equal Employment Opportunity Office does for you. 8 Strategic Plan Joe Boardman message on the refreshed Amtrak Strategic Plan FY 2014-2018. 10ACS-64 Revenue Run Read about the ACS-64 engine delivered to Amtrak and put in revenue runs this February. 14Q & A with Mike DeCataldo Who is our Northeast Corridor General Manager? Our employee Q&A will give you some insight. 17Milestones Employee milestones from December 2013 to January 2014. ink Publication for and by Amtrak Empl Volume 19 oyees • Issue 2 • February/M arch 2014 Locomotive #600 in Bristol, Pa., with the Grundy clock tower in the background. Hope you are keeping well. Just want to say that we reached home eventually. We want to thank you for being so kind to us on the day we arrived to take the train to NY on 12 November 2013. Remember, Kevin [Chenais] on his big scooter wheel chair. Mildred Stalling and Marlene Snipes Kevin really took a great liking to you and to Marlene. You were particularly humane, kind and gentle with us. God bless you dear Mildred. We will never forget you and your sweet gentle smile. We were really so touched with the way you treated us. Thank you Mildred you will always be remembered. Gratefully and sincerely, Christina Chenais Amtrak Police Department Members Save a Life A Monthly On the Cover Dearest Mildred, Operatio n Lifesav er ACS-64 M aiden Voyage Wi-Fi in th e Midwe st Photo courtesy of Gary Pancavage. Amtrak Headquarters 60 Massachusetts Ave., NE Washington, D.C. 20002 Ecom@Amtrak.com 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. On Wednesday, Dec. 18, 2013, Sergeant John Cullinan, along with Police Officers Steven Sibbitt and Anthony Switek responded to Officer Brian Larkin’s report of an emergency in the women’s restroom in the North Arcade of Philadelphia 30th Street Station. When they arrived at the scene, they found a female Amtrak employee lying unconscious on the floor. On examination, the officers found that she was not breathing and in cardiac arrest. After a basic assessment from Officer Brian Larkin, the officers immediately called for Emergency Medical Services and began to assist the woman. Sergeant Cullinan began cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), while Officer Sibbett supplied her with oxygen from the automated external defibrillator (AED)/Oxygen kit, and Officer Switek prepared the AED for use. The officers took turns performing CPR until the AED was used, and the Amtrak employee began breathing on her own. Thanks to the quick response and decisive actions of Sergeant Cullinan and Officers Larkin, Sibbett and Switek, the woman survived and continues to recover. Amtrak Ink February/March 2014 | 3 Upcoming News & Promotions Summer Rail Camp for High School Students 20 The number of communities scheduled to host the Amtrak Exhibit Train in 2014. 108,000 The total number of Denver passengers that Amtrak served last year. $600 million The amount in TIGER competitive grants that the U.S. Department of Transportation is making available to fund transportation projects. 2,206,814 Overall Amtrak ridership for January 2014. $2,928.63 Food and beverage remittance that Lead Service Attendant (LSA) Timothy Corbett averaged per trip in January 2014 in the café car of the Southwest Chief. 4 | Do you know any high school age students who might be interested in attending RailCamp? Spaces are still available for the 2014 RailCamp programs which provide hands-on railroading and preservation experience. The National Railway Historical Society (NRHS) teams up with rail industry partners to offer students on both coasts an unforgettable week of facility tours, train operations, workshops, train rides and more. RailCamp East will be held July 6-11, 2014, in Newark, Del., with some activities in Strasburg, Pa. The RailCamp Northwest program will take place from July 27 – Aug. 2, 2014, and again be held in Tacoma, Wash. Throughout its 15 year history, the NRHS program has given unique, hands-on railroad experience to nearly 500 high school boys and girls. In past years, students have also learned about preservation techniques, railroad history and career opportunities. Registration forms and news updates can be found at nrhs.com/program/railcamp and also on the NHRS Facebook page at facebook.com/ railpreservation. Questions should be directed to infor@nrhs.com. Visit the Slavery at Jefferson’s Monticello Exhibit at the Constitution Center in Philadelphia from April 9 – Oct. 19, 2014 Thomas Jefferson helped create a new nation based on individual freedom and self-government—yet he remained a slaveholder throughout his life. This powerful, revealing, and deeply personal exhibition follows the stories of six slave families who lived and worked at Jefferson’s plantation—the Fossett, Granger, Gillette, Hemings, Hern, and Hubbard families—and their descendants who fought for justice and helped bring to light their ancestors’ lives and values. Slavery at Jefferson’s Monticello features more than 280 artifacts that represent each family’s trade as well as personal items of Jefferson’s including a walking stick, chess set, books, spectacles and replica of the portable desk used to draft the Declaration of Independence. Explore the story of slavery in early U.S. history while discovering the struggle and the self-determination at February/March 2014 Amtrak Ink the heart of America’s founding. Leave inspired to discover your own family heritage and history. Amtrak employees must show their employee badges at the box office to receive discounted ticket pricing of $10.50 of the regular $14.50 admission or you can also enter the promo code “AMTRAK” online at constitutioncenter.org. Introducing the My CareerTrak Recruiting Management System On March 31, 2014, the My CareerTrak Recruiting Management System (RMS) will replace our current eRecruiting (eREC) system. Amtrak employees and external candidates will use RMS to search and apply for Amtrak jobs. In preparation for the RMS transition, please refer to the following timeline: Date Activity March 14 Employee Service Center (ESC) accepts final job requisitions in eREC. March 17 – 28 RMS Informational Teleconferences will be conducted for all employees. March 18 – 19 Talent Acquisition Advisors (TAAs) and ESC will be in training and unavailable for recruitment support services. March 17 – 31 ESC experiences a brown-out for all new job requisitions received from March 14 – 24, 2014. March 24 My CareerTrak RMS training will be available for all employees. March 30 eREC will be turned off for all users. All open requisitions will be redirected to My CareerTrak RMS. March 31 My CareerTrak RMS is live! Ongoing TAAs will continue to source and screen candidates. To help you prepare for the eREC to RMS transition, we will conduct RMS teleconferences the last two weeks in March. More information about these planned teleconferences is forthcoming. n Bulletin Board PSSA Nomination Period is Now Open Safety Awards winners. Winners will be selected in the Fall and honored in November at a ceremony in Washington, D.C. Nomination forms are posted on the company Intranet and can be found in the Forms Library, which is available by clicking “Library” then clicking “Forms.” Questions can also be directed to committee members and/or 2014PSSA@amtrak.com. Nominations are currently being accepted for the 2014 President’s Service and Safety Awards (PSSA) and we are excited to announce the addition of a new category to this year’s awards. The Living our Values Award will recognize our employees for going above and beyond to exhibit Amtrak’s core values of Commitment to Safety, Integrity, Spirit of Service, Desire to Improve, Respect, Entrepreneurial Amtrak’s EEO Compliance Office Spirit, Accountability, Humility and The Amtrak Equal Employment Forgiveness. Opportunity (EEO) Compliance Now is a great time to get started Office is a part of the Law departon your nomination forms. The PSSA ment. It has offices in Washington, nomination period runs Philadelphia, New York, Chicago and to nominate anythrough Amtrak® employee, Wednesday, April 30, 2014, and will Los Angeles. The EEO Compliance Amtrak supporter, notvalued be extended beyond that date. or yourself, Officefor is tasked with handling comOnce the nomination period concludes, plaints that fall under Amtrak’s making an outstanding contribution nominations will be reviewed for comAnti-Discrimination and Antipleteness and strength of information, Harassment Policy (5.2.3). As you may to Amtrak. so please make sure to make your know, the policy prohibits discrimnominating form as clear, concise and ination is and harassment based on a Deadline date for all nominations complete as possible. person’s race, color, religion, gender, Wednesday, April 30, 2014. age, national origin, ethnicity, disability, veteran status, sexual orientation or other personal characteristics protected by law. This policy also prohibits sexual harassment and retaliation (for filing an EEO complaint, participating in an EEO investigation or reporting an injury or safety issue). Violating the policy constitutes an act of serious misconduct that can result in disciplinary action, up to and including termination. The EEO Compliance Office reviews every discrimination and harassment complaint. However, not every complaint of discrimination or harassment is handled by this office. Someoncomplaints, particularly those 2014 President’s Service & Safety Awards nomination forms are available the Amtrak Intranet in theremember Forms Library. To to access the forms go to the Amtrak Intranet out of routine employee that arise Also, please support home page, click on “Library” then click on “Forms.” Forms are also available by 2014PSSA@Amtrak.com. disputes, are referred to management thee-mailing committee members as they work for handling. For example, if two diligently to select this year’s award co-workers are engaged in an argurecipients. They need everyone’s help ment and one of those employees to ensure that we select the best of the says to the other, “you young people best as our 2014 President’s Service and Here’s Your Opportunity… Amtrak is a registered service mark of the National Railroad Passenger Corporation. don’t know anything,” that complaint may be referred to management even though the employee made an age-related comment. Management routinely handles employee disputes. Managers can contact the EEO compliance office if they need guidance handling these types of complaints. When the EEO Compliance Office handles a complaint, a member of the staff will conduct an investigation. Every complaint will be treated confidentially to the extent practical, keeping in mind that an investigation will include talking to the complainant, the accused and any witnesses. The EEO Compliance Office staff is trained to conduct neutral fact-finding investigations. Its findings are based solely on the facts and the credibility of the evidence gathered during the investigation. This means that they conduct thorough investigations without taking sides. The EEO Compliance Office works hard to resolve complaints as quickly as possible, and is committed to completing investigations within 75 days. Of course, employees have the right to seek assistance from other resources. However, they believe that Amtrak’s internal resources (i.e., your union, management, or the EEO Compliance Office) can respond to your concerns effectively and quickly. Amtrak’s Helpline Amtrak is committed to maintaining a positive and productive environment for all employees. If a conflict arises at work, there are people and resources to turn to for help. Employees may call the toll-free Amtrak’s Helpline at (866) 908-7231 or go online at report-lineweb.com/ Amtrak to report any type of workplace conflict or concern. A third-party interview specialist will document the issue in detail and relay this information to Amtrak for follow-up. Employees Amtrak Ink February/March 2014 | 5 Bulletin Board will be given the option to remain anonymous. All Helpline reports are reviewed by a member of the EEO Compliance Office who refers the reports to the appropriate department. For example, reports may be referred to a senior manager in the employee’s department, Employee Relations, the EEO Compliance Office or the Amtrak Police Department. The decision about where to direct the reports is made based on the information given to the Helpline. In general, the Law department will not conduct further intake before referring the report. All key information should be given to the Helpline at the time the complaint is filed. Helpline reports will be handled promptly and discreetly. Amtrak encourages employees to try to talk to the person with whom they are having the conflict first and attempt to resolve the problem. You may also contact your manager or union representative for assistance. Please note that Helpline reports are reviewed by the Law department only during regular business hours. Emergencies, such as workplace violence incidents, should be reported directly to the Amtrak Police (215-349-4919) or to your local management. Amtrak Police Department on Point During the NFL Super Bowl XLVIII Through extensive planning, effective partnerships with local, state, and federal agencies and the hard work of our employees, the Amtrak Police Department successfully protected our passengers and railroad assets throughout the preceding events and game day of Super Bowl XLVIII. n Super Bowl crowds were monitored by APD teams before and after the game. 6 | February/March 2014 Amtrak Ink K-9 unit Philip Kuipers and Kylee patrol the crowds during the event. Chicago 14th Street Yards The Amtrak 14th Street Coach Yard and Maintenance Facility sits on a 48-acre site. This photo was taken from the six-story control tower that overlooks and coordinates activities. Amtrak employees perform numerous tasks here such as repairing engines, replacing wheels on any cars assigned, checking water supplies to restocking toilet paper. Replenishing food and drink supplies, cleaning and other tasks are also done here. Most of the Wi-Fi installation for our Midwest trains took place at the 14th Street Chicago Yards. Amtrak Ink February/March 2014 | 7 A Message from Joe Boardman The Amtrak Strategic Plan has been updated for the 2014-2018 fiscal years. Dear Co-workers, Since implementing our 2011 Strategic Plan our accomplishments have been significant. We set the groundwork necessary to build a stronger Amtrak. We must continue to make bold changes to help secure our future and improve intercity passenger rail’s value as a national asset. To do so, we have refreshed our Strategic Plan for the next four years. I would like you to use this plan as our guide to future success—a tool for pointing us along our journey. If you have not already seen it, I would like to introduce you to the highlights of the refreshed Strategic Plan. • We have an updated vision that directs what we want to do: “Moving America where it wants to go.” Our updated mission tells us how we will achieve this: “Deliver intercity transportation with superior safety, customer service and financial excellence.” • We have narrowed our corporate themes and refined the strategic goals. We have sharpened our focus to three themes and aligned goals that will make the greatest difference for Amtrak: Safety and Security, Customer Focus and Financial Excellence. These goals are highly integrated—the success in all of them is crucial to sustaining Amtrak’s future. Two previous goals, Mobility and Connectivity and Environment and Energy, have now become ways in which we can achieve our goals, rather than be goals in-and-of themselves. • In my next communication, I will explain how our business line strategies will result in better results for our customers. • Although there have been changes in our strategy our values and leadership philosophy have not changed. The refreshed Strategic Plan will ensure a successful Amtrak tomorrow. We are all aware that it will take time for the plan to show the results that we aim to obtain. However, I am confident that if we are united, with shared focus and aligned action, we will continue to transform Amtrak into a world-class passenger transportation company. For the FY14-FY18 plan to work successfully, I need each of you to learn and help others learn our new strategy. To support you in that effort, I am committed to providing resources to help you understand how our strategy affects you, your team and your business line/department and how you can contribute towards the achievement of our business goals. I encourage you to review the Reference Summary, the Strategy Refresh Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) and a full copy of the Strategic Plan all of which can be found on our company Intranet home page. If you have any questions regarding the Strategic Plan, please contact Amtrak.Strategic Plan@amtrak.com. While you are reviewing the Strategic Plan please remember that we are developing new initiatives that will help each business line meet our strategic goals. More information will come to you soon. In the meantime, thank you for your support and for your hard work. Sincerely, Joe Boardman President and CEO 8 | February/March 2014 Amtrak Ink Wi-Fi in the Midwest: Improving Customer Experience O n Feb. 10, 2014, Amtrak officially made Wi-Fi service available to our Midwest passengers with eight corridors now offering the free amenity. Amtrak installed the Wi-Fi equipment under contracts with the states of Illinois, Michigan, Missouri and Wisconsin as part of their collective sponsorship of Amtrak service. With this latest addition, our Wi-Fi service covers 85 percent of passengers across the national network. “We continually look for ways to improve the customer experience on board our trains. The availability of a free Wi-Fi service that delivers the speeds and connectivity passengers are looking for is yet one more way to achieve this goal and maintain a competitive position among transportation providers,” said Chief Marketing and Sales Officer Matt Hardison. To make the service a reality, Amtrak maintenance facilities in Brighton Park, Ill., Chicago 14th Street, and Ivy City, Washington, D.C., installed approximately 38,000 feet of cable and wiring before performing countless hours of systems testing and validation. “This was truly a team effort. These crews faced one of the most brutal winters in Midwest history, and we exceeded expectations by finishing the installations and launching the service on time. All the crews really came together to meet our goals,” said Evan Hicks, Passenger Experience project manager. Making a mobile Wi-Fi network happen is probably more complicated than you think, and certainly requires a lot of hard work on the part of our employees. The process of installing Wi-Fi in our trains begins with crews preparing the roof of the communications car— many times the food service car—where antennas are mounted to capture the signals from the nearby cell towers. Otherwise Chicago 14th Street Maintenance Facility known as the “ski Foreman Ron Wallace and Electrician Scott rack”, this equipSebby were part of the crew from Chicago ment is connected that did the installation. Crew at Ivy City Maintenance Facility mounted the roof antennas. to the Central Control Unit (CCU) or “brain.” The brain itself is securely located inside the train to protect it from the elements and is connected to access points throughout the train—typically two in each car. These access points are what send the brain’s communications throughout the train and allow a customer to connect to the Internet. Given that it routinely supports 30 to 50 percent of users on any given train, AmtrakConnect Wi-Fi has proven to be a popular service for our passengers. “The employees understand that Wi-Fi is the way to the future and they are excited to help bring it to the customers,” said Ed Witham, mechanical superintendent from the Central region. The recently launched Midwest services have already observed as many as 166 devices attached to the Wi-Fi network on a single train, with nearly 4 GB of data being consumed. “We welcome all the work and any type of modification that we do in cars because it helps the bottom line,” said Ron Wallace, mechanical foreman at 14th Street Maintenance Facility. n Amtrak Ink February/March 2014 | 9 Amtrak First ACS-64 Goes Into Revenue Service On Thursday, Feb. 6, in Philadelphia’s 30th Street Station, President and CEO Joe Boardman, along with Vice President Joe Biden, U.S. Secretary of Transportation Anthony Foxx and members of our board of directors and other dignitaries, inaugurated Amtrak’s new Cities Sprinter electric locomotive (ACS-64) that will help power the economic future of the Northeast region. The new locomotives will operate on Northeast Regional trains at speeds up to 125 mph on the Northeast Corridor between Washington, D.C., New York and Boston They also will power Keystone trains and all long-distance trains operating on the NEC. From left to right: Amtrak Chief Mechanical Officer Mario Bergeron, Amtrak Board of Directors Chairman Anthony Coscia, Amtrak President and CEO Joe Boardman, President of Siemens Rail Systems in the U.S. Michael Cahill, President and CEO Siemens U.S.A. Eric A. Spiegel and Vice President of Locomotives Siemens Rail Systems of North America Dave Ward. Locomotive #600 goes on its first revenue ran from Boston. Above: Chief of Operations Chris Jagodzinski. Right: Conductor Chris Weldon. 10 | February/March 2014 Amtrak Ink Above: Engineer Pat Darcy. Right: U.S. Secretary of Transportation Anthony Foxx, Engineer Rick Stolnis and Vice President Joe Biden. Above: Engineer Arthur Fontes and President and CEO Joe Boardman. President and CEO Joe Boardman being interviewed by a television reporter in Boston. Members of the press corps attended the Philadelphia 30th Street Station event. Amtrak Amtrak Ink Ink February/March February/March 2014 2014 | | 11 Working with our Rail Partners to Save Lives E very three hours a person gets hit by a train, according to Operation Lifesaver, Inc. (OLI), a national non-profit safety education group. Amtrak and OLI are working together to bring awareness and education to different communities across the country to end rail-automobile collisions at grade crossings and along railroad rights-of way and reduce injuries and deaths as a result. OLI has programs in all 50 states and it trains volunteers who provide free safety talks to community groups, school bus drivers, truck drivers and student drivers in an effort to raise awareness of the dangers found around railroad tracks and operating railroads. The organization’s strength is its volunteers who distribute information and educate communities about rail safety. It supports state programs, developing videos, educational 12 | February/March 2014 Amtrak Ink brochures, instructional information and other materials for audiences of all ages. Scott Sauer is director of system safety and risk for Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA) and one of the newest members of the OLI board of directors. His involvement started at the local level with the Pennsylvania state board of directors and he began by giving presentations at schools. “The real work is being done by volunteers,” Sauer said during one of the Operations Lifesaver board of directors meetings. “You have to believe the mission and know that the incentive is to save lives.” Sauer says that many of the volunteers dedicate their time to Operation Lifesaver because there is a personal connection or they might have an experience that made them want to educate people. Sauer was formerly a train operator for SEPTA and during this time he had near-misses and no hits. “I saw people getting killed on the tracks,” he said. “This is what made me become a volunteer.” OLI’s treasurer Steven Neubauer, director of field safety support for Burlington Northern Santa Fe Corporation (BNSF), was a locomotive engineer who was involved in a collision. “For many years I was a volunteer. I probably gave over 1,000 presentations. This is the only way that we can effectively reach out to the community,” said Neubauer. “I think operators can go out to the community and say ‘this is my job and this is what happens when there is a collision.” According to the Association of American Railroads, there were approximately 160,000 miles of track operated in the United States in 2010. “It is important to have a representation from all of our partners,” said Neubauer. “Our partners are very important and Amtrak is a big part of it. When we have an incident, it affects everyone.” “Amtrak operates over the host railroads where the majority of grade crossings are located,” said Amtrak Chief Safety Officer Michael Logue who is also an OLI board member. “That is why it is so important that we have a person dedicated to Operation Lifesaver to help get the message out.” Barbara Petito is the new Amtrak OLI specialist. Previously, the position was filled by a volunteer. Petito is now a full-time staff person for this position and she will play a crucial role in Amtrak participation with OLI. OLI is run by a very diverse board of directors who come from different railroads. Sauer sees his role on the board as the “voice for the transit community that deals with light rail and elevated subway. We all have different voices but we are all in for the same reason and our ultimate goal is the same,” Sauer said. “Teach and spread the message and working towards saving people’s lives,” is the goal of Operation Lifesaver says the board of director chairman, Bill Barringer, Jr. from Norfolk Southern Corporation. Barringer said that everyone can be involved: families and friends and communities. “Volunteering for Operation Lifesaver is a great way to give back to the community by reaching out and touching somebody. All you need is to have a passion for savings lives.” The organization has seen some changes in the past few years. The board of directors is relatively new and they have launched new initiatives to achieve their collective mission. “One of my goals is to try to leave the organization in better shape,” said Barringer when talking about his goals for the organization. Nancy Hudson, state coordinator for the OLI board of directors, has seen the changes. “We have new leadership and they all bring different abilities and that makes us stronger,” said Hudson. “They all come to the table with the same goal: to promote the program and save lives.” Terry Lubdan, CSX manager of community affairs and safety, has been with OLI for 24 years and he says that great improvements have been made especially when it comes to training people. “We have changed all training for volunteers, they are now trained specifically to do things differently when going out there and educate people,” said Lubdan. Volunteers are always needed at OLI. “We can all become more active and become volunteers,” said Logue. “The training is available and our employees and anyone can save lives in their communities by setting up presentations at local schools and other local meetings and making everyone aware of the dangers of railr crossing collisions.” OLI has more information and resources on becoming a volunteer and making an impact in your community, visit oli.org. n Amtrak Ink February/March 2014 | 13 Employee Q&A Mike DeCataldo, General Manager, Northeast Corridor I n October 2012, Michael DeCataldo became the first business line general manager appointed at Amtrak. He leads the Northeast Corridor (NEC) operation, which stretches from Boston to Lynchburg. The NEC includes the major rail terminals in New York, Washington, Boston and Philadelphia and the operations at intermediate Amtrak stations and facilities. DeCataldo joined Amtrak in 1995 as assistant general manager, Customer Services. He was the general superintendent, Northeast Division before assuming his current position. The NEC is the fastest, most complex railroad operation in North America. Our NEC business line structure is helping Amtrak focus on performance improvements that our customers, our partners and our employees can measure. Amtrak Ink had the opportunity to ask Mr. DeCataldo about his role and his work at Amtrak. What are your priorities as the general manager (GM) of the NEC? My top priority each day is to ensure the operation of a safe and reliable railroad for the tens of thousands of passengers traveling on the Northeast Corridor and, of course, our employees. We are committed to providing the very best customer service we can to our passengers as well as to our state and commuter partners. My team and I will continue to work to develop new and improved customer service initiatives and find ways to more consistently and efficiently communicate to our passengers. We will strive to improve our informational response time to passengers during service disruptions through use of Amtrak.com, our social media channels and through effective communication between the passengers and our on-board staff. The successful continued development of the NEC remains a priority. The NEC generates 37 percent of all our riders and 38 percent of Amtrak’s total revenue, so increasing our revenues while containing our costs is critical for future success. 14 | February/March 2014 Amtrak Ink What are your long and short-term visions to improve the NEC? The issues and challenges that impact the Northeast Corridor have a wide range of implications that will impact our operations now and in the future, so many of my visions and hopes for the corridor overlap into these two categories. I believe that our short-term initiatives should continue to reflect our goal to provide safe, reliable and environmentally friendly high-speed intercity travel. This also includes maintaining support for our long-distance and state supported business line services, and working with our partners at NEC Infrastructure and Investment Development (NEC IID) to make high-speed rail investments. As an example, our impending federally- funded improvement project in New Jersey will revamp the overhead wire system between New Brunswick and Trenton. Working to upgrade our larger stations along the corridor has also been a priority. We have seen steps in that direction this past year with significant improvements made at our stations in Philadelphia and Baltimore, and we unveiled a master plan proposal to transform Washington’s Union Station into an iconic transportation hub. I will also continue to work with the key stakeholders responsible for the Moynihan Station project in Manhattan, which will ultimately provide a first class train station for passengers. I am also pleased to say that we were able to finalize agreements with our partners at the Maryland Transit Authority which resulted in the roll-out of weekend MARC commuter line service. Through the offices of former Virginia Governor McDonnell we were able to execute an agreement that expands our Northeast Regional service to and from Norfolk. In New England, we will continue with our initiative to replace aging movable bridge structures, most recently completing a multi-million dollar project to remove the over 100-year old Niantic Bridge in Connecticut and replace it with a more modern structure that has improved overall reliability in that area. Employee Q&A Going forward, I will continue to encourage the replacement of our aging fleet of equipment where possible. This month’s introduction of the first of 70 ACS-64 locomotives in the Northeast is a great first step towards that goal, as is the recent news that Amtrak, along with the state of California, has gone out with a request for proposal for new high-speed rail equipment, which I believe is vital to future development on the NEC. What do you love about Amtrak? What is most enjoyable for me is that each day I come to work I find new challenges and with that fresh opportunities to try to enhance our operations. I thoroughly enjoy the interaction with our passengers and employees as I travel the NEC. I am encouraged by how much we have grown and the fact that year-after-year a record number of people choose to ride Amtrak. My co-workers and our state and commuter partners play a vital role in our success more than ever before through the PRIIA (Passenger Rail Investment and Improvement Act) process and help us continue to grow as an organization. How does the GM role differ from that of being general superintendent for the NEC? Well, my new role comes with a greater level of accountability for the safety, customer satisfaction, ridership, on-time performance and at the end of the day, financial results for the Northeast Corridor business line, as outlined in our Strategic Plan. The other significant difference is the amount of territory the general manager oversees on a day-to-day basis. I consider it quite a challenge to oversee a 457-mile area of track from Boston to Washington, but the talented individuals that have become part of the NEC team alleviate much of that challenge. I am working with many of the same people as I did as general superintendent, so I am comfortable with the interaction we continue to share. My new position also allows me to travel more extensively throughout the Northeast and with that comes the opportunity to personally discuss issues with our employees and the chance to hear firsthand about passenger experiences, both good and not so good, while on-board. What is your take on leadership? In order to be an effective leader, you must surround yourself with people who are knowledgeable and dedicated to their profession and most importantly, work well together. When I assemble a staff, I look for those qualities and I think I have been quite successful in integrating my railroad experience with some very talented individuals and, if one succeeds, we all succeed. To me, the other important component of leadership is leading by example; what you say is important but what you do is really what everyone notices and pays attention to. What does being collaborative mean to you? How do you get everyone in your team engaged? Well, if you look up the word it literally means to “work with another person or group in order to achieve or do something”. This translates into what we are all trying to achieve through our organization. I believe that all ideas have some merit. Although I am charged with making some tough decisions, I believe that our path forward is best served when participation in the process is embraced by everyone, which to me, requires listening to what is said and providing feedback. Are you an optimist? With all our challenges, how do you bring optimism to Amtrak? I am an optimist and at the same time a realist by nature. I come to work every day excited about the prospects for improving the great product we offer in the Northeast and throughout the country, but I also understand the challenges we face as an organization in finding ways to finance the work we know must be done. What is one of the most memorable moments that you recall about being an Amtrak employee? I have encountered my share of service disruptions and unfortunately, mishaps on the railroad. It is during these times that I found that I am most proud of the dedication and tireless work of our employees. Our recovery efforts following the horrific 9/11 attacks showed me just how fortunate we all are to have such a dedicated and professional team in place. We were able to maintain a sense of order in the midst of utter chaos. More recently, I can recall how we responded during and after Hurricane Sandy. While the storm left unprecedented damage to our infrastructure and storm surges within the Hudson River and East River Tunnels that had never been seen before, we were able to restore vital Northeast Corridor service within days and even more astonishingly were able to keep our most important transportation hub, Penn Station in New York, open throughout the ordeal. These are all events that show how good we are at what we do, but really, it is the people here at Amtrak that I appreciate the most and have provided me with my fondest memories. n Amtrak Ink February/March 2014 | 15 Exhibit Train begins its tour for 2014 For the third consecutive year, Amtrak is showcasing its past, present and future in our traveling Exhibit Train in communities across the country. The first stop of the 2014 tour was the Arizona Railway Museum in Chandler, Ariz., on March 1 and 2 to complement their 30th anniversary celebration. The event had approximately 3,000 visitors. The Exhibit Train features displays such as workable signals, interactive video screens and trivia. It also includes favorite displays such as the locomotive stand and horns. The Exhibit Train includes two locomotives, three renovated baggage cars and one bistro car, all with historic paint schemes. In addition, it features photos, uniforms, vintage advertising and memorabilia from Amtrak’s beginning in 1971 to today’s modern-sleeping cars and high-speed rail service. For the schedule, visit amtrak.com/exhibit-train. 16 | February/March 2014 Amtrak Ink Community A Wish for a Young Member of the Amtrak Family A “nerd cave” is what 13-yearold John Carlson, son of 26-year Amtrak employee Jim Carlson, requested when he was asked to make a wish. John wanted a place where he would be able to relax with his family while he was receiving his chemotherapy and radiation treatments. In 2012, John was diagnosed with a rare form of cancer and while getting treatments for his illness, his parents got in touch with the Make-a-Wish Foundation of Connecticut to see if they could grant him his wish. According to Make-A-Wish Connecticut, they grant “the wishes of children with life-threatening medical conditions to enrich the human experience with hope, strength and joy.” John wanted a place where he could enjoy his love for trains and his love of being a Boy Scout. In his “nerd cave,” he can enjoy games, spend time with his family in a comfortable newly decorated room surrounded by posters of two of his favorite Amtrak routes, the Lake Shore Limited and the Empire Builder. At the time of this article, John had four more months of chemotherapy to go. “John will be able to enjoy this room with his family,” said Michael Dominick, community and media relations manager of Make-A-Wish Connecticut. “Our volunteers work hard to make the wishes creative, since their wishes are only limited to a kid’s imagination.” According to Make-A-Wish Connecticut, not all of the kids are terminally ill. They are diagnosed with a life-threatening medical condition, but in fact many go on to live long, healthy lives, according to the organization. John Carlson, Road Foreman Jim Carlson, Patricia Carlson and President and CEO Joe Boardman tour the new ACS-64 engine. John is in remission and he and his family had the opportunity to ride and tour the ACS-64 locomotive on its maiden run from Boston this February. “This trip was the first time John has smiled in over a year. He had a smile from ear-to-ear from when he got up in the morning until he went to bed that evening. It was the ride of his life time and he couldn’t stop telling everyone about it,” said Jim Carlson. “It is comforting to know that the company does care.” “Amtrak is a family and we care for each other. John is a brave young man and I appreciated the opportunity to be part of his journey to recovery. We can always make a difference in someone’s life and I hope that he and his family know that we wish him the best and we are happy with the progress that he is making,” said President and CEO Joe Boardman. If you are interested in becoming involved or learning how to help the Make a Wish Foundation, you can visit wish.org. n Amtrak Ink February/March 2014 | 17 Employee Milestones Congratulations to All of You! Retirees December 2013 ABBOTT, RICHARD Rensselaer, N.Y. Station BORNHORST, CARL Rensselaer, N.Y. Mech. Facility BOWEN, ALAN Beech Grove Maintenance Facility BROWN, JOHN Los Angeles Offices CARPER, WILLIAM Ivy City Maintenance Facility Washington, D.C. CAVACINI, FRANK Philadelphia Reservation & Sales Office DAVIS, RUBY Chicago Mechanical &Terminal Offices DAVIS-PAIGE, JENNIFER Chicago Offices DETRATTO, ERNEST Brighton Park, Ill. Facility DONOVAN, WILLIAM Ivy City Maintenance Facility Washington, D.C. DORSEY, TERRY Amtrak Corporate Headquarters DURIO, VAL W. Oakland Maintenance Facility FORRER, JAMES Hanford Station GAUTIER, EVELYN Philadelphia Reservation & Sales Office GERGORA, JOSEPH Providence MOW Base 18 | GONZALEZBORMANN, LUZ Los Angeles Offices GUERIN, THOMAS Miami Station HALL, DONALD Beech Grove Maintenance Facility HANSON, EDWARD Miami Station HUGHEY, TERESA CNOC Wilmington, Del. JOHNSON, DEBORAH New York Penn Station KING, STEPHEN Boston South Station LYDARD, KENNETH Odenton, Md. M/W Base LYMAN, THOMAS Sanford, Fla. Station MARELLO, ALFONSE N.Y. Sunnyside Yard MCFADDEN, LAWRENCE Philadelphia 30th Street Station MEDINA, CARLOS Brighton Park, Ill. Facility MITCHELL-BOWMAN, PATRICIANA New Orleans Station NIEDBALA, RAYMOND Southampton St. Yard, Boston, Mass. NOGAR, DAVID New York Division Headquarters O’BRIEN, JOHN Providence Station OLSON, RICHARD Pacific Division Headquarters, Oakland, Calif. February/March 2014 Amtrak Ink PARKMAN, RANDOLPH New York Penn Station 20-Year Anniversary ZUJUS, GREGORY Southampton St. Yard, Boston, Mass. PATTERSON, ROBERT Kansas City Maintenance Facility ANDERSON, LATANYA Ivy City Maintenance Facility, Washington, D.C. 25-Year Anniversary PENDYKE, JOHN Rensselaer, N.Y. Station PIETRANTONIO, PATRICK New York Penn Station PINDER, GARY Wilmington Shops POTYRALA, KENNETH Rensselaer, N.Y. Mechanical Facility QUALL, THOMAS Chicago Locomotive Shop ROSENWALD, BRIAN Amtrak Corporate Headquarters RUIZ, LEONARD Los Angeles 8th St. Coach Yard SCHINDLER, TERRY Wilmington Shops SCHNABLE, RUTH St. Louis, Mo. Station SZCZESIAK, RONALD Wilmington Shops TREUT, DONALD Wilmington Shops WARD, HARRY Harrisburg, Pa. Station WHITEHEAD, LOUIS New Orleans Maintenance Facility WILLIAMS, ARTHUR Chicago Locomotive Shop WILLIAMS, PATRICIA Philadelphia Coach Yard January 2014 January 2014 ANZALONE, JAMES Philadelphia 30th Street Station ABERNATHY, CALVIN Metrolink Los Angeles Taylor Yard Crew Base CARTER, BONARA Butler Building, Washington, D.C. BACON, TYRON New York Penn Station CLARK, ANTHONY Rensselaer, N.Y. Station BARNES, KATIE Brighton Park, Ill. Facility DIXON, RUBY Amtrak Corporate Headquarters BARRETT, LEWIS Philadelphia Reservation & Sales Office GIANDONATO, JOSEPH Philadelphia 30th Street Station GRIFFIN, MICHAEL Transportation Bldg., Washington, D.C. GROSSO, JOHN D.C. Coach Yard HARVEY, PHILBERT Baltimore Station HENDRICKS, CARL New Orleans Station JEFFERSON, JUDY Transportation Bldg., Washington, D.C. KING SHEPARD, LILLIE Los Angeles 8th St. Coach Yard BEAM, THOMAS Wilmington Shops BOWIE, ERIC Brighton Park, Ill. Facility BROASTER, DESPERINA Baltimore Station CALLOWAY, KEVIN Chicago Mechanical &Terminal Offices CARR, BERNARD Wilmington Shops CARTER, BRETT CNOC Wilmington, Del. CHADWICK, DAVID Quad Ave. M/W Base Baltimore, Md. RICE, PAUL Philadelphia 30th Street Station ELLIOTT, DENNIS Klamath Falls, Ore. Station ROBERSON, MARK Washington Union Station FERRITTO, ROMANINO Rensselaer, N.Y. Mechanical Facility SANTOS, JAIME Los Angeles Offices TETTEH, CATHERINE New York Penn Station FULLER, WILLIAM Philadelphia 30th Street Station Employee Milestones Congratulations to All of You! GABRIELYAN, MKRTICH Los Angeles 8th St. Coach Yard MACKINSON, EDWARD West Oakland Maintenance Facility RILEY, JAMES Wilmington Shops GREELEY, KAREN Philadelphia Reservation & Sales Office MADDOX, GERALD Washington Union Station ROBERTS, LINDA Durham, N.C. Station GREEN, RENE Chicago Mechanical & Terminal Offices HAMRICK, KELLY Amtrak Corporate Headquarters HARDING, DARRELL Transportation Bldg., Washington, D.C. HARMAN, DENNIS Metrolink Stuart Mesa Crew Base Camp Pendleton, Calif. HARRELL, CHARLES Philadelphia 30th Street Station HART, LOVIE Brighton Park, Ill. Facility INGRAM, PHILLIP Bear, Del. Car Shop MARTINEZ, SHARON Chicago Mechanical &Terminal Offices MATTHEWS, DEBRA Philadelphia 30th Street Station MCCARTHY, MICHAEL Philadelphia 30th Street Station MCCLINTON, MARIENO Chicago Mechanical & Terminal Offices MCCOY, PORTIA New York Division Headquarters MEEHAN, RICHARD Southampton St. Yard, Boston, Mass. NATHANIEL, KEVIN Washington Union Station RILEY, MERLE St. Louis, Mo. Station ROTKO, JOHN Rensselaer, N.Y. Mechanical Facility MEDINA, KENNETH Rensselaer, N.Y. Mechanical Facility PHILLIPS, SANDRA Chicago Crew Base WALTON, ROBIN N.Y. Sunnyside Yard SPITELLE, MARK Wilmington Shops STREAT, MICHAEL Jacksonville, Fla. Station 35-Year Anniversary 40-Year Anniversary January 2014 January 2014 BLACK, KEITH Beech Grove Maintenance Facility FRAZIER, MICHAEL BOBBATO-CLARK, MARIE CNOC Wilmington, Del. JONES, LARRY Washington Union Station THOMAS, JEFFERY D.C. Coach Yard THORNLEY, ROBERT Denver Station TURNER, ERIC Philadelphia 30th Street Station WHITE, SUSAN Riverside Reservation & Sales Office OLIVER, LAWRENCE Rensselaer, N.Y. Mechanical Facility 30-Year Anniversary BOUCHARD, PHILLIP CNOC Wilmington, Del. BRAINARD, ROBERT Beech Grove Maintenance Facility January 2014 PATTERSON, RAY Reno, Nev. Station GALLANT, ROBERT Chicago Crew Base DONOFRIO, RICKIE Los Angeles Offices GOOD, THOMAS Wilmington Shops FERRARI, ROBERT Philadelphia 30th Street Station QUALLS, MARRINA Chicago Mechanical &Terminal Offices RICE, JACK Reno, Nev. Station BEFUS, JOHN New Haven, Conn. Station GROSS, WILLIAM Chicago Crew Base LAURINO, LEONARD New York Penn Station NORFLEET, JUNE Chicago Union Station Metrolink San Dimas, Calif. Management LETTENGARVER, BRENDA Los Angeles Offices SAMPLE, WILLIAM Berlin, Conn. Station BROWN, MARTIN Miami Mechanical Yard PANELLA, NICHOLAS New York Penn Station POLSON, ROBERT Rensselaer, N.Y. Mechanical Facility NELSON, JAMES New London, Conn. Station STEWART, JOHN Transportation Bldg., Washington, D.C. KOSYLO, WILLIAM Philadelphia 30th Street Station LOWE, ROBERT Ivy City Maintenance Facility Washington, D.C. NADDY, KEVIN Chicago Crew Base VENDETTI, LORI ANN New York Division HQ NOLAN, WILLIAM Boston South Station LATIMER, ESTHER Chicago Mechanical & Terminal Offices HURD, SCOTT Portland, Ore. Station SHELINE, KEVIN Sanford, Fla. Station WILLIAMS, JOHNNY Brighton Park, Ill. Facility LARSON, IAN New York Penn Station MORONE, TRACEY N.Y. Sunnyside Yard THOMAS, KIMBERLY Chicago Union Station NESCI, JOSEPH Wilmington Shops KRUEGER, JACK Lincoln, Neb. Station HERNANDEZ, EDGAR Los Angeles Offices SENEY, DANIEL Rensselaer, N.Y. Mechanical Facility KHACHADOURIAN, JAMES Rensselaer, N.Y. Mechanical Facility KRAUS, HELENE Philadelphia Reservation & Sales Office MCCASKILL, JOHNNY Chicago Crew Base CLARK, GLENN New Orleans Station DOMINELLI, DANIEL Wilmington Shops GANNON, LEO Southampton St. Yard, Boston, Mass. GRINER, STEVEN Baltimore Station Amtrak Ink February/March 2014 | 19 60 Massachusetts Avenue, N.E. Washington, D.C. 20002 To change your address, sign onto the Employee Information Portal or complete an NRPC 2001 form and submit according to the directions. In Amtrak History MARCH The Midway Station opened on March 1, 1978, to serve Minneapolis and St. Paul. As its name implies, it is located halfway between those cities, and interestingly, it is also midway between the equator and the North Pole. Rising two stories, the building is composed of variegated buff concrete block interspersed with large expanses of glass that allow natural light to flood the interior waiting room. In an attempt to build brand identity during its first decade of operation, Amtrak created standardized designs for new stations; therefore, Midway Station has a twin in Miami that opened the same year. During 2014, Amtrak will move from Midway Station to the restored St. Paul Union Depot. Presorted Standard U.S. Postage PAID Des Moines, IA Premit No. XXX