Vol. 7, No.2 February-~arch 1981 Employees Participate In Training Conference,_--, I Provide Input For Future Training Some 100 employees, representing In the past, between 75 and 150 crafts to improve overall service to a cross section of the passenger ser new employees have been hired to the customer. vices department, spent three-and-a jobs in those areas and were then Until now all training was done by half days attending the department's trained on the job. the department's seven trainers, with first-ever "National Conference on Participants also helped manage some assistance from other field Training" from Tuesday, February ment determine what roadblocks exist employees. It was directed primarily 24, to Friday, February 27. for employees in performing their at newly hired employees or at ac By all accounts, it was a resounding jobs effectively and ways to gain quainting existing employees with success . ..and a beginning, not an cooperation, through training and new equipment as it arrivied on the end, to improved training communi communication, between the various property. Less formal training in- cations. The conference represented a ra dical departure from the past in deter mining the training needs-and the actual training programs-for the several thousand contractual em ployees in the passenger services department. The conference also represented a commitment from Am trak's top management to draw on the skills and experience of employees themselves to shape the best, most in novative and effective training pro grams for the future. Participants were chosen from con tract employees at stations, com missaries and on-board crew bases from across the country. They either Rima Z. Parkhurst, vice president, passenger services, speaks to participants early in the con volunteered or were picked by field ference. "/ have the utmost respect for each of you, " she said. managers and the department's seven trainers as some of the top employees in the company, those who could des cribe well the skills, qualities and qualifications needed for their posi tions, then determine the best training for both new and existing employees in the department. Most immediately, the conference will result in a new training program for the approximately 300 employees who are hired each spring to meet the summer demand for increased forces on board Amtrak trains. But the con ference participants also will help shape the first-ever formal training program for new employees hired to Yvonne Thompson, lead service attendant, at flip chart, leads a mixed craft workshop. Trainer work in the department's stations and and Group Leader Willie Holder, at right, worked with her to keep discussions going after set commissaries. ting forth the group's task. \
Joy Smith Jim Brown Paula Donnelly H H reawakened the old team spirit " . started a heartbeat here. " H rather be part of the solution "
troduced employees to new proce qualitative skills as well. Thanks to you there is a new spirit at dures, such as food provisioning Conference participants also sug Amtrak. Let's look at each other, see systems. This was done on an as gested ideas for formal recurrent what the solutions are and then let's needed basis, through briefings and training of existing employees. Such do something about it. on-the-job experience. training will upgrade skills and stan " Training is the most important And although training, until now, dardize new information employees process of involvement. Employees has covered such aspects of service as need periodically to assure their pro have a piece of the action and this is hel in handicapped passengers, it fessional d~velop-ment and to im your chance.....to~k~ur.e-Il1istake generally focused on technical skills, prove service to the passenger. don't happen in future training. such as equipment operation, rather In his opening remarks to the "It is the most important thing we than qualitative skills, such as com group on Tuesday, Clark Tyler, can do at'Amtrak." municating with passengers. Parti group vice president, passenger ser Participants worked from Wednes cipants in the conference helped vices and communications, said, "We day morning through mid-day Friday determine what training is needed in have a product we can brag about. in a series of 10 workshops, four comprised of mixed crafts, six of single crafts. They were guided by the seven trainers, by several skilled con sultants and by Washington-based managers who are not in supervisory positions. Each group was also guid ed by a co-leader from the group. After each workshop, each group produced a written summary of its findings and recommendations. These will result in a comprehensive report on the entire conference in ear lyMarch. To insure that participants were as candid as possible during the work shops, no top management was pre During the week prior to the conference, Amtrak's trainers took part in some training sent. sessions of their own. In one, they underwent blindness awareness training, produced by At the conclusion of the sessions, Washington's Columbia Lighthouse for the Blind and the passenger services depart Rima Parkhurst, vice president, pas ment. Trainer Dan Gardner, left, and Ernest Ford, train attendant, Washington, on special assignment to help in retraining, wear masks simulating tunnel vision and senger services, told the group, "This cataracts. Directing the exercise is Opthamologist Dr. Joanne Economon. conference is a beginning, not an end. "As you have recommended, after
2 you leave here you will meet as "It's a very simple vision," he said. comradeship. We've come so far to groups with your regional manage "It's that together we can establish know we're so close. Our passengers ment to brief them on what was the best transportation company in need us ...and we need them." covered, what was recommended and the country. Brown echoed the theme. "We've how those recommendations can have "And we are on the way to doing started a hearbeat here. Our training an effect in your regions. Then, with just that. Our progress isn't swift, or is the heartbeat. This means as much in two months, we'll hold a similar even. We aren't on a steady in to us as it does to Amtrak." conference to involve first-line super cline ...but we are climbing. We are Donnelly took another tack. vision in the same process. heading for that goal and when that "Some of us have been called trouble "I hope, too, that you will also happens, it will be because of people makers," she said. "However, we'd take the messages, hopes and work of like you." rather be part of the solution than this past week to your co-workers. Joy Smith, lead accounting clerk, part of the problem. We'd rather Our role here at headquarters will be Washington; Jim Brown, chef, Los cause change than cause trouble. to help and support you in this ef Angeles; and Paula Donnelly, com "We've always been told we are fort. ..and insure that progress con missary clerk, Chicago, presented the part of the team. Thanks to this con tinues. " participants' impressions of the con ference, we now feel a part of that Speaking to the group at a dinner ference at the dinner. team. on Thursday night, Amtrak President Said Smith, "This conference has "At last, the arrow is finding its Alan Boyd told of having a vision. reawakened the old team spirit and point. "
(Below) Trainer Wimpy Isaacs, left, along with Ken Dejidas, ticket agent, Philadelphia, and Ken Bunetta, ticket agent, Hollywood, Florida, go over topics for the first workshop.
(Right) Trainer Dan \ (\ 21" Gardner makes a point \ .>.1-\ '\v>', on passenger "turn \ \ \ ons" and "turn offs" during one of the first workshops. (Below) Baggageman Len Wachniak, Milwaukee, ponders a point made during the free and , open discussions.
(Left) Participating in a mixed craft workshop are, clockwise from far left, Floyd Beacham, steward, and Arlene Barry, service attendant, Oakland; Bill Beck, train attendant, Boston; Jay Fountain, steward, New Orleans; Trainer Sandy Thompson; Mary Hester, ticket agent, Chicago; Gerald Mungin, commissary worker, Miami; Fred Hardin, redcap, Chicago; and Mar garet Sander, lead accounting clerk, New York.
(Below) Susan Weiss, lead service attendant, Chicago, presents her view as Richard Ruffin, train attendant, New Orleans, Sue Gaede, manager, service standards, and group leader; and Mick Savkovich, ticket agent, Alexandria, listen.
(Right) Virginia Croder, ticket agent, Los Angeles; Diane Vetock, lead ticket agent, Cleveland; and John Gorham, ticket agent, Boston, consider the discussion during one of the workshops. Florida Family Days ______--. I Attract 50,000 To Equipment Exhibit Successful Family Days were held board Coast Line employees and their Beech Grove shops; a Superliner in Jacksonville, Florida, on Saturday families were invited to a special pre coach, sleeping car and diner; a tran and Sunday, January 17-18; Orlando view on Saturday from 9 to 11 a.m. sItIOn dormitory-coach; an Am on Tuesday, January 20; and Miami Two free excursions were available dinette; and Seaboard Coast Line and on Saturday and Sunday, January for employees. Public showings were Southern Railway cabooses. Special 24-25. Almost 50,000 persons attend from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., Saturday, stairs were provided so visitors could ed the three events. and 10:30 a.m. to 6 p.m., Sunday. walk through the cab of an F40PH Although crowds were compara Cost to the public for the LRC locomotive. tively smaller because of unusually rides was $3 for adults, who could br Exhibits by the Jacksonville Tran cold weather on both Saturdays, tem ing along one child free. Additional sit Authority, Florida's Department peratures climbed and the sun shone or unaccompanied childred paid $2. of Transportation, Operation Life brightly on both Sundays resulting in Children received free engineers' saver and Amtrak's marketing de large crowds coming out to see the hat and balloons as they toured the partment were located in a tent set up equipment display and to ride special equipment lined up outside the next to the station. The U.S. Navy excursions aboard Amtrak's new Jacksonville station. flew in one of its sea rescue helicop LRC train. Most of the runs were Lined up on display were head-end ters on Saturday. It was placed on quickly sold out. powered coach, cafeteria lounge and display next to a Trailways bus. In Jacksonville, Amtrak and Sea- sleeping cars recently refurbished by Several pieces of equipment, 10-
(Left) Signing up for the door prize drawings are Margaret Leath, Gloria Eason, Lillian Adams, Gwenn Brown and Marcia Jones, coach cleaners, Miami. (Below) Excursions on the LRC train were so popular they quickly sold out.
(Below) Huddling in the Jacksonville cold are Jeanie Jaspers, Jacqui Huff and Carole Muraski, R & I agents. The three helped greet visitors. (Right) Directing cars from the highway to the station are June Westberry and John Featherstone, R & I agents, Jacksonville.
(Above) "Clowning" around with Cir cus World's Brian Hone are Mary Lou Young, R & I agent, Jacksonville, left, and Wendy Spivey, general supervisor, CRG.
4 cluding the F40PH locomotive and retired Florida East Coast steam Railroad, the National Association of head-end-powered and Superliner locomotive. The old steamer, which is Railroad Passengers, Family Lines' cars, were moved to Orlando for used each weekend at the museum, Safety Express, Amtrak's marketing Tuesday's Family Days exhibit there. provided a stark contrast to one of department, the Miami chapter of the Space limitations prevented a larger Amtrak's modern silver, red and blue National Railroad Historical Society display there as well as operation of F40PH locomotives next to it. and Dade County's Metropolitan the excursion rides. Greyhound and Dade County Transit District. The following weekend, the Jack Metropolitan Transit buses joined Excursion rides were also available sonville display moved to Miami for Trailways at Miami in setting up a at Miami aboard the LRC. Amtrak exhibit at Amtrak's new station there. display at the south end of the and SCL employees rode free during Added to the equipment that had building. Trailways' new corporate their special preview session on Satur been at Jacksonville were a Seaboard symbol is an Irish Setter dog, named day from 9 a.m. to noon. The general Coast Line diesel locomotive and Big Red, and the bus line gave away public quickly bought up tickets Amtrak's Amtech instruction car. an Irish Setter puppy at both creating sell outs on most runs. Also, of special interest to visitors Jacksonville and Miami. The Florida Family Days were were three pieces of equipment loan A miniature operating steam train three in a s.eries of such events being ed for the weekend by the Gold Coast was set up in the parking lot in front held to improve the corporate image Railroad Museum of Fort Lauder of the station to provide rides for and employee morale, to attract new dale. These included an old Florida children. Also lined up in the lot were riders and to showcase Amtrak equip East Coast railroad coach; the Ferdi several antique automobiles. ment and service to leading travel nand Magellan, U.S. No. 1, the last Inside the building were exhibits by agents, travel writers and the press in Presidential private car; and a long- Florida's DOT, the Gold Coast the area as well as to the public.
(Left) After a cold Saturday, the sun shone brightly on Sunday, temperatures rose and large crowds came out. (Below) In Miami, the Gold Coast Railroad's steam locomotive provided a dramatic counterpoint to Amtrak's modern motive power.
(Below) Jimmy Morton, lead service attendant, Jackson ville, describes the operation of a newly refurbished (Left) Balloons were Heritage Fleet cafeteria-lounge car. popular with the kids. At Miami, Earl Street, Washington, blows one up for On Board Services At tendant Robert Gonsalves'son, Michael. local dealer. 2- Amtrak was assured by the Hot Line To President Boyd dealer that the fork lift truck was as sembled in its entirety in Memphis, Question: I'm speaking for six going on. The money should stay in Tennessee, by American workers. clerks here at 14th Street yard in Chi this country and we should "Buy 3- Twenty five percent of the cago. They're making us park in a American. " components and 100 percent of the new place, across the tracks, in an un A: Amtrak, indeed, does have a services for the trucks were manufac paved lot. When we get into the office "Buy American" policy that is strict tured or procured in the United we have to take time to clean off mud ly adhered to but allows us some flex States. from our shoes and pants. ibility within certain parameters. 4- The Datsun fork lift truck Can something be done about this? In this particular case, Amtrak re was purchased for $17,927, some Previously, we parked on the north ceived a requisition to buy two fork $4,028 less than the lowest quotation side of the building on concrete. lift trucks but because of budget con for a domestic model. Answer: Your local management straints an order was placed to buy 5- The Datsun truck uses 50 per was not aware of the clerk's concern just one and lease one. cent less fuel than any available do in this matter. They are making ar We believe that the deal was clearly mestic model. rangements to provide six temporary within our parameters for the follow 6- Because of the cost and fuel parking spaces on the south side of ing reasons: efficiencies stated above, the State of the building until the employees' 1- The order was placed with a New York and the United States gov- parking lot is paved as planned.
Q: I'm an agent at the Los Angeles reservations office and just lost ano We Are Doing Things Right! ther sale on the Bakersfield-to-Marti At a time when our company is the target for harsh words from var nez connection to the Coast Starlight ious sectors, it is important to keep in mind some of the very impor because they don't connect anymore tant positive achievements of the year. on the northbound train. We are coming of age and operating in a very cost-conspicuous and A: The running time of train 14, business-like manner. ___ the_-Mr.thb_oJ.lIliLGQost_Stadighl.-.Wa$ Since-the-passa~he-l-9+9---Amtrak Rem:gani-zat.ign..Act, the=e 0m ~ reduced 10 minutes between Los An pany has increased its fares by 26 percent in three stages. This has re geles and Oakland as of last October sulted in improving the revenue-to-expense ratio from 38 .3 percent in 26, breaking the connection from 1978 to 41.1 percent in 1980, well within the path of achieving a 50 train 709, the San Joaquin, at percent ratio by 1985 as mandated by Congr.ess. Martinez. And, please note, this was done while maintaining ridership growth As of April 26, the connection will and Amtrak's position in the competitive intercity travel market. be restored because of adjustments By October, every Amtrak route will be operating with either new made to accommodate the Superliner or totally rebuilt and modernized equipment. operation on the Starlight. On-time performance has improved dramatically, now running at over 81 percent. For seven of 12 months, the corporation's on-time Q: I'm a furloughed employee and performance exceeded the airlines. drawing C-2 benefits which are about Customer complaints have declined as much as 80 percent on routes to run out. Once they do, am I con that have received new equipment. sidered an employee who has severed A new reservations and ticketing system, with much greater capaci ties with the company or am I just a ty than the present outdated one, will be serving customers before the furloughed employee who will be en end of the year. titled to a job should one become Equipment reliability is up, with the lowest out-of-service rate in available? Amtrak's history during 1980. The average age of the locomotive A: Furloughed employees, upon fleet-which was 22 years in 1972-is now only seven years. expiration of their Appendix C-2 be State funding is now producing 35 percent more state contributions nefits, retain their furlough status, than in 1979, with eight new state-supported services now operating subject to recall to active service and nine more in the application stage. under provisions of the applicable la Since the 1979 Amtrak Reorganization Act, we have shown out bor agreement. standing results and measurable economics. We should be proud of our record. Obviously, we are doing some Q: How can Amtrak justify buy thing right. ing two Japanese fork lift trucks for Rensselaer when there is a recession
6 ernment, through GSA, have pur few minutes because of the dense chased similar units. It should be smoke. President's Hot Line noted that any item purchased by the Will there be any restrictions set up GSA is in strict accordance with Fed to partition the car for smokers and U.S.A. 800-424-5191 eral Procurement Regulations which non-smokers? D.C. only 383-2027 comply with "Buy American" A: Smoking is presently allowed in policies. the entire car simply because lounge cars have always been designated as Personnel Hot Line Q: I work in Los Angeles coach smoking cars. yard and wonder why they're giving There are two logical options. One U.S.A. 800-424-5190 our trains away. They've given our is to allow smoking only on one level D.C. only 383-3636 Sunset Limited to New Orleans and of the car, either upper or lower. The now they're giving the Southwest second option is to split the upper lev Limited to Chicago. That leaves us el into smoking and no smoking sec Payroll Hot Line with only two trains and puts our sen tions. This might be difficult to police iority back about four years. Why are because we might not have an atten U.S.A. 800-424-5067 they trying to put Los Angeles out of dant on the upper level at all times. D.C. only 383-3517 business? I think we need some more exper A: The Sunset is assigned mainten ience with these cars before we desig Payroll personnel will answer calls live ance at Los Angeles with no change in nate any section smoking or non during day shift hours, Monday through smoking. Employee observations Friday. At all other times calls will be assignment planned. handled by an answering machine. concerning this matter should be re Maintenance on the train operating ported to the crew base and your su between Los Angeles and Chicago pervisors for development of a final was assigned to Chicago when Super policy. Jobs Hot Line liner equipment was introduced. This U.S.A. only 800-424-5196 was necessary because of the availa Q: Are they going to extend the bility of inspection pits at Chicago. Northeast Corridor from Boston to These are needed for preventive Portland, Maine? maintenance. All Hot Lines are in operation ~A::"1'olmrlmowtedge , thet e at e 110 24 hours a d·ay , 7 Clays-a eek:-·- Programmed maintenance will re plans at present, either actual or legis turn to Los Angeles after completion lative, to extend the corridor to Port of the Los Angeles Yard upgrade land. Callers to the President's Hot Line can project. In the interim, all inspection either identify themselves or remain programs, train servicing and running anonymous. Personnel Hot Line callers, Q: Is there any way that ticket of obviously, must identify themselves if repairs performed at Los Angeles and fices can share the names of persons they wish a reply to their questions. Chicago will remain unchanged. who pass bad checks, other than by Employees also have the option of writ ing instead of calling. Write the specific just sending random messages Hot Line you want. c/ o Amtrak, 400 N. Q: I'm a clerk on the San Francis through the ARTS system? Capitol St., NW, Washington, D.C. co Zephyr route and am concerned a It would be nice to have a periodi 20001. bout the new Superliner lounge-cafes. cally updated list that everybody They're attractive but most of the could consult. lounge space is filled with people who A: Data for a bad check list is smoke, so much so that anybody who being compiled for inclusion in the that is scheduled for implementation doesn't smoke can sit there only for a new ticketing and reservations system in October.
Q: Why, according to the timeta Suspicious Activity? Call Police! ble, does it take the northbound Coast Starlight, train 14, only 20 min Amtrak's police and security de call the police immediately on the utes to travel from Los Angeles to partment has established a 24-hour-a toll-free number: 800-523-9997. Glendale, but it takes the southbound day, 7-day-a-week Hot Line to pro Personnel at the 24-hour police Starlight, train 11, 47 minutes to trav vide immediate response to com communications desk, located in el the same distance? Is it for the con plaints or to initiate investigation of Philadelphia, will then be able to ra venience of the railroad so it can suspicious incidents. dio or phone the proper authorities at make up time and have a better on Any Amtrak employee witnessing the scene for prompt assistance in time performance mark? suspect or criminal activity is asked to handling the situation. A: What you describe is fairly typ-
7 ical of all schedules. venience to employees when checks seriously affect the process. When The time in train 11 's schedule is are released after their shift has ended this does happen our payroll and the result of providing a reasonable a or delivered on their day off, we try computer services people spend a mount of recovery time to cover en to improve on those committed dates great deal of extra effort to get the route delays and contingencies. and distribute checks early. checks to employees at the time they In like manner, train 14 has similar Most of the time we meet this ob expect them. recovery time before reaching Port jective, but not always because of A good example of that type of ex land. various reasons. tra effort is detailed in the story in the Only recently has Amtrak entered The period of time between the last adjacent box. into the negotiation of internal sched day worked and the day checks are to Editor's ,Note: In recent months, ule times. be distributed is, for many payrolls, some employees have been calling Amtrak has just concluded a Third very short. both the President's Hot Line and the Amendment agreement with Sea There are also many steps involved, Personnel Hot Line with exactly the board Coast Line which provides for including getting the number of hours same question or suggestion. intermediate incentive payments and worked collected, calculating the pay, This is a needless duplication of ef minimizes the tendency to "bunch" making the proper deductions, prin fort and slows down the entire pro all recovery time at the end of the ting the checks, signing them and cess of responding to Hot Line runs. then transporting them to destina queries. This agreement is a forerunner to tion. Please continue to use the Hot similar agreements which we hope to Much of the process is automated Lines but address personnel matters negotiate with all of the carriers in the but some steps must be done manual only to the Personnel Hot Line and future. ly and are thus time consuming. Any general matters to the President's Hot human error or computer failure can Line. Q: Can you please explain to us why payroll checks are late? Some Extra Effort Gets Checks To Employees times it's very hard to understand what can possibly go wrong to make Roy Nyquist, manager, Los ly, each field office keeps only a things late. Perhaps it could alleviate Angeles reservations office, des small supply on hand. We didn't some hot tempers if we could have an cribes a problem that occurred in have enough to furnish our peo explanafion. the payroll process and the steps ple-we needed . about 221> A: I'm not sure what you are refer taken to insure that all employees checks-so it was riecessary to get ring to since Amtrak has never missed at the reservations center received enough checks here to meet the a payday. their checks on time. CRO's payroll the next day. In the event that something out of Checks were supposed to be "Bigby, on her personal time Amtrak's control delays the pay distributed on Friday, January 9, in a snowy Washington, took the checks in reaching their destination, but as of late Thursday had not checks to the airport and at 9 we have procedures to issue checks yet arrived. p.m., using her own American out in the field. Says Nyquist, "The situation Express card to pay, sent them air Amtrak has accommodated its em occurred because of an as yet un express to Los Angeles. ployees by authorizing the release of explained loss of checks by the "At 12:45 a.m., Los Angeles checks after 3 p.m. on the day prior U.S. Postal Service. The pack of time, Dan Baker, administrator, to the official payday if the paychecks checks was delivered routinely to scheduling/planning, went out to are available. Most complaints con the post office in Washington, the airport here to meet the flight cerning "late" paychecks occur be but did not arrive in Los Angeles. and pick up the checks. cause employees forget the " if avail "On January 8, at 4:56 p.m., "Then, at 2 a.m., Brenda able qualifier. Washington time-that's four Dowd, my secretary; Velta Tiger, Amtrak, at present, produces 10 minutes before quitting time we Baker's secretary; and Paul separate payrolls representing differ called Jeannette Bigby, line su Kalmen, clerk steno, came into ent pay cycles-weekly, bi-weekly, pervisor in the payroll inquiry u the office to type up the checks. semi-monthly, etc.-and different nit at Washington, and told her "I'm proud to work with peo pay lag periods. the payroll hadn't arrived. She ple like this who voluntarily give The date for delivery of checks for quickly called the post office to up their personal time in a situa each payroll is formally established put a tracer on the package, but tion that was out of Amtrak's and we have never failed to provide the search proved fruitless. control so that their fellow em checks to our employees on these "Since supplementary adjust ployees could get their paychecks committed dates. ment checks are used infrequent- on time." However, in recognition of incon-
8 Corporate Library Opens, ______---, I Provides Central Resource Center
Amtrak, for the first time in its history, now has a corporate library. The library-a repository of informa tion collected from all Amtrak de partments plus materials obtained through commercial and government sources-has been put together by Carol Hart, manager, bibliographic services, and Lenore Hardy, corpo rate librarian. The idea of having a corporate li brary is an old one and has come up from time to time over the years. This past fall , however, Robert Ecken rode, group vice president, finance and administration, started the wheels rolling to make the project a reality. Materials jor the new corporate library hdve been assembled by Carol Hart, manager, The purpose of the library is to bibliographic services, and Lenore Hardy, corporate librarian. provide a central resource center, a by the legal department staff. place where information relative to taxes, communications, business, economics and data processing works Working with the librarians on a the needs and interests of the cor to management. Tables and chairs temporary basis is Pamela Scott, his poration, can be stored and retrieved for use by all employees. It_will also along with a copying machine and torian, who is sifting through stacks be a place for study or reading by in microform l eader/printers are also of Amtrak background and historical dividuals or small groups researching located there. material for what will become the a specific topic. With the exception of reference, basis for the long over-due Amtrak The new Amtrak library centralizes law materials and looseleaf service, archives. This material is also finding services and facilities formerly lo most library items may be borrowed its way into the library center as it is cated in over half a dozen departmen by users, books for a two-week collected and some is being sent to the tal libraries throughout headquarters. period, journals for three days. Library of Congress. Indexing of this This central library is more econo The library staff is also responsible collection will begin in early summer. mical than the several individual for maintaining Amtrak's law libra Personnel from all over the system libraries which it replaces. ry. The collection will remain at its are encouraged to make use of the li The library staff will offer an in eight-floor, law department location brary's services. This can be done by creasingly active information service, at corporate headquarters because of a phone call to Lenore Hardy at (202) answering questions, researching to space requirements and continual use 383-3632 or A TS-8-733-3632. pics, locating and obtaining resource materials, providing a newsletter and Flagman Retires After 67 Years acquisitions lists plus a variety of other services. If a reference work or Flagman J. B. Brown, Los Angel hour period because of a detour. book is not available through the es, 80 years old, retired on the first of Brown took a leave of absence company library, the librarian will at January after completing his final from his job in 1928 to visit relatives tempt to find and obtain the informa trip from San Luis Obispo on the in California. He liked the area so tion from other sources, such as other Coast Starlight. well he joined the Southern Pacific in libraries and government agencies. Brown had been a railroad em train service. The library is located on the se ployee for 67 years, originally hiring He was assigned to the Daylight venth floor of corporate headquar out on the Chicago and Alton, in Il for over 30 years and has been with ters. The main library room houses linois, as a machinist's apprentice. He Amtrak since it began ten years ago. reference books, general collection later worked as a locomotive fireman, He had worked as a conductor, but materials, magazines and newspapers once firing a steam passenger loco voluntarily returned to his flagman's covering a wide area of interest from motive for nearly 600 miles over a 24 job several years ago.
9 management system. Form Ordering By Phone ______----, Some sophistication does come in I Will Expedite Orders To Users to play in designing forms for Am trak's use. Marv Liebow, senior director of program administration, Beginning Aprill, Amtrak's forms separate forms used over the system. finance and administration depart control department will begin new Departments are urged to use the ment, points out some details an ordering procedures which should forms control department to help average person might not think of. significantly speed up the process. design forms and then to stock them Says Liebow, "A forms design on The new phone procedure will be in for their use. There is no cost to an in the wrong size paper could cost con operation 24 hours a day, seven days dividual department for their service. siderably more. Sometimes, cutting a week, and will enhance the forms If the new form requires outside down a form a mere quarter of an control department's ability to deliver printing or special paper stock for in inch can save money. forms in a more timely fashion. The house printing, the requesting depart "There are many subtle things that new system should improve ordering ment will have to transfer budget our people are trained to spot quickly and deliveries, reduce the size of in- money to forms control to cover this and make suggestions about changing extra expense. them." Next fiscal year all using depart Working in the forms control ments will be requested to identify ap department are Joseph A. Tetteh, proximate use of forms as well as manager, forms control, and Randy plans for new forms to the forms con W. Bush, forms control specialist. trol department so that these expenses They're the ones who make the forms can be incorporated into the fo rms design suggestions, keep tabs on the control budget in advance. thousands of forms stocked and pro Since several million dollars worth cess orders to the trains. of forms are in use over the entire Liebow also notes, " We'll have system, it is important that Amtrak some bugs in the new system at first, gets better control over forms is so I hope our users don't get discour suance and save itself significant aged. If they do have problems amounts of money. The new phone though, they~~.Qy; d calLAIS-8- ordering system is just one step of an 733-2646. Someone will help them integrated forms control and records out quickly." Randy Bush, forms control specialist, and Joseph Tetteh, manager, forms control, keep tabs on the thousands of f orms. dividual orders, eliminate repetition of orders as well as reduce paperwork and local administration. Until now forms were ordered through a form of their own which was mailed and could take several days to make its way to Washington. The person doing the ordering had no way of knowing when the order form arrived or if, indeed, it ever ar rived. The end result was that many persons overordered to protect them selves. Now, as the telephoned order is typed in the word processing center, an acknowledgement card will auto matically be filled out and sent within five working days as confirmation. Procedures of the new system have Bob Herman, vice president, operations, presents Amtrak Police Officer William R. Bessette with his President's Achievement Award in a special ceremony at Pro· been formulated and will be sent to vidence, Rhode Island. Bessette, who was recuperating from a gun shot wound all ordering points by mid-March. received in apprehending a suspect aboard the Merchants Limited in New London, Amtrak's forms control depart Connecticut, was unable to attend the formal ceremony in Washington. ment rides herd on over 2,000
10 Board Appoints_---, 1980 Winners: St. Louis, Wilmington I Gardner, Spence Winners of the 1980 President's followed by Beech Grove with 13.3 Amtrak's board of directors has Safety Awards are St. Louis, in the and Albany-Rensselaer with 13.8. appointed Timothy P . Gardner as division category, and Wilmington, Three mechanical facilities vice president, corporate planning, in the shops category. Minneapolis-St. Paul, Dallas Fort and Sandra Spence as corporate In making the announcement of Worth and Niagara Falls - went secretary. the winners, Bob Herman, Amtrak's through the entire year with no in vice president, operations, said, "The juries and thus won a zero ratio for 10.3 overall system safety ratio that the year. we achieved last year is the lowest and Said Herman, "Our goal, of best since Amtrak acquired the course, is to continue this trend, but we need the help of all employees to January Standings do so. I hope that each of them will set a good example for the others to For January, the Southern led follow. " the seven other divisions in the The safety ratio is a figure that President's Safety Contest with a denotes the number of injuries or job 4.0 ratio, followed very closely by related illnesses, that require more T. Gardner S. Spence the Western with 4.4 and than mere first aid, per 200,000 man Gardner, a summa cum laude Philadelphia with a 4.8. hours. graduate of Swarthmore College, In the shops category, Wilm holds a master's degree in law from ington, kept up its winning pace I Bank Thief Caught I Oxford University and a J.D. from with a 7.5 ratio. Yale Law School. He has been with Ten mechanical facilities tied Amtrak Police Sergeant Santos Amtrak since May 1980 when he was for first place in their category Marchesi, Trenton, helped city police appointed senior director, govern with no injuries and a zero ratio. there apprehend a bank robber after a ment affairs. The ten were Redondo Junction, brief chase on Tpur:.sday, J~nuary 22. In his new capacity as vice presi Minneapolis-St. Paul, Detroit, The robber stole $3,457 from the dent, corporate planning, Gardner Kansas City, St. Louis, Dallas National State Bank, located inside will report to Robert Eckenrode, Fort Worth, Houston, New Or Amtrak's Trenton station. Police group vice president, finance and ad leans, Niagara Falls and Jackson were alerted to the robbery by a silent ministration. ville. alarm and Marchesi joined some In her new position, Spence will Trenton policemen, who happened to function as the primary liaison bet Northeast Corridor. This decrease in be a the station at the time, in ap ween Amtrak's senior management injuries makes Amtrak a better place prehending the thief. and the board of directors. to work. And I'm quite proud of the AMTRAK NEWS A native of Mount Pleasant, Penn effort expended by everyone to lower Published once a month for em sylvania, Spence joined Amtrak in that ratio from what it had been." ployees of the National Railroad 1978 as director of congressional af The overall ratio for 1979 was 10.5 Passenger Corporation and those fairs in the government affairs and for 1974 it was 15.1 of participating railroads engaged department. Since St. Louis has now won the in rail passenger service. An expert in legislative affairs, best division award for the third time, STAFF Spence has held various key positions it will keep the large trophy perman Editor in the Pennsylvania state govern ently. The trophy will be awarded to Ed Wojtas ment, the Appalachian Regional the superintendent of the Central Editorial Assistant Commission, the National Associa division, into which the St. Louis and Circulation tion of Counties and the California division was merged at the beginning Marguerite Broyhill Department of Transportation. of the year, at ceremonies in the near 400 N. Capitol St., N.W. Spence is a Phi Beta Kappa honors future. Wilmington's award-its Washington, D.C. 20001 graduate of Allegheny College, first-will be presented in ceremonies 202-383-3865 Meadville, Pennsylvania, and holds a at the shops there. : ATS-8-733-7865 master's degree in political science St. Louis' safety ratio for the year Amtrak News is a member of the from Rutgers University's Eagleton was 4.1, followed by the Southern AssociatIOn o f Railroad Editors. Mat1Ierial in Amtrak News is not copyrighted . Institute of Politics where she held with a 5.3 ratio and Empire with 5.4. Readers may use what they wish wi th proper at the Eagleton Fellowship. Wilmington's final ratio was 8.1, tribution to Amtrak News.
11 East Olympia and the champagne Connecting Olympia-Amtrak _____----, ceremony there after which they I Bus Service Inaugurated boarded the Mount Rainier for return to Tacoma. Special ceremonies were held on ficials, members of the press and Am Regular bus service between Olym Saturday, January 21, at East Olym trak and Trailways personnel board pia and East Olympia, costing $1.25 pia, Washington, to inaugurate inter ed three American Eagle buses for each way, began the next day. modal Trailways bus service between there and Olympia to connect with the Mount Rainier and the Pioneer. Participating in the event were Am trak President Alan Boyd, Trailways Chairman and Chief Executive Of ficer James Kerrigan and Cascade Trailways President Roger Peck. Also on the program were Lisle Watson, mayor of Olympia, and Wil liam Bulley, secretary of transporta tion for the state of Washington. Boyd cracked a bottle of cham pagne over the hub cap of a Trailways American Eagle bus while Kerrigan did the same over the coupler of the Present at the Inaugural train-bus service were Harold Je well, bus operator; Ken Clauson, Amtrak locomotive. regional director, passenger services, Seattle; Roger Peck, president, Cascade Trailways; Jim At a press conference in Tacoma Church, manager, facility planning, Portland; and Harold Taylor, Amtrak conductor. preceding the ceremony, Kerrigan said, "This new intermodal transpor Freeman Named Engineer Of The Year tation service is an excellent example Belknap Freeman, Amtrak's senior president as well as working on the of how air, rail and bus, working to communication and signa!.:-electric legislative committee at both the state gether, can provide a service that bet traction engineer, Northeast Cor and chapter level for many years. ter meets the public's need. ridor, was declared "Engineer of the Belknap worked for the Pennsyl "The Trailways/Amtra k inter Year" by the Delaware County chap vania Railroad from 1941 to 1968, modal service being initiated today in ter of the Pennsylvania Society of then the Penn Central to 1976 when Olympia is an excellent example that Professional Engineers at its annual he joined Amtrak. we hope will encourage additional dinner meeting on February 18. Speaker at the dinner was William new inter modal services throughout Belknap was also elected president Sponseller, managing director of con the nation. " of the chapter. He had previously struction, Northeast Corridor Im After the press conference, civic of- served as secretary, treasurer and vice provement Project.
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