Vol. 4, No. 21 November 15,1977 Board Suspends Floridian, ______------, I Orders Studies On Three Routes Faced with a reduced federal fund­ be resumed between and hearings on the train's future, showed ing level, 's board of directors Louisville over the current route an overwhelming public demand for took two actions at its November 16 which would be replaced by service rerouting the train through Chatta­ meeting under the Congressionally­ via . In addition, service nooga, Atlanta and Savannah. approved criteria and procedures for would not be resumed between Nash­ Capital work involved in any re­ making route and service decisions. ville and Jacksonville via Birming­ routing via Atlanta would require The board ordered suspension of harn and Montgomery when the train four to six months to complete. No the Chicago-Florida train, the is rerouted via Atlanta and Savannah. decisions have been made on inter­ Floridian, effective January 19. The 3. Startup of the new train will be mediate stops. board also designated a new route for deferred until money is available for The board acted on the five western the train if funds are made available its operation and the route satisfies trains after Amtrak management re­ later and the route passes route cri­ appropriate criteria. ported that all of them fall below the teria. The board acted after Amtrak's level of ridership and losses under the The board also directed Amtrak management reported on the federal board's criteria. management to complete the final funding shortfalls, the Floridian 's fi­ Losses on the routes show the fol­ phase of a staff analysis and solicit nancial record and the results of lowing financial estimates for fiscal public comment on discontinuing or public comment. year 1978: restructuring three other routes: Chi­ Last year, the Chicago-Florida line , which operates be­ cago-Seattle, Chicago-Houston/ Lar­ had revenues of $5,339,000 and ex­ tween Chicago and Seattle via Minot, edo, and Oakland-Bakersfield. penses of $14,956,000 for a loss of North Dakota: Revenues of $7.84 Amtrak President Paul H. Reistrup $9,617,000. The staff study showed million, avoidable costs of $18.79 mil­ proposed, and the board adopted, a that discontinuance of the Floridian lion, and a loss of $10.95 million. three-part proposal for theFloridian: in January would save $6.5 million to , which 1. The board designated a pre­ $7 .5 million during fiscal year 1978. operates between Chicago and Seattle ferred Chicago-Florida route of Chi­ Losses for the entire year would total via Billings, Montana: Revenues of cago-Indianapolis-Louisville-N ash­ almost $11 million if the Floridian $5 .95 million, avoidable costs of ville-Chattanooga-Atlanta-Macon­ continued operation for the full year. $13.28 million, and a loss of $7.33 Savannah-Jacksonville and other The results of two months of tele­ million. Florida points. phone and mail comment from the Inter-American, which runs be­ 2. The board ruled that service not general public, plus 12 public tween Chicago and Laredo, Texas, via St. Louis, LUtle Rock and Dallas: Revenues of $2.56 million, avoidable costs of $5.52 million, and a loss of $2.96 million. , between Chicago and Houston via Oklahoma City and Fort Worth: Revenues of $7.91 million, avoidable costs of $14.30 million, and a loss of$6.39 million. San Joaquin, between Oakland and Bakersfield, California: Revenues of $730,000, avoidable costs of $2.17 million, and a loss of $1.44 million. Amtrak will issue a call for public comment on the affected routes and will provide a listing of route options The Floridian, A mtrak's Chicago-Florida train, will be suspended January /9. available in the near future. Senators, Congressmen Told______-. I Amtrak Studying Route Structure

Congress' lack of appropriating board of directors that theFloridian's Lone Star, between Chicago and enough supplementary funds to Am­ route - Chicago to /St. Houston, trak's operating budget for fiscal year Petersburg, via Louisville and Nash­ Limited, between 1978 has created a serious situation ville - be discontinued. Lengthy Boston/ and Chicago, for the company. studies and aseries of hearings along San Joaquin, between Oakland and With a shortfall of some $36 million, the route have been held in the Flori­ Bakersfield, and Seattle-PortIand 10- Amtrak must find ways to cut its dian 's case. (See story on page 1.) cal service. operating expenses. Wrote Pike, "In order to comply Also incIuded, but grouped toge­ ther for analysis, are: In its directive to Amtrak, when it with the requirement to reduce fund­ Empire Builder and North Coast approved the recent $8 million ing needs, other routes are now being Hiawatha, between Chicago and supplemental funding, the Senate­ considered for elimination or restruc­ SeattIe. These two routes could possi­ House Conference Committee said turing under the criteria." bly be consolidated into one, or dis­ that Amtrak should "make effective He noted, "Because it will take us continued altogether. use of the criteria and procedures for approximately half way into the fiscal , Southwest making route and service decisions year, the savings will have to be such Limited and . Preliminary developed pursuant to sec ti on 8 of the that about $30 million be eliminated indications are that these three routes Amtrak Improvement Act of 1975." from the costs to be incurred in months remaining in the fiscal year, could be combined into one between Congress, in effect, was telling after service stops. Chicago and Ogden, then split there Amtrak to study its system and elimi­ "Accordingly," he stressed, "that to service Los Angeles, Oakland/ San nate entire routes rather than indivi­ means that se rvices costing approxi­ Francisco, and Portland/ Seattle. dual trains on routes that have more mately $60-65 million, on an an nu al Pike pointed out to the lawmakers than one train, or cutting daily service basis, must be selected for discontinu­ that if Amtnik were not to take cost­ to tri-weekly or less on routes that ance." savings actions now, it wou1d face a have only one train. Routes, besides the Floridian, that severe funding crisis next July or In a letter mailed on November 9 to are being formally examined and sub­ August as the existing money ran out. every Senator and Congressman, ject to discontinuance, are: "If the savings are not Bruce Pike, Amtrak's vice president, programmed by then," he warned, government affairs, pointed out that National Limited, between Wash­ "the only option would be to shut Amtrak was studying its route struc­ ington/ New York and Kansas City, down the entire system." ture to see wh ich trains-meaning the highest money-losers-could, justifi­ ably, be eliminated. Weather Problems No Problem Wrote Pike, "The route and ser­ vice criteria and procedures is a muIti­ Heavy rains that dumped over five step formal process for evaluating Amtrak trains were delayed be­ inches during a nine hour period in routes, first, on economics, exploring tween 10 and 30 minutes during the the New York area on November 8 possible service improvements for day, but all were able to operate. slowed down but did not curtail PATH service between Newark possible effect on future economics, Amtrak service to and from the city. and uptown New York was halted. and, finally, on social and environ­ Some signal problems did occur Amtrak assisted PATH by providing mental grounds. and extra pumps had to be brought in a IO-car shuttle train that made three "The final step," he warned, "can to help the regular pumping system re­ round trips between Newark and be the complete elimination of a route move excess water from the four tun­ Penn Station betwen 2 and 4 p.m. or routes." nels under the East river and the two The next day the season's first bliz­ Pike pointed out that public under the Hudson. zard hit the upper Midwest with up to hearings are desirable under the pro­ Water did come in faster than the 10 inches of snow and 70 mile per cess, but they are not mandatory. "If pumps could handle for a short hour winds. Central Region Vice the process is to be accelerated, that period of time, but the level was President C. J. Taylor reported that, will not be possible," he said. maintained below two inches, the except for one train that arrived in Pike noted that Amtrak's manage­ point at which service would have had Chicago four hours late, all others ment had already recommended to its to be halted. op~rated weil.

2 Intermodal Passenger Station - ______I Dedicated At Richmond, California

Governor Edmund G. "Jerry" Brown, of California, officially dedi­ cated and opened the Richmond, California, intermodal station on October 28. The station began serving Amtrak, the Bay Area Rapid Transit system (BART), local transit buses anda bus connection to San Rafael, in Marin County, on October 30. The new station was funded by the California Department of Transpor­ tation (Cal Trans) under a bill spon­ sored by' State Senator James R. Mills. c c Mills was presented a plaque by ö': § Neal D. Owen, Amtrak's vice presi- " dent, Western region, commending ~ hirn on his efforts on behalf of rail transportation in the state. Mills is Neal Owen, right, presents plaque to Senator Mills. Left to right are Frank Herringer, one of the five new Carter nominees Adriana Gianturco and Governor Brown. to Amtrak's board of directors. in a short program by the Madera San Joaquin valley residents. Additional remarks were made by Chamber of Commerce welcoming The new Richmond station consists Frank C. Herringer , general Amtrak to the new stop. of an 18-car-long platform on boLh manager, BART, and Adriana Gian­ Senator Mills spoke brieflyon be­ eastbound and westbound tracks and turco, director of Cal Trans. half of the state, while Arthur Lloyd, a shelter. Stairs and an elevator take Approximately 300 persons Amtrak's manager of public riders to a pedestrian subway that watched the program. Music for the relations, Western region, greeted the goes underneath the tracks to connect festivities was provided by the EI Cer­ town on behalf of Amtrak. with the BART platform adjacent to rito high school band. Most of the group returned to their the Amtrak station. After the formal ceremonies, about origin points on the northbound San All three Amtrak Trains-Coast 100 persons, including Governor Joaquin. Senator Mills continued to Starlight, San Francisco Zephyr and Brown, Senator Mills and Director Fresno and Bakersfield where brief San Joacquin-stop at the new sta­ Gianturco, plus newpaper and tele­ programs were held. Mills advised the tion. At present BART operates six vision reporters and guests, boarded audiences there of the new connect­ days a week. Sunday service is pro­ the San Joaquin, which made a ing bus service to the state capital for jected to start next March. special stop at the new station. The group rode to Stockton, where Governor Brown initiated a new State Band Takes Broadway To Chicago of California-sponsored bus service that now operates between Stockton McDonald's AII-America Band be carried in the train's baggage car. and Sacramento, connecting with the will ride Amtrak's A special multi-course Thanksgiv­ San Joaquin in both directions. from New York to Chicago after par­ ing dinner will be served the party. As Brown boarded the bus for Sa­ ticipating in the annual Macy's The band, sponsored by Mc­ cramento, he told the group, "This Thanksgiving Day parade. Donald's of hamburger farne, was won't be half the fun we had on the The band is traveling to Chicago established in 1967 and is headed by train. " for an appearance there at Orchestra Paul Lavalle, formerly with the noted Almost 50 persons in the party con­ Hall that Saturday.evening. Band of America. tinued to Madera where a new experi­ Three coaches and one sleeping car McDonald's band is composed of mental stop was to be initiated on Oc­ have been reserved for the 102 band two persons each-primarily high tober 30. The train made a special stop members and 15 adult chaperones. school seniors-from every state and there to allow the riders to participate Instruments and extra uniforms will the District of Columbia.

3 Robert Herman, Albert Schofield _____ ------. [ Named Vice Presidents

Two newly-named vi ce presidents Reporting to hirn are the three re­ have been approved by Amtrak's gional vice presidents for the Eastern, board of directors. Midwest and Western regions. Theyare: Schofield, on the other hand, will Robert A. Herman, as vice presi­ head Amtrak's day-to-day operations dent and general manager of national of the 456 mile-long corridor between operations, effective October 26, and Washington, New York and Boston, Albert M. Schofield, as vice presi­ the nation's most heavily traveled rail dent and general manager of the route, which Amtrak took over in , effective 1976. Schofield has been Amtrak's November 16. project officer for the Northeast Cor­ Herman, 50, has held the job on an ridor Improvement Project, the $1.9 interim basis for several months. billion rebuilding and renovation Schofield, 63, replaces Charles E. program of the line that will result in Bertrand, who resigned his Amtrak 120 mile-per-hour train speeds. post to become president and Herman came to Amtrak in 1975 executive officer of the Delaware and from the Penn Central railroad, and Robert Herman, Albert Schojield Hudson Railway. has been director of the Northeast He was the Pennsy's superintendent Herman has over-all responsibility Corridor's operations planning group of passenger transportation, respon­ for transportation, running mainten­ and, later, the corridor's regional vice sible for 1,100 passenger trains a day. ance, on-board service, commis­ president for operations. He also was superintendent of both saries, stations and liaison with the After joining the the PC's Philadelphia and Harrisburg railroads for Amtrak 's entire nation­ Railroad in 1945, Herman held a num­ divisions. wide system except for the Northeast ber of important posts with both the Schofield, a graduate of Drexel Corridor. Pennsy and, later, the Penn Central. Univeristy, joined the in 1937 and, except for mili­ U pgrading Contracts Signed tary duty during World War II and the Korean conflict, remained with the Pennsy to rise through the ran ks A contract has been awarded to the first 16 cars in a program that event­ to assistant to the vice president of General Electric Corporation to begin ually will include either 30 or 57 cars, operations. the $20 million program to upgrade depending on future funding levels. Following the Pennsy's merger and improve the Metroliners. Modifications will include most of wi th the New York Central, he held a The Metroliner cars have been in those previously incorporated in four se ries of increasingly important posi­ revenue passenger service since 1969 "enhancement" Metroliner cars by tions, becoming vice president of re­ without a major overhaul and now the Federal Railroad Administration organizational planning in 1971 and have an average of 1.5 million miles as part of its research and develop­ senior vice president of operations in of service each. ment program. The dynamic brake 1976. The program-designed to resistors and the cool-air intakes will He joined Amtrak in 1976 when improve reliability and ride quality­ be relocated on the cars' roofs to took over the PC and the includes a complete overhaul of the insure greater reliability. other bankrupt northeastern rail­ trucks, traction motors, air condi­ Overhaul and modification of the roads. tioning and heating systems, brakes, Metroliners means that the 130-mph Bertrand 's appointment to the couplers, signals and other systems cars will be ready to provide high­ D&H is effective November 16 . For­ and components. speed rail passenger service when the merly the president of the Reading The cars will be completely rewired Northeast Corridor Improvement Railroad, he joined Amtrak in Febru­ and interiors refurbished with new Program is completed in 1981. The ary 1976. He now succeeds Selig carpeting. Seats will be reupholstered first modified Metroliner will be Altschul, chairman, who filled the and rebuilt to include tray tables ready for service in October 1978. position of the D&H's president since similar to those on Amfleet cars. The work will be carried out at early August when Carl B. Sterzing The contract commits funds for the GE's Erie, Pennsylvania, plant. resigned.

4 Rensselaer Maintenance Facility______---, I Begins Operations On December 1

Amtrak's new maintenance facility paration; Unit Span Building Sys­ and Bunkoff Construction Company, at Rensselaer, New York, will be com­ tems, for the pre-engineered building; general contractor; all from Albany. pleted on schedule and begin opera­ tions on December 1. Maintenance that had been per­ formed outside in sub-zero tempera­ tures last winter will now be able to move indoors to the modern, warm and well-equipped environment. The $15 million facility is expected to in­ crease productivity and efficiency, with the result, that equip­ ment operating in New York State will be better maintained. Besides performing required main- .~_ ....:::.. ~~~ tenance on , the facility <>.~ !EiiiI---.-IM!! will eventually handle maintenance of ~ '!:' locomotives assigned to service in ~ New Y ork State. ~ Abrief dedication ceremony, fol­ Rensselaer's new $15 miUionjacility presents a modern, we((-lighted environment in which lowed by a guided tour for the press to maintain Turbolinersand locomotives. and government officials, will be held at 10 a.m. on Wednesday, November 30. Maintenance Responsibilities Defined The new facility was designed and engineered by Amtrak's engineering In a directive issued on November be ready to be shifted to national department. 7, Amtrak President Paul Reistrup operations control. The facility includes two full-length clarified the responsibilities for main­ Said Reistrup, "Under the plan, run-through Turboliner service tenance of cars and locomotives. Mr. Cowell will have responsibility, tracks, the diesel locomotive repair All day-to-day car and locomotive for the entire corporation including track, auxiliary shops and store­ maintenance will now be consolidated the Northeast Corridor, for the fol­ rooms. in the national operations department lowing functions: The new shop also includes some and be under jurisdiction of Vice innovative energy and cost-saving President Robert Herman. "First, overall responsibility for the heavy repairs and overhaul of cars features, including a high-pressure Reistrup noted, "My goal is to and locomotives, brushless car washer designed by Am­ have anything that affects day-to-day trak's engineering department that re­ operations reporting to the operating "Secondly, development of main­ cycles water. The building's ventila­ head responsible, so that there will tenance specifications, policies, pro­ tion system has an energy recovery not be divided authority." cedures for and the auditing of ad­ unit capable of recovering approxi­ Equipment engineering and pro­ herence to standards, mately 65 per cent of the heated air curement, which is a corporate func­ "Thirdly, for technical training of being exhausted from the building. tion, will be under Vice President Jim all equipment maintenance person­ The unit also provides a curtain of Cowell, operations support. nel. hot air at the doors to prevent outside The back shop at Beech Grove, In­ "Fourthly, coordination of devel­ cold air from flowing into the diana, which has no relationship with opment of maintenance facility building when they are opened. A day-to-day maintenance, will conti­ modernization, and, modern pollution control center nue to report to Cowell. And for the "Finally, for the planning of cleans industrial wastes before dis­ time being, the . Rensselaer main­ capital equipment acquisition and posal in the sewer system. tenance facility will continue to development, including future main­ Contractors involved in the project report to Cowell. Next July it will be tenance requirements for the equip­ include Kilby Brothers, for si te pre- determined whether that facility will me nt. "

5 The 3-day excursion fare will result in a savings for rai! passengers and Keeping Track Of Amtrak are calculated at $3 more than the regular one-way fare. Safety Contest Continues juries per 200,000 man hours. All in­ The former "off-peak" round-trip juries or job-related illnesses that re­ coach excursion fares have been The and South Central quire more than niere first aid are changed to 30-day round-trip coach districts tied with a zero injury ratio, counted. excursion fares for the same stations indictating no injuries, for the month on the Albany-Buffalo line. Tickets of October in the President's Safety New York Excursion Fares will be good only in coaches for 30 Contest. Effective immediately passengers days in addition to date of first re­ Also for October, the Western re­ traveling between any two stations on served travel. Tickets for unreserved gion topped the other three with a 5.9 Amtrak's line between Albany and travel, or open tickets, will be good ratio, while the Rensselaer mainten­ Buffalo, New York, may take ad­ for thirty days in addition to date of ance facility led the shops with a zero vantage of two new Amtrak coach sale. ratio. excursion fares which are good for 3- Unlike the previous off-peak For the year to date, Piedmont day or 30-day round-trips. round-trip excursion fare, passengers leads the districts with a 1.9 ratio, The 3-day excursion tickets will be will be permitted to travel anytime of with Twin Cities at 2.4 and St. Louis valid for three days including date of the day, seven days a week in the with a 2.8 following closely behind. sale and will be sold through next Albany-Buffalo territory. The Central region leads the others May 25. Chi!dren will pay one-half However, these tickets will not be for the year to date with a 6.1 ratio, the adult fare. good for travel in the periods of whi!e Rensselaer leads the shops for Tickets will not be sold aboard November 19 through November 28, the year with a 5.7 ratio. trains unless the passenger's boarding December 15 through January 8, The safety ratio is a figure that de­ station is closed at actual time of February 17 through February 20, notes the number of on-the-job in- departure. and March 18 through March 26, in­ clusive. Special Train To Conference l Mobile Birthday Party The consulting firm of McKinsey & and Inspectors Bob Smith and Alex Laura Beth Eisenberg of Mil­ Company filled a special Amtrak Dampier looked after the many waukee celebrated a memorable 11 th train in mid-October when the firm details. Attendants Sherry Kidder, birthday on October 22 aboard Am­ brought members from its world­ Norman Lawrence and Keith Pinder trak Turboliner No. 324. wide offices to Williamsburg, Vir­ worked the first Amcafe car while Laura Beth and about thirty of her ginia, for a three-day conference. Attendants Pat Burns, Pavel Prudick friends, accompanied by ten adults, The firm hired a six-car Amfleet and Robert Simmons handled the se­ boarded the Turboliner car reserved train to carry its 230 members from cond. May Stanley and Tong Cyi for the party at the Milwaukee station New York to the restored operated two portable bars. at 11 :45 a.m., rode to Chicago's city. The special train operated John Ackin, superintendent, Pied­ Union Station, arriving in time to without a hitch, thanks to the cooper­ mont district, and George Toadvine, continue the party on Train No. 7 for ative efforts of many Amtrak people. manager, train operations, coordina­ the return trip to Milwaukee. As they arrived at Penn Station, ted their end of the trip. Kelly The party was given by Laura McKinsey's personnel were directed Hughes, assistant district superinten­ Beth's father, a prominent Mil­ to the special Amtrak tour desk where dent, worked with Williamsburg re­ waukee attorney. Diane Ek, Amtrak an area had been set aside for them. presentatives and also personally met sales representative in Milwaukee, Enroute, the Williamsburg-bound ri­ the train on arrival and departure handled the arrangements. The party ders dined on special meals planned there to ensure that no baggage was received assistance at the Milwaukee for the group. misplaced. station from Patty Bretl, shift super­ The many New York station people Kathy Hartz, district sales visor. responsible for seeing all went weil in­ manager, Washington, rode the train cluded Mark Miller, manager of and had only good things to say GambIers' Trains station services; Tom Sacca, general about the trip. Says Hartz, "This trip The "Reno Fun Trains" will oper­ supervisor; and Bill Finn, general su­ was simply another example of the ate again early next year. pervisor, mail, baggage and express. high caliber people we have who The schedule calls for Friday de­ On the train, Mark Meana, Eastern know how to plan a special move and partures from the Bay area, with re­ region on- board service coordinator, then back it up with first dass service." turn to San Francisco/ Oakland on

6 Sunday evening. Chicago, $691 from Los Angeles. tle were driven up the track ahead of Eastbound trains will leave the Information on the tours can be the engine approximately seven miles Oakland station on J anuary 13 and obtained from Amtrak reservation per hour for a distance of three miles. 27, February 3 and 24, and March j, bureaus by using the 800-series phone The Empire Ruilder and its cattle 10, 17,24 and 3l. number. Brochures from American herd arrived at the first available area A new package is also being Rail Tours, 655 Redwood Highway, to get the cattle off the right-of-way, offered from Los Angeles and other Mill Valley, California 94941. at Fish Lake, 30 minutes late. Once Southern California points to the the cattle were off the track, No. 8 Agua Caliente race track in Tijuana, Cattle Round-up continued into Spokane at normal Mexico. The one-day "Gambler's track speed. Specials" operate every Saturday and Not so common these days was a Sunday. Buses transfer passengers be­ situation that confronted the east­ tween the San Diego station and the bound Empire Ruilder recently. The Amtrak Appoints race track. train left Seattle and was on time all the way to mile post 362 some 30 David A. Halperin as Project Man­ Mardi Gras Tours Set miles from Spokane. Awaiting the ager, Distribution and Contract Ad­ train's arrival were cattle in a deep cut ministration, Marketing Department. Since Mardi Gras will occur early on the tracks. The engineer stopped Halperin reports to Marv Liebow, di­ next year, on Tuesday, February 7, the train and realized that the cattle, rector of administration, and will be Amtrak and American Rail Tours al­ running ahead of the train, were responsible for the coordination and ready have announced plans for the unable to get off the track due to a distribution of Amtrak printed ma­ now annual Mardi Gras Fun Trains. large land cut bordered by deep terials and the direct dealing with in­ One will leave Los Angeles on water-filled ditches on both sides of dividual distributors. January 31 while another will leave the track. Prior to this appointment, Chicago on February 3. A Dixieland There was only one thing to do. Halperin served as an analyst for re­ jazz band will play on both trains. Aided by Conductor Ray "Trail servations and ticketing system plan­ All inc1usive prices for the pack­ Boss" French, "Drovers" Dick Gib­ ning within the marketing ages, which include rail round trip, a son, head brakeman, and Mike Diede, department. He joined Amtrak in New Orleans hotel, sightseeing and rear brakeman, all of Seattle, and 1972 as a reservations and informa­ so me meals, start at $499 each from Fireman C. Brown, of Pasco, the cat- tion clerk at the Chicago CRO and joined the headquarters marketing staff in 1974 as a data base analyst. Book Review Before joining Amtrak, Halperin managed a chain of McDonalds res­ taurants in Illinois. He attended Everywhere W est-The Burlington Northern Pacific and the Great Prairie State College there and is cur­ Route: Ry Patrick C. Dorin, 174 Northern. One chapter is devoted to rently working toward a degree in pages, 80 by 11 inches, hard cover, Chicago commuter trains, from business management. $14.95, Superior Publishing Com­ steam to the modern bi-level gallery pany. A vailable in local bookstores. cars. AMTRAKNEWS This is the eighth book from proli­ Freight, of course, is not omitted fic Author Patrick Dorin's typewriter and the pictures follow the transition Published twice a month for and it follows the tenor of the other from steam to the first diesels to the employees of the National Rail­ seven. present heavy road units. Aseparate road Passenger Corporation and Everywhere West teils the story of chapter is devoted to the Burlington those of participating railroads the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy subsidiaries; the Colorado and engaged in rail passenger service. railroad, now absorbed into the Bur­ Southern and the Fort Worth and STAFF lington Northern. Denver railroads. Editor The book begins with the forma­ One unfortunate aspect about this Ed Wojtas tion of the railroad, progresses book is its uninspired use of pictures. Writers through the steam age and the gas­ Although many are good, the layout Barbara Halliday electric motor car era into the stream­ is, sadly, dull. Also missing are John Jacobsen lined Zephyrs of the early 1930s. The examples of the earliest Burlington Circulation book also describes the trans­ steam locomotives and examples of Gayle Fedrowitz continental streamliners that the Bur­ the railroad's steam excursions of the Material in Amtrak News is not copyrighted. lington operated in conjunction with 1960s when it was the leading Readers may use what they wish with proper its future merger partners, the exponent of that "sport." attribut ion to Amtrak News.

7 Philadelphia Redcaps-______I Not Your Usual Kind

At work on her job at Philadelphia's clerk at Bensalem eRO. She said she 30th Street Station, Judy Yadrick sorne­ enjoys the increased contact with the times draws surprised looks from the public she has as a redcap. passengers she offers to help. Another 30th Street redcap, Lorelea Yadrick is one of four female red­ Mero, is also enthusiastic about her caps at 30th Street, believed to be the job. only Amtrak station in the nation to "I love it," she said. "I get to meet have women filling the traditionally lots of people, it's good exercise, and male redcap job. Women have been no other station job gives you as much redcapping at the Philadelphia station opportunity to work near the trains." for about four years, according to sta­ The female redcaps at 30th Street tion officials there. wear jumpsuit uniforms identical to Except for an occasional extra-heavy those worn by their male counterparts, suitcase, Yadrick doesn't find red­ but instead of the traditional military­ capping too strenuous for a female to style hat worn by the men, the women handle. However, she notes, a few male wear bright red baseball caps with wide passengers are reluctant to let a female visors. Mario DeBerardinis, general help them and instead seek out a male supervisor, 30th Street station opera­ redcap. tions, said the baseball cap was the Yadrick said she likes being a red­ idea of one of the women redcaps, cap because it gives her more of a who wore one into work one day as a chance to meet and converse with people joke. DeBerardinis and other station than she would have as a ticket seiler. employees thought the cap looked so Anne Marie Martin recently trans­ good that they decided to make it ferred to a redcapping job after work­ standard apparel for the women red­ Anne Marie Martin, one oj the jour Phila­ ing for slightly over a year as an R&I caps. delphia redcaps, moves bagsjor a passenger.

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