Vol. 3, No.21 November 15,1976 Washington-Cincinnati Shenandoah _____--, I Inaugurated With Two-day Trip Amtrak's new Washington-Cin­ television, radio and newspapers cinnati day train, the Shenandoah, recording the events. was inaugurated with a two-day cere­ The new Shenandoah follows a monial trip between the two cities on daytime schedule, leaving Washing­ October 29-30. Regular service, in ton at 9:25 a.m., arriving Cincinnati both directions, began the next day. at 11 :59 p.m. Eastbound the train The special train carried Amtrak leaves Cincinnati at 6:45 a.m. and officials and invited guests, including arrives in Washington at 9:40 p.m. civic dignitaries and members of the For Athens and Chillicothe, the press. Shenandoah was the first passenger Stops were made at each station to service since Amtrak began opera­ be served by the train for brief cere­ tions on May 1, 1971. An earlier ser­ monies. Enough time was allotted in vice to Parkersburg, Clarksburg, the schedule for the public to inspect Grafton and Oakland from Washing­ the train's new Amfleet cars at Cum­ ton was discontinued in 1973 . berland, Maryland; Parkersburg and Interestingly, R.F. Mather, con­ Keyser, West Virginia; and Athens, ductor, and Kenneth Potter, Chillicothe and Cincinnati, Ohio. It trainman, who brought the new Shen­ was the first use of new passenger andoah into Cincinnati, had also cars in Washington-Cincinnati service worked the last B&O train into that in over two decades. city on April 30, 1971, the day before At the other station stops, shorter welcoming ceremonies were held that (Right) Amtrak's Shenandoah winds included speeches by local dignitaries, through West Virginia's mountains. band music and cheering people. (Below) Crowd greets the new train Crowds were large at all stops with at Cumberland. Amtrak came into existence. iorated track between Cincinnati and Virginia. Amtrak President Paul Reistrup, Indianapolis left Washington-Cin­ A new station was also built at who rode the train for a portion of cinnati service as the only segment Cumberland and heated, glass­ the route, told the crowds that the that was realistically achievable in the enclosed shelters were constructed at equipment to be used in Shenandoah forseeable future. Grafton and Rowlesburg, West service was the very latest. Amtrak officials stressed the exper­ Virginia; and Athens and Chillicothe, "We've given you a very fine train, imental nature of the route at each Ohio. Existing stations were renov­ the finest we have," he said. "But, if station ceremony. "This experiment ated at Keyser and Clarksburg, West you want the service to continue, will succeed only if you, the public, Virginia. prove it to us by using it." want it to succeed. And the way to Station work included installation The new Washington-Cincinnati show that you want the train to con­ of platform lighting and building new route is part of a longer Washington­ tinue is to ride it." platforms and repairing old ones. Denver route that was originally A $1 million station renovation and At Cincinnati, Amtrak is doubling designated to be a two-year experi­ construction program is underway at the size of the station, expanding the ment by former Transportation Sec­ ten stations along the route. Most of parking lot and extending the plat­ retary Claude Brinegar. Earlier this the work was completed by start of form to accommodate up to 16 pass­ year, Amtrak's Board of Directors service on October 31, although there enger cars. The Shenandoah's cars determined that the need for exten­ still is some work to be finished, will overnight at Cincinnati before sive track work at the western end of including construction of an entirely returning to Washington the next the proposed route and badly deter- new station at Parkersburg, West morning. (Right) Broce Wood and Beverly Blood, aides to Maryland Congressman Gilbert Gude, are served by On-board Attendant William Mitzell. (Below) People swarm aboard the Amfleet cars at Athens. / (Left) Despite continous rains, Cincinnati people came out to tour the train. (Right) Congressman Harley Staggers speaks to crowd at Martinsburg. Facilities are also being constructed that had a number of interesting ati. to handle routine maintenance clean­ parallels with the Shenandoah. Angelo continued, "Like the Cin­ ing and turn-around servicing of the "The routes," he wrote "are cinnatian , the Shenandoah boasts of Shenandoah. Work on the Cincinnati almost identical. The newer train the comfort of the ride and the scen­ station is expected to be completed by makes three stops more than the old ery. The train features Amfleet the end of 1976. one did, even though the Cincinnati­ equipment, the finest in the country." An article by Phil Angelo, editor of an had a slightly longer run." The on-board service crew that the Mountain Statesman in Grafton, The Cincinnatian predates the worked the Shenandoah inaugural West Virginia, noted that the Shenan­ Shenandoah by about three decades, included John B. Hammill, Gail D. doah follows "in the ghostly foot­ beginning service in January 1947 . Bruinsma, Susan Whitmore, William steps of a long departed predecessor, Although steam-driven, the train, Mitzell, Franklin D. Broadus and the Cincinnatian. " however, boasted streamlined cars. It Gregory J. Parker. Also aboard were The train he referred to was a Balt­ was advertised as the first deluxe all­ Charles Maxey, on-board service imore and Ohio train that operated coach daylight streamliner between inspector, and Tom Middlesworth, from Baltimore to Cincinnati, a train Baltimore, Washington and Cincinn- on-board service coordinator. Equal Employment Opportunity Program Progresses Amtrak's Equal Employment Op­ hance self-development and upward in addition to each person's normal portunity program, or EEO, has mobility of minority and female em­ assignment and will consume 15 to 20 evolved into a strong and effective ployees. per cent of his or her time. Regional effort within the company to promote This committee, chaired by Ken­ coordinators will provide advice to equal opportunity goals and en­ neth Housman, vice president, per­ both employees and management courage development of minority em­ sonnel and administration, and Am­ concerning EEO matters. They will ployee skills and administrative trak's corporate compliance officer review EEO progress, problems and talents. for EEO, includes Sam Colston, complai nts with regional vice presi­ The program has developed from corporate EEO coordinator; Roger dents and personnel managers. They an initial policy statement of Amtrak Brown, assistant vice president, per­ will also handle EEO complaints that President Paul Reistrup one year ago sonnel; Lynn Berbarian, manager, can not be resolved at lower levels. to a specific set of procedures and administration, Southwest district, District or location coordinators persons responsible for coordinating Los Angeles; Rose Platt, time­ will be named in the near future to Amtrak's EEO effort. keeper, on-board service, Chicago; bring EEO coordination and advice a What the program is developing Virginia Gepner, manager, Bensalem step closer to employees. Amtrak is into is a very real method of attaining CRO; Mathew Green, counsel, legal developing training programs for all EEO goals. Those include identifying department; Karl Mathews, direc­ levels of EEO. coordinators to teach minority and female talents within tor, personnel, Northeast Corridor; them to handle internal complaints Amtrak, developing individual super­ and Walter Cruse, regional chef, effectively through a thorough visory and staff skills of employees, Jacksonville. knowledge of complaint procedure. counseling employees who are de­ Another step in the program was Amtrak will also train them to pro­ sirous of getting ahead or having formation of an EEO compliance vide proper advice and counseling. trouble handling current responsibili­ organization to provide regional EEO An internal complaint procedure has ties, and effective recruiting of coordinators in each of the four reg­ been developed and will be an­ minority and female employees when ions, the Northeast Corridor and at nounced shortly. necessary skills are lacking within the corporate headquarters. Amtrak is also developing an EEO present work force. These regional coordinators are training program for all supervisory To accomplish these goals, several Walter Cruse, Jacksonville, Southern personnel that will place EEO com­ steps have been taken to create a region; Mary Moreno, on-board pliance within the responsibility of program that can achieve concrete service, New York, Eastern region; every level of management. results. Mike Jackson, personnel department, Amtrak's EEO program is not Each department or location with Northeast Corridor; Rose Platt, merely a forced complian,ce of federal 25 or more employees has submitted Chicago, Central region; Billy Weid­ regulation, but is a sincere corporate affirmative action goals and time­ man, manager on-board operations, effort to achieve those goals within tables to achieve their equal employ­ Oakland, Western region; and Sam the company. Success or failure will ment goals by 1980. Following com­ Thompson, general supervisor, depend on the efforts of both pletion of this step, an EEO Advisory revenue accounting, corporate head­ managers and minority employees Committee was formed to develop quarters. seeking to develop themselves and policies and practices that would en- EEO coordination responsibility is move upward within the company. 3 Amtrak, Auto-Train ___________-----, Start Louisville-Sanford Joint Service Amtrak and Auto-Train began, on tion. Also, each company retains long back-up move that was neces­ Sunday, October 31 , their joint ven­ jurisdiction over its own marketing, sary under the old system. ture offering both regular Amtrak sales, on-board service and mainten­ A large free parking lot is available passenger service and Auto-Train ance personnel. for Amtrak's customers at the new service on a daily basis between the Coincidental with the inauguration site.