Amtrak Ink - February 2011

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A Monthly Publication for and by Amtrak Employees
Volume 16 • Issue 2 • February 2011
Two Years and
$1.3 Billion:
Stimulus Highlights
The Plan for Nationwide
On-board Wi-Fi
High-Speed Rail:
What’s Next?
The newly renovated Wilmington Station shines
in the early hours of the morning.
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Amtrak Ink
Photo: Matt Donnelly
Quick Quotes
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Vol. 16, Issue 2,
February 2011
Correction: The coverage of the
winners of the 2010 President’s
Service & Safety Awards in the
November issue of Amtrak Ink misstated Roy D. Mayer’s job title. His
title is Standards and Specification
Engineer, Rolling Stock Engineering.
In addition, the Amtrak.com
Re-Launch Team, winner of a Project
Excellence Award, was inadvertently
omitted. The names of the employees on the team are: Stephen
Alexander, Richard D. Bock, Brian J.
Byrne, Deborah Cheng, Emmanuel
Cheung, James C. Fichthorn,
Rajesh H. Kanginakuduru, Steven
Lebo, Robert Ng, Vishnu
Palaniswany, Marilyn A. Peifer, José
Erwin Pepito, Fernando Rocha,
Frederick M. Schuler and Anup Shah.
We regret the errors.
FPO FSC Logo (Horizontal)
How has this winter’s weather affected
Amtrak operations?
“This winter has been one of the roughest, and
I’ve been doing this work for 17 years. We’ve had
to really go above and beyond to overcome the
challenges, especially to get the crews in place.
We’ve even had to deadhead all the way from
Shelby, Mont., to Minot, N.D., in a van — and
that’s a 535-mile trip. But we’re all used to it, we
adapt to it, and we do the best that we can.”
J. J. Bach
Locomotive Engineer, Empire Builder
“During the Dec. 26 storms in the Northeast when
a lot of airlines were cancelling flights, the call volume was the highest I’ve ever seen in the eight or
nine years that I’ve been doing this job. But we
were able to accommodate most people because
we have so many trains on the NEC. Callers were
so grateful to be able to still get to where they
were going.”
Renee Donatiello
Reservation Sales Agent
“We knew the Dec. 26 storm was coming a week
ahead of time. They said it was going to be bad,
and I never downplayed it. So we had a holiday
plan in place and had pre-arranged to have people
dedicated to be here for the emergency response.
We set up enough necessary coverage, and we had
the manpower spread out on the whole Northeast
Corridor according to what we thought we
needed.”
Steven Falkenstein
Deputy Chief Engineer, Maintenance
Amtrak Employee and Customer Communications
Joe McHugh, Vice President
Govt. Affairs & Corp. Comm.
60 Massachusetts Ave., NE
Washington, DC 20002
Margaret Sherry, Sr. Director
Employee & Customer Comms
60 Massachusetts Ave., NE
Washington, DC 20002
Jennifer Moore, Manager
Amtrak Ink
60 Massachusetts Ave., NE
Washington, DC 20002
Sharon Slaton, Manager
525 West Van Buren Street
Chicago, IL 60607
Doug Riddell, Photographer
60 Massachusetts Ave, NE
Washington, DC 20002
Julia Quinn, Coordinator
Digital and Social Media
60 Massachusetts Ave, NE
Washington, DC 20002
Amtrak Ink is a monthly employee publication of Amtrak, the National Railroad Passenger Corporation.
® AMTRAK is a registered service mark of the National Railroad Passenger Corporation © 2011 National Railroad Passenger Corporation
Amtrak Ink
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Train of Thought
I
n the coming weeks, you will be hearing a lot about Amtrak funding. As I write this, we are operating according to
a Continuing Resolution that expires on March 4. What
this means is that we’re operating with last year’s funding
levels until Congress comes to a decision about our funding
for this year. We’re not alone — this is true for many other organizations — and this dynamic is not new to us. But I think
this year is different because of the tight budget-cutting climate and the political atmosphere following the November
election. I also think that the bright light that is being shed on
the need for more passenger rail and high-speed rail also
serves as an opportunity for our detractors to voice their
views.
You will hear critics’ position that Amtrak is not capable,
we have no vision and we are not relevant. And whether or
not it’s done by design, that kind of thinking creates a sense of
dread and panic that can be distracting. It’s a view that is misguided and needs updating, and there are numerous examples
that illustrate a very different picture.
When you compare what we’ve accomplished with the resources we’ve been provided we’ve done an excellent job of
making the most of our expertise. Look at what we accomplished with the stimulus funding over the last two years —
our engineering forces have replaced aging bridges, the mechanical shops helped add capacity by returning stored equipment to revenue service, and we’ve made improvements to our
internal systems.
The Grant and Legislative Request we’re submitting to
Congress this month includes funding for preliminary design
on the Gateway Project, which will not only provide additional
passenger rail capacity on the NEC into and through Manhattan, but will also be a step toward fulfilling our Next Generation High-Speed Rail vision. The budget request also includes
acquisition of 40 additional cars for the current Acela Express
fleet, a move that would add a rate of return of more than 40
percent through a 10-year period.
We are very capable, we’re
advancing a vision within the
parameters of the way we’re
structured, and passenger rail is
viewed by many in the political
world as a national priority. We
do have supporters out there,
and how we interact with them
— how we respond to them —
will drive home that message.
The people who will stand with
us are those we treat well, those
with whom we have worked to
Joseph H. Boardman
build a strong and fruitful relationship.
That is why we need to do a much better job with our partnerships. I recently sent a letter to all of our state and commuter partners in which I acknowledged what they’ve told us:
that we are not fully meeting their needs and expectations. I
told them that our goal is for our partners to regard us as an
indispensable resource that brings value. I want you to know
that many don’t see us that way today, and we cannot afford to
take those relationships for granted. We’re making strides internally to create a more collaborative, more accountable
workforce; we need to do the same with our partners, and do
so with a good dose of humility.
Don’t be distracted by critics who question our abilities and
dedication. I am personally inspired when I hear or see evidence of dedication that is hard to come by these days. This
has been a tough winter in many parts of the country, and I
want to express my appreciation for all the employees who
have fought difficult weather, long hours and days away from
home to deliver service to the millions of Americans who are
counting on us to get them home safely and comfortably. It can
be tough to do that with a smile, and I thank you for doing it. ■
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FY ’12 Grant and Legislative Request Includes
Route Enhancements and Fleet Procurements
A
holders and our passengers on the corporation’s policy and funding
mtrak presented Congress with its detailed FY ’12 Grant
needs,” said Joe McHugh, Amtrak’s vice president of Government
and Legislative Request this month, along with a letter
Affairs and Corporate Communications. “Our submission of this
from President and CEO Joe Boardman outlining the combudget is the openpany’s vision for the future
ing act of a lengthy
of passenger rail travel in
budget and approthe United States.
priations process.”
The $2.22 billion
The letter to
budget request mirrors
Congress from
spending levels recomBoardman includes
mended by Congress in the
details of the comPassenger Rail Investment
pany’s plan for reand Improvement Act
placing its aging
(PRIIA) of 2008 for Amfleet.
trak operations.
As Boardman
The proposal also innoted, “the average
cludes a request for funds
age of Amtrak’s
to help pay for muchfleet reached an allneeded infrastructure, catime high in 2010,
pacity and security
and the car fleet
improvements nationwide,
(which still includes
with a focus on the heavily
a few cars built in
traveled Northeast Corrithe 1940s) is now,
dor (NEC), where half of
on average, older
all Amtrak trains run.
than it was when
The proposed NorthAmtrak was
east Corridor Gateway
formed.”
project would mark the
The company
company’s first step tohas awarded conward its goal of creating a
Amtrak’s NEC Gateway Project would be a first step toward constructing the next-generation high-speed
rail route along the heavily traveled Northeast Corridor.
tracts to Siemens, in
dedicated high-speed rail
Sacramento, Calif.,
corridor to move people
to build 70 electric locomotives for Northeast Corridor services, and
more rapidly and efficiently through the region.
to CAF, USA, in Elmira, N.Y., to build 130 single-level passenger
The Gateway project would reconstruct the railroad between
cars.
Newark, N.J., and New York Penn Station, expand the right-of-way
In FY ’12, Amtrak plans to begin procurement of 40 additional
from two to four tracks, build two new tunnels under the Hudson
Acela cars, which would be added to the current 20 trainsets. The
River and develop the planned Moynihan Station in New York. The
move would increase ridership capacity by 130 seats per trainset.
project would cost an estimated $13.5 billion, with $50 million of
Boardman said the investments in new equipment and enhancethat required to begin preliminary design and engineering work.
ments to the Northeast Corridor would go far in helping to solve
“We stand at a moment of real opportunity,” wrote Boardman in
the country’s current and future transportation needs.
his letter to Congress. By strengthening the national railroad sys“Our country needs creative and novel solutions to traffic contem, he said, Congress would create American jobs, while providing
gestion and dependence on foreign oil,” he said. “I hope Congress
greater access to energy-efficient travel and commuting choices.
The Grant and Legislative Request for FY ’12 includes $616 mil- will share our vision that investment in Amtrak means more U.S.
lion in operating costs, $1.1 billion for general capital needs, $175
jobs and more Americans moving in an energy-efficient, reliable
million for Americans with Disabilities Act requirements and $271
way.”
million for debt service. Amtrak is also requesting $50 million to
The Grant and Legislative request and Boardman’s accompanypay for the initial phase of the NEC Gateway Project.
ing letter are posted on the Amtrak intranet under News →
“The annual Grant and Legislative Request provides the opporLegislative. ■
tunity for Amtrak to share specific detail with Congress, our stake-
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February 2011
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5
Wi-Fi Service Spreads to More Trains in Coming Months
W
ith the successful launch last March
of Wi-Fi on board Acela Express,
Amtrak has set the stage to expand
its AmtrakConnectSM service offering across
its entire fleet; giving more passengers on
more routes the ability to surf the Internet,
work more productively and experience expanded entertainment options.
On Feb. 1, Amtrak Cascades — through
the Washington State Department of Transportation — became the second route to
launch the AmtrakConnect service, with
trains operating daily between Eugene, Ore.,
and Vancouver, B.C., via Portland and Seattle. The principal focus for the remainder of
2011 installations will involve outfitting Amtrak’s busy Northeast and West Coast corridor trains.
“By adding Wi-Fi as a permanent service,
we are responding competitively with leading-edge technology to the next-generation
needs of our passengers,” says Lenetta McCampbell, senior director, On-board Systems.
The service is helping Amtrak attract
more riders and increase revenue. Recent
market research, for example, shows that the
company can expect to realize an incremental 2 percent increase in ticket revenue
thanks to the addition of Wi-Fi.
In partnership with Nomad Digital, the
firm selected by Amtrak to supply the technology which powers AmtrakConnect, Amtrak labor forces at
the Ivy City Maintenance Facility in
Washington, D.C.,
and Penn Coach Yard
in Philadelphia, Pa.
soon will begin installing the Wi-Fi
equipment on more
than 450 Amfleet I
railcars used in Northeast Regional and
other corridor services.
This work was competitively bid by Nomad.
The selection of Amtrak as the winning in-
stallation team reIn addition to
flects the quality
simply providing
and value that its
service to passenskilled workforce
gers, having a Wi-Fi
will bring to the
network can support
project.
a variety of future
“Amtrak’s parbusiness uses, says
ticipation demonMcCampbell. “We
strates how our
currently are considemployees, comering initiatives that
prised of a labor
would utilize the Wiand management
Fi network for operteam, can compete
ations of on-board
in the marketplace
signage, automated
to win non-tradiannouncements and
tional, technologyother transactional
oriented work that
data.”
otherwise would
The biggest chalFrequent passenger, A’Lelia Bundles, enjoys the speed and
have been perlenge to providing
efficiency of the Acela Express. She connects using her
formed by outside
Internet connectiviPad on trips.
firms,” says Chief
ity on trains has
Mechanical Officer Mario Bergeron. “The
been the lack of sufficient bandwidth via the
Mechanical department is committed to
cellular networks. To ensure passengers exhelping to deliver this project this year as
perience optimal performance, Amtrak curpart of its efforts to improve the passenger
rently restricts access to streaming video
experience.”
and the download of files larger than 10
Amtrak continues to make improvemegabytes, both of which consume large
ments to the performance of its on-board
amounts of bandwidth.
Wi-Fi service.
Creating a system that puts such limits in
Most recently, major bandwidth bottleplace was far more difficult than it sounds,
necks in the New York Penn station area
says McCampbell. “We really had to work
were removed when Amtrak completed
hard to solve those problems when we first
construction of a dedilaunched,” she says. “As next-generation,
cated wireless network
high-bandwidth wireless technologies —
that delivers a true
such as 4G, LTE and Wi-MAX — become
high-speed signal to
more prevalent, we’ll be able to ease our
trains traveling
current restrictions.”
through the tunnels
“There’s no denying that this amenity’s
and in the station
time has come. In this digital age, it is now
vicinity, including
more vital than ever that our passengers
while at the plathave Internet connectivity,” says Emmett
forms. Passengers
Fremaux Jr., vice president, Marketing &
previously experiProduct Development. “The need for Wi-Fi
enced slow and
has embedded itself in every part of modsometimes interern-day life, and Amtrak is prepared to suprupted service due
port this need.”
to the poor wireless
A complete list of Amtrak trains and stacoverage in the area, particularly in the tuntions with Wi-Fi service is on Amtrak.com. ■
nels.
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February 2011
Amtrak Ink
An Infusion of
Federal Funds
A
Using an overhead crane, Machinists Melvin
Griffith (kneeling) and Jeff Czap (standing)
remove a worn General Electric engine block
from a P-40 locomotive being rebuilt at the
maintenance facility in Beech Grove, Ind.
s the federal government’s two-year plan to
stimulate the national economy reaches its
scheduled completion of Feb. 17, Amtrak has
much to show for its $1.3 billion share.
The money from the American Recovery and
Reinvestment Act (ARRA) has touched nearly all
aspects of the company’s operations, helping modernize, expand capacity, repair infrastructure and
make other improvements. About half of the money
has gone toward major improvements along the
highly populated Northeast Corridor.
Among the highlights of what federal ARRA
money has helped the company achieve are:
• Updated stations for passengers, including the
newly renovated facility in Wilmington, Del.,
and the Auto Train station in Sanford, Fla.,
continued on the following page
Amtrak Ink
February 2011
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the introduction of Smart ID badges
for employees and contractors.
• Major infrastructure improvements,
such as the replacement of thousands
of old railroad ties with new concrete
and wooden ties and the installation of
electrical switch heaters in Chicago to
replace kerosene ones.
Mechanical forces completely overhauled nearly 100 cars and locomotives that had been out of
service, including wrecked Amfleet cars like this one, so they could be added back into the fleet.
continued from the previous page
Many other stations are also undergoing upgrades — including the
installation of wheelchair lifts — to
help make them more accessible to
people with disabilities.
• An expanded fleet. Eighty-one
wrecked or stored Amfleet, Superliner
and Viewliner cars and 15 P-40 locomotives are being repaired and returned
to service. By returning these cars to
service, the company has been able to
expand ridership and revenue. Among
other things, the additions have made it
possible to add a full Business class car
to the Pennsylvanian and Palmetto, and
additional coaches to Northeast
Regional and other routes.
• Nine century-old railroad bridges that
are being renovated or replaced,
including the ongoing replacement of
the Niantic River Bridge and
Pattaganset River (Miamicock) Bridge
in Connecticut.
• New state-of-the-art maintenance facilities in Hialeah, Fla., and Los Angeles.
Crews at these facilities will service
Superliner, Viewliner and Amfleet II
equipment fleets, among other work.
• Over 190 miles of maintenance on the
Northeast Corridor right-of-way to
help prevent service disruptions from
fallen trees and debris.
• Updated security measures, including
new fencing, surveillance cameras and
The Auto Train station, in Sanford, Fla., has been
completely rebuilt using ARRA funds.
• Better information for passengers, such
as upgrades to the automated phone
service and the installation of 86 new
static signs in stations.
A new Niantic River Bridge in Connecticut is being constructed to replace one built in 1907 that had become no longer economical to repair.
continued on page 10
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The Wilmington Station’s main concourse is
now brighter, and more customer-friendly.
Before the renovation.
I
n a melding of historic glory and modern efficiency, the century-old Wilmington Station will officially reclaim its
spot as a city centerpiece next month. A
formal ceremony planned for March will
mark the rededication of the historic
Delaware station, which reopened to passengers in December.
The renovation took nearly two years of
effort and reflects a successful partnership
between Amtrak, the state of Delaware
and the federal government. Congress provided $20 million for the project — just
over half of the money required — as part
of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA).
Restoring a Wilmington
Icon to Its Former Glory
waiting rooms in the south building. In its
Designed by Frank Furness and built in
more recent history, the women’s waiting
1907, the station is listed on the National
room had been turned into office space,
Register of Historic Places.
with carpet covering the marble floors, a
The renovation held “lots of surprises,”
façade of 1970ssays Erick Schlaufman,
era wood panelthe project manager for
ing over the
Engineering. “It’s a very
brick and cast
old building that needed
The preservation
stone and terra
a lot of work. We discovcotta on the
ered all kinds of things
and rebirth of this
walls, and a drop
that weren’t on the
architectural marvel will
ceiling hiding the
plans.”
original 20-footOne of the station’s
be Amtrak’s gift to
high coffered
most impressive historic
future generations.
areas, says Schlaufman, is
ceiling, says
the men’s and women’s
Schlaufman.
Amtrak Ink
The intricate design on the station’s staircase had become worn and faded, requiring detailed restoration work.
continued from previous page
“We ripped all of that out and are
restoring the room to its original glory,” he
says.
One of the biggest construction surprises came when the crew stripped off lay-
February 2011
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ture; the historic
framework built by
Frank Furness combined with the technology of the 21st
century,” says Sen.
Tom Carper of Delaware. “The end product
was well worth the 19-month wait.”
Carper, Vice President Joe Biden, and
other elected officials frequently commute
from Wilmington to Washington by train.
“The preservation and rebirth of this architectural marvel will be Amtrak’s gift to
future generations,” says Board Member
Bert DiClemente.
9
ers of paint on the ceiling of the women’s
waiting room and discovered the original
multi-color plaster underneath. That discovery led the design team to change the
planned paint scheme for the room to
match the original colors.
The main concourse of
the station, however, offered much less historic detail with which to
work.
“That interior
space of the building
was installed in the
early 1980s,” says
Schlaufman. “There
were brown bricks on
the floor and beige
paint on the ceiling.
There was nothing historic about what we
took out.”
As part of the renovation of the main
area, a sleek, rounded
Photo: Michael Baker, Jr. Inc.
ticket station was
Workers uncovered and restored the original architectural details
added to replace what that grace the ceiling of the women’s waiting room.
had been a long, dark
row of ticket booths. The
Adds Delaware Gov. Jack Markell:
change opens up more
“You get one shot at a first impression, and
space in the waiting area
for thousands of people, the renovated
for passengers, making it
Wilmington train station is where they will
more inviting.
take their first step in our state.” ■
“These renovations
marry the past with the fu-
The newly updated staircase is one of the station’s signature features.
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Stay on Track ... Keep Walking
I
n a response that far exceeded organizers’ expectations,
some 990 employees across the country have volunteered
to strap on pedometers and log their every step between
Feb. 1 and March 14 as part of the “Stay on Track … Keep
Walking” competition.
The contest — which offers a prize to the team and individual with the highest tally — is aimed at giving employees a fun and relatively painless way to improve their
health and fitness. Each team consists of 12 members.
Malva Daniel Reid, senior director Health Services
and Employee Assistance Program, says the effort is the
first of its kind to be offered companywide.
Employees who missed out on this round will get another chance to participate in a second contest that’s
scheduled to start at the beginning of April.
The goal is to get employees walking at least 10,000 steps a day
(or roughly five miles), the amount generally recommended by
medical experts.
The competition is part of a much larger company-wide effort
to promote good health.
“We want to really draw the link between being healthy and
productive versus unhealthy and unproductive,” says Reid.
Through a variety of
projects, the company
hopes to improve the
overall quality of life for
employees by helping
them lower their risk for
chronic diseases, thereby
also lowering health-insurance costs.
One project on the horizon is a Wellness Program,
which will be piloted in five
locations starting in April.
Employees at those sites will
be given the opportunity to
volunteer to go through a
“biometrics” screening and complete a health-risk assessment to
help them identify health risks and steps they can take to improve
their health.
“This is an up-front approach to get employees to focus on
their health before medical care is needed,” says Reid. “It’s an approach that is proactive, not reactive.” ■
The Stimulus Fund Projects
continued from page 7
• Health and safety improvements,
including the addition of automatic
external defibrillators (AEDs) in stations and aboard trains.
• Technology upgrades to help operations run more efficiently. For example,
employees at mechanical facilities now
have much faster computerized workmanagement systems.
“There is a lot of debate about the economic stimulus program,” says President
and CEO Joe Boardman. “What it did for
Amtrak was enable us to make improvements to the condition of our fleet and infrastructure, improve the safety and
capacity of our service, and hire or retain
nearly 3,000 talented people. Its benefits
are long-lasting and would not have been
otherwise accomplished in the near term.”
The jobs numbers include new hires,
contractors and employees whose jobs otherwise would have been eliminated. Many
of the contractors work for small companies.
Workers have replaced 85 kerosene switch heaters with
electric ones in the Chicago area.
“We’ve kept Amtrak people working
and we’ve added cars to the Amtrak fleet,”
says D.J. Stadtler, chief financial officer.
“We’re in a situation where we’re going to
have a bunch of folks retiring soon, and
with the stimulus money we’ve been able to
bring new people on board and train them.
So this has provided some succession planning.”
The ARRA projects were selected with
an eye toward four criteria: They created
and preserved a high number of jobs, met
pressing infrastructure needs, were achievable in a short amount of time and advanced the company’s top goals.
In all, Amtrak signed over 1,000 contracts using ARRA money. Boardman says
the ARRA projects will help the company
grow revenue and add riders. The federal
money’s ultimate legacy, he says, will be enhanced service for passengers around the
country. ■
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February 2011
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11
40th Anniversary Locomotives Begin to Roll Into Service
W
If loaning an item, it must be made availEngine 145
able for at least a year to be included in the
was the first to
join Amtrak’s reg- exhibit.
To make a donation or loan items to
ular fleet, and will
Amtrak for the exhibit train, contact Suzi
operate on routes
Andiman at [email protected] or 202throughout the
906-2537. Items should be clearly marked as
system
either a donation or loan, include the name
Engine 822
of the owner or donor, and be sent through
will power the
secure mail, FedEx or UPS. Please include
company’s anyour mailing address and phone number.
niversary exhibit
(Donated items are not tax deductible.) ■
train, which will travel across the country.
Its three display cars will feature historic
advertising, uniforms, photographs and
other items of interest. An Amfleet
Bistro car will provide space for a rotating exhibit and a gift shop.
The kick-off for the year-long anniversary celebration will be in May,
when employees will get a preview of
the exhibit train in Washington, D.C., in
conjunction with
Phase I paint scheme was introduced in 1972.
Employee Appreciation Day (May
1). The train will
be open to the
public on May 7,
in conjunction
with National
Train Day.
The company
is asking employees to donate or
Phase II paint scheme was introduced in 1975.
loan their memorabilia for use on
the exhibit train,
such as china used
Photo: Mike Milburn
in dining cars; uniThe newly repainted Engine 145 displays the Phase III paint scheme and is the first
forms from variof the anniversary locomotives to be put into regular service.
ous eras; past
advertisements;
and old menus from all trains.
The first two engines to be redone —
Employees who loan items will have
145 and 822 — now display equal red, white
their names listed in the exhibit’s
and blue stripes in honor of America’s Railbrochure. Donated items will be disroadSM. This color scheme, known as Phase
played with a plaque honoring the conIII, was introduced in 1979. The Phase I, II,
tributors.
and IV color schemes will also be reflected
Phase IV paint scheme was introduced in 1993.
in the anniversary collection.
ork on six locomotives being repainted in
“heritage” color schemes in
celebration of the company’s 40th anniversary is
underway, with the first engine having made its public
debut Jan. 30.
The engines selected
were due for new paint and
other updates and will reflect the four
major paint schemes in Amtrak’s history.
All of the craftwork on the anniversary
locomotives is being performed by employees at the maintenance facility in Beech
Grove, Ind. Design details are being overseen by Matt Donnelly in Marketing and
Product Development (Washington, D.C.),
and Blair Slaughter in Industrial Design
(Wilmington, Del.).
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February 2011
Amtrak Ink
Four Employees On Track to Celebrate 40 Years
Editor’s Note
Ed Courtemanch
Four employees have the distinction of having joined the
company in its first year — 1971 — and are on track to celebrate
their own 40th anniversaries this year. Here, they share their
recollections of what it was like to work for America’s Railroad in
its early days and how they’ve seen the company grow
and evolve.
Senior Principal, Operations Service
Planning
Washington, D.C.
Hired: August 2, 1971
Candy Bucyk
Manager, Payroll
Chicago
Hired: October 1, 1971
Candy Bucyk
First job: “I came from the freight railroad system — Burlington Northern,
which was moving from Chicago to St.
Paul, Minn. So Amtrak came along with
a job in its reservations bureau at a really perfect time for me.”
Thoughts about the company’s start: “There were no computers back
then. We did everything on paper, paper diagrams, as they called
them. It was archaic, but it was great. There was a really great feeling
among employees. If I needed a train going out West, the Santa Fe or
the Burlington would jump in. There was an everybody-helpingeverybody feeling.”
Other roles: “After working in reservations, I went into ticketing. And
I really wasn’t made for that. So a timekeeping job came up in the
yards at our Brighton Park facility. And in that I found my calling —
even though I’d been someone who
hated math her whole life. After that, I
moved into Payroll as a lead clerk,
around 1983. And then I became a financial specialist.”
How the company has changed: “One
thing I will say is that I feel very secure in my job. Amtrak has a solid
future. We have strong leadership. I love to see how the trains are getting better and better. I don’t mean to get syrupy. I’m talking from
true fact.”
Reasons for staying: “I just love payroll. I really pride myself on trying
to run my payroll section, which is huge, to the best of my ability.
I don’t allow people to complain about Amtrak to me. The company’s been very good to me. I didn’t have a lot of schooling. I learned
on the job. And anybody who doesn’t care for Amtrak, I always tell
them, you don’t have to stay here.”
Other passions: “My family. My mom is 94 and lives with me. And
then I have two daughters, they’re going to be 22 and 23.”
A favorite train trip: “I went with my daughters when they were
younger out to Flagstaff, Ariz. And then we went to the Grand
Canyon.”
Future plans: “I’m praying I can retire in 2012. That’s my goal.”
Ed Courtemanch
First job: “Senior planner. My initial assignment was to arrange for the operation
of the first state-supported service, the Illinois Zephyr. It still runs between Chicago
and Quincy.”
Thoughts about the company’s start: “When I arrived, Amtrak was
not yet a company. It was kind of a virtual organization run largely by
consultants and borrowed staff from the U.S. Department of Transportation. And over the first couple of years we hired management
people to replace them. I was one of the earliest.
I was interviewed for the job by the president, Roger Lewis, because there was no Human Resources department. My first couple
paychecks were even hand-signed by the corporate controller. That
didn’t last but maybe a month.
Also, on ‘Day One’ we didn’t really operate any service. We paid
the bills, but the freight railroads continued to operate the passenger
trains that were painted the same colors they were the day before
when they were operated for the freight railroads. There were more
than 20 railroads from which we took over deficit-producing operations. Those railroads subsequently merged into only six, including
two major Canadian railroads that own properties in the United
States. Over the years, Amtrak took over one function after another
so that we now do almost everything ourselves.”
Reasons for staying: “The people. I really enjoy helping people selfactualize, whether family, friends, colleagues. I like to offer some assistance or insight or a boost to help people believe in themselves. I like
to teach them something they didn’t know.
I took a group from Finance up to Sunnyside Yard, in New York,
the other day. They wanted a tour, and I told them I’d do it on one
condition: We had to go at night, because that’s when all the work
goes on. You have to go when it’s cold and dark and the yard is
crowded with stuff and there’s a lot going on. The railroad runs 24/7,
365 days-a-year. Those who work in offices really need to grasp that.”
How the company has changed: “I’ve had an
opportunity to observe all the managements
of Amtrak, starting with Roger Lewis. And
in watching their leadership styles, I’ve
found the one that works the best is what I
would characterize as done with ‘constancy
of purpose.’ You set a small number of
clear goals and you pursue those relentlessly for several years.”
A favorite train trip: “I remember in the early 80s riding up the front
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Amtrak Ink
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13
vein, I do hand-beading on jackets. My only vice is that I love to
read mysteries and romantic paperbacks. That’s my escape.”
continued from the previous page
face of the Rockies on Train 5, one of the first Superliners. And although I was engaged in the operation, interviewing customers and
all, I remember thinking to myself, I’m getting paid for this?”
Future plans: “I’m going to continue doing this perhaps for another
three to five years, unless future health issues interfere. I am past retirement age, but I keep doing this because I like Amtrak people. I
like our challenges.”
Jera Slaughter
Jera Slaughter
February 2011
A favorite train trip: “I took a few short trips with my children when
they were small. I’m not one to sit still for very long, so I haven’t
taken many cross-country trips.”
Future plans: “I could already be retired. But I told my husband I
would keep working because I have four grandchildren, and they’re
already trying to figure out how to spend all of my time. I’m not
quite ready for that.”
Lelani Wingler
Operator, Passenger Information Distribution Service
Chicago
Ticket and Accounting Clerk
Carbondale, Galesburg and Springfield, Ill.
Hired: October 1, 1971
Hired: October 1, 1971
First job: “I made the transition from
Santa Fe’s reservation office to Amtrak’s here in Chicago.”
Thoughts about the company’s start:
“We used hand cards to make reservations. We weren’t automated
back then. We had a big round spindle that you spun around, and
you grabbed the card for the train that you wanted and then penciled in the reservation. It was a lot of fun in those early days.”
Other roles: “I’ve had many jobs, but one of my favorites was working in the Metropolitan Lounge, which is our First class waiting
room. My favorite people are senior citizens because they’re such a
storehouse of knowledge. And I get great pleasure from helping
people.
Also, my co-workers jokingly refer to me as the voice of
Chicago’s Union Station because I do so many of our permanent announcements.”
Reasons for staying: “My passion is for the passengers who are in
need of help. My grandmother taught me how to treat others and
have a ‘giving attitude.’
I’ve got lots of stories. A month ago, for example, a war veteran inadvertently left his
luggage on the bus he took to get to the station. He was going out to California for a reunion, and while this isn’t part of my current
job, I got a call from an employee in the Metropolitan Lounge asking what to do. So I
called the bus company and talked them into
bringing the luggage back to the station. I said
Slaughter in an early
a little prayer, got the passenger on the train,
Amtrak promotional
and met the bus. Soon after I handed the lugphoto.
gage off to the conductor, the train started
moving. Three days later, I called the passenger at his hotel. He was
ecstatic that he got the chance to wear his uniform to the reunion.”
Other passions: “I volunteer. I was the first local school council
chairman at my son and daughter’s school. I also have a creative
First job: “I started in the reservation office in Chicago with Candy
[Bucyk] and Jera [Slaughter]. I answered Amtrak’s very first call to
the call center on my first day on
the job. I remember there were all
Lelani Wingler
of these Amtrak executives just
kind of hanging out in the center, eagerly waiting for the phone to
ring.”
Thoughts about the company’s start: “There was this sense of joining
something new and exciting. I remember we had red typewriters,
which at the time seemed so innovative.
I used to do all of the teletype for the entire office. If passengers
came in and wanted to go to New York, for example, we could make
that reservation for them. But to book the return to come back to
Chicago, we had to wire that request to New York.”
Other roles: “I worked in Chicago until ’82, in a variety of jobs. In
addition to reservations, I worked in the yards, worked as a time
keeper. Then I transferred to the ticket office in Decatur, Ill. These
days I’m based in Springfield, but spend most of my time working at
the Carbondale, Ill., station, which is about a three-hour commute.”
Reasons for staying: “I like the people I work with, the camaraderie,
the passengers.”
Other passions: “Reading, gardening, riding my bicycle, yoga,
weight-lifting, vacations. I’m very interested in healthy eating.”
A favorite train trip: “I especially remember traveling to San Francisco and then up to Seattle. That Coast Starlight’s a beautiful train.
You actually go through the mountains. We went in August, and it
was snowing. It was just beautiful.
Future plans: “I’m just taking things one day at a time.” ■
14
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February 2011
Amtrak Ink
Engel Lays Out Plans for America’s High-Speed Rail Future
I
n roughly 30 years, Al Engel envisions a
high-tech network of trains that glide at
speeds of 220 mph (354 kph) to transport people between some of America’s most
congested cities.
Engel, who joined Amtrak last fall in the
newly created role of vice president of HighSpeed Rail, says finding a way to fund and
build such a system is crucial, not only to the
company’s success, but to the country’s.
“In order to maintain our global competitiveness, this is one area we really have to
spend a little more time and money on,” he
says. “More large corporations today are
multinational, and they have options. If mobility becomes a real obstacle as the population in our major cities continues to swell, then the United States
will be less attractive for multinationals, and they will go elsewhere.”
Here, Engel talks about upcoming plans for building highspeed rail in the United States.
Q: What do you see as the most immediate high-speed rail
opportunities?
A: We’re working very aggressively to win a big contract for
Florida’s high-speed rail project, in partnership with Societe Nationale des Chemins de Fer Francais (SNCF) and Bechtel.
California’s also working on a major high-speed rail project in
the central valley, and we currently operate San Joaquin service
that runs parallel to where the new high-speed line is being
planned. So perhaps there’s a way that that segment can be used
on an interim basis for a higher performance service.
And in the Northeast Corridor (NEC), we have a master plan
known as the Gateway Project to implement a $52-billion program over 20 years. Right now we’re limited to 135 mph (217 kph)
on the south end by the Federal Railroad Administration. If we
make upgrades to the track and the overhead catenary and the
signal systems, the geometry will allow us to go faster than that.
But in order to go faster you have to have the equipment, the
trainsets, and you have to have the infrastructure upgraded to
allow those speeds and meet safety requirements.
Doing the conceptual plan — 2010: A Vision for High-Speed
Rail in the Northeast Corridor — and putting it out there has been
an important first step in moving the process forward.
We have so many people in the Northeast who love to ride
trains. If you build it, they will come. We already have 50 million
people in the Northeast Corridor. And that population’s going to
grow to 70 million by 2050. We will have the demand for service
once we put the service in place.
Q: What about plans to purchase new trainsets for
the Acela?
A: Our federal budget request for 2012 includes
plans to purchase 40 additional Acela cars, which
would add two cars to each of our 20 existing trainsets and allow us to meet growing ridership demand.
Those trains would certainly incorporate what
we learned from the first set. Hopefully they’ll be a
little lighter, they’ll have perhaps some amenities
the current trains don’t have. They’ll be longer
trains. And that impacts our maintenance facilities,
so we’ll have to make some adjustments there, some
investments.
Al Engel
And we’ve already begun the purchase of 70
new electric locomotives. They’re not high-speed, but they will replace some of the very aging AEM-7s, the very old locomotives
that are the bulk of the Northeast Regional service. So that’s going
to allow us to upgrade that service.
Q: What are some of the obstacles to expanding high-speed rail in
the United States?
A: There are some political leaders who say we can’t afford to do
big projects right now. We did the interstate highway system when
we had some challenging economic times. We kept building it,
through recessions, booms. And where would we be without it?
As President Barack Obama has said, if you want to increase
mobility in highly congested areas and you want to use less fuel
and you want to grow our economy, high-speed rail is an important part of the sustainable mobility solution. It’s vital to our
country’s future.
Our big limitation, of course, is New York Penn Station, the
number of tracks and capacity we have there. And we’re limited
to two single-track tunnels from the west under the Hudson River
right now. So we’re currently evaluating options for an expedited
approach to solving this bottleneck.
In addition, before we do any construction for new dedicated
track, we have to get through a preliminary engineering environmental-impact assessment. So the environmental impact statement has to get underway as soon as possible, and the Federal
Railroad Administration is the sponsor.
Q: What will expanded high-speed rail on the NEC mean for jobs?
A: The vision study indicates that over 7,000 new jobs will be created to basically handle all of the aspects of this kind of service
between Boston and Washington, D.C., everything from management and operations to maintenance.
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Amtrak Ink
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February 2011
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15
Q: What examples have you seen in other countries that you’d consider models for the United States?
Q: How did you first get interested in high-speed rail?
A: Well, I’m just amazed at how everybody is doing it.
Russia, for example, is building a high-speed corridor between
St. Petersburg and Moscow, which is 662 kilometers, just shy of the
distance between Boston and
Washington. They’ve designed it,
planned it, they’re going out for international bids to build it. And
they’re going to operate at 400 kph
(249 mph) peak. They project
they’ll have ridership of about 14
million on that line for a trip time
of 2 ½ hours — what was once an
overnight rail excursion.
China’s high-speed rail program is spectacular. It has 7,500
kilometers (4,660 miles) right now
that it classifies as high-speed rail.
And more than half of that runs at
over 300 kph (186 mph). In 2012,
Q: What’s the significance of WashChina plans to complete a line beington, D.C., and Philadelphia being Concept drawing of what the next generation of high-speed rail stations
tween Beijing and Shanghai that’s
along the Northeast Corridor might look like.
selected as sites for the next World
819 miles, which will be a fourHigh-Speed Rail Congress organized
hour trip.
by the Union of International Railways, which is scheduled for July
Turkey has a program that’s going to Eastern Europe.
2012?
Spain is spending something like $6-billion per year in building
out its high-speed network. Last month, Spain became the largest
A: That meeting will be an important opportunity for us to emphahigh-speed rail network in Europe. It has made high-speed rail a nasize to legislators and to the public in general that the whole world
tional policy. And it’s survived liberal and conservative administraunderstands it’s necessary to invest in high-speed rail because it’s
tions — it’s not become politicized.
the most sustainable mode of transportation and provides the best
That’s what we have to hopefully get across in this country. Invalue for building intercity transport capacity in 100- to 600-mile
frastructure
is too important to our nation’s future to let it become
corridors. Amtrak will be a major host of the convention, which will
■
politicized.
draw some 2,000 experts from around the world.
A: I’ve been involved in public transportation, rail transportation,
most of my life. My first 10 years I spent at General Electric, where
I became involved in the design and
later, the program management of
motive power, mostly electric motive
power. And it just sort of grows on
you. I was always fascinated by the
business. I actually worked with Amtrak back in 1971 on the first passenger electric locomotive procurement.
As part of my work in the mid
1980s, I had to travel to Europe
three to four times a year. And over
there I saw the Eurostar trains, the
TGV trains in France, the ICE trains
in Germany. And I kept saying, why
don’t we do this here in the United
States?
Amtrak California Launches New Website
®
The California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) recently streamlined its website,
AmtrakCalifornia.com, making it easier for travelers to book trips with a direct link to
Amtrak.com. In the first few months since its launch, bookings generated from AmtrakCalifornia.com were up 170 percent and revenue was up 160 percent.
The new site is easier to navigate and provides a link to the Amtrak Guest Rewards®
frequent-traveler program.
“The reinvented website focuses on customer-friendly access to Amtrak California
destinations, events and timely passenger information, including a seamless booking
link with our partner at Amtrak.com,” says Cindy McKim, director of Caltrans.
Among the site’s features is an interactive map that details stations throughout the state, searchable by ZIP code. Visitors can also track the
status of en route trains and get timely service announcements.
The site highlights vacation travel options on the Pacific Surfliner and San Joaquin routes.
Visitors to the site have the option to sign up for e-mail alerts and to get news about hot deals and promotions. In addition, Amtrak California
offers exclusive discounts to places like Universal Studios Hollywood and Madame Tussauds Hollywood.
Passengers can follow Amtrak California on Twitter at: www.twitter.com/Amtrak_CA and Facebook at www.facebook.com/amtrakcalifornia.
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February 2011
Amtrak Ink
A Rail Love Story and Proposal
Dear Amtrak:
I am writing to inform you of my memorable experience aboard Amtrak Cascades Train 507. Your
conductors, Mr. Ray Schmidt and Mr. Nick Lambert, were responsible for outstanding service. …
To provide you context, I need to share with you of my travels on January 14, 2011 from Seattle to
Centralia. Although I have been riding Amtrak Cascades since 2006, this trip was extra special to
me — I was proposing to my girlfriend, Sarah. While I was attending law school at the University of
Oregon and Sarah was studying nursing at the University of Washington, we relied upon the train
to bring us together at our meeting place in Centralia. The train symbolically bridged our long distance relationship. With fond memories of the Amtrak Cascades, it seemed fitting to plan a surprise
proposal for Sarah on the train.
Although I had been planning for months, my proposal on your train almost didn’t happen. We departed Seattle on one of the busiest Fridays of the year — right before a long MLK Day weekend.
The train was full. Despite this situation, Ray came to the rescue. After sharing my plans with him
on Thursday, Ray explained the challenging situation but he assured me he would try his best —
but no promises. He reworked the seating assignments so we could have privacy during the actual
proposal — if only for the 14-minute ride to Tukwila.
Photo courtesy of John Lee
On Friday, Ray made sure I had time to set up in Car 5. Nick helped by seating us in Car 4. When the train started moving away from Seattle, Ray
took on an actor’s role and casually asked us to move to Car 5 because of a “mistake” in seating assignments. With an unplanned WSDOT film
crew present, the rest is history. Sarah was shocked and said yes, and we celebrated all the way to historic downtown Centralia. …
Because of Ray and Nick’s creativity and can-do attitude, Sarah and I had an unforgettable experience. …
Sincerely,
John Lee
Note: You can view the video of John’s proposal on the Amtrak Cascades Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/AmtrakCascades.
Front Line Focus
Dear Amtrak,
Dear Amtrak,
A brief note to commend Cabin Attendant Victor Kral.
I traveled on the Southwest Chief … from Albuquerque to Los
Angeles, and Victor was my cabin attendant on that train. …
He is the tops. Victor goes out of his way to make his passengers
feel right at home, from hot towels to flowers for the ladies on arrival in Los Angeles Union Station.
He keeps his passengers up-to-date on everything on the train,
pointing out points of interest, etc. … He also waits until all passengers in his car are up before making any announcements in the
morning. I know this for a fact because I was the last one up that
morning coming into Union Station. …
As a former flight attendant for Continental Airlines, I know
what good service is all about. I left my 23-year career in 1983 and
then went to work for Nordstrom, another company that stresses
customer service. …
Again, thank you. …
On my return from a very important business meeting in Albany… I had the good fortune of having my original Amtrak return
reservation changed … to a later train by an employee who understands the true meaning of employing good customer service and
work ethics when interacting with the public. …
Mr. Jonathan Argust, the Amtrak Ticket Agent at the Rensselaer Train Station, exhibited qualities that really assisted in my making the transition from canceling my original return reservation to
replacing it with a new one to accommodate the change caused by
business meetings which exceeded the scheduled time. …
One must give credit to Mr. Argust for performing in such a professional manner. Amtrak’s Customer Service Representatives’ interactions with the general public are the key to continued success
for individual travelers. ... The special hands-on, quiet, unassuming,
natural manner of interacting with the customers and taking the
initiative to go the extra mile will be remembered long after the
train ride has ended.
Sincerely,
Southwest Chief Passenger
Sincerely,
Ethan Allen Express Passenger
Amtrak Ink
February 2011
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17
Promotions in Motion
From Snowflakes to Sunshine
Amtrak Guest Rewards® is encouraging
Acela Express passengers to think beyond
the cold weather by earning a free summer
trip through the Great Escape promotion.
Customers who take three qualifying trips
on Acela between now and March 19 will
earn one free Acela trip that can be taken
from July 3 until Aug. 31.
Other winter travel specials include:
• A 15 percent discount on travel
between now and April 30 on the
Missouri River Runner, which runs
between Kansas City, Mo., and St.
Louis.
• A 15 percent discount on all
Michigan routes — the Blue Water,
Pere Marquette and Wolverines.
• A 20 percent discount on Illinois
routes, including the Carl
Sandburg, Illini, Illinois
Zephyr, Lincoln Service, and
Saluki.
Certain terms and conditions
apply to all offers.
Cultivating Tomorrow’s Engineers and Scientists
The company is offering discounted tickets to travelers going to the
First Robotics Competition in St. Louis.
Teams of 25 high-school students each com-
pete by building and programming robots to perform prescribed tasks.
The first round of competition is scheduled for March 1719 at St. Louis University, with
the finals taking place April 2720.
People attending the events
can receive a 20 percent discount on travel on the Lincoln
Service, Missouri River Runner and Texas
Eagle by using the promotional code V515
when booking their trips. Some restrictions
apply.
Historic Philadelphia Discount
As a co-sponsor of an interactive theater
experience known as “Liberty 360” at Historic Philadelphia, Amtrak has secured a
discount for its frequent travelers and
employees.
The 3-D show “is
an amazing and
emotional celebration of the iconic
symbols which have
shaped the history of
Photo: Adriana M. Groisman
America and are still
significant in the
hearts and daily lives of its people,” according to the center.
Members of
Amtrak’s
Guest Rewards
and Amtrak
employees can
save $2 off of
the $7 adult admission fee to
see the show.
The center’s
Photo: R. Kennedy
website encourages visitors to take Amtrak to get to the
exhibit.
‘Trainsportation’ Video Contest
Amtrak is calling on college students in
Illinois, Michigan, Missouri and Wisconsin to
submit an original
two-minute, traintravel video as part of
its second annual
Amtrak Trainsportation Video Contest.
Submissions are due
by Feb. 28.
The top five finalists will be posted on
Amtrak.com, and
the public will vote
to decide who wins the top honor. More
than $3,000 worth of prizes will be awarded,
including a MacBook Air, a Fuji 3D digital
camera, and travel on Amtrak. ■
Calif. Station Volunteer Honored
for Decade of Warm Welcomes
Ten years ago, a rail advocate by the name of Doras Briggs started the California Rail Host
Program, and ever since has been a host herself at the Emeryville Amtrak station. Briggs,
whose apartment overlooks the station and who is 92 years old, continues to gather a
following of people throughout the state to perform this wonderful contribution to the
traveling public and to Amtrak at many of our stations.
On Jan. 15, Joe McHugh, vice president, Government Affairs and Corporate Communications, honored Briggs for her work and the 10th anniversary of the program by presenting
her with a special memento. “It is people like Doras who help us not only be a better
company, but show us ways to better serve our passengers. She is a national treasure,”
said McHugh.
Photo: Greig Pirie
Doras Briggs, shown here with Ticketing Clerk
Noelle Samuels, rides out to meet and greet the
passengers from an incoming train.
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February 2011
Amtrak Ink
Employee Milestones
Congratulations to All of You!
MANNING, SHAWN
Midway Tower
ALEJANDRE, JUAN
San Diego Station/
Mechanical
ALEXANDER,
RICHARD
Wilmington Shops
BRUSS, RICHARD
Wilmington Shops
LETTERIELLO, JOHN
New York Penn Station
MEIGHAN, DEANDRA
Los Angeles Offices
RAUPP, KENNETH
Auto Train Lorton
Station
BRZEZINSKI, EDWARD
Chicago Mech. &
Terminal Offices
BONNER, CATHY
Mid-Atlantic
Reservation Sales
Contact Center
NELSON, DAVID
Ivy City Maint. Facility
OLIER, BONNIE
Springfield MA Station
PEREZ, ELIZABETH
Sanford Station
CORTES, PABLO
Los Angeles Offices
REYES, MARCOS
Los Angeles 8th St.
Coach Yard
DURAN, MARIA
Los Angeles 8th St.
Coach Yard
RUBIO, RAUL
Los Angeles Offices
FLOTTE, ULISES
Los Angeles Offices
FRENDS, MARK
Los Angeles Offices
SANTIAGO, GREGORY
Springfield Station
SANTOS, ROBERT
Wester Reservation
Sales Contact Center
SLAPCINSKY, TINA
CNOC
FRITZ, ROBERT
Los Angeles Offices
SMITH, VICTOR
Los Angeles 8th St.
Coach Yard
HITCHCOCK,
CATHERINE
Phila. 30th Street
Station
STULL, KENNETH
Wester Reservation
Sales Contact Center
JONES, ALLEN
Mid-Atlantic
Reservation Sales
Contact Center
JOYCE, WILLIAM
Chicago Offices
LUCATAMO, JOHN
Bear Car Shop
LUNDY, STEVEN
Sunnyside Yard N.Y.
MACIOCHA, RICHARD
Phila. 30th Street
Station
MADDOX, AMANDA
Work From Home
Philadelphia CC
FITZGERALD,
WILLIAM
South Hampton St. Yard
BAIRD, ALFRED
Richmond Station
NEALY, JACK
Los Angeles Offices
FLORES, ALICIA
Los Angeles 8th St.
Coach Yard
FERRITTO, CARL
Sanford Station
MATTHEWS, SHEILA
Mid-Atlantic
Reservation Sales
Contact Center
BABCOCK, ROBIN
Pontiac Station
CABRAL, LETICIA
Western Reservation
Sales Contact Center
BRENDA, WALTER
Niagara Falls Station
RIGER, PAUL
Corp. HQ, Wash., D.C.
SUDDOO-MORGAN,
MIRIAM
Baltimore Station
THOMAS, JANE
Auto Train Lorton
Station
BROWN, NANCY
Eugene Station
CLARK, DAVID
Portland Crew Base
CORCORAN, MICHAEL
Bear Car Shop
COZZI, STEVEN
Chicago Mech. &
Terminal Offices
DANIEL, DENNIS
Chicago Mech. &
Terminal Offices
EHLEND, SHEILA
New Orleans Maint.
Facility
DERRICO, GLEN
Chicago Mech. &
Terminal Offices
LENARD, GERRI
Corp. HQ, Wash., D.C.
DIAZ, JESSE
Chicago Mech. &
Terminal Offices
SALMON, RICHARD
CNOC
ALLEN, ROBERT
Chicago Mech. &
Terminal Offices
WAELTZ, ROBERT
Mid-Atlantic
Reservation Sales
Contact Center
ARONSON, ALBERT
Conn DOT Commuter
WELLER, STACY
Oakland Station
BUTLER, THOMAS
Wilmington Shops
DEIBLER, KIM
Harrisburg Station
VAUGHAN, DELCINA
Sunnyside Yard N.Y.
WEED, CRAIG
New York Division HQ
BURNS, JAMES
Brighton Park Facility
CRAWFORD, HAZEL
Boston South Station
SZYMANSKI, THOMAS
New York Penn Station
WAUGH,
CHRISTOPHER
Boston South Station
BUKOWSKI, JOHN
Chicago Mech. &
Terminal Offices
BATTAGLIA, DAVID
Chicago Mech. &
Terminal Offices
BORNMAN, TERRY
Harrisburg Station
BOUDREAU, JAMES
Chicago Offices
DIAZ, RAUL
Chicago Mech. &
Terminal Offices
EAMES, DENNIS
Rensselaer Mech.
Facility
ELLINGTON, WILLIE
Miami Mechanical Yard
ENGLISH, WILLIAM
New Haven Station
FAHRENKOPF, JOSEPH
Rensselaer Mech.
Facility
FALLAVOLLITA,
ROBERT South
Hampton St. Yard
GHOLAR, JESSE
Chicago Mech. &
Terminal Offices
GIBILARO, GERALD
New York Penn Station
GILBERT, JOHN
Chicago Locomotive
Shop
HART, GLADYS
Chicago Mech. &
Terminal Offices
HAYMER, BETTY
Brighton Park Facility
HUGHES, MARK
South Hampton St. Yard
JONES, DIANE
Corp. HQ, Wash., D.C.
JONES, WILLIE
Chicago Mech. &
Terminal Offices
KELLEY, DAVID
South Hampton St. Yard
KELLEY, GERALD
South Hampton St. Yard
KENEE, JOHN
Harrisburg Station
KINNEY, DONALD
South Hampton St. Yard
KOEPPEL, JOHN
Rensselaer Mech.
Facility
LACROIX, ROBERT
Corp. HQ, Wash., D.C.
LAVINA, CHARLES
South Hampton St. Yard
LEWIS, JAMES
Chicago Mech. &
Terminal Offices
MACIE, BRUCE
Niagara Falls Station
Amtrak Ink
February 2011
|
19
Employee Milestones
Congratulations to All of You!
MACIEJEWSKI, LARRY
Niagara Falls Station
ROMANO, FRANK
Niagara Falls Station
MAHONEY, THOMAS
Philadelphia Coach
Yard
ROSS, JAMES
Depew Station
MARTIN, DOUGLAS
Chicago Mech. &
Terminal Offices
MCAFEE, MELDO
Chicago Mech. &
Terminal Offices
MCCABE, MARK
Rensselaer Mech.
Facility
MCFEELY, WILLIAM
Buffalo Station
MCKENNA, RICHARD
South Hampton St.
Yard
MERENDA, JOSEPH
South Hampton St.
Yard
MERLIN, MICHAEL
Chicago Mech. &
Terminal Offices
MURPHY, FRANCIS
Corp. HQ, Wash., D.C.
MURRAY, ROY
Chicago Mech. &
Terminal Offices
NOLL, HOWARD
Depew Station
OKANE, WILLIAM
South Hampton St.
Yard
PARKER, CEASAR
Chicago Mech. &
Terminal Offices
PATTERSON, RAVION
Chicago Mech. &
Terminal Offices
RUSSELL, GEORGE
Sanford Station
SACCO, PAUL
South Hampton St.
Yard
SCHOENHALS, JAMES
Niagara Falls Station
SENSALE, LOUIS
South Hampton St.
Yard
TERRELL, RONALD
Chicago Mech. &
Terminal Offices
VASSO, RALPH
Philadelphia Coach
Yard
VOIGHT, MICHAEL
Brighton Park Facility
VOIRA, ROMEO
Mechanical Office,
Washington, D.C.
WAGNER, JAMES
Philadelphia Coach
Yard
KEYS, DAVID
Perryville M/W Base
ADAMS, HENRY
Baltimore Station
LO, TONY
Los Angeles Offices
ADDO, ADOTEY
New York Penn Station
MANDEVILLE, SUSAN
Western Reservation
Sales Contact Center
BOYD, ALEX
Phila. 30th Street
Station
MEBANE, RICHARD
Raymond Plaza West
BOYLE, FRANCIS
Philadelphia Coach
Yard
MEDARIS, JOHN
W. Oakland Maint.
Facility
CARME,
CHRISTOPHER
Springfield Mass.
Station
MITCHELL, KIRK
Miami Station
CHAMBERLAIN, SARA
Hollywood Station
NUNES, RAY
Miami Station
MORENO, JIMMY
T&E Crew Base - El Paso
SLAY, GILBERT
New York Penn Station
WARFIELD, JOSEPH
Philadelphia Coach
Yard
SLOWEY, JAMES
Niagara Falls Station
WEATHERS, DOROTHY
Brighton Park Facility
COOPER, RUSSELL
Corp. HQ, Wash., D.C.
SMALL, LAWRENCE
Lancaster Station
OKAMOTO, EUGENE
Little Rock Station
WHITE, EDWARD
South Hampton St.
Yard
DENNIS, PAULA
Seattle Mechanical
Yard
OSBORNE, DAVID
Beech Grove
Maintenance Facility
WILLIAMS, JOHNNY
Chicago Mech. &
Terminal Offices
DIXON, CLAUDE
D.C. Coach Yard
POPP, JAMES
Beech Grove
Maintenance Facility
SMITH, ANTHONY
Niagara Falls Station
SOLIMENE, ROBERT
Mechanical Office,
Washington, D.C.
SORAGHAN,
TERRENCE
Brighton Park Facility
SPACCAFERRO,
VINCENZO
Chicago Mech. &
Terminal Offices
SPISAK, WILLIAM
Chicago Mech. &
Terminal Offices
SPRAGUE, JOSEPH
Philadelphia Coach
Yard
WILLIAMS,
JONATHAN
Brighton Park Facility
WILLIAMS, PORTIA
Chicago Mech. &
Terminal Offices
WILLIAMS, THOMAS
Chicago Mech. &
Terminal Offices
WILSON, GERALD
Chicago Mech. &
Terminal Offices
WOOD, LEE
Sanford Station
SPRINGERLEPKOWSKI, PATRICIA
New York Division HQ
PRALL, FRANK
South Hampton St.
Yard
YEAGER, ROBERT
Phila. 30th Street
Station
SULLIVAN, JOHN
Providence Station
PYNE, MICHAEL
Conn DOT Commuter
SUTTON, THERESIA
Brighton Park Facility
YONAN, HOMER
Los Angeles 8th St.
Coach Yard
FLORES, GEORGE
Los Angeles 8th St.
Coach Yard
POWELL, WILLIAM
Sacramento Station
GANTZ, JOHN
Lancaster Station
RAY, MICHAEL
Perryville M/W Base
HARDY, DANIEL
Pontiac Station
RICE, GARY
Quad Ave. M/W Base
HARLEY, MAYNARD
Los Angeles Offices
SERVEDIO, GARY
Mid-Atlantic
Reservation Sales
Contact Center
HINCKLEY, PETER
W. Oakland Maint.
Facility
JACOBS, DIXIE
C&S Repair Shop
JOHNSON, DANIEL
Beech Grove
Maintenance Facility
KAPELA, MICHAEL
Ivy City Maint. Facility
KERAMAS,
THEODOROS
MOW Base
SHEAHAN, KERRY
Naperville Station
SMITH, CLYDE
Chicago Union Station
SMITH, JACK
Niles Station
THOMPSON, DOREEN
Pa. Reservation & Sales
Office
WHITLEY, PHILIP
New Orleans Station
Presorted
Standard
U.S. Postage
PAID
Des Moines, IA
Permit No. 589
60 Massachusetts Avenue, N.E.
Washington, D.C. 20002
To change your address, call 1-888-MY-HR-ESC (1-888-694-7372)
or send an e-mail message to [email protected].
This Month In Amtrak History
FEBRUARY
February 7, 1972
TurboTrain is placed on WashingtonParkersburg, W. Va., route, which ultimately proved to be ill-suited for
the steep mountain grades.
February 15, 1977
The Empire Service’s New York-Albany route is increased to a total of
eight round trips.
February 2, 2004
Silver Meteor celebrates 65 years of
service between New York and
Miami.