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As suggested, for casual users of this forum I am starting a thread on my newest TrainWeb article, about a jaunt on the Southwest Chief to trackside hotels in La Plata, Mo., and Winslow, Ariz.
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There was one item I forgot to mention in the post about the SWC.
It was that on No. 3 from La Plata to Winslow, we encountered a woman in Amtrak crew uniform wearing a lapel tag that said "Service Quality Supervisor" or something of that nature.
I asked her what her tasks were, and they sounded very much like those of the old Train Chiefs. I told her so, and she said not really -- such supervisors don't ride every long-distance train. But judging from what she said, they do so a lot. This may help explain why crew service quality has improved so much in the last year or so.
She pitched in in the dining car, something the old train chiefs often did during very busy times.
I didn't see a supervisor on No. 4 a couple of days later.
Posts: 2236 | From: Evanston, Ill. and Ontonagon, Mich. | Registered: Feb 2007
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Right Mr. Kisor- I believe they will be aboard certain LD trains for usually part of the full run; say from KCY-LAX. Generally they are assigned a room up in the Crew Dorm. Good to hear they are "pitching in" during busy or short-staffed times such as you mention in the dining car.
During my "run" at Amtrak, I encountered the period of no on-board "chiefs" at all (early 80's) through the era when they were staffed on almost every LD train in the country and for the entire route, up to the later times when the Cheifs were gradually phased out due to various reasons.
I saw the full gamut-- Chiefs who would intensely help in every way they could to those who would do virtually absolutely nothing but sit in their room. On the 1-10 scale there were 1's, 10's and in-betweens...
Victor Kral was an exellent OBS Chief, a "10." He is still working out there; I believe as a sleeping car attendant. If you see him, say hello!
Posts: 588 | From: East San Diego County, CA | Registered: Oct 2004
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Another train chief who was superb was Reggie Howard, who, I believe, returned to sleeper service after the chiefs' program was phased out. He would collect all the small kids on the train and take them to the dorm car like a Pied Piper for an hour's worth of fun and games.
Then there was one -- I met him but forgot his name -- who plunged into the Colorado River and rescued a suicidal passenger.
Yes, there were plenty of lazy chiefs who should never have been allowed to deal with the public. That was a tough job, especially if No. 6 was very late getting into Denver.
Posts: 2236 | From: Evanston, Ill. and Ontonagon, Mich. | Registered: Feb 2007
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Henry, your writing is as fine as always BUT the photos which accompany this piece are absolutely stunning.
Are you naturally that good with a camera or have you been practicing?
-------------------- David Pressley
Advocating for passenger trains since 1973!
Climbing toward 5,000 posts like the Southwest Chief ascending Raton Pass. Cautiously, not nearly as fast as in the old days, and hoping to avoid premature reroutes. Posts: 4203 | From: Western North Carolina | Registered: Feb 2004
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That is a marketing term for a non-professional photographer who takes lots and lots of pictures but posts only the lucky few good ones and hides the hundreds of rotten ones.
Posts: 2236 | From: Evanston, Ill. and Ontonagon, Mich. | Registered: Feb 2007
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quote:Originally posted by Henry Kisor: I am what is called a "Gifted Amateur."
That is a marketing term for a non-professional photographer who takes lots and lots of pictures but posts only the lucky few good ones and hides the hundreds of rotten ones.
And digital cameras have made it so much easier to take lots and lots of pictures thus getting a few good ones, no?
-------------------- David Pressley
Advocating for passenger trains since 1973!
Climbing toward 5,000 posts like the Southwest Chief ascending Raton Pass. Cautiously, not nearly as fast as in the old days, and hoping to avoid premature reroutes. Posts: 4203 | From: Western North Carolina | Registered: Feb 2004
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Henry in Zephyr on page 117 you write "poor Nebraska so flat and featureless..."Wrong. I must disagree with you. Scotts Bluff is a beautiful place high above ground level. The view is amazing and beautiful. On the top is a path with plants on either side. The Baily train yards are the largest in the world. they say 150,000 rail cars come through every day, There is a 4 sided observation tower with those Telescope things to watch trains come and go. ( well I didn'd call them thingies). The train yards are in North Platte. The scenery all through the state is lovely. There are wonderful museums and Pony Express offices, art galleries.throughout the state. I will admit most of it is a driving tour. We discovered all this while we were following the Oregon Trail. I would go back there in a flash if I could. Parts of the state have natural outcroppings like those seen in the southwwest.The National Park Service is in charge of Scotts Bluff.
Posts: 1577 | From: virginia | Registered: Jun 2005
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Train Lady, Nebraskans spanked me roundly for that back in 1994. But I will stick to my assertion that along the route of the Zephyr by day all you see is grain and elevators. Why else did the Burlington choose to sneak the train through that state at night?
Posts: 2236 | From: Evanston, Ill. and Ontonagon, Mich. | Registered: Feb 2007
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From the topographic maps at the above linked site, it should be evident that once West of North Platte (I-80; UP) or McCook (US34; BNSF/Amtrak) that the topography starts to change.
As examples, elevation (source: UP PTT) at Omaha 1033ft; Grand Island 1864; North Platte 2802; Bushnell 4868. As reference Cheyenne is 6060.
The Bailey Yard observation tower at North Platte is well worth the $6 admission. Also of interest; Pioneer Village at Minden is quite visible to the North as 5-6 pass through the municipality.
Posts: 9975 | From: Clarendon Hills, IL USA (BNSF Chicago Sub MP 18.71) | Registered: Apr 2002
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That settles it. I'm moving to Nebraska forthwith.
Posts: 2236 | From: Evanston, Ill. and Ontonagon, Mich. | Registered: Feb 2007
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Do you need help packing? But then do you think it is safe for you in Nebraska?
Posts: 1577 | From: virginia | Registered: Jun 2005
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Nebraska does indeed have two narrow bands of "flat and featureless": I80 in the Platte River Valley and the Zephyr route in the Republican River Valley.
As for the rest of the state, there are many beautiful regions. The Sand Hills provide awesome vistas, sand dunes and pine forests, surprize canyons and waterfalls, real cowboys on real ranches, and counties bigger than Rhode Island. There was a road I drove once there paved the width of ONE car with almost no grading over hilly country for 100 miles. No posted speed limit, just the limit of how fast you could handle a strip of smooth asphalt poured onto the exact contour of the land.
The Black Hills extend into northwestern Nebraska in the area around Chadron. Same scenery, less tourist traps. The bluff country along the Missouri River on the northern border is very rugged and scenic.
If you take away Superior's North Shore from Minnesota and the Black Hills from SD, Nebraska outshines any state in flyover land. It has been a destination for me on many an auto trip.
There is considerable National Forest Land (pines) in Nebraska, although much has been ravaged by fire. Johnny Carson came from Norfolk. And do you remember which 3 time presidential candidate was from Weeping Water?
Posts: 1572 | From: St. Paul, MN | Registered: Dec 2002
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OK, I'll jump on the Nebraska bandwagon. One of our best travel days was in Nebraska. It was not so much the terrain as the interesting local scenes in small towns that we enjoyed. While later we saw magnificent Scotts Bluff (surprised not to see John Wayne) and the Sand Hills on the way to the Badlands this part of the journey was a real highlight.
Rather than drive I-80 we spent the day on parallel US30, also known as 'The Old Iron Road''. This really is America's heartland. Every town was interesting including some of the attractions mentioned by GBN and Train Lady.
Of course the fact that we also paralleled the UP mainline wasn't lost on my wife.
Posts: 2397 | From: Camden, SC | Registered: Mar 2006
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Train Lady, maybe you are right. Every time the Zephyr stops at McCook, small boys hurl rocks at my sleeper window. By the time the train reaches Omaha, the north side of the Superliner looks like a moonscape. And I dare not step off the train there for fear of lynch mobs.
Posts: 2236 | From: Evanston, Ill. and Ontonagon, Mich. | Registered: Feb 2007
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Check out these two books from Mountain Press Publishing Company:
"Roadside Geology of Nebraska," by Maher, Engelmann, & Shuster (2003, 264 pp,)
"Roadside History of Nebraska," by Candy Moulton (1997, 392 pp.)
Uh-oh -- now my secret is out! I rely on these 2 Mountain Press series heavily for the railroad guides posted on my web site.
Posts: 2428 | From: Grayling, MI | Registered: Mar 2002
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