Oh, wait, I get it. You mean that you booked accomodations for three passengers on a sleeper. OK. For a moment, I thought you booked three sleeping cars full of passengers (about 100 people or so). According to www.narprail.org , the usual tip is between $3 - $5 per night traveled, for the sleeper crew. The waitstaff in the diner would recieve the customary 15%.

[This message has been edited by CG96 (edited 01-24-2004).]
 

Sleeping Car Attendant; $5 per person per night with a minimum of $10 for occupying a Deluxe. This includes one 'gofer' per day, such as drinks from the lounge. More gofers, more $$$, however if a gofer is a meal, that is tipped above this guideline.

The only time I would reduce a tip below this guideline would be for such as failure to make up a bunk or a missed wake up call resulting in a hasty departure from the train with a missed shower or even leaving belongings behind. 'Oh I just don't like him/her' is insufficient grounds to reduce or pass a tip.

Dining car: If your meal is included in your room charge, I use $2 for breakfast or lunch, $3 for dinner plus 15-20% of any bar bill.

Lounge; 15-20% of your purchase.

In short, for 24 hours of Sleeping Car travel, figure $20 in tips is part of your transportation cost. Also be certain to bring a wad of small bills as there is no reasonable way to otherwise proffer a tip. Although periodically, I have been forced to "make change' for a tip with $$$ left on the table by other diners, that rule throughout the world of once the $$$$ are on the table, they belong to the staff is quite prevalent.

In closing, tipping is one of these baffling customs of our world. In fact, in a sci-fi that still makes rounds on the TV movie channels "The Day the Earth Stood Still', "the Martian' (played by then-heartthrob actor Dana Andrews) started to "blow his cover" when he failed to tip at a restaurant. One of these days, there will be a law against it, with the tip simply being built into the price of the service, but until then, I always tell myself 'just live with it".
 

But away from Amtrak, I'm known for tipping hotel housekeepers ($3/day), barbers ($2/clip), car wash attendants($3/wash), newspaper carrier ($50/@Xmas), Parking Valets ($3/assuming my auto is in one piece), USPS letter carrier (a salutation/$$ is againast the law).

Judge for yourself to what extent I am either generous or a cheapskate.

[This message has been edited by Gilbert B Norman (edited 01-27-2004).]
 

I tend to tip about the same as outlined by Mr. Norman. But I'm wondering if I should give my tipping practices a second look. After all, the Pullman Company went away long ago. Is this just an old custom we continue to follow as we tip already adequately compensated employees for performing their basic job duties?

For now, I'll continue my tipping ways. But I'd appreciate some information on pay and benefits of Amtrak service crew employees.
 

Lounge car steward gets loose change upto a dollar, maybe a bit more if purchases exceed $10.

I for one certainly don't believe in tipping for the sake of tipping. It should be for service that is in the upper half of the range poor-average-excellent. Tipping somebody just for doing their paid job is still a little alien to me.

Where service has been included as part of the bill "for your convenience", I simply reduce it according to how cheeky I feel that restaraunt is on the day. Tipping must be optional, never expected or "suggested". One "suggested" I leave 20% but they got nothing for that and the fact it was mediocre service.

Sorry guys and gals, but you have to work to earn my hard-earned cash!

Geoff M.
 

I am now almost 23 years removed from the railroad industry. Even if I had knowledge of existing rates of pay for any class or craft of railroad employee, I know of at least one retired locomotive engineer who believes 'it is no one's business what we earn'.

The interesting point raised by Mr. Zephyr is that "quasi government' USPS employees are prohibited from accepting any $$$ gratuities (source: their website's FAQ), yet "quasi government' Amtrak employees are free to accept them.

Of interest regarding postal employees is that a gift of tangible property less than $20 is OK, $$$ in any amount is not. Recently our carrier (best one I've ever had in 25 years around here) left for maternity leave. "We the neighborhood' passed the hat, and bought her a gift of tangible property in the $50-75 range. This was done with the complete blessing of the Postmaster.

But I'm asking about base salary ranges for the different job descriptions. I worked for the Federal government in a previous life, and this information for the various GS levels was considered public information. Actual earnings of employees was strictly confidential.

So, can anyone lead me to a site that gives wage grades, annual salary ranges, employee benefits, and job descriptions of the Amtrak service crew positions (the one's who generally receive tips)?

By the way, Sheriff, I'm looking forward to reading your book.

in regards to the hardworking amtrak lounge attentants, i realize they are working hard and maybe sometimes deserve a tip. But i have worked in 24 hour gas stations on the graveyard shift, made coffee at 4 am for people, and did i ever get a tip? NO!

also, after the train trip the crew gets a few days off at their home base, so although they work like dogs while working, they do get rest at the end.

what i am trying to say is, if a crew member on the train is really doing their job well and is extra special, by all means tip. but i dont believe in tipping just for the sake of tipping, there are many people in the world working other jobs and working their butts off who dont get tips!
 

shanghiamtrak:
I couldn't agree with you more about the tipping. If you do not get good service then by all means do not tip. Unfortunately I have seen the way some of the OBS, and Conductors as far as that goes, treat passengers. If I had my say they would sit home for a couple of weeks, without pay, to think about the fact they are serving the public. Most of the guys and gals are pretty good but once again you will always find some which are lazy. But remember we do take a lot of abuse out there and sometimes our patients do run a little short. We have our good days and bad days just like you on your job.
 

I think a question about Amtrak base salary schedules & benefits is not intruding on anyone's privacy. The Federal Office of Personnel Management doesn't think so for government employees, and gives this information at:
www.opm.gov/oca/04tables/indexGS.asp

When I worked for the Federal government, the thinking was my salary range (my actual earnings was my business) should be made available to my bosses (the public I was hired to serve). As you can see at the OPM website, they still take that view. Not only are pay schedules made public, but information about benefits and job classifications is readily available.

Likewise, my State & local government discloses salary and benefit information.

Strictly speaking, I realize Amtrak employees are not Federal government employees. But are they not quasi-government, like the Post Office? The Post Office discloses wage and benefit information. So my question on how I can obtain similar information from Amtrak doesn't seem improper (or infringing on anyone's privacy).

I'd like to get a better understanding of the nature of their employment (let's limit it to on-board service (OBS) personnel since this thread is about tipping). I'm finding it difficult. Amtrak's website offers little information (usually states "Per Union Agreement" for annual salary ranges). I've requested information in writing to Amtrak, but have not received a response. Googling hasn't helped.

Sheriff, your statement about a $15-20/hr pay range is the best information I've got so far. Thanks. But I'm finding the lack of public disclosure about OBS pay ranges odd.

Let me put it another way: Are we tipping Amtrak personnel just because it became a custom from the days of Pullman, or because we have grown accustomed to tipping at restaurants, etc. Remember, restaurants and many other service positions in the private sector often pay very low wages. Tips are very important to these people. As they were to the Pullman porter.

But have times changed where the OBS personnel are compensated well, but we continue to tip them out of habit? Remember, I'm a tipper of the Gilbert Norman persuasion. But maybe I should take another look this, and at least raise the bar on the level of service that deserves a tip.

[This message has been edited by zephyr (edited 01-27-2004).]
 

The people that make my train trip special get the nice tips. The people that keep me in mind when making the beds or making sure my iced tea glass is filled get Ok tips. The ones that think I'm an imposition in their routine get nothing.
 

I think it's important to note that the OBS crews are in a position that requires them to "put on their happy face" and provide professional service the entire length of the trip which can last up to three days.

Service members in other fields, stewardess, waiters, bus boys, bell hops, etc., perform their roles for a much, much shorter period of time.

It's not very difficult to "be happy" and professional for a few minutes or even hours, but try doing it for several days. Throw in a disrespectful passenger or two, or three, and it becomes easy to understand why they sometimes become frustrated and act in an unprofessional manner.

Granted, they accepted the job, but that doesn't mean it's "a can of corn".
 

1. Lounge car. I just leave the coin change, unless it's ridiculously small (like 6 cents) and then I throw in a quarter or two or dollar or whatever.

2. "USPS letter carrier (a salutation/$$ is againast the law)" ...We are told by the local postmistress they can accept gifts with a value up to $25, like most (all?) government employees. Our guy gets $75: $25 from me, $25 from my wife and $25 from the company. Yes, we get great service!

I tip well (when deserved) because I enjoy it, because not everyone has been as fortunate in life as I, and, in some cases, I like to be remembered. I like being generous when warranted. In my favorite restaurant I tip 30% to 35% (due to rounding). We get great service every time, "special" consideration (like the choicest cut of steak instead of the regular (which is pretty good, too!)), and our choice of table is almost always available, even though coveted.

Similarly, I am in a business where tips just do not occur. Yet several times a year I do get tips (and fairly large). I donate the full amount to a favorite charity in the name of my customer and they are thrilled to get the unusual thank-you letter from the charity. Yes, I get more business that way, too!

I have also tipped a small token to conductors who have gone out of their way to help. When it is (usually) refused, I ask if they have any favorite children. They always answer yes and I tell them to put it towards the college fund.