November 2010 - Amtrak

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2 | November 2010 Amtrak Ink i n k Vol. 15, Issue 10, November 2010 On the Cover President and CEO Joe Boardman speaks before President’s Service and Safety Award winners and guests at a luncheon in Washington, D.C., on Nov. 3. The ceremony honored the accomplishments of this year’s dedicated winners. Correction: The story "Mechanical Responds to Summer Engine Problems" in the August-September issue of Amtrak Ink did not include mechanical technicians from Philadelphia when it listed mechanical staff who worked 12-hour shifts aboard certain Northeast Corridor trains to troubleshoot problem trains. We regret the oversight. FPO FSC Logo (Horizontal) Train of Thought This issue of Amtrak Ink is devoted to the work and dedication of the winners of the 2010 President’s Service and Safety Awards. While the accomplishments of the 150 honorees range in scope and magnitude, the common threads are a passion for passenger rail and dedication to the job. I had the opportunity to meet the award recipients when they came to D.C. from all over the country for an awards luncheon earlier this month. We celebrated the work of 141 employees from 10 departments and nine external State Partner award recipients. I have to say that it was good to see so much pride about who we are in one room. And it wasn’t arrogant pride, it was a reflection of employees’ feeling good about what they do and what they contribute to the collective Amtrak. We face challenges every day. While there may be some factors that are not in our control, we must have the confidence — and the humility — to take ownership of what we can control and make Amtrak greener, safer and healthier. That’s what the award recipients, in one way or another, did. Too often, I hear our own employees express low expectations of what we can accomplish. We must stop thinking poorly of ourselves because we accomplish too much Joseph H. Boardman on a daily basis and have too much yet to accomplish. I didn’t hear any of that negativity at the luncheon, not solely because these were award winners, but because I believe that on an individual level, most of us know that we can take initiative to make Amtrak more competitive and dynamic. The award winners represent the many other unsung employees who show dedication, innovation and a passion for service excellence. For those employees, I ask supervisors and peers across the system not to lose sight of the importance of recognizing good work when you see it — an encouraging word goes a long way. Congratulations again to the PSSA winners! Amtrak Employee and Customer Communications Joe McHugh, Vice President Margaret Sherry, Sr. Director Josh Raymond, Manager Govt. Affairs & Corp. Comm. 60 Massachusetts Ave., NE 60 Massachusetts Ave., NE 60 Massachusetts Ave., NE Washington, DC 20002 Washington, DC 20002 Washington, DC 20002 Sharon Slaton, Manager Julia Quinn, Coordinator Marlon Sharpe, Designer 525 West Van Buren Street Digital and Social Media 60 Massachusetts Ave., NE Chicago, IL 60607 60 Massachusetts Ave, NE Washington, DC 20002 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 © 2010 National Railroad Passenger Corporation
Amtrak Ink November 2010 | 3 Bear, Beech Grove Employees Add Equipment Capacity with Stimulus Funds Editor’s Note: The following story is the first in a series about the mechanical services performed at Amtrak’s facilities. This story is focused on the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act-funded work at the Bear and Beech Grove facilities. Unveiled in the summer of 2009, Amfleet II Coach #25103 was the first of 81 cars scheduled to be restored and returned to revenue service, thanks to American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funds. Since then, the stimulus-funded work of employees at the Bear, Del., and Beech Grove, Ind., facilities has helped support increased ridership — Amtrak just set its highest record on the books in FY ’10 — service expansions and service improvements. Examples of improved service include the two coaches that added a sixth car to the consist of the Hiawatha Service, and nine Amfleet I cars deployed to the Midwest late last year that helped boost ridership by adding capacity on trains like the Wolverine and Lincoln Service. On the long-distance services, equipment has improved customer service — the City of New Orleans now operates with a Superliner Lounge in addition to the Cross-Country Café, and a full diner is expected to be restored on the Capitol Limited in December. On a national scale, the stimulus funds helped invest in passenger rail while helping boost the national economy. From the Amtrak perspective, it supplemented scheduled work by helping restore equipment that was Engines 832 and 821 are the first of the 15 P-40s to be returned to service with stimulus funding. wrecked or stored and helped retain and create jobs at the Bear and Beech Grove facilities. Once the stimulus-funded programs are completed, mechanical forces at Bear and Beech Grove will have returned to revenue service 60 Amfleet cars from the Bear facility; and 20 Superliner cars, one car, plus 15 P-40 locomotives from Beech Grove. By law, the stimulus-funded work is to be completed by Feb. 17, 2011. Amtrak is evaluating those projects that are at risk of not meeting the deadline and will be seeking approval for a waiver of the completion date for specific cases from the Federal Railroad Administration. But as the ARRA work is completed in the coming months, Bear and Beech Grove will revert to a planned, but more limited, FY ’11 capital overhaul schedule. The change is due to the nature of the continued on the following page
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Page 11 and 12: Danny W. Best Lead Ticket Clerk, Pa
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November 2010 - Amtrak

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