Amtrak Ink - August/September 2014

Transcription

Amtrak Ink - August/September 2014
ink
A Monthly Publication for and by Amtrak Employees
Volume 19 • Issue 7 • August-September 2014
East River Tunnel
Emergency Training
Rails to Recovery
for Children in
Need
Q&A: Management
Control Framework
Train of Thought
We are our brothers’ and sisters’
keepers when it comes to safety, and we
must follow the safety rules in place to
achieve our goal. We
have developed many
programs to assist us in
meeting our objectives,
training, Safe-2-Safer,
safety committee
processes, rules classes,
the Employee
Assistance Program,
Operation RedBlock
and technology
improvements like
expanding positive train
control. All of these
efforts are designed to
foster a culture of
safety, awareness and
trust. While better
safety practices begin
Joseph H. Boardman
with the individual, ultimately we only achieve our company-wide
goal by working collectively.
Employees and passengers must know
that there is a leadership team committed
to safety. As leaders, we must model safety
through our daily behavior. As employees,
we must follow the rules and also care for
those around us to make sure we all go
home healthy, safe and secure. We all need
to know, obey and care about the rules our employees, passengers and the future
of our railroad depend on it. ■
A Note from the Editor: Amtrak Ink is published 10 times a year. This is the combined August-September issue. The next issue will be October 2014.
Help with our
Safe-2-Safer Goal!
400,000
AA
S
ince arriving at Amtrak in 2008, my
primary goal has been to operate
the safest railroad in the world.
Safety is
Amtrak’s number
one commitment to
its employees and
passengers. Safety
takes many forms,
from maintaining
equipment to high
standards to
installing brighter
lighting around stations to asking the
general public to
notify us of suspicious activity or
crime through our
partners for Amtrak
Safety and Security
programs.
Safety is a serious
issue, and we have all seen that not being
safe has serious repercussions. Lives
depend on it. It disappoints and frustrates
me when some of us are not fully living up
to our commitment to safety. This doesn’t
happen often, but when it does, it is our job
as leaders to act and to hold each other
accountable when necessary. An example
of this responsibility is the recent termination of some leaders from one of our
departments for coming up short on their
safety responsibilities.
400,000
350,000
July:
293,629
June:
283,509
April:
262,763
March:
251,871
Rod Gibbons
Chief, Corporate
Communications
I. Suzi Andiman
Director, Employee
Communications
Marlon Sharpe
Principal Graphic Designer
Lisa V. Pulaski
Graphic Designer
Chuck Gomez
Multimedia Specialist
Check out one of Amtrak’s
social media channels today!
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August-September 2014
Amtrak Ink
250,000
200,000
The peer-to-peer injury
prevention program,
Safe-2-Safer, has a new
goal of reaching 400,000
contacts by the end of
Fiscal Year 2015. Track
Amtrak’s system-wide
progress each month.
Amtrak Government Affairs and Corporate Communications
Joe McHugh, Vice President
Government Affairs &
Corporate Communications
300,000
Liliana L. Lopez
Sr. Communications Officer
Corporate Communications
Table of
Contents
4
This Month’s Leading News
5
Bulletin Board
Read about Northeast Corridor Operations Town
Hall meetings and also about a new welcome sign
at Baltimore Penn Station.
Learn about the Amtrak Culture Fit Assessment.
Amtrak has a new lodging vendor; learn more
about it.
12 Employee Q&A
Read about Management Controls and the team
leading the effort.
14
Rails to Recovery on the
Empire Service
Read about the first participating family being
helped by the Empire Service Rails to Recovery
program.
17 Milestones
Front Line Focus
“I just wanted to write a note of appreciation for Wanda
Donnell-Smith. I said she was the hardest, friendliest working
woman on Amtrak!
Wanda made our trip so very pleasant and she kept us all
informed in a light-hearted warm way.
Additionally Wanda kept the train clean – constantly
bringing a garbage can through and keeping the bathroom
clean too! A wonderful asset to Amtrak.”
Thank you,
Kristal Gibson
“Dear Amtrak,
Ms. Lisa Charles who works in the Seattle train station
was very helpful is helping my elderly mom and I board the
train.
My mom is 92 years old and Lisa was extremely helpful in
boarding those with special needs. We commend her
hospitality and swift attention!
She deserves recognition for her service.”
Sincerely,
Vicki Weibezahn
Employee Milestones from June 2014 to July 2014
(to be continued in
the next issue).
Social Media comment
from one of our
customers.
On the Cover
The Adirondack,
Train #68, traveling
through Fort
Edward, New York.
Photo courtesy of
Steven Ostrowski.
Amtrak Headquarters
60 Massachusetts Ave., NE
Washington, D.C. 20002
[email protected]
Amtrak Ink is an employee publication of Amtrak, the National
Railroad Passenger Corporation, published 10 times a year.
® AMTRAK is a registered service mark of the National Railroad
Passenger Corporation.
Correction: In the July issue of Amtrak Ink, Ed Courtemanch’s name
was misspelled. We regret the error.
Amtrak Ink
August-September 2014
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3
Upcoming News & Promotions
15 percent
Veterans save 15 percent
using the Veterans
Advantage program.
These savings are off the
best available fare on
most Amtrak trains for
themselves and up to six
qualifying travel
companions traveling on
the same itinerary.
26
April 26, 2015, is the end
date of the new “pets on
trains” pilot program by
Amtrak and the Illinois
Department of
Transportation.
Additional trains have
been added to the pilot
project that allows travelers to bring their pets
along on trips to and
from Chicago and
Downstate Illinois.
$5,016.50
Food and beverage
remittance that Lead
Service Attendant (LSA)
Alwood Thomas averaged
per trip in July 2014 in
the café car of the
Adirondack.
$153
million
The adjusted operating
loss target through June
2014 is $254 million, but
the actual operating loss
is $153 million. This is
$101million better than
target - a 40 percent
favorable performance.
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NEC Operations Town Hall Meetings
Held
More signs of improvement at
Baltimore Penn Station
More than 70 employees recently gathered
in Washington, D.C.’s Ivy
City mechanical shop to
participate in a Northeast
Corridor (NEC)
Operations Town Hall
meeting, led by NEC
General Manager Mike
DeCataldo.
This Ivy City get
together was one of five
Town Hall style meetings
hosted by DeCataldo
and his leadership team
in August with sessions
held in Philadelphia,
Albany, New York and
Boston.
Employees heard from DeCataldo
on issues presently impacting the business line
such as safety, on-time performance and the
impact and importance of improving existing
Customer Satisfaction Index scores. The meetings also provided time for staff to ask
questions and offer comments or suggestions
Each employee was also handed
a newly created NEC Operations
business card, which provides a toll
free number (1-844-213-7530) and
e-mail address
([email protected]).
Employees were encouraged to
submit any thoughts or ideas that
can enhance the business line’s
operations via this newly created
system.
“We value the contributions of
all of our employees and want to utilize these
sessions to reinforce how important their
respective roles are to the success of Amtrak
and to the needs of our passengers,” said
DeCataldo.
DeCataldo added he hopes to continue
scheduling additional Town Hall meetings
during the next fiscal year.
Amtrak was joined by Downtown
Partnership of Baltimore and Visit Baltimore
in an event to formally unveil a new
welcome sign at Baltimore Penn Station.
The sign includes a video board that
includes information and messaging
designed to educate travelers about positive news, trends and events happening in
Baltimore. Landscaping for the site of the
new sign is part of the newly improved
visual experience at track level for Amtrak
and MARC riders.
Approximately two million Amtrak and
MARC riders use the station annually and
millions more stay onboard the trains en
route to other destinations within the
Northeast Corridor.
The sign and landscaping are funded
jointly by Downtown Partnership of
Baltimore and Visit Baltimore.
“During the past few years, Amtrak,
Maryland Transit Administration and local
partners have invested $9.5 million in upgrades
at Baltimore Penn Station. We’ve modernized
and expanded the station’s restrooms and
August-September 2014
Amtrak Ink
recently completed a new passenger information communications system to better serve the
needs of our ADA passengers,” said Bob
LaCroix, Amtrak chief of corridor development. “The new welcome sign is another step
in improving the experience and is a dynamic
asset for passengers as they arrive into
Baltimore.” ■
Bulletin Board
Amtrak Culture Fit Assessment
Amtrak continues to improve
the processes and tools used to
develop, hire and retain the bestqualified talent.
Last fall, an online version of the
Performance Conversations process
with My CareerTrak was introduced
to help our non-agreement employees set and track the “Commitments”
they make to the company, including
SMART goals that meet business
needs and goals that support employees’ professional development.
The Recruiting Management
System in My CareerTrak was
launched in April to help all employees build their own career profiles to
showcase their skills, easily search
and apply for new jobs and streamline the Amtrak hiring process.
Coming this fall, the Amtrak
Culture Fit Assessment will be reintroduced. This tool will help us
determine a candidate’s commitment
to:
• Safety
• Excellent customer service
• Integrity
• Collaboration with others
When employees demonstrate the
four behaviors measured by the
Culture Fit Assessment, they bring to
life our Core Values and enable
Amtrak to achieve its Strategic Goals
– the cornerstone of our organization’s culture. Because the Culture
Fit Assessment evaluates candidates
on things that reflect our culture, candidates who do well are more likely
to demonstrate those behaviors and
be a better fit with our culture than
those who do poorly. This assessment,
along with our other hiring tools such
as technical aptitude tests and behavioral interviews, provides the insight
we need to make hiring decisions that
help move Amtrak forward.
The assessment is web-based and
will be given to internal and external
candidates who apply for a job and
meet that job’s minimum qualifications. Specifically, the assessment will
be given to:
•
•
Internal candidates who apply
for a job that is being filled by
Talent Acquisition (note this
does not supersede labor
agreement bid)
All external candidates
To learn more about the Culture
Fit Assessment, please visit the
“Human Capital Frequently Asked
Questions” tab on the Human Capital
Wiki site or email questions to
[email protected].
Volunteer for Operation
Lifesaver
protect co-workers.
Amtrak employee or retiree volunteers understand the consequences
of trespassing on railroad property
and disobeying grade crossing signals.
In short, there is no more credible
source for spreading this crucial
safety message than railroaders.
A volunteer’s commitment is just a
few presentations a year and the
teaching materials are based on the
same rail safety message learned on
the job at Amtrak.
Visit the Operation Lifesaver
website www.oli.org and click on the
icon for “Training and Volunteer
Presenters.” Then click on “Becoming
a Volunteer.” Follow the instructions
for completing the online portion of
the process and then expect an invitation to meet with a state coordinator.
Authorized volunteers will receive
instructional materials, Amtrak supplies and OL giveaways for the
presentations that are conducted for
the public or for work colleagues.
To date, there are dozens of
“Amtrakers” nationally who are
Operation Lifesaver Authorized
Volunteers. These are your colleagues
who give what time they have
Amtrak employees who are
looking for ways to pay it forward
and give something back to their
communities, are encouraged to consider becoming an Operation
Lifesaver Authorized Volunteer
(OLAV). This is a great opportunity,
now or when retirement comes along,
to stay connected
about rail and safety
issues.
As a volunteer,
current and former
“Amtrakers” possess
the railroad knowledge and expertise
that the Operation
Lifesaver (OL)
program depends on
to teach others about
the dangers of trespassing along the
right-of-way. This volunteer program offers
Sharon Slaton gives a presentation about railroad crossing safety to school
the opportunity to
students in the local community.
save lives and further
Amtrak Ink
August-September 2014
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5
Bulletin Board
We will be working with the same
hotels as we do today. Travelliance is
working with hotels about future
activity.
Additional information will be
provided as we get closer to the transition date.
because they are committed to ensuring the safety of the communities in
which they work and live. Incentives,
including prizes and awards, are being
developed to bring more participation to the program.
By this time next year, the goal is
to increase employee or retiree participation by 15 percent.
Visit Philly Bike
Expo
New Lodging Vendor
Beginning October 1, hotel
lodging currently provided to agreement-covered employees by
Corporate Lodging (CLC) will be
provided by Travelliance.
The majority of employees will not
notice a change in the process.
Reservations will be booked through
a phone call to Travelliance (available
24/7/365) or electronically on its
website. Some minor changes will be
required by employees and include:
• CLC cards will be terminated
and unavailable for use as of
October 1, 2014 (12:01 a.m.
Central Time).
• Employees will only need to
show the hotel desk their
Smart ID (employee badge).
• Hotels will verify reservations
at check-in.
• You cannot make reservations
directly with hotels. If you
currently contact hotels
directly, you will call
Travelliance to book hotel
rooms.
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August-September 2014
On November 8-9,
the Philly Bike Expo
returns for its fifth year
to the Pennsylvania
Convention Center.
The Philly Bike Expo
is designed to interest,
inspire and inform
bicycle aficionados,
weekend enthusiasts
and those merely
curious about the
fun and fitness awaiting on
two wheels.
Artisans and manufacturers of
bicycles, accessories and apparel
will display their latest products.
The show features seminars, presentations, how-tos and
family-friendly activities.
The Philly Bike Expo, with food
and drink, rides, races and afterparties, has something for everyone.
Amtrak employees will receive a $3
discount on tickets purchased at the
door and must show their employee
badge at the door in order to receive
the discount.
This discount is not valid on preregistration/online tickets.
Event Highlights Need for B&P
Tunnel Work Funding
On August 11, Amtrak officials
joined U.S. Department of
Transportation Federal Railroad
Amtrak Ink
Administrator Joseph C. Szabo,
Maryland Senator Barbara Mikulski
and other elected officials at
Baltimore's Penn Station for a joint
press conference to call for predictable, dedicated funding for rail as
part of a long-term solution for maintaining and upgrading the nation’s
transportation network.
Funding and
work on the B & P Tunnel was highlighted. The project has secured $60
million in High-Speed Intercity
Passenger Rail funding for
Preliminary Engineering and
National Environmental Protection
Act (NEPA) documentation. The
Federal Railroad Administration and
Maryland DOT secured an additional
$1.5 million in Safe Accountable
Flexible Efficient Transportation
Equity Act funding for inspections of
the existing tunnel. The total project
cost for full tunnel replacement is
estimated to be $1.8 billion, which
could be adjusted based upon the
outcome of the NEPA process. There
are no identified funding sources for
final design and construction. The
event called for the need to have certainty in funding. ■
Learning to Support Our Customers Families
I
absolutely in the
n July, Amtrak’s
middle of a crisis.
Emergency
Participating in the
Management and
exercise gave me a
Corporate Security
sense of how quickly
department (EMCS)
issues arise and how
sponsored a multi-day
the needs of our
meeting in Chicago for
employees and passenmore than 75 Amtrak
gers affected must be
employees to introduce
addressed and
procedures supporting
attended to with comthe new Incident
passion and urgency.”
Response Team (IRT)
“Having volunteers
process. The IRT stanplay the roles of
dard operating
affected family
procedures expand on
Amtrak employees participate in the the Incident Response Team training held in
members gave our
the previous concept of
Chicago this past July.
trainees the opportuthe Amtrak Go Team.
nity to use the
The IRT composition
behavioral training
includes the regional and
accident resulting in multiple
received as well as test the procecorporate response personnel who
injuries and/or fatalities of our cusdures included in our IRT field
support an incident and ensure comtomers and/or employees.
operations guide,” said EMCS
pliance with regulatory
A FAC is designed to distribute
Program Manager for Training and
requirements.
information regarding the incident
Exercises Mary Carlson.
“Everyone who works for
and provide the status of passengers
According to Schmitt, the trainAmtrak may be called upon to
and crew members to families.
ing was very helpful because
support an accident and serve on the
Emotional and mental support servbehavioral training on dealing with
IRT. However, specially trained indiices are also offered. The center
individuals grieving as a result of the
viduals will work directly with
informs employees on how to coordeath or injury of a loved one is
affected passengers, crew members
dinate with the Employee
imperative. “The training focused on
and their families,” said EMCS Chief
Assistance Program to manage emohow to be empathetic and handle
Susan Reinertson. “This granttional and physical self-care.
varying issues in the Family
funded training allowed us the
Trainees had the opportunity to
Assistance Center that may arise
opportunity to bring the group
put their newly acquired skills to the
during a crisis. I now have a good
together to meet each other face-totest with a full scale exercise on the
understanding of how to answer
face and practice a response.”
last day of the training. “After particthose ‘hard questions’ often asked
Participants obtained an underipating in the two-day training, the
by those grieving,” added Schmitt.
standing of Amtrak’s responsibilities
plan was exercised and it allowed us
Information about the IRT
under the Rail Passenger Disaster
to validate what we had been
including an informational video
Family Assistance Act of 2008 and
taught,” said Northeast Corridor
and an online training module are
focused on the operation of a Family
Infrastructure and Investment
available on the EMCS wiki page on
Assistance Center (FAC). The trainDevelopment Director of
the company Intranet at
ing provided participants with the
Management Services Ramona
Homepage>How We Work>EMCS
tools and knowledge to effectively
Schmitt. “The exercise was surreal.
or email [email protected] for
establish and operate a Family
You were rapidly addressing real-life
additional information. ■
Assistance Center in the wake of an
situations and you felt you were
Amtrak Ink
August-September 2014
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7
A Fresh Way to Look at Food Helps the
Northeast Regional with CSI
W
on the menu in the café
hen the Customer
car,” said Director of
Satisfaction Index
We closely monitor sales as compared
Food and Beverage
(CSI) scores came in
to the prior year. In 2014 calendar year-toOperations Bill Virbitsky.
for the Northeast Regional service
date our sales are up 10 percent while our
“We worked hard with
for the third quarter of FY14, they
spoilage is down 12 percent.
York Street Market, our
showed that a recent change on the
fresh product partner, to
café car menu had a positive
Bill Virbitsky
develop a fresh product
impact on the overall CSI scores
director of Food
portfolio that resonates
for the route. Customers indicated
with our passengers.”
their satisfaction with the quality
and Beverage Operations
Changes to the menu
and freshness of products offerings
since November 2013
in the café/lounge car.
and Beverage Services Gary
include three sandwich offerings and
The Northeast Regional’s overall CSI
Gunderson. “We made the recommenthe addition of new items such as a
score remained at 79 percent for three
dations based on best practice and also
veggie crudité and a pesto pasta salad.
consecutive quarters for the year.
on items that are popular and new.
“Currently, our most popular items are
Overall experience in the café/lounge
Based on the latest CSI scores the
the turkey gouda club wrap and the
car went up five points and recent
changes have really paid off.”
turkey and swiss sandwich. Our Santa
changes in the café car menu continue
“Our fresh product program continFe chicken panini is also a very strong
to reap positive results with steady
ues to be a success story in the
performer since this item can be heated
double-digit points for the past two
Northeast Corridor. Market research
and served hot. The chicken caesar
quarters due to the quality and freshthat has been conducted in the past few
salad and fresh fruit medley are very
ness of food.
years indicated that our passengers in
popular as well,” added Virbitsky.
Althought the Northeast Regional
the NEC wanted fresh product choices
service’s overall
CSI scores continue
to be affected by
FY13
FY14
Y-D-Y Change
low On Time
Northeast Regional
Q1
Q1
Q1
Q2
Q3
Q2
Q2
Q3
Q3
Q4
Q4
Performance
83% 79% 81% 83% 79% 79% 79%
Overall CSI
0
-4
-2
(OTP) scores, the
61% 65% 62% 67% 64% 69%
Overall experience in cafe/lounge car
4
3
71%
9
overall experience
72% 66% 71% 72% 65% 68%
Value of Amtrak service for price paid
2
-7
65%
-6
in the cafe/lounge
84% 82% 81% 83% 77% 77%
On-time performance
79%
-5
-7
-2
79% 76% 74% 74% 71% 74%
Information given on problem/delays
car and
77%
-2
-8
3
88% 84% 85% 85% 85% 86%
Friendliness/helpfulness of train conductors
87%
2
-3
2
quality/freshness of
77% 81% 77% 81% 78% 83%
Friendliness/helpfulness of cafe/lounge car personnel
80%
2
1
3
food have a posi60% 60% 56% 65% 56% 73%
Quality/freshness of food in cafe/lounge car
66%
13
-4
10
48% 38% 52% 56% 52% 53%
Overall Wi-Fi service
55%
15
4
3
tive effect on the
84% 80% 79% 83% 84% 80%
Smooth/comfortable ride
83%
0
0
4
overall scores.
81% 75% 81% 81% 80% 77%
Air temperature
85%
2
-1
4
91% 88% 86% 88% 89% 87%
Personal security on the train
“We did a par88%
-1
-2
2
80% 78% 82% 80% 81% 79%
Ease of train boarding process
81%
1
1
-1
ticularly good job
68% 60% 65% 63% 61% 63%
Clarity of announcements
64%
3
-7
-1
selecting the items
76% 72% 76% 78% 77% 76%
Overall cleanliness of train
75%
4
1
-1
and it worked in
our favor,” said
Customer Satisfaction Index is a performance measure of Amtrak’s Customer Focus goal.
Deputy Chief Food
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August-September 2014
“
Amtrak Ink
”
Among the food items on the Northeast Regional route menu are the turkey and swiss sandwich, the pesto pasta salad and the fresh fruit medley. Changes in
the menu are part of the fresh product program on the route.
The team doesn’t only use the CSI
scores for their strategy of success. The
team uses the Customer Service
Performance Metrics Integrator (CSPMI)
reporting system to closely monitor
spoilage and sales on each train. “We
make decisions on future placements
based on how well an item sells over time
along with its spoilage results,” said
Virbitsky.
Both tactics contribute to the bottom
line goals of customer satisfaction and
financial excellence. By making these
educated changes, the NEC team
achieved the results that matter and
improvement showed immediately in the
CSI scores. Customers have shown a positive reaction to the changes and
financially, the changes are a move in the
right direction. “Our financial results
have been excellent,” said Virbitsky. “We
closely monitor sales as compared to the
prior year. In 2014, calendar year-to-date
our sales are up 10 percent while our
spoilage is down 12 percent. In 2012, our
total sales reached $4.1 million. Based on
current sales data, we are on track for
total sales of $4.85 million for calendar
year 2014.”
The Northeast Regional service has
the opportunity to make the types of
changes that other routes would find
more challenging to achieve. According
to Virbitsky, the close proximity of the
food vendor, York Street Market, to the
commissary in New York Penn Station
offers advantages. York Street makes late
night and early morning deliveries each
day to the commissary operations in
Boston, New York and Washington which
makes it more convenient to put the
freshest product possible onto the departing trains each morning. The fact that a
train attendant can order the fresh
product from any of the commissaries
throughout the Northeast Corridor also
helps the program.
There are also fresh food café programs in Chicago, Los Angeles, Oakland
and Seattle. In these markets, some of the
fresh menu selections are influenced by
our state partners. The food and beverage team is currently working to leverage
the positive results in the NEC with some
state partners to improve the fresh programs in other markets.
The team monitors tools such as CSI
and CSPMI to make educated changes to
reach the company’s goals. “We continue
to work closely with our internal partners
to find the best and most cost-effective
ways to improve our customer’s experience,” said Gunderson. ■
Amtrak Ink
In FY2015, the current CSI
mailed customer satisfaction survey will be replaced
by its new and improved
email version: eCSI. The
benefits from this change
include a shorter time
between the customers’ trip
and their receipt of the
survey as well as a shorter
time needed to report the
results. In addition, eCSI
respondents are more
representative of Amtrak
customers. eCSI is also a
more cost-effective
reporting tool.
August-September 2014
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9
Finding the Way in an Emergency:
East River Tunnel Emergency Training
A
mtrak Emergency Management and Corporate Security routinely hosts emergency training for employees from the
railroads using New York Penn Station and the New York tunnel system (North and East Tunnel). Amtrak employees
along with employees from the Long Island Rail Road and NJ Transit participate in the program to learn the plan of
action for an emergency. The Amtrak Police Department, the NY Fire Department, Metropolitan Transportation
Authority Police Department and the Federal Railroad Administration are also involved in the training.
The trainings take place at least once a month between September and June. “I do a lot of training for emergency
responders, but this training is different because I am dealing with our own people, said Regional Emergency Manager for
the New York and New Jersey Region Gary Hearn. “In an emergency, we can’t help our passengers if we can’t help
ourselves. This training teaches our employees about what actions to take in case of an emergency and to keep themselves
and our customers safe.”
Above - A climbing ladder gives access out of the
tunnel and for first responders to enter the tunnel.
Top Right - The training demonstrates how these
emergency ventilation systems work in the event of
smoke in the tunnel.
Right - Trainmaster Eric Gassenheimer points at the
emergency exits on the train during the training
session.
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August-September 2014
Amtrak Ink
Above - Container used by emergency responders to send
equipment up and down the tunnel during an emergency.
Top Right - Trainer turns on the fog machine to demonstrate
a situation where there is smoke inside the train.
Right - Engineer Jack Cawley demonstrates how to use the
fire extinguisher inside the train in the event of an emergency.
Below Right - Amtrak Emergency Management and
Corporate Security Regional Manager for New York and New
Jersey Gary Hearn prepares materials to lead the training.
Amtrak Ink
August-September 2014
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11
Employee Q&A
Controls on the Forefront of our Financial Excellence
A
mtrak Ink had an opportunity to talk with Senior
Director of Amtrak Controls Matthew Gagnon.
Gagnon leads the team implementing a new framework for controls that allows Amtrak to reach its strategic
goals. Gagnon has worked with Ernst & Young, Black &
Decker, Marriott International, US Foods, Fieldstone
Investment Corporation and the Rouse Company. He currently serves as an adjunct faculty member at the University
of Maryland, in the Robert H. Smith School of Business
teaching Enterprise Risk Management, Information Security
and Control and Data Analytics.
Can you tell us a little about your current role here
at Amtrak?
As the Senior Director, Amtrak Controls, I report to our
Chief Financial Officer Jerry Sokol. In this role, I am
responsible for working with Amtrak’s process owners to
develop/enhance, document and assess the effectiveness of
management controls.
What is the Management Control Framework
(MCF)?
Management controls are the processes effected by management to achieve our corporate objectives including the
strategic objectives relating to financial excellence, safety
and security and customer service. The MCF is the process,
associated templates and tools that management uses to
document objectives, risks and controls. The framework also
supports the monitoring of risk and performance indicators,
periodic assessments of management controls and the
improvement of processes and controls.
Is this something new for Amtrak?
Yes and no. Formally documenting objectives, risks and
controls is new to a few departments within Amtrak, but for
most, it is a familiar process. With this framework we will
establish a comprehensive process that, over time, will
ensure that Amtrak has a consistent basis for evaluating its
processes and controls and for prioritizing opportunities to
improve Amtrak. This framework will serve as a foundation
to launch process improvements across the company.
What is a Control Improvement Opportunity (CIO)?
A CIO is any opportunity that exists to improve Amtrak
controls. A CIO exists when:
•
•
12
A control is necessary to mitigate a known risk, but
doesn’t.
A control is in place, and is intended to mitigate a risk,
but the current control will not, even if it operated
effectively.
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August-September 2014
Amtrak Ink
•
•
A control fails to operate effectively.
A control could be improved.
What progress are we making on this? How will this
change the way we do business internally?
Over 400 individuals have been directly involved in the
documentation and testing of controls since October 2013,
and significant progress has been made. Management has
documented over 350 objectives, and identified and
documented over 1,400 risks and nearly 2,000 controls.
Testers have tested over 600 controls, and identified with
input from process owners, over 400 Control Improvement
Opportunities (CIOs).
Other than a requirement to perform a self-assessment
annually, the MCF does not change the way we do business.
What it does do is to enable us to see the dependencies of
each of our functions and departments. Making these
connections will allow us to envision how process improvements in one area will impact the performance of the
enterprise. If we use this information wisely, the MCF will
eliminate silo-style thinking and planning. Our leadership
will be able to calculate the benefits of all potential investments and decide which to make, based on the value each
will deliver to all of Amtrak, including our associates, customers, partners and stakeholders.
Does this mean that we have to document
everything?
The construction of the MCF is intended to be riskbased. Using the Risk Control Matrix (RCM) template,
process owners identify and describe all objectives, relevant
risks and controls. For the MCF, we deem risk to be ‘relevant’ if by itself, or in combination with other risks, it has
some possibility of occurrence and will have a more that
insignificant impact on Amtrak, if it occurs. The process
owners also designate, in the RCM, which of these controls
is a key control. For the MCF, ‘key’ controls are those which
alone, or in combination with one or more other key controls, will reduce Amtrak’s exposure to one or more
relevant risks to an acceptable level. Process owners need
only provide detailed documentation, and test the operating
effectiveness of their key controls.
What is the role of employees in the Management
Control Framework?
All employees execute management controls in their
daily work activities. Some will be called on to assist with
the documentation and/or testing of management
controls.
Everybody is asked to be vigilant in the performance of
their duties, and if they are aware of opportunities to improve
controls like increase safety, efficiency, performance, compliance with laws and regulations, they are encouraged to share
these ideas.
Why is identifying CIOs important to the successful
accomplishment of
our goals?
We do not have
unlimited resources.
When we have a comprehensive
understanding of all
CIOs, we have the
ability to use our available resources in the
manner that delivers
the maximum benefit.
We will and should
measure this value
against our strategic
priorities, which
include safety, customer satisfaction and
financial performance.
How are we introducing these concepts to our
employees and how are we supporting our leaders to
accomplish this?
Numerous meetings have been held with all levels of management to explain the MCF and the concept of CIOs. We
have shared documentation and information with participants
How can departments identify
business risks and
take advantage of
opportunities?
A business risk is
anything that could
Amtrak Controls Team from left to right: LaCresha Milner, Michael Miles, Mark Benedict, Alice Wilson, Ashley Royal, Melantha
prevent us from
Paige and Matthew Gagnon.
achieving our goals and
objectives. We should
continually look for pitfalls and obstacles that could affect
of the process such as managers, executive leadership and the
our performance, and investigate the cause of failures and
board of directors, Executive leadership has acknowledged
other issues we encounter. If we could do something different that CIOs should be considered in strategic planning and
that would help us avoid the risk in the future, or enable us to
annual budgeting.
detect and correct the related issues in a timely manner. This
The Amtrak Controls team is requesting feedback from all
something is a control improvement opportunity. A CIO
Amtrak employees regarding the MCF and related processes
could be something as simple as a different way of doing
and will compile lessons learned and incorporate
something that existing personnel can do with existing
improvements to training, communications, tools and
tools/technology. These should be implemented, in most cases, templates for the MCF. We want everyone to be part of the
immediately. Other CIOs may involve an investment of funds,
process and if an employee has an idea of how to take
and the acquisition of other assets, and may involve the
advantage of opportunities to help achieve our goals, we
addition or deployment of human resources. In these cases,
would like to hear those ideas. Employees can reach out to
the CIO should be documented and reported for considerathe team in the photo above or email
tion by management in the planning and budgeting process.
[email protected].■
Amtrak Ink
August-September 2014
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13
Community
Rails to Recovery on the Empire Service
August-September 2014
Amtrak Ink
S E RV
I
®
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PI
CE
14
new program provides discounted rail
fare for passengers
and families traveling
for treatment of lifethreatening medical
conditions.
According to
Howard, obtaining
the discounted fare
and making the
reservation is a
simple process. The
response has been
positive and the
program has already
helped four families
since it started in
June.
“As members of
this community, we
are pleased to
provide a valuable
service to the travelDanielle Howard and Brianna Chase
ing public, especially
families already
would have to pay for it,” Howard
dealing with the difficulties of debiliadded.
tating illnesses,” stated Amtrak
This past June, Amtrak, in partnerGovernment Affairs Officer Bill
ship with New York State Department
Hollister.
of Transportation (NYSDOT)
“We are excited to work
and Voices of Hope, a
together with Amtrak
group that works with
and NYSDOT on the
foundations and
Empire Service
organizations to
Rails to Recovery
help families
Program that will
and children
benefit so many
affected by lifeof our Capital
altering
Region Voices
conditions,
of Hope families
launched
touched
by life“Empire Service
altering
Rails to
conditions,” said
Recovery.” The
Sandra V. Nardoci,
EM
B
rianna Chase, a
16-year-old two
time cancer survivor and her mother
Danielle Howard ride
the Empire Service
from Hudson to New
York City for medical
appointments at least
once a month. They
have been making
those trips since June
2013 and now they are
able to make the trip
to New York City and
back with a discount
thanks to the Empire
Service Rails to
Recovery program.
“The program is
really amazing. If it
wasn’t for the
program, it would be
extremely hard for us
to go to New York City
once a month,” said
Howard. “The trip is so much more
relaxing sitting on the train and avoiding the hustle and bustle of city
traffic.”
Chase has spent almost five years
going through treatments to fight
leukemia and, according to her
mother, being able to relax is a good
thing for this teen who is going to be a
senior in high school this fall.
“She is grateful for the help as
well,” said Howard. “She is able to get
on the train and ride care-free.”
According to Howard, Chase is old
enough to understand what the
expense of traveling can often mean
to the family. “She is old and smart
enough to realize the cost and that we
Chair and Co-Founder of Voices of
Hope.
“The impact this program will have
on families supporting a loved one
with a critical illness will be immeasurable. As families go through the
process of finding the care they need
the financial and emotional costs
inevitably mount and adds to the stress
they feel,” said Executive Director of
Albany’s Ronald McDonald House
Charities of the Capital Region Jeff
Yule. “This program will reduce the
stress and allow families to travel in
comfort while they support their loved
one.”
According to Hollister, this
program is possible thanks to over 20
agencies within the Voices of Hope
organization working together to help
these families. Hollister has been an
also found traveling for treatments diffiAmtrak employee for 30 years and has
cult. Amtrak now can offer help to the
been working on trying to obtain
community to ease some of the anxiety
support to launch a program of this
and financial stress related to those
kind for the past 10 years. “This year,
challenges.”
with the existence of the new technol“This program will greatly assist our
ogy through Amtrak.com, the existence
families both finanof Voices of Hope
cially and
and with the partemotionally and we
nership of
look forward to a
I consider it great
NYSDOT, which
long and successful
success because it
provides funding
partnership.”
proudly serves those
for Amtrak Empire
NYSDOT
who have a great
Service in New
Commissioner Joan
York State, all the
need.
McDonald said,
stars aligned per“We are pleased to
fectly to make this
Bill Hollister
join with Amtrak
happen,” said
Government
and Voices of Hope
Hollister.
to help families in
Affairs
Officer
“I consider it a
need travel to
great success
receive urgently
because it proudly
needed medical
serves those who
care. By discounting
have a great need,” said Hollister.
train fares for these important trips, we
“Traveling for these families can be a
ensure that families have an affordable
financial and emotional burden. A lot of
travel option that relieves the burden of
families faced with these challenges,
traveling by car during a stressful time.”
“
”
Amtrak Ink
Amtrak Empire Service
Chase was diagnosed cancer-free
this past year and will continue to use
the program for her regular monthly
checkups. According to Howard, Chase
has been inspired by her ordeal and
wants to help others who are going
through similar experiences. Chase
often sends careboxes to other children
who are battling cancer.
Everyone can help and according
the Yule, “the best way to help is to
spread the word. The more doctors,
nurses, social workers and alike hear
about this program the more criticallyill patients will benefit.”
Families served by the Empire
Service can qualify to receive a Buy
One – Get One Free discount on statesupported Amtrak Empire Service
trains operating in New York State.
Passengers should visit the Voices of
Hope website at www.voicesofthecapitalregion.org and register with one of 22
participating member agencies. Once
registered, the customer is directed to
Amtrak.com to book travel and receive
the discount. ■
August-September 2014
|
15
Courtesy: Steve Ostrowski
Amtrak Police Department
Officer Timothy Lis and K-9
Vixen enjoy the dog days of
summer during their patrol.
By working together, this
duo is the first line of
defense in protecting
passengers and stopping a
threat before it happens.
16
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August-September 2014
Amtrak Ink
Employee Milestones
Congratulations to All of You!
LEIST, TODD
CNOC
Wilmington, Del.
MARTINEZ, MARILYN
DeLand, Fla. Station
MATTHEWS, VERNON
Butler Bldg.
Washington, D.C.
MAVOUR-TOBY,
JULIANA
Philadelphia 30th
Street Station
MCDONNELL, KEVIN
Portland, Ore. Station
MCLAREN, YVETTE
Boston South Station
MCNAMARA,
STEPHEN
Los Angeles Offices
MCQUEEN, GRANT
San Antonio Offices
MCRAE, DEQUINCY
CNOC
Wilmington, Del.
MOREAU, JEAN
New York Penn Station
NGUYEN, TOAN
Ivy City Maintenance
Facility
Washington, D.C.
OUGHTON, THOMAS
San Antonio Offices
SCHLOTFELDT, BARRY
Metrolink San
Bernardino, Calif. Crew
Base
COSTELLO, WILLIAM
D.C. Coach Yard
MARSH, JOYCE
Chicago Union Station
COX, KENNETH
New York Penn Station
SCOTT, RICHARD
Ivy City Maintenance
Facility
Washington, D.C.
DREW, DEVI
Los Angeles Offices
MEYER, JOHN
New Orleans
Maintenance Facility
SEUNARINE,
RICHARD
New Haven Station
SINGLETON, CATHERINE
New York Penn Station
EDLEBECK, WILLIAM
Chicago Crew Base
EPHRAIM, DONALD
Los Angeles Offices
MICHALSKI, JUANITA
Chicago Mechanical
&Terminal Offices
MILLS, DAVID
Beech Grove
Maintenance Facility
PAUL, LINDA
Los Angeles Offices
DAVIS, WILLIAM
Beech Grove
Maintenance Facility
DWYER, MICHAEL
Los Angeles Offices
FRANCELLA,
LEONARD
Philadelphia 30th
Street Station
ERNEST, NANCY
Amtrak Corporate
Headquarters
PERSLEY, LYNDA
Los Angeles Offices
STEVERMAN, LEO
Boston South Station
GABBARD, GARY
Beech Grove
Maintenance Facility
PETERS, RODNEY
Amtrak Corporate
Headquarters
TAYLOR, MICHAEL
Philadelphia 30th
Street Station
GILLESPIE, MICHAEL
Philadelphia 30th
Street Station
POBLETE, ARNOLD
Los Angeles Offices
HOLCOMBE, GERALD
Portland, Ore. Station
GOLA, LORA
Chicago Crew Base
HOLMES, JEFFREY
Denver Station
THORPE, VALERIE
Chicago Union Station
QUIGLEY, EMORY
Charlotte, N.C. Station
HOLLISTER, MICHAEL
Rensselaer, N.Y. Station
JACKSON, JOSEPH
Chicago Union Station
UPSHUR, YVONNE
CNOC
Wilmington, Del.
ROLLINS, DIANE
Division Admin Office
Miami, Fla.
HUGHEY, WILLIAM
C&S Repair Shop
Lancaster, Pa.
SHAW, ALFRED
Philadelphia 30th
Street Station
JENKINS, MICHAEL
Chicago Crew Base
SHAW, MARK
Transportation Bldg.
Washington, D.C.
LIVINGSTON, JOHN
Harrisburg, Pa. Station
SMITH, ANNA
Beech Grove
Maintenance Facility
MADDEN, EDWARD
Amtrak Corporate
Headquarters
TURKEL, EDWARD
NW Base
North Brunswick, N.J.
MARTZ, CHARLES
Paoli, Pa. Station
SMITH, GLENN
Odenton, Md. M/W
Base
WALCOTT, CLYDE
Southampton St. Yard
Boston, Mass.
WALTON, JOHN
New London Station
WHITE, PEGGY
New York Penn Station
PASKO, JOHN
Chicago Crew Base
PAVAO, RUSSELL
New Haven Station
ANDERSON, YVONNE
Los Angeles Offices
PICKETT-BECERRA,
DAVID
Boston South Station
BRENNAN, JOHN
CNOC
Wilmington, Del.
RAVERT, BRIAN
Philadelphia 30th
Street Station
BRUNSWICK,
MARCUS
Philadelphia 30th
Street Station
RODRIGUEZ, JOSE
Hunter Yard
Newark, N.J.
DURANT, JAMES
Petersburg, Va. Station
CAMPBELLSCHUELER, SUSAN
Seattle Mechanical
Yard
JOHNSON, THELMA
Chicago Crew Base
JOHNSON, YVETTE
Chicago Union Station
JONES, JOHN
Beech Grove
Maintenance Facility
KELSEY, WILLIAM
Beech Grove
Maintenance Facility
KING, DAVID
Carbondale, Ill. Station
WEISS, ROBERT
Philadelphia 30th
Street Station
WHITE, DANIEL
Baltimore Station
LE COMPTE, PHILIP
New Orleans Station
CALDWELL, DEBBIE
Chicago Crew Base
LIVINGSTON,
CHRISTINE
Chicago Crew Base
BROWN, ROSALYN
Sanford Station
CLAYBORNE, JOHN
Albuquerque Station
MADRID, CRUZ
Los Angeles Offices
BULLERWELL, JAMES
La Junta, Colo.
Amtrak Ink
FRITTS, JACK
Perryville, Md. M/W
Base
HITTER, JOSEPH
Sanford Station
KIRKWOOD, LINDA
Los Angeles 8th St.
Coach Yard
LAMAR, NATHAN
Chicago Crew Base
MCDOWELL, HAROLD
New Orleans Station
MCIVER, PHILLIP
Beech Grove
Maintenance Facility
MURRAY, ALBERT
Symphony Center
Baltimore, Md.
NG, STEVE
Seattle Transportation
Bldg.
NICHOLS, DAVID
Philadelphia 30th
Street Station
August-September 2014
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17
Employee Milestones
Congratulations to All of You!
PASQUALONE,
LEONARD
Baltimore Station
PISCIONE, THOMAS
NW Base North
Brunswick, N.J.
POILLON, SUSAN
Wilmington Training
Center
RODRIGUEZ, ANGELO
Harrisburg Station
WRIGHT, DONNA
Washington Union
Station
ALLEN, DENNIS
Niles, Mich. Station
BRADFORD, KERREY
Bear Car Shop
BRAY, LINDA
Harrisburg Station
ROMER, CYNTHIA
Philadelphia 30th
Street Station
BRITTON, FRANCIS
Niles, Mich. Station
STAFFORD, WAYNE
Philadelphia 30th
Street Station
BROWN, RONALD
Mid-Atlantic
Reservation & Sales
Office
THOMAS, PETER
Seattle Transportation
Bldg.
VELTRI, ALFRED
Providence Station
VOUGA, ROBIN
Irvine, Calif. Station
WILLIAMS, DENISE
Chicago Crew Base
BURNETT, SAMUEL
Beech Grove
Maintenance Facility
BUSCEMI, ANTHONY
Portland, Ore. Station
CLARKE, GEMMA
Ivy City Maintenance
Facility
Washington, D.C.
CLARKE, LESTER
Los Angeles 8th St.
Coach Yard
BOYD, GARY
Kansas City Station
FAHY, EDWARD
New York Penn Station
HASTINGS,
ELIZABETH
Philadelphia 30th
Street Station
MACON, DARRELL
Transportation Bldg.
Washington, D.C.
MALLOTT, GLENN
Ft. Worth Station
SMITH, KEVIN
Brighton Park, Ill.
Facility
WILLIAMS, STEVEN
Chicago Crew Base
18
|
ESHELMAN, DUANE
Spokane, Wash.
Station
JONES, DONALD
C&S Repair Shop
Lancaster, Pa.
PEARSON, WAYNE
Raymond Plaza West
Newark, N.J.
FERRO, THOMAS
Ivy City Maintenance
Facility
Washington, D.C.
KELLER, JOHN
Beech Grove
Maintenance Facility
PIPCHOK, MURRAY
Chicago Mechanical
&Terminal Offices
KENEE, JOHN
Harrisburg Station
POPIEL, CHRIS
Wilmington Shops
KISH, BRUCE
Midway Tower
South Brunswick, N.J.
POWERS,
ELIZABETH
Chicago Crew Base
KULAS, STANLEY
Raleigh Station
RADOVICH, DEBRA
Trenton Station
LAWRENCE,
CAROLYN
Chicago Union Station
RATHSAMAI, LINDA
Chicago Union Station
FLATER, SUZANNE
Philadelphia 30th
Street Station
FLINNER, SUE
Galesburg Station
FOWLER, DALE
Engineering
Groton, Conn.
FRENCH, DAVID
New Haven Station
GILLIN, THOMAS
Wilmington Station
GUDZ, NICHOLAS
Engineering
Groton, Conn.
HART, CURTIS
New York Penn Station
HERNANDEZ, JOSE
Miami Mechanical Yard
HIGHTOWER,
ROBERTA
Riverside Reservation &
Sales Office
COPELAND, RICHARD
Philadelphia 30th
Street Station
HIRSCH, IRVIN
Los Angeles Offices
DAVIDSON, THOMAS
Auto Train Lorton
Station
HIXON, RONALD
Odenton, Md. M/W
Base
DAY, FREDERICK
Chicago Union Station
HOANG, ANDREW
Los Angeles 8th St.
Coach Yard
DEMPSEY, WILLIAM
D.C. Coach Yard
HOLTER, JEROME
Perryville, Md. M/W
Base
DIBENEDETTO,
JOSEPH
Southampton St. Yard
Boston, Mass.
HORNEY, EDWARD
Odenton M/W Base
DOIRON, DENNIS
St. Louis Station
HUGHES, CHESTER
MOW Base
EASTER, FRED
New Orleans
Maintenance Facility
August-September 2014
Amtrak Ink
LEAVITT, JOYCE
St. Louis Station
LODGE, GARY
NW Base
North Brunswick, N.J.
REDDICE, THEODORE
NW Base
North Brunswick, N.J.
RENTERIA,
MARJORIE
Riverside Reservation &
Sales Office
MARINO, MICHAEL
Rensselaer Mechanical
Facility
REYNOLDS, TONY
Wilmington Shops
MARTINEZ, GREGG
San Diego Station/
Mechanical
RIVERS, DONALD
Rensselaer Mech.
Facility
MATHEWS, ROBERT
MOW Base
SAMPSON, MARVIN
Ivy City Maintenance
Facility
Washington, D.C.
MCCARTHY III,
DANIEL
Philadelphia 30th
Street Station
SCHULTZ, JUDITH
Chicago Union Station
MCMULLEN,
RODMAN
Philadelphia Coach
Yard
SELVAGGIO,
MICHAEL
C&S Headquarters
Elizabeth, N.J.
MELTON, OTHA
Sanford Station
MILLER, ROBERT
Philadelphia 30th
Street Station
MUNOZ, ELIAS
Los Angeles Offices
SENARIAN, GARY
Southampton St. Yard
Boston, Mass.
SLOCUM, CHARLES
Miami Mechanical Yard
HUNG, YUEN
New York Penn Station
NEAL, JERRY
San Diego Station/
Mechanical
SMALLWOOD,
DEBORAH
Transportation Bldg.
Washington, D.C.
HUNT, CHARLES
Transportation Bldg.
Washington, D.C.
PAZ, VICTOR
Washington Union
Station
SMITH, WILLIAM
Chicago Mechanical &
Terminal Offices
Employee Milestones
Congratulations to All of You!
TALBOTT, WAYNE
Lancaster Station
THURSTON,
CONSTANCE
Ft. Worth Station
TOLSON, WILLIAM
Ivy City Maintenance
Facility
Washington, D.C.
TRAN, DAM
Chicago Mechanical
&Terminal Offices
BREEDEN-DUKEMAN,
ELIZABETH
CNOC
Wilmington, Del.
BOETTINGER, JOHN
Mid-Atlantic
Reservation & Sales
Office
BUTLER, SANDRA
Jacksonville Station
BURROUGHS,
CHARLES
Wilmington Shops
CAREL, WILLIAM
Lancaster Station
DEL CARPIO, CARLOS
Los Angeles Offices
ELLIS, DEREK
Philadelphia 30th
Street Station
TRAVERSO, JOHN
Philadelphia 30th
Street Station
GARRISON, GARY
New York Penn Station
TRIBBLE, ALICE
Chicago Union Station
GILBERT, ROBERT
Wilmington Shops
UPSHAW, ALAN
San Luis Obispo Station
GOODMAN, ATHENA
Wilmington Shops
UUSITALO, LEONARD
Rensselaer Mechanical
Facility
VASSELL, ERIC
Butler Bldg.
Washington, D.C.
WALTERS, VERNIE
Riverside Reservation &
Sales Office
WARD, BENTLEY
Sunnyside Yard N.Y.
WARD, ROOSEVELT
Beech Grove
Maintenance Facility
WEBER, CRAIG
Wilmington Shops
WECH, DAVID
Lancaster Station
WHIPPEN, SHARON
Pontiac Station
WILLIAMS, REGGIE
Miami Station
BILISKI, CHARLES
Bear Car Shop
BRADBURY, JAMES
Pontiac Station
KYSER, JAMES
W. Oakland
Maintenance Facility
MALDONADO,
DELISA
Wilmington Shops
MARKLE, MICHAEL
Denver Station
BUTLER, JUDAH
Ivy City Maintenance
Facility
Washington, D.C.
MAYS, GREGORY
Philadelphia 30th
Street Station
CEYLOR, JOHN
Bloomington-Normal
Station
MORRIS, CRAIG
Jacksonville Station
PACE, TINA
Los Angeles 8th St.
Coach Yard
COSBY, CHARLESE
Philadelphia 30th
Street Station
WOJCIECHOWSKI,
JOHN
Amtrak Corporate
Headquarters
ADAMS, DONALD
Baltimore Station
BADGER, JUANITA
Amtrak Corporate
Headquarters
BLAND, STANLEY
Baltimore Station
BROWN, PHYLLIS
New York Penn Station
DAVIS, PAMELA
Bear Car Shop
SANDOVAL, SALLY
Metrolink LA Taylor
Yd. Crew Base
HARGROVE, LORRIE
Richmond Station
DEGENER, DENISE
Kansas City
Maintenance Facility
BUSH, STEPHEN
W. Oakland
Maintenance Facility
SHEEHAN, RICHARD
Rensselaer Station
CALVILLO, ENRIQUE
San Antonio Offices
HOUSTON,
MIDDLETON
Richmond Station
DOBY, HARRY
Riverside Reservation &
Sales Office
SHELL, ANTHONY
Philadelphia 30th
Street Station
CHRISTAIN, PATRICIA
Chicago Crew Base
ISRAELSON, GARY
Chicago Offices
EZEKIEL, DERRICK
Philadelphia 30th
Street Station
JACKSON, RUFUS
D.C. Coach Yard
MANGRU, BABU
Orlando Station
MCHUGH, JOSEPH
Amtrak Corporate
Headquarters
MORALES, INGRID
Kansas City
Maintenance Facility
MUMPHERY,
SABRENNA
Greenville Station
WATSON, MA BE
Auto Train Lorton
Station
BENSON, WILLIAM
Wilmington Shops
BIONDO, CAROL
Jacksonville Station
FORAN, RICHARD
Wilmington Shops
TANGRETI, ANTONIO
Los Angeles Offices
TOLSON, RICHARD
CNOC
Wilmington, Del.
GAINES, MARRA
Sunnyside Yard N.Y.
TUCKER, DONALD
Philadelphia 30th
Street Station
GENTRY, RONALD
Amtrak Corporate
Headquarters
TURNER, GARY
Wilmington Shops
GREENE, JOHNNIE
New York Penn Station
WALSH, MARTIN
Transportation Bldg.
Washington, D.C.
HULL, FELIX
Sunnyside Yard N.Y.
WANAMAKER, ALAN
Sunnyside Yard N.Y.
JOHNSON, ERIC
C&S Headquarters
Elizabeth, N.J.
WATKINS, TAMMY
Philadelphia 30th
Street Station
JOHNSON, HOWARD
C&S Headquarters
Elizabeth, N.J.
WHITE, MICHAEL
New Orleans Station
JONES, MELVIN
Los Angeles 8th St.
Coach Yard
WILLIAMS, DARYL
Philadelphia 30th
Street Station
WILSON, YVONNE
Los Angeles Offices
Amtrak Ink
DWYER, DANIEL
Chicago Crew Base
FINNEY, PRISCILLA
Wilmington Station
FOSTER-SCOTT,
JO ANN
Los Angeles Offices
GADDIS, DARLENE
Auto Train Lorton
Station
GARTSIDE, JOEL
Philadelphia 30th
Street Station
HOLLOMAN, GUY
Los Angeles Offices
LITTLE, KEVIN
Philadelphia 30th
Street Station
LUNDY, MILTON
Wilmington Training
Center
(Note: The 30-Year
Anniversary, July 2014,
list will be continued in
the October issue.)
August-September 2014
|
19
60 Massachusetts Avenue, N.E.
Washington, D.C. 20002
To change your address, sign onto the Employee Information
Portal or complete an NRPC 2001 form and submit according to
the directions.
In Amtrak
History
AUGUST
August 23, 1999
On this date, the first
section of catenary in the
New Haven-Boston electrification project was powered.
Amtrak trains running along
the Northeast and Keystone
corridors are powered by an
overhead wire system called
a catenary. The section
through Kingston, Rhode
Island, allows trains to
operate at 150 mph and can
be seen at the right.
Presorted
Standard
U.S. Postage
PAID
Des Moines, IA
Permit No. XXX