Amtrak questions

Anything pertaining to railfanning in Michigan.
NSSD70ACe
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Amtrak questions

Unread post by NSSD70ACe »

I was wondering if anyone knew the location where Amtrak stationed their road foreman and trainmasters for the Michigan Line? I figure it’s either Chicago (the regional hub) or Battle Creek (the Michigan Line crew base), but I can’t find anything online (unsurprisingly).

Also, I was curious where the Michigan Line crews are based. Are they all in Battle Creek, or are west end crews (BTL-CHI) based out of Chicago?


Thanks
:roll:

the contents of the above post are my opinion and mine alone, and do not necessarily reflect the views of my employer.

railrod1949
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Re: Amtrak questions

Unread post by railrod1949 »

NSSD70ACe wrote:I was wondering if anyone knew the location where Amtrak stationed their road foreman and trainmasters for the Michigan Line? I figure it’s either Chicago (the regional hub) or Battle Creek (the Michigan Line crew base), but I can’t find anything online (unsurprisingly).

Also, I was curious where the Michigan Line crews are based. Are they all in Battle Creek, or are west end crews (BTL-CHI) based out of Chicago?


Thanks
Amtrak train and engine crews are also based in Pontiac.

NSSD70ACe
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Re: Amtrak questions

Unread post by NSSD70ACe »

railrod1949 wrote:
NSSD70ACe wrote:I was wondering if anyone knew the location where Amtrak stationed their road foreman and trainmasters for the Michigan Line? I figure it’s either Chicago (the regional hub) or Battle Creek (the Michigan Line crew base), but I can’t find anything online (unsurprisingly).

Also, I was curious where the Michigan Line crews are based. Are they all in Battle Creek, or are west end crews (BTL-CHI) based out of Chicago?


Thanks
Amtrak train and engine crews are also based in Pontiac.
(I thought I posted my reply last night but I guess not)
I didn’t know that Amtrak has a crew base in Pontiac. I assume that it covers both Pontiac and Port Huron?
:roll:

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GP30M4216
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Re: Amtrak questions

Unread post by GP30M4216 »

I think some of Amtraks Pontiac Based crew are also qualified for the Port Huron to Battle Creek run as well, yes. Amtrak also maintains a crew base in Battle Creek. Dont know if the Road Foreman/trainmaster are based in Chicago or not. The AML is dispatched from Chicago. C&S and track dept are based in Niles and now also Jackson for the east end. Hope this helps.

NSSD70ACe
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Re: Amtrak questions

Unread post by NSSD70ACe »

GP30M4216 wrote:I think some of Amtraks Pontiac Based crew are also qualified for the Port Huron to Battle Creek run as well, yes. Amtrak also maintains a crew base in Battle Creek. Dont know if the Road Foreman/trainmaster are based in Chicago or not. The AML is dispatched from Chicago. C&S and track dept are based in Niles and now also Jackson for the east end. Hope this helps.
It does!

I figured it would be the same setup in Pontiac like they have in BC...on the Amtrak jobs page, they have an A/C position listed for "Battle Creek or Grand Rapids", so I'd imagine that the PM crew is based out of BC, but are dedicated to 370/371. Translated over to Pontiac, they probably have a specific crew for 364/365.

As for the TM/RF locations, I would think that they would be near the crew bases (as part of the job is managing the budget for your train or engine service employees). It makes the most sense.
:roll:

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C&O6084
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Re: Amtrak questions

Unread post by C&O6084 »

PM crews are based out of GR. New station contains lockers, a crew room, and all kinds of employment appurtances stapled/tacked on its walls. GR Press had an article some time ago praising the move, mostly for $$$ reasons.

railrod1949
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Re: Amtrak questions

Unread post by railrod1949 »

C&O6084 wrote:PM crews are based out of GR. New station contains lockers, a crew room, and all kinds of employment appurtances stapled/tacked on its walls. GR Press had an article some time ago praising the move, mostly for $$$ reasons.
T&E crews on the Wolverine Service trains are based out of Pontiac, MI and work between Pontiac and Battle Creek Engineers on the Bluewater between PH and Battle Creek are also based out of Pontiac. Battle Creek train crews work to and from PH and the BC crews on trains 351/352 and 365/354 work to and from Chicago.

Buster Manning
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Re: Amtrak questions

Unread post by Buster Manning »

close.....

No BTL conductors work east (at least on a regular assignment); that work is covered by PNT and PTH crews. Occasionally, a BTL conductor will get called to come help out on the east end, but that hasn't happened for quite a while now....

NSSD70ACe
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Re: Amtrak questions

Unread post by NSSD70ACe »

Buster Manning wrote:close.....

No BTL conductors work east (at least on a regular assignment); that work is covered by PNT and PTH crews. Occasionally, a BTL conductor will get called to come help out on the east end, but that hasn't happened for quite a while now....
Figure it's better to post in here than make a new thread in a forum that's not used much..

Where are the Hiawatha crews based from? My gut says Milwaukee and that Chicago-based crews are only LD trains, but I'm not 100% sure.
:roll:

the contents of the above post are my opinion and mine alone, and do not necessarily reflect the views of my employer.

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