Amtrak reportedly ejects elderly women from train

News story claims 2 sisters, age 85 and 95, were ejected from a train 500 miles from home. Their offense? Playing cards in the club card (just like Arlo's "City Of New Orleans"?) and the conductor claimed they were drunk. No word yet on what the other side of the story is, but the way it's reported here is not complimentary to Amtrak.

https://www.whec.com/top-news/two-85-an ... from-home/

In the linked article, Amtrak confirms the truth of the ladies' story:

In a statement emailed at 5:06 p.m., Amtrak wrote, “We do not comment on specific customer incidents. Amtrak is committed to ensuring the quality of travel and the safety and security of our customers and employees, and we may refuse to carry or remove passengers for disruptive behavior.

I'm sure that the Conductor was hoping they would get arrested, because then he would be paid extra for appearing in court.

I'm not sure how you make that statement into confirming the ladies' story. It's just generic CYA language which is always put forth in such situations. It does not even admit that an incident took place at all.

And if you re-read the article, the conductor was a "she", not a "he".

Amtrak trains don't have "club cars".

While this sounds like a nitpick, if journalists can't get their details right, how can we trust that anything else they say is right?

Unless you count the Metroliner first class (club class or Metroclub).

To any ordinary person a lounge car and a club car are the same thing: a special car where you go to do certain things like play cards away from your regular seat. There is no inaccuracy worth mentioning.

JimBoylan wrote: ↑Thu Mar 16, 2023 10:47 amI'm sure that the Conductor was hoping they would get arrested, because then he would be paid extra for appearing in court.

That’s a pretty senseless assumption to make, and what makes you think employees are paid “extra” if they have to appear in court?

The NEWS reports stated that this incident in the cafe car took place approximately 8 to 9 a.m. It is highly probable that the crew asked these two passengers to leave as the table at which they were seated was needed for other passengers to eat breakfast.

This headline initially prompts a much more vivid image than what actually happened.

8th Notch wrote: ↑Fri Mar 17, 2023 8:06 am That’s a pretty senseless assumption to make, and what makes you think employees are paid “extra” if they have to appear in court?

Mr. 8th Notch, at least from "back in my day" in the industry, which I also believe included Mr. Boylan's, any craft's Agreement called for pay when "Attending Court or Hearing". Possibly that provision has been eliminated over the forty-two years since I left, and should you be with Amtrak was never included, but it was once "there".

Ken W2KB wrote: ↑Fri Mar 17, 2023 11:22 am The NEWS reports stated that this incident in the cafe car took place approximately 8 to 9 a.m. It is highly probable that the crew asked these two passengers to leave as the table at which they were seated was needed for other passengers to eat breakfast.

Or she was mad when that was one of the tables she wanted to throw all her junk on and they were sitting there.

As an aside, the railroad always paid me overtime if I had to show up in court for them if it was outside my assigned working hours. Of course if it was during my regular hours I just received my normal pay.

Gilbert B Norman wrote: ↑Fri Mar 17, 2023 12:45 pm

8th Notch wrote: ↑Fri Mar 17, 2023 8:06 am That’s a pretty senseless assumption to make, and what makes you think employees are paid “extra” if they have to appear in court?

Mr. 8th Notch, at least from "back in my day" in the industry, which I also believe included Mr. Boylan's, any craft's Agreement called for pay when "Attending Court or Hearing". Possibly that provision has been eliminated over the forty-two years since I left, and should you be with Amtrak was never included, but it was once "there".

That provision is still in place however it does not pay anyone “extra” for attending court, you are only entitled to lost earnings from assignment if a regular man.

Cafe car, I guess, is the operative idea, not lounge. Good point about breakfast.

8th Notch wrote:That provision is still in place however it does not pay anyone “extra” for attending court, you are only entitled to lost earnings from assignment if a regular man.

So if the court appearance is on your rest day..... ?

Yes, however it does not count towards any OT pay and would just most likely be an 8 hr company business day. Unless a serious offense is committed on a train, conductors know that the offender is usually just removed from one train then allowed on the next. Yes some conductors can be sticklers but in the scheme of things no one comes to work in hopes of throwing someone off the train to try and make extra money. The bigger the incident, the more time spent dealing with the hassle of filling out delay reports, writing official statement, answering questions from the higher ups & APD.