Amtrak Ink

ink A Monthly Publication for and by Amtrak Employees Volume 16 • Issue 4 • April 2011

Full Power Ahead: ‘Green’ Efforts Gain Public Praise

Locomotive 500 on the Heartland Flyer route — which runs on 20 percent biodiesel fuel — plays a lead role in the company’s search for alternative sources of energy. Photo: M. S. “Mick” Nussbaum

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put We Want Your In

Our goal is to inform, gan we take to heart. trak employees, a slo Am rkforce — all roughly by wo e and ers for div ’s tion trak Ink is a publica ple who make up Am peo the of ds nee the educate, and serve 20,000 of us. rove the for ways we can imp ries and suggestions your thoughts for sto re sha to you age We encour rests. ve your needs and inte magazine to better ser please give us an uld know about? If so, artment that others sho dep r you in s new • Is there upcoming can consider it. early heads up so we w results? t have started to sho s being tested or tha • Are there innovation me challenges? cess or ways to overco new measures of suc • Have you identified w much about er employees don’t kno the company that oth of a are n now e-k a littl • Are you involved in — but should? ries to tell? y who have good sto ple within the compan peo ary rdin rao ext • Who are the er in creative ways? ents helping each oth s or different departm • How are employee something? the company is doing e about how or why hav you do ns stio que • What k Quotes”? weigh in on in “Quic you like employees to • What topics would ideas: Contact us with your ore Mo r Jennife ations Department Corporate Communic Government Affairs and Amtrak Ink 202-906-2696 ATS 777-2696 .com Jennifer.Moore@Amtrak m .co trak Am m@ or ECo ring from you We look forward to hea

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ase rational Ties trak connections. Ple Coming Up: Gene ilies with multiple Am like to recognize fam have also worked for ’d ers we , mb Ink me of ily e fam issu er In an upcoming , grandparents or oth y 1. ents, sons, daughters . The deadline is Ma contact us if your par s for families to profile tion ges sug e hav you the company — or if

Amtrak Employee and Customer Communications

ink Vol. 16, Issue 4, April 2011

Joe McHugh, Vice President Govt. Affairs & Corp. Comm.

Margaret Sherry, Sr. Director Employee & Customer Comms.

Jennifer Moore, Manager Amtrak Ink

Erika Cotton Manager

Julia Quinn, Coordinator Digital and Social Media

Doug Riddell Photographer

Marlon Sharpe Principal Graphic Designer

Collin King Graphic Specialist

Sharon Slaton, Manager (Chicago Office)

Amtrak Headquarters • 60 Massachusetts Ave, NE, Washington, DC 20002 Amtrak – Chicago Office • 525 West Van Buren Street Chicago, IL 60605 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 © 2011 National Railroad Passenger Corporation

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very year in April, millions of people from every corner of the globe mark Earth Day. Begun in 1970, its roots are firmly planted in activism, energized by people who care deeply about the environment. Earth Day’s success, like a lot of grassroots-driven causes, is a compliment to the power of raising awareness to drive change. We at Amtrak have been witness over the last 40 years to many changes — and at times inconsistencies — but I think it’s fair to say that we have consistently and increasingly emphasized our role as a greener transportation mode and as good stewards of our natural resources. To that end, we’ve made energy and environment one of our five corporate goals for this fiscal year. Specifically, the “Energy and Environment” goal reads: “Contribute to the nation’s environmental health by attracting automobile and air travelers to trains, while improving Amtrak’s efficiency and reducing transportation-related carbon emissions and fossil fuel consumption.” I cannot overstate the importance of this goal. Being more environmentally conscious is not only the responsible thing to do, but it’s also directly linked to our competitiveness as a mode of transportation. While we work to better connect to buses and airports, we also draw riders from airlines. Our share of the air/rail travel market in the Northeast Corridor has risen to 69 percent in the Washington, D.C.–New York market and 53 percent in the New York–Boston market. Not surprisingly, improving mobility and connectivity is another one of our key goals.

In addition, passenger rail is part of the solution to reduce our nation’s dependence on foreign oil. You may have noticed that the price of crude oil is prominently displayed on our intranet home page. When we started posting it, it was at $84 a barrel. As I write this in late March, it’s $106 a barrel, and prices are likely to keep rising with the growing unrest in the Middle East. Joseph H. Boardman So as you read through the highlights of what Amtrak is doing on the energy and environment front in this issue of Ink, I hope you’ll remember that just like the global environmental movement, we at Amtrak need to raise awareness and take action — individually and collectively. Several employees are quoted in this issue, sharing what they’ve done individually to help Amtrak be greener. It’s that kind of engagement and initiative that helps raise consciousness and spurs others to follow suit. Thank you for what you do every day, and for helping Amtrak be a greener company. ■

Nominations are still being accepted for the 2011 President’s Service and Safety Awards (PSSA) program. The program provides the highest recognition for employees and external business partners who have made outstanding contributions to the company. A committee of employees representing various departments and locations review the nominations and select award recipients. Later this year, award recipients will be announced and formally recognized at a luncheon to be held in Washington, D.C. Nomination forms for the 2011 program are currently posted on the Intranet under “Employees” → “Awards and Achievements” → “2011 PSSA Nomination Forms.” Forms are also posted on the Intranet under “Library” → “Forms” → “New and Revised EForms.” The nomination period runs until Friday, May 13.

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TO THE NEXT LEVEL

Company Wins Praise for ‘Green’ Performance Efforts

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fter years of behind-the-scenes efforts, Amtrak has started to receive public recognition as a leader on the environmental front. Last year, the nonprofit group Climate Counts ranked the company alongside Ben & Jerry’s, Clif energy bars, Shaklee nutrition products, and outfitters REI and Timberland as one of six top “Industry Innovators.” The honor reflects a shift in mindset for the company. While Amtrak’s Environmental Health and Safety department was created to ensure it complied with federal regulatory requirements, the company has in recent years adopted an aggressive strategy for finding new solutions to conserve energy and better protect the environment. “The biggest shift for us has been the move over the years from a compliancebased program to developing a sustainability program,” says Roy Deitchman, vice president, Environmental Health and Safety. “Now we also have the resources to be innovative and creative.” In fact, environmental and energy efforts are one of the company’s five overarching goals for 2011. Amtrak has made a commitment to “contribute to the nation’s environmental health by attracting automobile and air travelers to trains, while improving Amtrak’s efficiency and reducing transportation-related carbon emissions and fossil fuel consumption.” In fiscal year 2010, Amtrak’s share of the air/rail market in the Northeast Corridor rose to 69 percent in the

he says. “But given that we’re a more Washington, D.C. – New York market energy-efficient way to travel than cars and 53 percent in the New York – Boston or planes, such an market. increase would be The company 2011: Environment and Energy Goal a good sign plans to draw Contribute to the nation’s environmental health because the even more riders by attracting automobile and air travelers to nation would be from other trains, while improving Amtrak’s efficiency and reducing transportation-related carbon saving energy.” modes through emissions and fossil fuel consumption. Data from the competitive U.S. Department pricing, investFor each of the next five years: of Energy indiments in • Reduce total diesel consumption per seat-mile cates that travel high-speed rail by 1 percent for each of the next by train is roughly and infrastrucfive years. 30 percent more ture upgrades, • Reduce total electric traction consumption energy-efficient and by encouragper seat-mile by 0.25 percent. than travel by car, ing more • Reduce total electricity consumption at and roughly 20 intermodal facilities and stations by 1 percent. percent more effitransportation cient than airline hubs in major travel. cities that would And a growing number of Americans link train stations with subways, buses, have been making the switch to trains, and other forms of public transportation. motivated by high gas prices and other As part of its 2011 goal, Amtrak has factors. The company has seen increases for the first time set specific, companyin ridership in each of the past 17 wide reduction targets for each of the months, through March. next five years to: • Reduce total diesel consumption ‘50 Best Innovations’ per seat-mile by 1 percent. The company is also continuing to • Cut total electric traction look for new approaches to fuel efficonsumption on trains per ciency. seat-mile by 0.25 percent. Last fall, Amtrak earned praise from • Reduce total electricity used at Time magazine for its “beef-powered facilities and stations by 1 percent. train,” on the Heartland Flyer route Deitchman says the goals are ambibetween Oklahoma City and Fort Worth, tious, but within reach given recent Tex. The train’s locomotive is fueled with achievements. He says thinking beyond a mixture that includes 20 percent simple reductions to the overall impact biodiesel fuel through a partnership with on travel is a key consideration. the Oklahoma and Texas Departments of “If we get more ridership and new Transportation. Time called the pilot routes, our total energy use could go up,”

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Amtrak Ink

project one of the “50 best innovations of 2010.” Now, after a year of service, the biodiesel engine will be temporarily taken out of service in May for additional testing for air emissions and to see if the alternative fuel source created any additional wear and tear. The hope is that biodiesel fuel will provide a viable alternative fuel source for the company for locomotives on other routes in the future. Another recent environmental high point has been the company’s involvement in being a finalist for an Environmental Protection Agency grant. The $1.4 million award would be used to re-power Switch Engine 799 at Ivy City, in Washington, D.C., to reduce the locomotive’s ozone emissions. The grant opportunity came about through a partnership with the D.C. arm of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen. “This initiative will con-

tribute to the improved air quality for our members, the traveling public and the surrounding residential communities,” says Herbert Harris Jr., union chairman. In June, the company plans to complete its first comprehensive Greenhouse Gas Inventory. While it has participated in similar studies in the past, this review will move beyond diesel fuel and include even hard-to-measure outputs such as refrigerants used on trains. Recycling continues to be a priority, on board with the addition of new receptacles in food service and lounge cars, as well as in the mechanical shops and other facilities. Among the materials the company currently recycles are steel, scrap metal, cables and wire, other metals, batteries, mattress foam, windows and used oil. Amtrak also has seen a big increase in its collection of recycled paper and other “non-industrial” materials, says Joanne

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Maxwell, director, Environmental Management Programs. “This is in part due to continuing efforts to expand recycling at stations and other facilities, as well as the implementation of better tracking mechanisms,” she says. Looking ahead, Deitchman says the company is exploring ways to select cleaning products with less environmental impact that meet standards of being effective both in cleaning ability and cost. Helping to identify such products is just one of many ways employees can assist in the company’s environmental efforts, he says. “We have a cadre of well-trained people in the field, and we have a lot of employees who want to participate,” says Deitchman. “Now it’s a matter of finding better avenues for employee involvement.” ■

The California Zephyr travels along the Colorado River.

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Utility Upgrades Help Conserve Energy and Improve the Workplace

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mtrak’s energy-management system now provides a sophisticated way to track usage and alert managers in all divisions to sudden changes that suggest a problem. Armed with such data, the company has been making improvements in recent years that translate into major cost and energy savings. “This system has helped us consistently cut our water usage and reduce all of our other energy sources, from electricity to natural gas to steam,” says Bob Jones, senior director, Utilities Management group, which was created five years ago. “And we’re saving millions of dollars annually.” Between 2009 and 2010 alone, the company has reduced its use of: • Natural gas by 1.7 million therms • Electricity by 4 million kilowatt hours • Steam by 79,000 m-pounds And since the system has been in place, the company has reduced its annual water usage by more than 200 million gallons. The system tracks how much water and energy each area of the company uses, and notifies managers any time there’s a spike of 15 percent or more so that the anomaly can be investigated and remedied. It also provides comparisons to five years of historical data. The system recently flagged a major underground water leak at the Hamden, Conn., facility that accounted for roughly 30 million gallons of water. “That underground leak might otherwise have gone undetected for months,” says David Rezendes, assistant division engineer, Structures, who oversaw the repair work at the facility. By taking quick action, the company was able to stop the leak and also qualify for a $36,000 credit in its water bill.

Upgraded Lighting One of the company’s biggest areas for improved energy efficiency has been upgrades to the lighting at the mechanical shops and other facilities. In 2010, the company spent $1.1 million in capital funding for new lighting. It has allotted almost twice that amount — $2.1 million in capital funds — for 2011. “We’re projecting the overall savings from these efforts once

they are completed at the end of the year will be $1.2 million annually,” says Jones. “Not only are we reducing energy and saving money, but in most cases we’ve also improved the lighting.” “The fluorescent lights provide a whiter, brighter light than the yellow lighting they replaced,” says Edward Kelley, an electrician at the mechanical facility in Bear, Del. “They also turn on and off instantly. The old lighting could take as long as 10 minutes to come on. And they’re quiet. No more annoying hum like we had with the high-pressure sodium lights.” Adds Mario Bergeron, chief mechanical officer: “In addition to the savings this project generates, it really has been about improving the working environment for employees, reducing the risk of injuries and promoting highquality work.” Technology Team Another major project Scales Back has been shutting down Energy Consumption inefficient boilers at a steam plant in Chicago. The ongoing work, when completed later this year, will lead to major energy savings and reduced costs of more than $1 million annually. Already, the company has seen savings of $400,000 for a five-month period, and a reduction of more than 1 million therms of natural gas. “These are gifts that keep on giving,” says Jones. “These efforts will save the In fiscal year 2010, the Information Technology company money and condepartment reduced the company’s total serve energy year after year computing energy use by 10 percent over the previous year — the equivalent of removing after year.” ■

-10% 2010

322 cars from the road. The company saved 2.1 million kilowatt hours in power usage and reduced its carbon dioxide output by an estimated 1,825 tons at offices and facilities across the system.

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Quick Quotes on Being ‘Green’ What are some ways you’ve personally helped Amtrak’s environmental efforts? “The first thing I do is to make sure all the papers and magazines are off the train and recycled before I start to clean. It’s important to me, and to the environment.” Fiori Hailemariam Coach Cleaner, Southampton Street Yard Boston

“I noticed that we needed an additional recycling bin in our lunchroom. I requested one — and it is working. Our guys are recycling.” Michael Barnes Trackman, Engineering Division Los Angeles

“When our building opened two years ago, I made sure there were sensors on the light switches, recycle bins in the building, and a recycling dumpster out back. I just do what I do at home. It’s become second-nature.” Donna Nesci Administrator, Operations Support and Facility Management Wilmington, Del.

Did You Know? According to the U.S. Department of Energy, train travel is 30% more energy-efficient than travel by car and 20% more energy-efficient than travel by plane, as measured in British Thermal Units (BTUs) per passenger-mile.

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Since joining the board in July, the three newest members — Anthony R. Coscia, Bert DiClemente and Jeffrey R. Moreland — have spent time refining their knowledge of the company and guiding its future. Here, they talk about what skills they’ve applied to their roles, their top priorities for the company, and what they hope Amtrak will achieve in the years ahead.

ANTHONY R. COSCIA Q: What prompted your interest in joining the board? A: I spent the past eight years chairing the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey. And I saw firsthand how critical transportation is to the economy. Q: What do you see as the primary strengths you bring? A: I understand other forms of transportation and how rail complements and is part of a larger transportation system. There’s a place for aviation, and there’s certainly a place for automobiles and over-the-road trucks and freight, etc… And I think I’ve got a pretty broad understanding for how these transportation networks work together. I’ve also done a lot of work in connection with financial transactions, and all transportation today is looking for financial models that are effective. Q: What’s something you’ve learned since joining the board? A: I’m impressed with the depth of knowledge the staff has. It’s clear to me that for the past several decades Amtrak has been the depository of our smartest thinking on passenger rail. Q: What do you see as top priorities? A: For decades, Amtrak has been the only voice for passenger rail in the United States. And now that others have joined that conversation, it’s important for Amtrak to develop its voice in a way that’s best for all involved. That will be a great opportunity, and a challenge, as other entities in the public and private sector become more engaged in passenger rail. The challenge for Amtrak is determining where it serves the public’s interests best and the company’s needs and then developing those areas.

What makes it particularly exciting right now is that there seems to be a heightened interest in developing the role of high-speed rail. President Obama’s initiative is in many ways a real effort to focus attention in the transportation sector on passenger rail. That’s a very, very good thing for the company — and a very good thing for the country. Q: What specific challenges do you see? A: It’s interesting that at same time there’s clearly this compelling need to develop better forms of transport, there are also incredible constraints on resources. Every governmental entity, from the federal government on down to small towns, is struggling from a financial standpoint to pay its bills and to meet its capital needs. So it’s within that environment that we’ve got to come up with a way of making a case for why passenger rail, and in particular Coscia Amtrak, should be a big part of where those resources are invested. The challenge is to make the case that Amtrak as a company — and passenger rail as an industry — is deserving of resources. We do that by being a strong company and very efficient, and not wasting the resources that we have, using our talents to the strongest degree possible. Q: What about Amtrak’s environmental practices and priorities? A: The very form of transportation that Amtrak represents is an enormous element to protecting the environment. Efficient passenger rail service represents a way of moving people, particularly throughout congested corridors, in a way that is so much more environmentally friendly than the use of automobiles in a traditional sense. I chaired an agency that owns the Lincoln Tunnel and the George Washington Bridge and the Holland Tunnel, and I know a lot about the environmental impact of having congestion points. Expanded passenger rail

would provide an enormous benefit in terms of alleviating some of that congestion. Q: Ten years from now, what would you most like to be able to say about the company? A: That Amtrak kept an important form of transportation alive for 40 years before becoming the primary mechanism for which we connect cities and move people around in this country.

BERT DICLEMENTE Q: What prompted your interest in joining the board? A: Since my dad spent his whole career on the railroad — first with the Pennsylvania Railroad, which became the Penn Central, and then with Amtrak — I grew up with railroads, and it’s always been a topic of interest and conversation within our household. My dad was a blacksmith and a welder in the Wilmington shop. He worked about 37 years before he retired. And then, of course, I worked for an extended period with then-Sen. Joe Biden, and we would often times go down to the Wilmington shops, which is a big part of the employment base in Delaware. So rail has always been a part of my life. Q: What do you see as the primary strengths you bring? A: My background is equal parts business and politics. I served as vice president for CB Richard Ellis, which is the largest commercial real-estate company in the world. And I had the opportunity while working there to work with a number of Fortune 500 companies. So we solved problems and we created visions to move forward. On the political side; I worked for 20 years with then-Sen. Biden as his state director in Delaware. And this afforded me the opportunity to meet and work with the leadership of the state, as well as major corporations throughout the state, which included the Amtrak facilities at both Wilmington and Bear. continued on next page

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Q: What’s something you’ve learned since joining the board? A: One of the surprising things to me has been realizing how little actual track Amtrak owns. I was really surprised to learn we have less than 5 percent of the total rail mileage of track and that the other 95 percent we rent from various rail companies. I don’t think most people across the country recognize that. Q: What do you see as the top priorities? A: We really need to set a course and make a commitment to high-speed rail in America. And we need to do that as a nation, make that decision and gather the political will to make it happen. Instead of becoming a tugof-war, it really has to be part of our nation’s conversation and national vision. We’re falling behind other countries that have put significant resources into high-speed rail, and we need to be doing the same. Amtrak management has a vision and now a high-speed rail person in place [Vice President for High Speed Rail Al Engel] who’s totally first-rate. So we’re going to make major commitments along those lines, and hopefully we can get the funding and the support to continue to make it happen. Q: What specific challenges do you see? A: I see two. One is the continuing funding issue, which has been a problem since Amtrak was first brought into being. Thanks to PRIIA [the Passenger Rail Investment and Improvement Act of 2008], for the first time in Amtrak’s history there was a five-year budget, which was a tremendous step forward and allowed Amtrak to do some serious longterm planning and provided for some replacements of our 30- and 40-year-old cars and modernizations of our engines that absolutely needed to take place. The other big challenge, again, is highspeed rail and seeing if we can make that come to fruition. Congressional consensus would be a wonderful thing, but I just don’t know how real that is at the moment. We’re trending in that direction, but I don’t see it in the immediate future.

Q: What about Amtrak’s environmental practices and priorities? A: It’s an essential part of Amtrak’s commitment: increased efficiencies, reduced emissions and better use of resources at hand. Those are all part of Amtrak’s core values and of the commitment Amtrak has made and will continue to make. Q: Ten years from now, what would you most like to be able to say about the company? A: One is that there’s finally a dedicated source of revenue for Amtrak — that’s desperately needed so that we’re not doing hand-to-hand combat, year-in and year-out, for funding. And second, that high-speed rail has taken hold in other parts of the country and we’ve turned the corner on it and everybody agrees that it’s the wave of the future.

DiClemente

JEFFREY R. MORELAND Q: What prompted your interest in joining Amtrak’s board? A: I was asked to join the board by a government official, and because of my background in the railroad, I thought it would be a good fit and that I had something I could offer. Q: What do you see as the primary strengths you bring? A: I worked in the railroad industry for 29 years [BNSF Railway and Santa Fe Railway]. I have a legal and a financial background, and I’ve dealt with boards of directors for a large part of my career. I think the strengths I bring include a little different focus from the corporate and business sector to Amtrak. In my previous roles, being customerfocused has been important, and it is at Amtrak as well. Q: What’s something you’ve learned since joining the board? A: Amtrak is a little bit different from other boards I’ve worked on in that there’s a strong government role in the company. And yet it’s

not that different. Amtrak has a strong corporate board. It has people who are very interested in the company’s success. Q: What do you see as the top priorities? A: We have to make sure we’re providing our customers with what they want, at a price that they want to pay for it. So, there’s been a lot of focus on that by the board. And the whole organization needs to be attuned to the idea that we have to provide a service to our customers. It’s not just Marketing. It’s Operations and making sure that we have good on-time performance, it’s the Human Resources department making sure we have people who are properly trained and customer-oriented. It’s the Finance department making sure that we’re able to keep our costs to a level where we can charge prices that are in line with what our customers are looking for. Q: What specific challenges do you see? A: Finding ways to continue to adapt to what our customers want. And there’s always the issue of adequate funding because Amtrak does not completely pay for itself from the operating pay box. So it has to find a way of convincing the general public and government that it’s worthy of the amounts of money that the federal government contributes to its operations and capital in the future. Q: What about Amtrak’s environmental practices and priorities? A: Any company that has assets that have been around a long time has to be very environmentally focused, rightfully so. We’re going to have to continue to be focused on the environment. It’s a very important part of what the management team is focused on. Q: Ten years from now, what would you most like to be able to say about the company? Moreland A: That we’ve succeeded in showing the country that highspeed rail works so that the government will continue to put money into high-speed rail. I think we need to show the country that the government gets a bang for its buck for the money it puts into it, that it’s shown to be of true value to the country. ■

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Amtrak Celebrates 40 Years of Service ®

This northbound Metroliner displays small Amtrak logos that were applied directly over the markings of the previous owner, Penn Central, as a temporary fix until the trainset could be repainted. In this 1972 photo, the train is crossing the Bush River Bridge in Maryland.

Come See Our 40th ANNIVERSARY EXHIBIT TRAIN In celebration of Amtrak’s 40th anniversary, a special exhibit train will be touring the country after making its debut at the National Train Day event in Washington, D.C. on May 7, 2011. The free exhibit showcases rail travel over the decades, displaying memorabilia like vintage advertising, past menus and dinnerware, period uniforms and photographs.

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Washington Union Station Lorton Auto Train Terminal Baltimore Penn Station Philadelphia 30th St. Station

Perryville MARC Station Harrisburg Amtrak Station Strasburg Rail Road Strasburg Rail Road

Springfield Amtrak Station New Haven Union Station New London Union Station Providence Amtrak Station

Amtrak40th.com Schedule subject to change without notice

CALL FOR VOLUNTEERS Mark your calendars! Volunteers will be needed at all anniversary exhibit train stops. Additional locations will be added throughout the year. You’ll find more details and other updates on the celebrations — starting April 15 — on the 40th Anniversary website at www.Amtrak40th.com.

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he fourth annual National Train Day celebration arrives on Saturday, May 7, with major events planned at stations in Washington, D.C., Philadelphia, Los Angeles and Chicago, as well as hundreds more in communities across the country. The four signature National Train Day events will feature free live entertainment, interactive and educational exhibits, culinary presentations, model train displays, K-9 demonstrations and tours of Amtrak, freight and commuter equipment, and notable private railroad cars. “This year’s event takes place as we kick-off our 40th anniversary, so it’s a very special time in our company’s history. It’s an opportunity to celebrate our company’s contributions to the history and future of passenger rail in this country,” said Emmett Fremaux, vice president, Marketing and Product Development. “The day promises to delight the kid in all of us.” Grammy Award® winning vocalist Gladys Knight will serve as National Train Day spokesperson and will host the festivities at Union Station in Washington, D.C. All of the major events will highlight the local contributions made to the railroad throughout history: • At Washington Union Station, Amtrak will launch the nationwide tour of the 40th anniversary exhibit train. Locomotives and renovated baggage cars will display historic advertising, uniforms, photos and other memorabilia. National Train Day attendees will have the opportunity to tour the exhibit train and purchase 40th Anniversary merchandise. Washington, D.C. will also feature “B&O Railroad and the Civil War,” an interactive exhibit about the railroad’s critical role during the conflict. • Philadelphia’s 30th Street Station will host “The Great Migration” exhibit, exploring the early 20th century migration of African-Americans from the South to the Northeast, Midwest and West via passenger (and some times freight) trains.

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• At Union Station in Los Angeles, the California Missions exhibit celebrates the connection between the railroad and the 21 missions along El Camino Real, stretching from San Francisco to San Diego. East Meets West, an archive of photos and stories, showcases the 19th century Chinese contributions to the development of the railroad. • Chicago’s Union Station will feature “Hands On The Past: Mexican Contributions To The Railroad.” This exhibit honors the thousands of Mexicans who came to the U.S. during World War II under a guest worker program called the Braceros to build and maintain our nation’s railroads. Plus, the AmtraKids Depot will host a celebration complete with fun games and arts and crafts at each event. For more news and updates about this year’s celebrations, visit nationaltrainday.com. ■

How You Can Get Involved... Amtrak employees have played an integral role in the success of National Train Day. Nearly 400 employees across the country volunteered in 2010 to make National Train Day a memorable experience for the more than 34,000 attendees. This year, employees are encouraged to register at the employee-only National Train Day site, www.TrainDay411.com, to volunteer at one of the four major events and be a part of the festivities. Employees who are interested in hosting their own National Train Day event or helping get passengers, family, friends and their communities excited about the celebrations, should visit the “Build the Buzz” section of TrainDay411.com for valuable tips and information.

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Save the Date: May 2 is Employee Appreciation Day!

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n May 2, employees will celebrate the third annual Appreciation Day with activities at more than 50 locations across the country aimed at honoring the long-standing service of all employees. “This year is even more significant as the company marks its 40th anniversary — a milestone that could not have been achieved without the commitment and dedication of our employees,” says Recognition Program Manager Carolyn Stagger. Employee Appreciation Day events provide participants with tools to become safer, greener and healthier — at work and at home. At several events, employees will have an opportunity to meet with representatives from Fidelity Investment, the Railroad Retirement Board and Amtrak’s Environmental Health and Safety department. They can also obtain health and wellness information from Aetna, United Healthcare and other local organizations. Employees may also learn more about company-wide initiatives such as Operation Lifesaver, Employee Assistance Program and Safe-2-Safer. Local businesses will also be present at several locations offering employee discounts on products and services. In certain locations, members of the Executive Committee will be on hand to meet and greet employees and answer questions. Due to its popularity last year, copies of the “Did You Know” employee reference

guide will be available, featuring company facts and resources, employee benefits, discounts and other useful information. As a special memento, all employees will receive a commemorative 40-year anniversary lapel pin. Each event will feature a few offerings that make it unique to its location and operation. The following are highlights of some of the upcoming events: Employees at Corporate Headquarters, in Washington D.C., will kick off its event with an opening ceremony and comments from President and CEO Joe Boardman. Throughout the day, employees will enjoy snacks, including popcorn, fresh fruit and granola bars. The Ivy City Mechanical shops will thank their employees during a 24-hour cookout covering three shifts of employees. Southern Division employees at many stations and facilities will be treated to hot dogs, chips and activities, while a Texas barbecue will be held for Dallas and Fort Worth employees. The Beech Grove Maintenance Facility will celebrate on Friday, May 6, with a barbeque, and each employee will receive a commemorative photograph of the 40th anniversary equipment outfitted at the Beech Grove shops. At the Bakersfield, Calif., station, employees and the Thruway Motorcoach staff, along with their families, are invited to bring a dish to accompany the hot dogs and hamburgers that will be served. According to Lead Ticket Agent Teresa Rodriguez, the bus drivers and managers “are a part of our family and help us support the services that operate through

Bakersfield.” Attendees may enjoy complimentary massages and blood-pressure checks, entertainment provided by a local employee musician and other festivities. One of the larger events, with an annual attendance of nearly 800 employees, will be held in Philadelphia at the Penn Coach Yard. Highlights include a demonstration by the Amtrak Police K-9 team, energy tips from local utility companies and participation from local amusement parks. Sunnyside Yard employees are celebrating early by combining Employee Appreciation Day with the facility’s annual safety fair on Wednesday, April 13. Employees are being treated to a cookout and can meet with vendors and attend a special presentation by the Federal Railroad Administration. The theme for the Chicago Union Station event will be Walk for Health, and the area surrounding the vendor tables will be transformed to a track to promote the benefits of walking and to encourage employees to enjoy a more active lifestyle. This year, the Chicago Yards will hold an outdoor carnival-themed event where employees can meet with vendors under a big-top tent and enjoy a cookout. Although many employees will be hosting and attending local events, others must continue the business of running the railroad. That group includes those who will be operating trains, serving meals to passengers, working in outlying stations and ensuring that are tracks and signals are in good working condition. While these employees may not have an opportunity to participate in the festivities, they may receive meal cards from local restaurants, opportunities to participate in other activities planned by their departments, or other forms of thanks. “In the Pacific Northwest, events will be held in Seattle and Portland on May 2, but many of our managers plan to head out to their outlying locations a week early to meet with as many employees as possible and let them know they are appreciated,” stated Kurt Laird, general superintendent. ■

Amtrak Ink

Front Line Focus Dear Amtrak,

April 2011

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Editor’s Note: The following letter appeared in the March issue with an incorrect signature line due to an editing error. We regret the mistake. The corrected version is reprinted here.

I want to give big compliments to three Amtrak police officers who work at Philadelphia’s 30th Street Station [Ted Tsinaroglou, Michael Baker, and Gregory Miles]. This morning, while in the waiting room at the station, I left my raincoat on the bench when I went to see the track number for my train. I was gone only briefly, but when I returned — no raincoat. It was a terrible day out, and I was not looking forward to being without a coat. … My train was due to leave in about 20 minutes. [Officer] Ted went to look at the security camera, thought he recognized the person on it, and the other two officers and he went to see if they could find the person. … Ted took my cell number. The train was just pulling out when he called my cell to say that they had found the coat and he had run down to the train and left it with the server in the café car. …As it turned out, a worker had picked up the coat … and was going to bring it to lost and found on her lunch break. … [T]hanks to the wonderful help from your officers, I had a dry and warm day. … Sincerely, 30th Street Station Passenger Photo: Paul Higgs

Dear Amtrak, I am a captain in the U.S. Merchant Marine sailing for the U.S. Navy, often away from the U.S. When I return to the West Coast, I always return home by rail. [On a recent trip], I called your ticket office and had the pleasure to make my travel arrangements through Agent Leta Hartley. So very helpful, pleasant, and patient, she took the time to explain the options to me as a sleeping-car passenger, which was very helpful when I boarded the train. Amtrak representatives such as Leta do so very much for your public image. … I always look forward to my rail travel after months at sea. … It is three relaxing days to St. Louis, and [the trip] helps me return to life off the ship. Sincerely, Texas Eagle Passenger

Dear Amtrak, I recently approached the Amtrak station window with two issues more complicated than a simple ticket purchase, including figuring out how and if an unaccompanied minor could travel. I was delighted with the service I received from Sid Ball. He helped me with what I needed with kindness, humor, efficiency and imagination. I saw him treat others with the same level of courtesy and professionalism, even when they were lacking in good manners. I admired his attitude and appreciated his help. Sincerely, Williamsburg, Va., Station Customer

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T

At the heart of Safe-2-Safer he name adopted by the Safe-2is the Behavioral Accident Safer Northeast Region Steering Prevention Process (BAPP), Committee — which covers Boston, which involves training employNew York, and other nearby areas — is ees to approach their peers to Nor’easter. ask if they can observe them on While the acronym stands for Northeast the job and compare their Region Employees Advocating Safety to actions against a checklist of Eliminate Risk, “now we’re actually getting safe and at-risk behaviors blamed for the weather,” quipped Jim Employees who volunteered to become Safe-2-Safer Observers attended a Each review, which is kept Twyman, a conductor in Albany, N.Y., at a two-day training session last month at New York Penn Station. strictly confidential, concludes recent training class he was co-leading for actually where the name Safe-2-Safer came with the observer discussing the findings employees who have volunteered to serve from. The “2” stands for two people talking with the employee and asking if he or she as observers. together about safety, and is how we will would be willing to make any needed The instructor’s comment set the tone become a safer company,” said Hall. changes that could reduce the risk of being for the recent two-day session at New York Most observations can be completed in hurt on the job. Penn Station, in which 13 employees from a half hour or less, Safe-2-Safer leaders say. After completing their training, voluna range of jobs and crafts gathered to learn The findings from the observations are teer observers are asked to conduct at least how to conduct observations and talk to entered into a database — without any two observations a week. “The observation their colleagues about safety. While the information that would identify individual process, one-ontopic was serious — the preemployees — and then used to help the one, peer-to-peer, is vention of work-related Steering Committees ideninjuries and fatalities — tify areas of risk that there was plenty of warrant extra attention in joking and humor during the future. the interactive session. So far, more than 60 During a recent Safe-2-Safer training ‘All About Approach’ employees have been class at New York Penn Station, Ivan Employees who particiOutlaw, a red cap in Newark, N.J., trained as observers, says pated in the New York received praise for the practice safety Peter Hall, Safe-2-Safer’s observation he conducted with fellow observation class said they senior director. “Given classmate Marcus McCumber, a ticket appreciated having the the enthusiasm of the and accounting clerk in Albany, N.Y. chance to develop new new observers recruited As part of the class, the two skills, spend time interactso far, it’s possible that as participants crafted the following ing with employees in many as half of the scenario in which McCumber meets other areas of the most, but not all, of the “Nor’easter” hands-on employees at Ticket and Accounting Clerk Marcus company, and to be a part division’s 26 criteria for safe behavior. McCumber and Red Cap Ivan Outlaw plan Amtrak will become their mock-observation scenario. of something that could Here, Outlaw discusses the findings of observers at some point.” make a big difference. his observation with McCumber: Such employee volSean Williams, a lead Observer: “Pretty much everything you did just now was ace on. I really appreciate unteers form the service attendant based out that. Good work. There’s just one thing. When you were down at the loading dock, I backbone of Safe-2noticed you jumped off the platform. Is that something you do all of the time?” of New York Penn Station, Safer, a collaborative says safety and risk-preEmployee: “Yeah. I jump off the dock and I go in the door.” approach being led by vention have always been a Observer: “Is that just because it’s easier? Or faster?” union members and suppersonal priority. ported by Amtrak Employee: “Yeah. I mean, I don’t want to walk all the way down there. I just go over the edge.” management. continued on following page

Role Playing

Observer: “You know, I find that in my own experience that shortcuts almost always lead to disaster. And those few extra steps to walk down the stairs won’t slow you down much. So if you walk down the stairs, get your three points of contact, you won’t have that risk. What do you say? In the future, would you to commit to walking down the stairs instead?” Employee: “Yeah, sure. I mean, it’s better that than walking around on crutches, right?”

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April 2011

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Playing It Safe continued from previous page

Volunteering as an observer presented “a platform to talk to other employees about something I’m passionate about,” he said. Instructor Richard M. Adams, president of the Transportation Workers Union of America — Local 1460, in Boston, told class participants that the key to being a good safety observer was being positive, professional and having an open communication style. “It’s all about approach,” he said. “This effort is entirely voluntary. It’s confidential — no name, no blame. The point is to spark conversations that lead to positive changes in behavior.”

The Mid-Atlantic Division is preparing a training manual using these and other photos to demonstrate at-risk versus safe behaviors.

Reinforce the Positive The Nor’easter division currently uses a checklist of 26 observable behaviors, such as whether employees keep their eyes on the path on which they’re walking, are wearing appropriate protective equipment, or are using the safest technique for lifting objects. Additional behaviors related to security are also observed. Not all of the items on the checklist apply to all employees, said Adams. Some that do include wearing appropriate footwear, keeping “eyes on task,” having a work area that is free of obstacles and debris (good “housekeeping”) and visibly displaying company ID. The vast majority of behaviors that have been observed so far have been in the “safe” category, said Adams — roughly 97 percent. This provides an opportunity to reinforce positive approaches, he said, and is a good way to open the discussion that occurs at the end of the observation process. When an observer does identify potential at-risk behaviors, Adams told class members they should ask employees why they took the approach or action. Sometimes the reason is because of a barrier that prevents a person from doing a job in a safer way. In those cases, observers can put in requests to a committee for fixes or improvements. If an unsafe behavior is within an employee’s ability to change, Adams recommended observers use wording such as, “wouldn’t it be better if you did it this way?” He also suggested they ask employees for their suggestions for safety improvements. “The best scenario is when employees come up with their own solutions,” he said. ■

Eyes on Task: Focus on the subject, and ensure hand safety while performing duties on the job.

Lifting and Lowering: Knees should be bent, back straight, chin raised and the load should be close to the body. Eyes should also be the item.

Balance: While walking between cars on a moving train carrying items, use safety rails, keep eyes “on path” and square shoulders and feet for stability.

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Police Website Becomes Latest Tool in Protecting America’s RailroadSM

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he Amtrak Police Department has just unveiled a new public website that offers a behind-the-scenes look at the men, women, and K-9s who make up the force and strive to keep the traveling public safe. The site —police.amtrak.com — features videos, photos, safety tips and news, including links to recent press coverage of the department. (Note: Do not type “www” at the start of the web address.) It was designed in-house by Jim Lewis, security awareness strategist, Amtrak Police Department. Prominently displayed is the department’s mission and vision for providing “customer-oriented policing,” as well as law-enforcement contact information, including RAILPOL, the European network of rail police forces, of which the Amtrak Police Department is an associated member. “Everyone has a role when it comes to keeping our stations and trains safe,” says Vice President and Chief of Police John J. O’Connor. “This website offers another way for us to encourage employees and travelers to stay informed and vigilant. Open communication is key.”

Civic Conversation Follow-Up

For those interested in an Amtrak Police career, the site provides a link to job listings, as well as details on basic requirements, including fitness standards. Applicants, for example, must be able to bench press 57 percent of their weight. Descriptions are provided for the various divisions within the department. The site notes, for instance, that “Amtrak currently has the most K-9 units in the railroad industry with vapor wake capabilities.” The Special Operations Unit has a dual identity, the site notes. It has a highly visible team that conducts security sweeps aboard trains and throughout Amtrak stations,” as well as an “undercover” team, which “can be working at any location, at any time, without anyone knowing they are at work.” Lewis says the site will be updated frequently with new information. ■

The gathering of Amtrak personnel and civic leaders along the Cardinal route in Huntington, W.Va., in early March marked the first such conversation in a rural region. Local officials discussed plans to update local train stations, as well as an interest in expanding to daily service from three days a week. “We are very pleased the group came here because it put the emphasis not only on the convenience of rail travel, but also on its efficiency, especially in light of rising oil prices,” says Huntington’s mayor, Kim Wolfe. “If we could offer a more aggressive passenger rail schedule in the future, I know it would be utilized.” Photos: Joe Rago

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Promotions in Motion ‘Charm City’ Partnership Through a renewed partnership with Baltimore’s Convention and Visitor’s Center, Amtrak hopes to tap a growing share of the millions of people who travel each year to the harbor city. The company is one of six “strategic partners” with the nonprofit group Visit

markets within the Northeast Corridor,” says Paul Siegel, manager, Sales and Marketing. “This alliance with Visit Baltimore targets this core audience and provides us with a total exposure value exceeding $170,000.” As part of the partnership, Amtrak is offering a 30-percent discount on companion rail tickets for travel into Baltimore through 2011.

40-Days Travel Promo for the 40th

Baltimore, and as such has a prominent spot on the group’s website (www.visitbaltimore.org). “Five of the top 10 cities from which travelers to Baltimore originate are Amtrak

In celebration of the company’s upcoming anniversary, children between the ages of 2 and 15 can travel free when accompanied by a paying adult. One child per adult qualifies for the deal, which applies to travel between May 1 and June 9.

Employees Gear Up for Next Walking Competition Employees are once again preparing to clip on pedometers and make a six-week commitment to track their steps, improve their health and take advantage of the benefits of walking by participating in the company’s Stay on Track — Keep Walking competition. The next round of the program begins Tuesday, April 26, and runs through June 6. Nearly 1,000 employees, including 57 teams and 300 individuals, participated in the first competition, which ended in March. At press time, rankings for that competition were still being tabulated. The winners, participant rankings and more information on the walking program can be found on the intranet under “Employees” → “Human Resources Health Services.”

Certain conditions and restrictions apply, including a requirement that tickets be purchased in advance during a roughly twoweek window (April 25 and May 6). The offer is valid on all trains except Acela Express. “We’ll be promoting this offer through TV, print, online advertising and social media as a way to publicize our 40th anniversary celebration and encourage families to travel this spring,” says Gail Reisman, senior director, National Advertising and Marketing Programs. In related efforts, 40-percent discounts for companion fares will be offered in connection with the 40th anniversary exhibit train events, as well as in connection with National Train Day events. ■

Update: ‘Smart ID’ Badges The vast majority of the new identification badges have now been distributed, according to the Corporate Security division of the Amtrak Police Department. Yet some 1,000 still have yet to be picked up. To check to see if your name is on the list or to get updates on the effort, go to the company intranet under Police → Smart ID. To report problems or ask questions related to the IDs, send an e-mail message to [email protected].

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Employee Milestones

Starting this month, you can view Employee Milestones online. Go to Amtrak.com and click on “Inside Amtrak” to connect to the company intranet.

Congratulations to All of You! HOLLOWAY, RICHARD Wilmington Shops ADAMSON, JAMIE Phila. 30th Street Station ANDINO, ANGEL Phila. 30th Street Station BEIMBORN, GARY W. Oakland Maint. Facility BELLAVIA, SALVATORE Rensselaer Mech. Facility

HOLTON, CHARLES New York Penn Station HOWARD, LINDA CNOC JOHNSON, OZIAS NW Base

KRIVOGORSKY, IGOR Sunnyside Yard N.Y. LAHR, KENNETH Chicago Crew Base LYNCH, SCOTT Salisbury T&E Crew Base

BROWN, VERNON New York Penn Station

LYONS, RICHARD Sunnyside Yard NY

BRYANT, AISHA CNOC

PACHECO, MANUEL Providence Station

COLANTONE, BARBARA Washington Crew Base

TELEVIK, PETER Los Angeles Offices

DEVINE, PATRICK Raymond Plaza West DREWES, KEITH Jacksonville Station ELWIN, DAVID Southampton St. Yard FERGUSON, STEPHEN Southampton St. Yard FLYNN, JAMES Deerfield Beach Station FOBBS, TAMMY Phila. 30th Street Station

THORNTON, ELIZABETH Mid-Atlantic Reservation Sales Contact Center TREMMEL, LAURRIE Western Reservation Sales Contact Center

MC NEAL, HAROLD Rensselaer Mech. Facility

KOERNER, MARIE Corp. HQ, Wash., D.C.

BLAIR, MAX Salt Lake City Crew Base

MAYBIN-AHMED, KATHLEEN Phila. 30th Street Station

BLIXT, LARRY Fargo Station

ALBRITTON, RENEE Phila. 30th Street Station

MOUNT, SHARON Phila. 30th Street Station

BABINEAUX, HARRIET Mid-Atlantic Reservation Sales Contact Center

MUNDIS, DAVE Harrisburg Station

BACHRACH, HARRY Rensselaer Station BARNIAK, MARY Phila. 30th Street Station BAZAN, JUDITH Los Angeles Offices BOGDAN, CHRISTOPHER Brighton Park Facility

PIERRO, JOHN Chicago Mech.&Terminal Offices PRATER, ROBERT Wilmington Shops PRICE, MARY Washington Crew Base

BROWN, KENNETH Phila. 30th Street Station BYERS, WILLIAM Brighton Park Facility CHAPLIK, WILLIAM New York Division HQ COLEMAN, ROBERT Phila. 30th Street Station

BROCKWAY, DIANNE CNOC Justison Office CAMERON, BETTY Mid-Atlantic Reservation Sales Contact Center

SLOWEK, ROGER Chicago Locomotive Shop

DANTZLER, ETHEL Sanford Station

COYLE, KEVIN Phila. 30th Street Station DOIRON, DENNIS St. Louis Station

MCDADE, THOMAS CNOC

OLDHAM, ERNEST Wilmington Shops

BRIDGEFORD, THOMAS Rensselaer Mech. Facility

DALE, TERRY Chicago Locomotive Shop

WOOD, THERESA Rensselaer Mech. Facility

FUNK, HELENA New York Division HQ

MURPHY, MARK Wilmington Shops

BOUDREAU, JAMES Chicago Offices

RADOVICH, DEBRA Trenton Station

CARTER, MARITA Material Control Facility

BENSON, LAWRENCE Wilmington Station

GIRDLER, ROBERT Miami Mechanical Yard

HRICZAK, LARRY Phila. 30th Street Station

VANWRIGHT, CLARENCE Mid-Atlantic Reservation Sales Contact Center

FONDACARO, JOSEPH Mid-Atlantic Reservation Sales Contact Center

WENGERT, GERALD Wilmington Shops

KULLMAN, GARY Rensselaer Mech. Facility

KREZEL, BONNIE Philadelphia Call Center

BROWN, RONALD C&S HQ

CRAIG, WILLIAM Lakeland Station

HOLM, KAREN Cleveland Station

FRIAS, HECTOR Washington Union Station GORDON, DAVID Deerfield Beach Station

STEINBEISER, ROBERT Phila. 30th Street Station STOCKUNAS, RONALD Mid-Atlantic Reservation Sales Contact Center WAGNER, TIMOTHY Harrisburg Station WALDRON, ANN FRANCINE Rensselaer Mech. Facility WARD, DAVID Phila. 30th Street Station

DORMAN, WILLIAM Chicago Locomotive Shop EDWARDS, GORDON Beech Grove Maintenance Facility ELLSWORTH, JAMES Ivy City Maint. Facility EWALD, ELIZABETH CNOC GREEN, THOMAS Southampton St. Yard HAUGHEY, ANDREW Sunnyside Yard N.Y.

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Employee Milestones Congratulations to All of You! HUGGINS, MICHAEL Los Angeles Offices

KEETON, DWAINE Niles Station

NEU, JOHN Milwaukee Station

ROLFE, CHERYELE Los Angeles Offices

SHOCKLEY, KAREN Manassas Data Center

HURST, KENNETH Sacramento Station

LA COLLA, FRANCIS Syracuse Station

JACOBS, RONY Jacksonville Station

LENART, JOHN C&S Construction

POLINAIRE, CHRISTOPHER Phila. 30th Street Station

RUSSELL, KARL Beech Grove Maintenance Facility

STUPKA, GARY Chicago Locomotive Shop

SAMM, MICHAEL Material Control Facility

TUCKER, BRYCE Quad Ave. M/W Base

JONES, BEVERLY Western Reservation Sales Contact Center

MATTHEWS, JOHN Phila. 30th Street Station

RANSOM, JOEL Mid-Atlantic Reservation Sales Contact Center

KALICKI, GERALD St. Louis Station

MELLOTT, GERALD Perryville M/W Base

RILEY, THOMAS New York Penn Station

KAPLAN, BRUCE Corp. HQ, Wash., D.C.

MILLER, WILLIAM Southampton St. Yard

ROBINSON, JOHN Southampton St. Yard

SCHULTZ, ROBERT Metrolink Riverside Crew Base SHEPPARD, CHRISTOPHER Caltrain Main Office

WALLACE, KAROL Western Reservation Sales Contact Center WIMBISH, LINDA Phila. 30th Street Station

Ink in Your Inbox Option Saves Trees, Speeds Delivery Be greener. Sign up to have Amtrak Ink e-mailed to your personal e-mail address, rather than have the paper copy mailed to your home. Employees who already receive Amtrak Ink via their Amtrak-issued e-mail address will continue to receive it there. In addition, employees may also sign up to receive Amtrak This Week and Special Employee Advisories in their personal e-mailbox. This will be most beneficial to employees who don’t have an Amtrak-issued e-mail address and don’t always see or have time to read Amtrak This Week or Special Employee Advisories posted at their crew base or facility. Amtrak This Week provides timely information about company activities and Special Employee Advisories often include messages to employees from President and CEO Joe Boardman. If you feel like you never hear about what’s going on, here’s an opportunity to get more company news.

To opt-out of receiving a paper copy of Amtrak Ink and to start receiving Ink, Amtrak This Week and Special Employees Advisories at your personal e-mail address, visit the Amtrak intranet to sign up. To sign on to the intranet from a home Internet connection, go to Amtrak.com and click “Inside Amtrak” at the bottom of the page. Under the “Employees” heading, click the “Log in to Amtrak Intranet” link. If you do not have an

Amtrak-issued login ID and password, and/or you cannot remember your login ID and password, your login ID is your Personnel Number (the 8 digit number that can be found on your pay stub — please include the leading zeroes). If you cannot remember your password, please contact the Amtrak Help Desk (1-800-7724357) and they will help you reset your password. The sign-up period begins April 18 and ends on May 28, and employees will not be able to change their selections until the next opt-out and sign-up period in approximately six months. Please note that there will likely be an overlap period during which you may receive both the emailed and printed version of Amtrak Ink. There will also be a lag time between signing up and receiving Amtrak This Week and Special Employee Advisories to your personal e-mail. Please bear with us as we work through this transition. ■

Presorted Standard U.S. Postage PAID Des Moines, IA Permit No. 589

60 Massachusetts Avenue, N.E. Washington, D.C. 20002 To change your address, call 1-888-MY-HR-ESC (1-888-694-7372) or send an e-mail message to [email protected].

This Month In Amtrak History

APRIL

April 19, 1971

April 24, 1983

April 1, 1992

The new passenger rail system, which to date had been known as Railpax, adopts the name Amtrak.

Amtrak’s Chicago – Oakland train is renamed California Zephyr in conjunction with the service being rerouted through Colorado’s Rocky Mountains.

Capitol Corridor service welcomes its 100,000th passenger. Initial ridership for the service far exceeded original projections. In its 20 years of operation, more than 17.5 million passengers have ridden Capitol Corridor trains.