| Instructions to PORTERS, ATTENDANTS and BUS BOYS |
M.B. OSBURN, Vice President, Operating The Pullman Company
Safety is an integral part of our operation, and we are inalterably committed to the safety of our patrons and employees. The practice of safety and the effectiveness of safety measures and safety devices depends upon the cooperation of employees. Safety is not a one-man proposition; it is a responsibility that must be shared by all. The ultimate results, however, depend largely upon the efforts of each individual.
Employees must enter and leave railroad premises through designated entrances and exits. Established crossings shall be used where available in coach yards. Do not step on rails when crossing tracks. Boarding or alighting from moving trains and opening vestibule traps or doors while the car is in motion is strictly prohibited.
Instructions regarding the handling of vestibule trap doors, step boxes, tailgates, etc. are designed to prevent injury to employees and passengers, therefore it is extremely important that car service employees operate safely in accordance with these instructions.
The best safety device known is a careful person. Employees are urged to offer suggestions on safety.
The Conductor, car owner, and/or operators of the car have jurisdiction over all car service employees on cars in their charge, and are responsible for their performance and for coordination and harmony between all members of the crew.
The porter or attendant is required to wait upon passengers, assist them with their baggage, shine shoes, prepare berths, keep the car, linens, and equipment in orderly and cleanly condition, attend to all other duties requiring his attention and carry out such instructions as the conductor, car owner, or operators may give him.
DISCIPLINE
The Company requires employees to give the best service possible. Consideration of the passengers' comfort and welfare is the prime requisite. Indifference to passengers needs and grudgingly or carelessly performed duties serve only to drive away business. The success of the Company depends upon the rendering of the highest type of service by car service employees.
An employee charged with a dereliction of duty or breach of any of the prohibitions or regulations will have full opportunity to explain his actions. A major dereliction of duty will subject the offender to suspension from duty or dismissal. A less serious infraction or failure will result in the issuance of a "caution", "reprimand", or "warning" as the circumstances warrant.
Any of the following derelictions will subject the employee to discipline:
PERSONAL APPEARANCE
An employee must be clean and in neat appearance, (no sideburns, mustache, or beard), shall wear clean linen and maintain proper body hygiene.
Only the proper uniform designated by the Company may be used. Such uniform must be worn while an employee is on duty, whether in active service or deadheading on cars. All employees must wear black shoes and keep them in clean, polished condition. The employee must wear a clean white shirt and collar, and black or dark blue four-in-hand tie with no figures. Attendants, bus boys, or other employees who wear white coats cut military style shall wear black bow ties. Uniformity of appearance is required. While in service, porters and attendants must keep their coats fully buttoned.
White coats shall not be worn either under or over blue coats. Torn, soiled, ill-fitting coats must not be worn. The white coat shall be worn when performing regular duties inside the car. The same coat used in making up berths shall not be used when serving meals.
Porters and attendants shall wear their uniform caps when receiving or discharging passengers either at terminals or en route whether wearing blue or white uniform coats. The porter or attendant must not wear uniform cap while inside cars during the day or while preparing or putting away berths, or when serving meals, but may wear it at night after passengers have retired and before passengers arise in the morning. The wearing of any other head covering while on duty is prohibited. Keep the uniform cap in good condition and exercise care to prevent it's being crushed, broken, or otherwise damaged.
DEADHEADING
While deadheading on car, the porter or attendant shall check and put away linen, look after equipment, keep the car clean and use the designated porters section or bed in the smoking room or upper #1 when car has no smoking room. In cars with rooms only, the porter will use an upper berth in a room, hang the curtains and leave the door open.
Deadhead cars are usually placed in the most convenient position for handling and end doors shall remain unlocked to permit train crews to pass through.
Should a car be cut out, the porter shall remain with the car until relieved or otherwise instructed.
Wrecking tools must not be used for other than the purposes intended.
Everyone likes to be recognized as a separate and distinct personality- an individual rather than merely part of a group; private car passengers are no exception to this rule. Pullman service was made famous by the individual attention given to each passenger and all employees are expected to uphold the established service standards.
First impressions are often lasting; therefore, it is important that passengers be received in such a manner that they will feel their patronage is appreciated.
Politeness and courtesy are prominent qualifications of a good car service employee and their importance must not be over looked. Passengers must be given a courteous greeting as they approach the car. The employee who says "Thank you, sir" or "madame" and informs the passenger that he will be glad to be on further assistance has begun to make a friend of himself and the Company.
When loading passengers, the porter or attendant shall station himself at the entrance to his car, facing the direction from which passengers will come. Avoid a poor appearance, such as leaning on cars, hands in pockets, etc.
The employee must call the passenger's attention to all of the berth ventilation controls and to all facilities in rooms, such as individual ventilation controls, folding beds, toilet facilities, etc., and explain their operation. The employee shall also inform the passenger of the club, lounge, observation, or dining facilities available and mention the hours these facilities are available and their location in the train.
All employees shall observe regulations of the railroads when lifting transportation or receiving passengers whether on trains, platforms, or in terminals.
At station stops en route, employees must get out on the ground, place step box in position and be ready to assist passengers. In every case, employees shall make sure that passengers being received are on the right car, on the right train.
Three minutes before departure, employees will announce in a distinct but not loud voice, "All aboard, all visitors off please," throughout the car, making certain visitors who may be in rooms as well as those in the body of the car are advised.
Keep vestibule and trap doors closed and latched while train is in motion. They shall also be closed at stations after "All aboard" signal is given before the train starts and not opened until the train stops. When either in the open or closed position, they shall be latched securely.
Always place folding type car steps in full open or full closed position. When partially opened, they project beyond the sides of the car and there is possibility of damage or injury when clearances are restricted. Operate steps only when car is not in motion.
Offer pillows to passengers for their added comfort in sleeping cars during the day, afternoon, and early evening. Pillows must have fresh, clean slips.
When passengers make complaints, the employee shall attempt at once to correct the condition complained of.
Call bell system. Each car is equipped with a call system whereby a bell or chime will sound when a call button, located in each of the accommodations, washrooms, at end doors, etc. is pushed. The location from where a call is made will be indicated on the annunciator panel. Always be alert to the sound of the call bell and answer call promptly.
The porter when on duty at night, except when attending to other service shall occupy either an end seat or the camp stool so placed as to command a full view of the aisle. He shall not leave his chair except to receive or discharge passengers, or to patrol the car he is guarding.
Occupancy of cars in stations after arrival. Employees shall notify passengers of occupancy privileges where car is parked at station after early morning arrival. Inform passengers of the arrival time and how long they may remain in the car.
Calling Passengers. Calls shall be made by the porter or employee relieving him. If call is for a definite time such as 7:30 a.m., call the passenger at that time, regardless of whether the train is delayed. If call is for a certain amount of time before arrival, call the passenger the specified amount of time before arrival, making allowances for train delay. When calling passengers, the porter must not under any circumstances part berth curtains, or under any circumstances place hands inside berth curtains.
Awaken passengers in rooms by use of the door buzzer or door knocker. In all cases employees shall explain to room passengers before they retire that answer to call may be made by pressing call button or knocking on the door. Employees, at an opportune time, shall always make polite inquiry of passengers as to how they rested.
The clean linen locker is to contain clean linen and supplies for passengers' use, such as drinking cups, paper towels, etc. Small articles of equipment such as window jack, screen hook, ventilator stick, fly swatter, etc., are carried on the lower shelf. Dust cloths are carried on the bottom of the clean linen locker. The supply drawer in the clean linen locker contains cake soap, extra fuses, matches, berth key, screw drivers, etc. A linen bag to contain soiled towels only may be kept on the floor of this locker.
The clean linen locker door must be kept closed at all times except when necessary to secure linen or other supplies.
The soiled linen locker is to contain soiled linen.
The equipment locker is to contain upper berth ladder, broom, mop and wringer bucket, ice buckets, porter camp stool, etc.
The electrical locker contains electrical apparatus and must not be used for storage of equipment of any kind, including train line and call-bell connectors. Air conditioning and draining instruction cards are carried in holders on the inside of the electrical locker door.
Place clean linen in locker arranged so that linen remaining from the previous trip is used first. Clean linen shall be piled neatly in the locker. Linen must be only used for the purpose intended and not used for wiping floors, hand railings, shoes, etc. While en route, only sufficient linen to prepare a room shall be taken from the locker at one time.
Employees must always take precautions necessary to protect linen from theft. Before leaving the car, be sure that all linen is in the lockers, and that locker doors are shut and locked.
A liberal supply of linen towels shall be kept in racks provided for in general washrooms. Do not put out towels too far in advance of recieving time. Unused clean towels should be returned to the clean linen locker immediately after all passengers are discharged. When setting up the car, 6 towels shall be placed in the shower room. They are to be folded triangularily and spread out in stacks of two or three as shelf space permits. Porters shall frequently check to see that an adequate supply of towels is maintained.
In private room accomodations the setup of towels is as follows: rooms having only one bed.................................4 towels rooms having two beds.....................................6 towels rooms having three beds...................................8 towels master room...............................................6 towels plus 2 large and 2 small bath towels.
In rooms having overhead towel racks or shelves, towels shall be folded triangularily and placed with the point to the front. In rooms having toilet cabinets or recessed shelves, towels shall be folded into a square and placed in stacks of two or three, spaced evenly on shelves in an orderly manner. During the day, the porter or attendant must check to see that the supply of clean towels is maintained in room accomodations. Used towels left by passengers on hooks, shelves, or in cabinets in rooms shall not be removed unless they are noticibly soiled.
Coat hangers are supplied to room accomodations on the following baisis: rooms having one bed......................................2 coat hangers rooms having two beds.....................................4 coat hangers rooms having three beds...................................6 coat hangers master rooms..............................................6 coat hangers
The appropriate number of coat hangers shall be supplied to each room prior to the reception of passengers and returned to their proper storage place on the shelf in the soiled linen locker at the end of the trip after passengers have been discharged. Hangers swinging free from rods in wardrobe lockers or from hooks on walls of room accomodations cause considerable noise and are an extreme annoyance to passengers. In addition, hangers swinging free from hooks on walls result in damage to the finish. In order to avoid complaints, employees shall remove coat hangers from vacant room accomodations after departure from terminals and return them to their proper storage place.
Dispensers shall be supplied with paper towels, drinking cups, matches, etc. before the reception of passengers.
Wrapped cake soap is to be furnished in room accomodations.
Quiet signs shall be hung between the hours of 9:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m. on fasteners provided at each end of the car on partition facing the end door or in the hallway.
"Have you forgotten any personal property?" sign which is the reverse of the Quiet Sign is displayed on partitions at each end of the aisle during the day time only, but shall not be hung until the departure of the train from terminal.
Display Dining car sign when restaurant or dining car is open for service. This sign which reads: "Dining car in opposite direction," shall be hung at the end of the aisle farthest from the diner and replaces the "Personal Property" sign at that end of the aisle. Do not display this sign when the dining car is not open for service.
Name card shall be displayed by porters and attendants in the holder which is usually located on the door to the electrical locker or in the hallway.
Connecting doors between rooms must be locked by key, and the sliding bolt on each door placed in the locked position before reception of passengers. Sliding or folding partitions between rooms shall also be securely bolted and locked prior to reception of passengers. If rooms are to be used en suite, place the sliding or folding partitions in the open position prior to the reception of passengers, except when otherwise indicated.
Doors to vacant rooms shall be kept open. At night or early in the morning while berths are being made up or put away, passengers may be permitted to sit in vacant rooms; in such instances doors are to remain open.
Adjustable seats shall be placed in the "First Position" for reception of passengers. The porter must explain to the passenger how the seat may be adjusted to a more reclining position and make such an adjustment, if requested.
Tables shall be furnished to passengers upon request and must be wiped clean on both sides, using a wet cloth if neccessary, before being placed in position
Window shades in sleeping cars shall be raised to a uniform height in the daytime and fully drawn at night. During daylight hours, place window shades in passageways of all cars approximately 12 inches from the top. Window shades of passageways must not be left in such a position that passengers taking hold of window handrail, strike the thumb piece of the shade with their hands. In hot weather, shades on the sunny side of the car may be pulled all the way down.
Place the step box for use by passengers when the distance from the lower step of the car to the station platform or ground is 12 inches or more. The step box shall be carried; never thrown or dropped into position. When placed for use it shall extend endwise from the car steps and rest evenly and firmly with car identification or insignia facing out.
Keep vestibules clean at all times. Hand railings and underside of trap doors are to be wiped with the dust cloth immediately before recieving/and discharging passengers. Carefully sweep dust and desbris through openings over buffers or off the vestibule at station stops. Vestibules must not be mopped during freezing weather.
Berths, sections, and rooms which have been sold in cars leaving at a late hour at night shall be ready at receiving time so that passengers may retire without delay.
When preparing berths and rooms in advance of reception of passengers, porters are permitted to use production methods in arranging seat cushions, placing all mattresses, distributing linen, etc., in order to save time. When making down car in service, one section or room shall be completed before starting makedown of another. Handling of berth and loose equipment must, in all cases, be done in a quiet and careful manner to avoid damaging equipment and annoying passengers.
Berths will be prepared en route only after obtaining passenger's permission and must not put away without permission from passengers, or until they have taken possession of their effects placed therein. Any property left in berths shall be returned to the passenger before putting berth away.
Beds shall be made with the heads towards the engine except as follows:
The head of the folding wall type berths, double pivot and elevator type upper berths is made at the reading light end. Sofa type rooms will be made with the head away from the window.
Employees will comply with all special requests of passengers who desire beds prepared with the head in opposite direction from customary practice.
Porters shall use the small step ladder in preparing berths and are prohibited from standing on seat cushions, mattresses, or seat arms.
When breaking down berths, the porter shall carefully fasten all the mechanical attachments and safety devices which are provided for holding beds firmly in position. These include upper berth safety support rods or bars, safety guards, safety curtains, safety straps, hold down latches, folding legs, and ladder attachments. In the event bed is operated by passenger, porter must explain operation of the bed, safety features, etc.
Pillows shall be fluffed by striking smartly several times with the open hands before placing on beds. After applying slip, smooth out by forcing pillow into corners of slip. When placing pillows in slips, do not hold slip or pillow with teeth or chin. Do not permit use of pillow without slip.
Blankets. If applicable, chocolate colored blankets are to be spread on beds with the dark side uppermost and "PULLMAN" insignia at head. Cedar blankets and others having Pullman, Railroad, or Train insignia in center shall be spread with insignia facing foot of berth.
One blanket is to be spread and one extra blanket furnished throughout the year on all air-conditioned cars. Extra blanket is to be rolled on all open beds, and folded on passenger operated roomette-type folding beds.
In double bedrooms having convertible sofa and flat upper berth front.
MAKE DOWN OF LOWER BERTH
1) Spread first sheet tightly over mattress and tuck securely all around.
2) Spread second sheet with front edge hanging 16 inches or even with bottom of seat cushion. Smooth out to the four corners of the berth. Fold back 6 inches across head until edge of fold is even with end of mattress.
3) Make a pleat in second sheet across foot by grasping sheet at corners of mattress and folding it back on top of bed, tucking end of sheet under mattress. If sheet is too short, make pleat but do not tuck under, do not tuck but push sheet loosely between end of mattress and bed box. Tuck sheet under corners and along back of bed.
4) Spread blanket with front edge hanging 1 inch above edge of second sheet, blanket at head to be even with end of mattress. Smooth out to four corners of berth.
Make a 4 inch pleat in blanket across foot of bed by grasping blanket at corners, lifting and doubling it back over top of bed, then tucking surplus under end of mattress. Tuck corners under smoothly to avoid lumping under mattress, and fold pleat back neatly over end of mattress. Tuck blanket under at back from center of berth to foot.
5) Turn back the 6 inch fold of second sheet over end of blanket at head, then make large fold straight across head of bed with the lower edge even with the door frame nearest head of bed. Smooth out along fold and tuck under along back of bed.
6) Spread out second blanket to all four corners. Tuck back edge under mattress. Roll blanket towards rear of berth neatly.
7) Tuck bedding under mattress at front loosely but sufficiently to hold bed together when closed to day position.
8) Pillows are placed across head of bed, one in front of the other, open ends of slip to back of bed.
MAKEDOWN OF UPPER BERTH
1) Pull mattress out so that it overhangs edge of berth about 12 inches. Spread first sheet over mattress, letting sheet hang about 12 inches below edge of mattress at front, back of sheet to lie out on bottom of berth. Tuck sheet under mattress at head and foot.
2) Spread second sheet same as first. Fold back 6 inches of sheet across head and shift the sheet toward head so edge of fold is even with end of mattress. Make a pleat across foot of bed by grasping sheet at corners of mattress, folding it back over top of mattress, and tucking end of sheet under mattress.
3) Spread blanket with head end even with mattress and front edge hanging down 1 inch above edge of sheets. Make a 4 inch pleat across foot of bed same as in second sheet, tucking end of blanket under mattress. Turn the pleat down neatly over end of mattress.
4) Fold the 6 inch surplus of second sheet down over blanket across head; make a large fold of second sheet and blanket down from head about 12 inches or even with lower berth seat arm. Make a triangular fold with the folded edge in center of bed; then fold the triangle back once on itself to make a triangle half the size. Spread and roll extra blanket to the back edge of the mattress.
5) Using the porter's ladder, place hands underneath mattress, shift mattress and bedding back into bunk, lifting mattress at the back while doing so, in order that the sheets and blanket will tuck under back. Tuck bedding loosely along front of bed. Place pillows in far corner at head, one pillow standing in front on the other, open ends of slips in corner.
PUTTING AWAY BERTHS
1) In rooms equipped with short upper berth ladder, place the ladder on floor under sofa.
2) Fold each upper berth blanket once crosswise, spread over upper berth with folds to the back, and tuck the surplus under mattress in the front.
3) Release berth support bars or rods and fold them back into berth.
4) Fold each lower blanket once crosswise and spread over berth with folds to the back, and the surplus folded back on top.
5) Place the four pillows in upper on top of blankets with ends of pillows back against the partition, closing the berth securely to engage berth locks.
In lengthwise bedrooms having straight-lift elevator type upper berth.
The lower and upper berths are prepared in the same manner as the double bedroom berths.
To place elevator-type upper berth into night time position, unlock and pull bed straight down to engage in hold-down locks on walls. Place safety rod at foot of berth into the lock mounted to the bedroom ceiling. When putting this type of berth away, lay safety guard over top of mattress, with the hooks downwards. Fold the two upper berth blankets into squares, and place on top of ladder. One at the head and the other at the foot. Place the two pillows lengthwise on bed toward the back and raise bed to ceiling.
Each trip has it's own set of unusual circumstances and invariably questions will arise which cannot be answered by the material covered in this document. You must do your best to deal with each situation as it arises. Use your best judgement when these situations come up. If the car owner or operators are available, do not hesitate to ask for advice. As an employee, you represent not only the owners of the car but their clients as well. You must do your best to make a favorable and lasting impression on their clients.
Kevin R. Tam Private Car "Tallahassee"