Amtrak job transfers

      Amtrak employees stranded by the cancellation of the Desert Wind route most likely will be placed in other jobs within the company.
      Marc Magliari, manager of media relations for Amtrak Inter-City, based in Chicago, said that about 15 people, including train crew members and clerical workers, will be affected by Saturday's cancellation of the route between Salt Lake City, Las Vegas and Los Angeles.
      "There aren't really very many (employees)," Magliari said. "Most of them will be transferred elsewhere."
      Amtrak workers are represented by about 15 different unions, and Magliari said the company will have to go through a bidding and seniority process to place Desert Wind employees. It won't be known until after that process is concluded if anyone has been left jobless. Some will be relocated to the California Zephyr route, between Oakland, Calif., and Chicago.
      The decision to cancel the Desert Wind comes on the heels of declining ridership. In 1995, 38,901 passengers traveled the route, which ran three times a week. That dropped to 28,324 in 1996.
      "The decision to cancel a route isn't made easily or lightly," Magliari said.
      Amtrak is exploring other options for service, including running buses from Las Vegas to other Amtrak stations. Magliari also said Amtrak is studying the possibility of faster train service between Las Vegas and Los Angeles.