Meals on 49/449

[George K]

I'm traveling from BOS to CHI the week after next. My understanding is that, because of track work, it's all-coach train from BOS to ALB, where we get to use our sleeper tickets.

What about meals? 449 leaves at 12:50; is that too late for lunch?

It arrives at 6:00; is that too early for dinner?

49 leaves ALB at 7:05; is that too late for dinner?

Do I at least get breakfast on 49?

 

[PVD]

I know someone will correct me if I get this wrong, I believe its box lunch BOS to ALB but I could have that wrong, I boarded in Albany in June, we got dinner out of ALB, and breakfast early before CHI.

 

[AmtrakBlue]

I suspect they may have box lunches out of BOS or maybe a cafe voucher. I'm pretty sure you'll get dinner out of ALB as I recall reading here that passengers on 49 get the early seatings so that the 449 passengers can use the later seatings.

 

[George K]

Thanks, all! I appreciate it - at least I know to board 449 with an empty stomach!

 

[oregon pioneer]

I've taken that train out of Boston several times, and will again this December. Every time I have been on it, our SCA served us in the cafe car, from the menu for 449 that is posted on the Amtrak site. Coach pax were not allowed in our section of the cafe car while we were being served.

You are also allowed to choose from the regular cafe car menu if neither of the two (count 'em) options on the 449 menu suits you. I've actually watched someone eat the cafe car pizza for dinner on the 448, because he did not like to two dinner options. Me, I will always settle for the salad (which is usually pretty nice, but not very substantial) and dessert if the sandwich is not to my taste.

 

[Bob Dylan]

Jaypea and his uncle are on a cross country trip, and are taking 449 from BOS-ALB.

They have been yo-yo'd back and forth from train-bus--stub Coach train, so perhaps we'll get a current update soon on just what the procedure is for the BOS-ALB route as just how lunch is, or isn't, served on the stub train?

 

[Philly Amtrak Fan]

I've taken that train out of Boston several times, and will again this December. Every time I have been on it, our SCA served us in the cafe car, from the menu for 449 that is posted on the Amtrak site. Coach pax were not allowed in our section of the cafe car while we were being served.

You are also allowed to choose from the regular cafe car menu if neither of the two (count 'em) options on the 449 menu suits you. I've actually watched someone eat the cafe car pizza for dinner on the 448, because he did not like to two dinner options. Me, I will always settle for the salad (which is usually pretty nice, but not very substantial) and dessert if the sandwich is not to my taste.

Is that the case in general that sleeper car passengers that they can choose from the cafe car instead of the dining car or just for the LSL?

 

[AmtrakBlue]

I've taken that train out of Boston several times, and will again this December. Every time I have been on it, our SCA served us in the cafe car, from the menu for 449 that is posted on the Amtrak site. Coach pax were not allowed in our section of the cafe car while we were being served.

You are also allowed to choose from the regular cafe car menu if neither of the two (count 'em) options on the 449 menu suits you. I've actually watched someone eat the cafe car pizza for dinner on the 448, because he did not like to two dinner options. Me, I will always settle for the salad (which is usually pretty nice, but not very substantial) and dessert if the sandwich is not to my taste.

Is that the case in general that sleeper car passengers that they can choose from the cafe car instead of the dining car or just for the LSL?

They are talking about 449 which does not have a diner between BOS and ALB. When it reaches ALB it connects to 49 which has the diner.

 

[oregon pioneer]

I've taken that train out of Boston several times, and will again this December. Every time I have been on it, our SCA served us in the cafe car, from the menu for 449 that is posted on the Amtrak site. Coach pax were not allowed in our section of the cafe car while we were being served.

You are also allowed to choose from the regular cafe car menu if neither of the two (count 'em) options on the 449 menu suits you. I've actually watched someone eat the cafe car pizza for dinner on the 448, because he did not like to two dinner options. Me, I will always settle for the salad (which is usually pretty nice, but not very substantial) and dessert if the sandwich is not to my taste.

Is that the case in general that sleeper car passengers that they can choose from the cafe car instead of the dining car or just for the LSL?

I suspect that is the case on just the 49/449. It might also be possible on other trains with a sleeper, but no full diner, like the Cardinal. But where the diner and cafe are in two different cars, sleeper pax get nothing free from the cafe.

I have been on a stub coach-only 49, a long time ago. We had a coach all to ourselves (not in with the coach pax), but it was a very tight NEC coach without the usual legroom. Not comfortable. Our sleeper car attendant in the coach with us, and served us water and box lunches. I do not believe we even had a cafe car. We did get some vouchers in return for not having our sleeper.

I have also been on a stub 49 with the combo cafe/business class car. Sleeper pax were put in the business section, with all the usual amenities (back then it was a newspaper, and coffee/tea/water). That was very nice, as the cafe car attendant took very good care of us, and it was possible to get hot tea which is not even available in sleeper, LOL!.

Is the current situation due to the track realignment at the Albany station? Or is there other track work somewhere? When is it supposed to be finished, or at least finished for this year?

 

[PVD]

Things have varied on the BOS-ALB run for the past few months because of various construction and track projects both on the host rail line, and at the Albany station. They have been hauling the extra sleeper up from NYP, and doing a cross platform transfer, instead of the joining of the 2 sections. Bustitution a few times also. Not sure if there is a café/lounge on the stub train, I know they hauled one up from NY when the trains are not joined/split. Hopefully this will be done with soon.

 

[Triley]

Things have varied on the BOS-ALB run for the past few months because of various construction and track projects both on the host rail line, and at the Albany station. They have been hauling the extra sleeper up from NYP, and doing a cross platform transfer, instead of the joining of the 2 sections. Bustitution a few times also. Not sure if there is a café/lounge on the stub train, I know they hauled one up from NY when the trains are not joined/split. Hopefully this will be done with soon.

There is definitely a Cafe on 449/448, as I just saw one of the LSAs at the commissary a few hours ago. As far as meal procedures, I have no idea.

 

[Manny T]

I've taken 49 from NYP-CHI in sleeper many, many times, before and during the construction, and meal-service is always the same. After departure, someone comes around to take dinner reservations. There is an early slot at 5:30 (occasionally also one at 5 PM), and then late slots starting at 7 pm (really, 7:10 after departing ALB) and every half-hour thereafter (until 8:30 or 9 PM). Obviously, BOS passengers won't be on board for the 5:30 slot, but they will be on board for all of the slots after Albany and can eat a full dinner in the dining car then. It is inconceivable to me that all reservations would be booked prior to the BOS passengers boarding, and I have met many BOS PAX in the dining car.

Breakfast usually starts at 6:30 AM and continues until someplace in Indiana, without reservations, on a first come, first served basis.

 

[PVD]

That's pretty much how I've always had it, including my most recent trip where I got on in Albany rather than NYP because I was in LPL for a meeting and drove down and left the car. What I'm not sure of is how they handle the Boston passengers when their cars are not being added, they just walk across the platform.. Sometimes they have used the BC club-café and put the BOS sleeper folks up there, but I'm not sure how lunch is handled.

 

[The Davy Crockett]

My experience with 449 is that one is best served by serving oneself - as in BYOL.

 

[AG1]

I was on 449, August 26, and there was no lunch offered. I asked before hand in Club Acela and was told to get my own lunch in the station.

 

[JayPea]

Jaypea and his uncle are on a cross country trip, and are taking 449 from BOS-ALB.

They have been yo-yo'd back and forth from train-bus--stub Coach train, so perhaps we'll get a current update soon on just what the procedure is for the BOS-ALB route as just how lunch is, or isn't, served on the stub train?

In Boston now after having to pay a king's ransom for a cab from Logan to the Holiday Express in Cambridge. We leave tomorrow on the stub train and will report on the lunch situation. As of right this second it's still coach to Albany. But that could change by tomorrow.