# Best dining time slots vs scenery



## mrfixit (Aug 15, 2017)

I tried the search function here but for some reason it is not working for me, perhaps an ad-blocker ?

So as the heading says trying to understand the best diner time slots for the Westbound Cardinal and Empire Builder. I realize the Cardinal does not have the regular diner- but don't want to miss the New River Gorge while stuffing my face. Also, same for the Empire Builder, any tips ?

Thank you again in advance.


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## PVD (Aug 15, 2017)

Be careful, meal times are static, train timing (running late) is not......you may not be where you want to be at a certain time. Also, be aware of what time zone a meal is scheduled in.......


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## PerRock (Aug 15, 2017)

mrfixit said:


> I tried the search function here but for some reason it is not working for me, perhaps an ad-blocker ?


The default search is provided by Google, who no longer supports that system. When searching if you click where it says "Google Site" before hitting the magnifying glass, you can change it to "Forums" which will still work. I've asked the admins in the past if they can change the default, to the "Forums" but nothing seems to have come from it.

peter


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## Bob Dylan (Aug 15, 2017)

You didn't indicate when you were riding but be aware that the Westbound Cardinal and Builder tend to expierence early darkness when nearing the New River Gorge and Glacier Park in the Fall and Winter, especially when running Late, which is the norm for these Trains.

The Best way to ride these trains for the best scenery is Eastbound.

On the Card, the Diner is a "Diner-Lite" and Sleeping Car Passengers get First choice for meal times. There is a Regilar Diner on the Builder and Lunch and Dinner will be by Rezervation only, same first choice for Sleeping Car passengers.

You will need to keep track of the OTP for your Trains compared to the scheduled times and pick times to eat that give you the best chance to see the scenery you want.

The Early times are usually best, especially on the Two Day Western Trains, since they tend to "run out" of the good stuff and run late in the serving times

in the Diner.


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## KmH (Aug 15, 2017)

I use a GPS application to see where the train is at any given time which is how I plan my meal times relative to the scenery.


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## Devil's Advocate (Aug 15, 2017)

mrfixit said:


> So as the heading says trying to understand the best diner time slots for the Westbound Cardinal and Empire Builder. I realize the Cardinal does not have the regular diner- but don't want to miss the New River Gorge while stuffing my face. Also, same for the Empire Builder, any tips ?


If you want to be precise with timing then I'd suggest taking your meal to go. That way you have much more control over the timing. The dining car's LSA will often only give me a couple different options to choose from, hours apart and hours in advance, whereas the sleeping car's SCA will generally let me choose almost any time I want so long as it's somewhere within the serving window of that particular meal.



PerRock said:


> mrfixit said:
> 
> 
> > I tried the search function here but for some reason it is not working for me, perhaps an ad-blocker ?
> ...


I really wish they'd focus their limited technical efforts on fixing basic functionality like the forum search feature rather than prettying up their bloated resource wasting privacy invading phone app.


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## JulietEcho (Aug 15, 2017)

For the westbound Empire Builder, if it's running on time, I like to get the 6:45 dinner time, or whatever they offer closest to that. That's when the train makes it's way from East Glacier Park to Essex, which is a beautiful ride.


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## the_traveler (Aug 15, 2017)

And much of the year, 6:45 is in darkness!


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## Maglev (Aug 15, 2017)

I actually enjoy beautiful scenery while dining. On a train such as the _Cardinal_ with no SSL, the dining car is a better place to be during scenic stretches than in a sleeper with windows on one side only.


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## Dakota 400 (Aug 15, 2017)

Maglev said:


> I actually enjoy beautiful scenery while dining. On a train such as the _Cardinal_ with no SSL, the dining car is a better place to be during scenic stretches than in a sleeper with windows on one side only.



I agree with Maglev's view. When my train has a SSL car, I decide on my dining time based upon the scheduled time for traverse through that scenic area. If the train is late, so what? I will have my seat in the SSL that I wish to have.


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## zephyr17 (Aug 15, 2017)

I pick my meal times based on how the train is doing when they come by and make the reservation. I try to not be in the diner during the especially scenic segments, and don't like to be in the diner during the "smoke/fresh air" stops as I like to hop off. It is pretty much guesswork though based on the trains OT performance up to that point. Sometimes it works out, sometimes not. It isn't exactly a tragedy to be in the diner instead of the SSL for the good parts.


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## Lonestar648 (Aug 15, 2017)

I prefer to be in the SSL for scenic sections, but if the SSL is full at lot, I like to eat in the Dining Car looking out the window, plus I always bring my camera with me. On the CS this summer the PPC was an oven, so the SSL didn't have any seats. We took some great photos of the Pacific ocean coastline. Extended our time at the table with dessert, eating slowly and leaving a nicer tip since the server was so nice and cooperative.


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