# Microwave in Lounge?



## Guest (Apr 29, 2005)

I'm wondering if there is a microwave in the lounge? I know they sell some items that need to be microwaves. If they do have a microwave...can you only use it for stuff you buy in the lounge. I hate to be a cheapskate, I'm just on a REALLY tight budget. I was thinking of bringing something of my own and using their microwave, but I'm not sure if it's allowed. If not I guess i can just bring cold things.


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## cassrr (Apr 29, 2005)

Plan on the cold things. Health regulations prohibit your use of the microwave.


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## Anthony (Apr 29, 2005)

Yep, only things that are purchased in the lounge can be microwaved. (The attendant microwaves them for you.)


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## AmtrakFan (Apr 29, 2005)

Anthony said:


> Yep, only things that are purchased in the lounge can be microwaved. (The attendant microwaves them for you.)


Amtrak can provide Ice for you with enough notice.


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## amtrakmichigan (Apr 29, 2005)

Amtrak wont allow you to warm your own food with their equipment. That would basically be the same as someone taking a steak into a restaurant and asking them to cook it for you. In case if you didn't know, Amtrak wont let you bring your own food into the lounge or dining car to consume. However you can consume your own food and non-alcohol drinks at your seat only.

Lounge car food is really not that expensive, not really anymore then eating at Burger King or Mcdonalds. Figure about $5 for breakfast and $8 for lunch and dinner and you can have a nice sandwhich and soft drink.


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## awlobo (Jul 27, 2010)

Is this still true? Microwaves are unavailable to the public?


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## tp49 (Jul 27, 2010)

Yes, it is still true microwaves on Amtrak trains are unavailable for public use.


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## jamesontheroad (Jul 27, 2010)

How would a mother warm milk for a baby on Amtrak, in that case?


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## Cho Cho Charlie (Jul 27, 2010)

awlobo said:


> Is this still true? Microwaves are unavailable to the public?


There isn't a mini-kitchen in the rooms. Hay, this isn't Embassy Suites.

No refridge. No oven. No cooktop. No blender. No toaster.


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## frugalist (Jul 27, 2010)

The current thread reminds me of this older thread

http://discuss.amtraktrains.com/index.php?/topic/30418-roomette-outlet-question/page__p__206119__fromsearch__1entry206119

One of the funniest threads I've ever read on any forum.


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## sunchaser (Jul 27, 2010)

jamesbrownontheroad said:


> How would a mother warm milk for a baby on Amtrak, in that case?


An easy way that does not involve a microwave or stove: use a larger plastic glass (like a big gulp cup), place hot water in it, & add filled bottle. Wait about 1-2 minutes, shake, test, then use. That's how I heated bottles for our kids. Way easy, less risk of overheating.


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## sunchaser (Jul 27, 2010)

Cho Cho Charlie said:


> awlobo said:
> 
> 
> > Is this still true? Microwaves are unavailable to the public?
> ...


Maybe not in your room, but you never know what's The_Traveler's suite! :lol:

We bring a cooler. And french press. And.......

(gotta keep hubby happy!)


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## alanh (Jul 27, 2010)

Generally, the FDA doesn't allow mixing of a food server's food or equipment with customer-brought food. The idea is they don't know how your food was kept or what it's contaminated with.


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## awlobo (Jul 27, 2010)

Thanks! I was just thinking about bringing a few canned, microwavable dinners such as the Chef Boyardee Micro Cups. Guess I won't waste the space!


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## the_traveler (Jul 27, 2010)

sunchaser said:


> Cho Cho Charlie said:
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> 
> > awlobo said:
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Hey, I draw the line at the french press!




My personal chef only makes cappuccino!


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## TVRM610 (Jul 27, 2010)

amtrakmichigan said:


> Amtrak wont allow you to warm your own food with their equipment. That would basically be the same as someone taking a steak into a restaurant and asking them to cook it for you. In case i*f you didn't know, Amtrak wont let you bring your own food into the lounge or dining car to consume.* However you can consume your own food and non-alcohol drinks at your seat only.
> 
> Lounge car food is really not that expensive, not really anymore then eating at Burger King or Mcdonalds. Figure about $5 for breakfast and $8 for lunch and dinner and you can have a nice sandwhich and soft drink.


I completely agree with your post and example. One quick point, Amtrak usually will allow you to bring in personal food and beverages to the upper level of SSL cars.


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## Devil's Advocate (Jul 27, 2010)

alanh said:


> Generally, the FDA doesn't allow mixing of a food server's food or equipment with customer-brought food. The idea is they don't know how your food was kept or what it's contaminated with.


Our regulatory agencies can't keep our fish, beef, veggies, fruits, or even our peanut butter safe, but by golly they can keep a sealed cup of sterile soup out of our microwaves! Welcome to the era of unexplainable idiocy.


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## OTownDog (Jul 27, 2010)

frugalist said:


> The current thread reminds me of this older thread
> 
> http://discuss.amtraktrains.com/index.php?/topic/30418-roomette-outlet-question/page__p__206119__fromsearch__1entry206119
> 
> One of the funniest threads I've ever read on any forum.


Oh this just made my day. Love it!!


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## TVRM610 (Jul 27, 2010)

daxomni said:


> alanh said:
> 
> 
> > Generally, the FDA doesn't allow mixing of a food server's food or equipment with customer-brought food. The idea is they don't know how your food was kept or what it's contaminated with.
> ...


oh please... even if it wasn't an FDA requirement it would still be against Amtrak rules. "Hi.. instead of paying for the cup o noodles that you have for sale I would like you to microwave this cup o noodles for me.. and seeing as I'm too cheap to buy a cup o noodles at the snack stand i'm definately not going to give you a tip for your services" Please.


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## haolerider (Jul 27, 2010)

TVRM610 said:


> daxomni said:
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> 
> > alanh said:
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"Oh, and also, do you happen to have a spoon I can use!"

Over the past several weeks, the posts by doxomni have been somewhat argumentative and somewhat illogical, but if that is what floats his boat, that's fine with me; however the lack of knowledge about the rules and regulations relating to food preparation is quite amazing.


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## Rail Freak (Jul 27, 2010)

sunchaser said:


> Cho Cho Charlie said:
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> > awlobo said:
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French Press, that sandwich thing?


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## haolerider (Jul 27, 2010)

Rail Freak said:


> sunchaser said:
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> 
> > Cho Cho Charlie said:
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No, it is a glass container that is used to make coffee. Put the ground coffee in the bottom of the container, add hot water and then insert the "press" - which is a circular piece of metal that you press down and it allows the water to pass through and compresses the ground coffee at the bottom of the container. Let it sit a bit and you have pretty good coffee with very little effort. The only issue I would see on the train is getting water that is hot enough to activate the ground coffee.


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## Devil's Advocate (Jul 27, 2010)

TVRM610 said:


> oh please... even if it wasn't an FDA requirement it would still be against Amtrak rules. "Hi.. instead of paying for the cup o noodles that you have for sale I would like you to microwave this cup o noodles for me.. and seeing as I'm too cheap to buy a cup o noodles at the snack stand i'm definately not going to give you a tip for your services" Please.


It seems odd that you would pick me as an example of someone who's cheap. Or that you didn't seem to realize this would pertain to a self-service microwave. You know, the kind many of us already use at work without issue.



haolerider said:


> "Oh, and also, do you happen to have a spoon I can use!" Over the past several weeks, the posts by doxomni have been somewhat argumentative and somewhat illogical, but if that is what floats his boat, that's fine with me; however the lack of knowledge about the rules and regulations relating to food preparation is quite amazing.


That imaginary conversation you just quoted sure sounds logical to me. Thanks for the timely demonstration of reasoned debate.


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## haolerider (Jul 27, 2010)

daxomni said:


> TVRM610 said:
> 
> 
> > oh please... even if it wasn't an FDA requirement it would still be against Amtrak rules. "Hi.. instead of paying for the cup o noodles that you have for sale I would like you to microwave this cup o noodles for me.. and seeing as I'm too cheap to buy a cup o noodles at the snack stand i'm definately not going to give you a tip for your services" Please.
> ...


I doubt if your place of work is regulated by the FDA, or that you are in the retail food business, but can you actually imagine someone walking into a convenience store and asking them if it would be OK to use their micro-wave to heat up their cup-o-noodles they bought at the grocery store and then asking for a spoon? Restaurants will sometimes charge a corkage fee to allow you to bring your own bottle of wine into their establishment, to at least make up a bit of lost revenue, but I guarantee they will not cook your store-bought steak for you! Reasoned debate assumes that each side is reasonable. Your assumptions are not reasonable!


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## Rail Freak (Jul 27, 2010)

haolerider said:


> Rail Freak said:
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> > sunchaser said:
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I think I prefer the sandwich!!!


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## Devil's Advocate (Jul 27, 2010)

haolerider said:


> I doubt if your place of work is regulated by the FDA, or that you are in the retail food business, but can you actually imagine someone walking into a convenience store and asking them if it would be OK to use their micro-wave to heat up their cup-o-noodles they bought at the grocery store and then asking for a spoon?


Oddly enough when I was a kid we used to microwave all sorts of things at convenience stores. I don't recall anyone getting sick or freaking out. I honestly don't think the clerks gave a damn what we did, so long as it didn't make a mess or damage the microwave. I suppose Amtrak could sell their plastic spoons for five dollars to make back the money lost from selling junk food to people who shouldn't be eating in the first place. I'd be okay with that if this was mainly a revenue issue.



haolerider said:


> Restaurants will sometimes charge a corkage fee to allow you to bring your own bottle of wine into their establishment, to at least make up a bit of lost revenue, but I guarantee they will not cook your store-bought steak for you!


See, now that's where you lose me. What is reasonable about taking your argument to such extremes? Nobody is saying Amtrak should (or even could) cook a raw steak for you. Unless you think Amtrak is primarily a restaurant that just happens to be on wheels. :lol:


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## supergrandmother (Jul 27, 2010)

jamesbrownontheroad said:


> How would a mother warm milk for a baby on Amtrak, in that case?


Both my daughters used a device that was about the size of a small coffee grinder. You just placed a little tap water in the bottom, the put the bottle in the device and turned it on. It plugged into a regular outlet and could heat a bottle of formula in just a couple of minutes. However when they traveled, they used premixed formula bottles that did not require heating because you did not have to refrigerate them.

As far as a microwave for the public to use. It would be a nightmare to keep clean. I quit using the one we have in the breakroom at work because it was always so nasty. I just bought a small one for my office that I keep clean. It always amazes me that educated adults will not wipe up their splatters in a microwave and I do mean educated......more than 80% of our staff have at least a BS degree.


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## leemell (Jul 27, 2010)

supergrandmother said:


> jamesbrownontheroad said:
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> 
> > How would a mother warm milk for a baby on Amtrak, in that case?
> ...


Those cup heaters can be quite hazardous to use. They have been banned in some areas for safety reasons. In addition, they draw a lot of electrical current and may exceed the rated limit on the cars outlets.


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## alanh (Jul 27, 2010)

For the convenience store microwave, yes, they're not supposed allow customers to bring in their own food to cook in it. Food in the store is supposed to be stored in accordance with health regulations and is subject to inspection. How strict this is varies by jurisdiction, of course, but that's the general rule. The whole point is that they don't know where your food has been. Is the soup cup sterile? Maybe. Was it kept on a garage floor with mice and roaches crawling on it? Maybe.

Amtrak isn't like a movie theatre which _is_ doing it for the money; Amtrak allows you to eat your own food anywhere on the train except where they serve their own food.


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## roomette (Jul 27, 2010)

Bring your own!


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