Amtrak dining and cafe service

[20th Century Rider]

Came back (last night;/today) on the TE. Still (of course) the "flex" meals. We had to eat in our compartments (breakfast they said "you can dine at your own risk" in the CCC) because of Delta. (I opted to eat in my room.

v. reduced dinner menu:
View attachment 23854


No pasta and meatballs! Which is the best of the meals I've had on this. (I had to eat the shrimp at lunch coming up, do not recommend AT ALL). Last night I got the cod. It wasn't bad. Not gourmet but way better than that shrimp thing. I mainly just wanted a dish without some soupy mystery sauce on it. (The pasta and meatballs has minimal sauce and you know what it is).

View attachment 23855

I just....I don't know. For me the main attraction of the sleeper is the privacy/safety as a woman traveling alone, and right now, being able to sleep without a mask on and being away from other humans, but....these meals are really not good. Not sleeping-car good.

the milk I got at breakfast was bordering on spoiled even though the sell by date was the 8th.

Everything goes to crap eventually, I guess, I've seen it in so many things. Or maybe this is what being middle-aged is like? Everything seems worse than it is?

Nope... it's not your middle age [I'm old aged]; it's that the flex meals are really really crappy... and the sour milk problem is because of the catering service. Let's all hope this improves!

BTW... I'll be on the TE in October and am lowering my expectations. May try ordering the kosher meals and bring along some snacks to as well.

 

[me_little_me]

the milk I got at breakfast was bordering on spoiled even though the sell by date was the 8th.

I'd suggest that when that happens to anybody, they bring it to the attention of the SA in the diner then file a written (snail mail or email) complaint to Amtrak. Then it is on record because spoiled food is a safety hazard.

 

[fillyjonk]

I'd suggest that when that happens to anybody, they bring it to the attention of the SA in the diner then file a written (snail mail or email) complaint to Amtrak. Then it is on record because spoiled food is a safety hazard.

If I get the time on Monday I'll try calling customer relations and see what happens. There were very few people working this train - basically one person doing ALL the food services as far as I could tell, and she announced to coach that she had to close service for them when she was bringing meals to the sleeper.

I dunno, I think part of it is just "everything in the US is in shambles right now because of the pandemic" but I will let Amtrak know that maybe the cooler on that train wasn't good. The yogurt I got was OK but yogurt is basically ALREADY spoiled milk, so....

 

[20th Century Rider]

If I get the time on Monday I'll try calling customer relations and see what happens. There were very few people working this train - basically one person doing ALL the food services as far as I could tell, and she announced to coach that she had to close service for them when she was bringing meals to the sleeper.

I dunno, I think part of it is just "everything in the US is in shambles right now because of the pandemic" but I will let Amtrak know that maybe the cooler on that train wasn't good. The yogurt I got was OK but yogurt is basically ALREADY spoiled milk, so....

This problem is compounded by lack of adequate staffing... definitely let customer service know what you think!

 

[willem]

[...] maybe the cooler on that train wasn't good. [...]

While that's definitely a possibility, I would think that someone (the supplier, Amtrak station personnel, Amtrak train personnel) leaving the milk out of refrigeration for too long is also a definite possibility. This isn't to say it's excused or that you shouldn't let Amtrak know.

 

[OBS]

While that's definitely a possibility, I would think that someone (the supplier, Amtrak station personnel, Amtrak train personnel) leaving the milk out of refrigeration for too long is also a definite possibility. This isn't to say it's excused or that you shouldn't let Amtrak know.

Most likely reason....I saw it too many times.....

 

[ScottR]

The poor Texas Eagle. That stubby little 4 to 5 car consist from San Antonio to Chicago is IMO the worst overnight in the system. Tired cars, tired and uniformly cranky OBS, we are out of this and that, this bathroom is closed, coffee maker is broken, no sightseeing car…I know…if you don’t Like it fly.

I just recall the old days…ie TWO years ago, where this was a great western train with all the amenities. And it goes through my hometown (Longview, TX) so I can go from Monterey in California on the Starlight then to San Antonio on the GOOD part of the Texas Eagle/Sunset then have to take this ugly little orphan train to my hometown and on to Chicago to complete the loop.

amtrak has messed this one up

 

[cassie225]

I don’t know, can the Crescent be too far behind the Texas Eagle. I expected Crescent not to be like my first trip on it but was so disappointed at my trip in July. Until traditional dining is back and I hear good reports, I probably won’t ride again. So sad, even though the upholstery was bad my first ride in bedroom, I felt like a queen and that was also when I rode in coach

 

[20th Century Rider]

The poor Texas Eagle. That stubby little 4 to 5 car consist from San Antonio to Chicago is IMO the worst overnight in the system. Tired cars, tired and uniformly cranky OBS, we are out of this and that, this bathroom is closed, coffee maker is broken, no sightseeing car…I know…if you don’t Like it fly.

I just recall the old days…ie TWO years ago, where this was a great western train with all the amenities. And it goes through my hometown (Longview, TX) so I can go from Monterey in California on the Starlight then to San Antonio on the GOOD part of the Texas Eagle/Sunset then have to take this ugly little orphan train to my hometown and on to Chicago to complete the loop.

amtrak has messed this one up

Does anyone really know why they are degrading the TE and so discouraging travel... while everywhere else service is being improved and upgraded???

 

[me_little_me]

I don’t know, can the Crescent be too far behind the Texas Eagle. I expected Crescent not to be like my first trip on it but was so disappointed at my trip in July. Until traditional dining is back and I hear good reports, I probably won’t ride again. So sad, even though the upholstery was bad my first ride in bedroom, I felt like a queen and that was also when I rode in coach

Especially since Amtrak sold out their customers by agreeing to the allowed NS-caused delays. The northbound times at Atlanta and my closest station, Greenville, both of which I have used, are now both worthless. And I notice delays are still continuing.

After Amtrak's longtime fighting for the STB to help them stop Class 1 passenger delays, if I were on the STB, I'd throw the Amtrak reps out of the room if they came back complaining about another railroad or another NS-delayed route.

Amtrak, you betrayed us with the change in times of the Crescent and the serious downgrading of the Eagle. You haven't changed. You still are trying to dump long distance and I expect, with the food improvements, really big price increases in the future.

 

[Nick Farr]

Has anyone seen Traditional Dining come back to the Western Trains?

I'm guessing that this menu dated June 21 is not actually happening.

A bit of a shame, since we're traveling in a few weeks as a family on the CZ almost the entire length of the trip.

 

[MillennialTraveler]

Has anyone seen Traditional Dining come back to the Western Trains?

I'm guessing that this menu dated June 21 is not actually happening.

A bit of a shame, since we're traveling in a few weeks as a family on the CZ almost the entire length of the trip.

Traditional Dining returned for most western routes (Coast Starlight, Empire Builder, California Zephyr, Southwest Chief, Sunset Limited) at the end of June/Early July.

Unless something *just* changed that I missed, that menu you linked to should be accurate.

 

[crescent-zephyr]

Has anyone seen Traditional Dining come back to the Western Trains?

I'm guessing that this menu dated June 21 is not actually happening.

A bit of a shame, since we're traveling in a few weeks as a family on the CZ almost the entire length of the trip.

Yes it’s been seen and well documented on this site. That menu is the current menu for the western trains.

 

[Nick Farr]

Yes it’s been seen and well documented on this site. That menu is the current menu for the western trains.

When I started searching, I just saw rumblings that they went back to Flex Dining because of Delta. I'm hoping that was just the TE.

 

[jis]

When I started searching, I just saw rumblings that they went back to Flex Dining because of Delta. I'm hoping that was just the TE.

TE was not slated to get traditional dining, and it didn’t.

 

[Nick Farr]

TE was not slated to get traditional dining, and it didn’t.

I'm guessing now is not when I should ask if my CZ's SSL will be replaced by a CCC.

 

[zephyr17]

I'm guessing now is not when I should ask if my CZ's SSL will be replaced by a CCC.

Not unless the SSL is bad ordered at close to the last minute. Then they could swap in a Diner/Lounge (the actual car type of a "CCC") as a replacement.

 

[crescent-zephyr]

I'm guessing now is not when I should ask if my CZ's SSL will be replaced by a CCC.

Same chances as always. Equipment can always be substituted last minute.

 

[Nick Farr]

Same chances as always. Equipment can always be substituted last minute.

It feels like there's increased chances of that happening, as the cars themselves age and the available replacement inventory dwindles.

Most of the Superliner fleet is on its second/third overhaul already, isn't it?

 

[Cal]

Has anyone seen Traditional Dining come back to the Western Trains?

I'm guessing that this menu dated June 21 is not actually happening.

A bit of a shame, since we're traveling in a few weeks as a family on the CZ almost the entire length of the trip.

Yes, there have been a handful of reports from various members and YouTube videos. A lot of discussion has happened about it as well. I had it and the food was excellent.

 

[Cal]

Most of the Superliner fleet is on its second/third overhaul already, isn't it?

ADAIK superliner IIs never had a proper overhaul and superliner Is had one major one in the early 2010s.

 

[Nick Farr]

Yes, there have been a handful of reports from various members and YouTube videos. A lot of discussion has happened about it as well. I had it and the food was excellent.

Of course, since posting this, I managed to find some of these things. What I'm afraid of is them pulling it as the Delta variant increases.

That being said, am I imagining things or does it seem better than it was before Flex dining?

 

[Cal]

Of course, since posting this, I managed to find some of these things. What I'm afraid of is them pulling it as the Delta variant increases.

That being said, am I imagining things or does it seem better than it was before Flex dining?

Practically all reports (including mine) have said it’s better than pre-pandemic.

And I highly doubt Amtrak would revert to flexible dining. Huge waste and it would outrage so many.

 

[Nick Farr]

ADAIK superliner IIs never had a proper overhaul and superliner Is had one major one in the early 2010s.

I've never found a Pullman nameplate and ever so occasionally do I find an original Bombardier plate on a Superliner when I travel. It's almost always a Beech Grove shop plate.

What is a "proper" overhaul compared to what they've been doing? Did I also miss plans to replace that fleet?

 

[Nick Farr]

ADAIK superliner IIs never had a proper overhaul and superliner Is had one major one in the early 2010s.

The line plans talk about interior refreshes, but I'm guessing they'll wait for the Viewliner order to wrap up before even trying with the Superliners.