Amtrak dining and cafe service

[TEREB]

With the northbound Silver Service, since the train arrives in NYP at 7:20, will there be a second dinner served?

 

[joutback]

i was told yea but onlya total of 5 entrees to choose from for 2 lunches and two dinner (i get on at 1 pm and off the next day at 7pm)

 

[UserNameRequired]

Any news/rumors on the LSL and flex meals?

 

[JWM]

Recently flew from Houston to Buenos Aires in United's "Premium Economy". I'd have killed for one of those "Flex Meals".

 

[Bob Dylan]

Recently flew from Houston to Buenos Aires in United's "Premium Economy". I'd have killed for one of those "Flex Meals".

Long Haul on Short Rations!

 

[Brian Battuello]

Any news/rumors on the LSL and flex meals?

We can only dream....

 

[jis]

Any news/rumors on the LSL and flex meals?

Rumor? Sure. Verifiable news? No.

For the LSL the rumors range between "Traditional dining gone forever" to "Will be restored mid-September or soon thereafter".

Meanwhile at least flowers in vases have been definitely restored on the Super Star. There is a more firm rumor about traditional service restoration on both the Star and the Meteor come mid-September, unless of course COVID v6.0 or some such intervenes.

 

[Brian Battuello]

For the LSL the rumors range between "Traditional dining gone forever" to "Will be restored mid-September or soon thereafter".

Of what year?

 

[jis]

Of what year?

Take your pick

 

[west point]

Is it true that there is supposed to be some "independent committee" deciding fate of dinning nationwide?

 

[jis]

Is it true that there is supposed to be some "independent committee" deciding fate of dinning nationwide?

A Committee to study and recommend how dining should be provided on Amtrak trains was created by the Authorization Bill. There is a user community representative that is designated to be a nominee from RPA.

 

[Devil's Advocate]

Recently flew from Houston to Buenos Aires in United's "Premium Economy". I'd have killed for one of those "Flex Meals".

Even on my bad trips I can usually perk myself up by thinking "At least it wasn't United." On todays flight passing through a (borrowed) United gate was scarier than boarding an Envoy E175.

 

[OlympianHiawatha]

A Committee to study and recommend how dining should be provided on Amtrak trains was created by the Authorization Bill. There is a user community representative that is designated to be a nominee from RPA.

The money that is wasted on this committee could go directly to the dining car budgets and likely make a substantial impact on improved service.

 

[Mailliw]

The money that is wasted on this committee could go directly to the dining car budgets and likely make a substantial impact on improved service.

Interesting idea; I propose a committee be formed to study it.

 

[PaTrainFan]

Interesting idea; I propose a committee be formed to study it.

First, we need a task force to make a recommendation as to whether or not to form a committee to study it. That way, we can kick the can years down that road so it is never addressed.

 

[crescent-zephyr]

Even on my bad trips I can usually perk myself up by thinking "At least it wasn't United." On todays flight passing through a (borrowed) United gate was scarier than boarding an Envoy E175.

Is the E175 the scary part? I love those planes. They are the perfect size “small plane” to me. But maybe I’ve been lucky with all good experiences.

 

[Amtrak709]

I. too, fantasize about the return of full service dining on the east coast trains. Having lived in Daytona Beach for 34 years before moving to Georgia in 1998, many, many great days and nights were spent on the Silver Service trains. Maybe the years since the ejection of Congressman Mica as they pass will achieve some positive results. I, now, am a Crescent passenger most of the time boarding at ATN. Although I miss the Silver Meteor and hope to see its return--think about the "Super Star" with 2 locomotives, 6 coaches, a lounge, a Viewliner diner, 5 sleepers, and a baggage car--and that diner once again with full service meals. It make me wonder if full service dining was restored to that size consist, could the service level required to handle it exist today or soon?????. I think my whole scenario is still, for a while, a fantasy to be enjoyed as such.

 

[jis]

First, we need a task force to make a recommendation as to whether or not to form a committee to study it. That way, we can kick the can years dow that road so it is never addressed.

Joking aside, this Committee is supposed to report back in six months. This was pushed by the rail advocates to try to get a say in what Amtrak does with food service. Until now there was no mechanism to cause Amtrak to bother with any feedback from its customers and other stakeholders, except when it randomly caught the fancy of someone at the right place, which of late of course it did not. Amtrak and its Board was not answerable to anyone or supervision in any form, in an effective way except to meet the zero deficit goal set by Mica, so long as that lasted.

 

[Cal]

From a story on Instagram by user Philmartinjr, who I believe is an Amtrak conductor

 

[Amtrak709]

jis: One of these days I would love to recount to you and the rest of the forum the first and ONLY time I met John Mica. It was in 1988 long before he was elected from my district in Florida to Congress (I probably voted for him in 1992) and has to do with my inviting him to speak at an organizing group of rail passenger fans and model railroaders for which I was the group's facilitator in DeLand. Little did I know what effect he would have on Amtrak's dining issues years later.

 

[joelkfla]

From a story on Instagram by user Philmartinjr, who I believe is an Amtrak conductor

That looks like a mockup, with models of seats and fixtures, not actual ones.

 

[jis]

That looks like a mockup, with models of seats and fixtures, not actual ones.

Was this in the soft mockup of the ICTs that was presented in Philadelphia that Jim Mathews of RPA went to (see the third article in Hotline #1,259 –May 6, 2022 )? Or was it somewhere else?

 

[PaTrainFan]

Joking aside, this Committee is supposed to report back in six months. This was pushed by the rail advocates to try to get a say in what Amtrak does with food service. Until now there was no mechanism to cause Amtrak to bother with any feedback from its customers and other stakeholders, except when it randomly caught the fancy of someone at the right place, which of late of course it did not. Amtrak and its Board was not answerable to anyone or supervision in any form, in an effective way except to meet the zero deficit goal set by Mica, so long as that lasted.

Of course it was sarcasm but I don't put it past Amtrak leadership to look at a way around the deadline. Granted, this is ensconsed in law now but have they not ignored other mandates in the past?

 

[Mailliw]

That setup looks great for new cafe cars, but doing that to brand new fully equipped dining cars would be a death warrant for traditional dining across the board.

 

[jis]

Of course it was sarcasm but I don't put it past Amtrak leadership to look at a way around the deadline. Granted, this is ensconsed in law now but have they not ignored other mandates in the past?

If I am not mistaken this task has been given to the DOT/FRA and not Amtrak too, though I could be mistaken. There are a few other things that have also been tasked to DOT/FRA and taken away from Amtrak including the whole issue of what to do about LD trains precisely to address the fear that is expressed above.

That setup looks great for new cafe cars, but doing that to brand new fully equipped dining cars would be a death warrant for traditional dining across the board.

That is the reason I was asking whether this was part of the ICT Soft Mockup or something else. That seems more like a mockup of a food service lounge for use in a Regional service than one suitable for an overnight service with full dining.