Amtrak dining and cafe service

[user 14106]

I would also add that in reading the article I didn’t necessarily read a commitment that what the Florida trains get will necessary go elsewhere. They seem to commit to improve food service everywhere but I don’t necessarily read there that it would look the same everywhere. We’ll just have to wait and see what they do. It will be quite the full circle for the Star which not too long ago was the starvation.

 

[jis]

I would also add that in reading the article I didn’t necessarily read a commitment that what the Florida trains get will necessary go elsewhere. They seem to commit to improve food service everywhere but I don’t necessarily read there that it would look the same everywhere. We’ll just have to wait and see what they do. It will be quite the full circle for the Star which not too long ago was the starvation.

Specially considering that the lack of a Diner on the Crescent is a conscious choice rather than an imperative driven by old Diners that required major work. The Mothballed Diners do not require anything close to the type of work that the Heritage Diners needed to stay roadworthy.

 

[west point]

Specially considering that the lack of a Diner on the Crescent is a conscious choice rather than an imperative driven by old Diners that required major work. The Mothballed Diners do not require anything close to the type of work that the Heritage Diners needed to stay roadworthy.

The many problems with the Crescent comes down to one word. = Atlanta =.
1. On 20 the loads between NOL and Atlanta are terrible. However, there is some increase from TCL and BHM. On one trip from NOL the train had 5 Amfleets ( 2 = AM2s ) + dinner, lounge, 2 sleepers, baggage. Less than 50 coach out of NOL & 5 sleeper passegers. Rear 3 coached blocked off so could not use railfan window. tBig improvment as got a large one time tour group ou of BHM, Still partially filled just 2 coaches.

Out of ATL train mobbed eith what appeared to be over 125 passengers. Told sleepers were sold out at ATL. Booking up to CLT was going to it with CVS booked full ( No roanoke service yet. ). Now the near midnight departure comes close to fill just 2 coaches. No longer can ATL boarders get supper out of ATL, But can breakfast before WASH.Where as the earlier departure ATL persons could get breakfast and lunch north of WASH.

South bound 19 passengers better but have to wonder how many RTs missed who fly to NEC or ending up driving.. So what to do about the low ridership south of 'ATL ? The only solution that is possible is if the combination of Crescent and Texas flyer happens with the high number of persons wanting to go to ATL and north.

 

[Widfara]

I was on the Eaglet October 5/6, and the prepared meals were served in the dining/cafe car by an attentive attendant. Room service WAS available but not assumed, and although the food was so-so, it was attractively presented within the limitations.
My Empire Builder. Coast Starlight, and California Zephyr experiences were great, except the attendant on the Starlight was not easy to find.
But the Cardinal! Seems like in refurbishing the sleeper the bed got smaller somehow. Good attendant, but basically confined to the cell. Food looked uniformly bad, only a bit better on taste.
Next train is the Crescent Friday, and I have a bedroom.
Trip report after I get home.

 

[NYP2NFL01]

The menus under Onboard Dining on the Amtrak website are currently not working. You receive a "404" error and a picture of "Julie", Amtrak's virtual assistant! Could this mean Amtrak is preparing to return traditional dining to ALL long-distance trains? I know, wishful thinking!!!!!

 

[zephyr17]

The menus under Onboard Dining on the Amtrak website are currently not working. You receive a "404" error and a picture of "Julie", Amtrak's virtual assistant! Could this mean Amtrak is preparing to return traditional dining to ALL long-distance trains? I know, wishful thinking!!!!!

It probably just means Amtrak IT screwed up again.

 

[joelkfla]

It probably just means Amtrak IT screwed up again.

It would be a nice surprise for my trip on the Meteor tomorrow, but I would indeed be surprised.

 

[joelkfla]

On 92 now, still Flex dining. I told my SCA Luther what people said about maybe the dining menus being gone meant traditional dining was returning, and he laughed. He said probably a few more months, and that Amtrak is cross training people to be chefs.

 

[Steve4031]

What does it mean to cross train? I take it training people to be chefs is a step towards restoring dining car service.

 

[trimetbusfan]

What does it mean to cross train? I take it training people to be chefs is a step towards restoring dining car service.

In other industries it means that someone is trained in multiple roles

 

[user 14106]

I attended the RPA meeting in Kansas City yesterday and an Amtrak rep had a presentation. Traditional dining will indeed be restored to both the Meteor and Star and coach passengers will be regaining access to the diner on the western trains. This winter was mentioned but it wasn’t clear to me if this applied to both matters or just coach access to the diner.

 

[Rambling Robert]

That’s great to hear Coach access in the dining car is closer. My first Coach LD trip on the TE had memorable food and views as did the LSL. So now I can continue selling Amtrak’s great food. I just sold the idea to travel SSL based on food and drinks in the room — haha.

 

[NYP2NFL01]

Traditional dining will indeed be restored to both the Meteor and Star and coach passengers will be regaining access to the diner on the western trains.

I really hope this is true and not Amtrak teasing us again!!!

 

[Sidney]

I really hope this is true and not Amtrak teasing us again!!!

It would really be nice to restore traditional dining by next month,in time for winter travel to and from Florida. What a difference traditional dining makes on a long distance train.

 

[joelkfla]

What does it mean to cross train? I take it training people to be chefs is a step towards restoring dining car service.

I think they're training LSA's to be chefs. I overheard the LSA in the diner also mention it to somebody else but I wasn't in on that conversation.

I guess they gave up on trying to hire outside chefs.

 

[joelkfla]

The Flex pancakes bore slight resemblance to real pancakes. They were more like cakes baked in a pan -- dry and crumbly. They weren't terrible, but not what I expected.

 

[NYP2NFL01]

The Flex pancakes bore slight resemblance to real pancakes. They were more like cakes baked in a pan -- dry and crumbly. They weren't terrible, but not what I expected.

I generally stick with the continental breakfast option. The bialy breakfast sandwich is better-tasting than the English muffin sandwich IMHO!

 

[user 14106]

The new flexible pancakes with sausage is my favorite flexible meal for breakfast so far. Ive had it twice now and it seems it comes out a little more consistently than the French toast did.

 

[NYP2NFL01]

FYI - the menus on the Amtrak website are working again. Not surprisingly, all east coast LD trains STILL have the Flex Menu!

 

[NYP2NFL01]

Other than the CONO, all the menus are exactly the same. Why bother providing all these separate menu links on the Flexible Dining page? Just have two links:
1 - City of New Orleans Menu
2 - Flexible Dining Menu - All Other Trains
Seems misleading and a bit shady to me!

 

[crescent-zephyr]

Other than the CONO, all the menus are exactly the same. Why bother providing all these separate menu links on the Flexible Dining page? Just have two links:
1 - City of New Orleans Menu
2 - Flexible Dining Menu - All Other Trains
Seems misleading and a bit shady to me!

Probably easier to keep it that way so in the future they can put different menus on different trains.

 

[jis]

Other than the CONO, all the menus are exactly the same. Why bother providing all these separate menu links on the Flexible Dining page? Just have two links:
1 - City of New Orleans Menu
2 - Flexible Dining Menu - All Other Trains
Seems misleading and a bit shady to me!

I guess my conspiracy theory mind cannot quite discern the shadiness in providing menus for each train separately which at this time happen to be the same but might change individually in the future.

 

[NYP2NFL01]

I guess my conspiracy theory mind cannot quite discern the shadiness in providing menus for each train separately which at this time happen to be the same but might change individually in the future.

Okay. That makes sense!

 

[zephyr17]

I guess my conspiracy theory mind cannot quite discern the shadiness in providing menus for each train separately which at this time happen to be the same but might change individually in the future.

I think it is just leftover from the past when when there were different menus (or at least different graphics).

 

[AmtrakFlyer]

The specifics of letting coach passengers in the diner will be telling if they are serious or not about it. I think the current prices they are charging business class passengers on the Coast Starlight are a non starter. Like any business you have to know your audience. Those prices may be ok to business class passengers since they are already willing to pay a premium for a quiet car and more space. As far as the typical coach passenger I don’t see it happening.

At the minimum I hope they bring back the popular blue plate special to eat at your seat. I think that would check all the boxes. 15-20 bucks for a hot meal and a bottle of water to go. It’s not out of the box thinking it’s what they used to do.