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While I know it didn’t look appealing on the photo I posted, I liked the manicotti and I wish they’d make that a regular choice.
Amtrak dining and cafe service
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20th Century Rider
Engineer
The CEO of any company should be pro that company... and the present CEO is serving under a pro Amtrak President of the United States... if he's not pro enough towards Amtrak it is reasonable to think he would be replaced... I see him staying and helping Amtrak bounce back after the pandemic crisis.
https://www.globalrailwayreview.com/news/117074/amtrak-ceo-congress-rail-improve/
He outlined Amtrak's 5 top priorities in a letter to congress:
1. Sufficient funding
Amtrak requires additional COVID-19 relief funding to sustain and restore operations and recall employees through the remainder of FY21 and into FY22 and beyond. In the coming weeks, Amtrak will be requesting $1.541 billion in FY21 and will outline its FY22 needs in its annual Legislative and Grant Request.
2. Intercity Passenger Rail Trust Fund
Amtrak and intercity passenger rail are the only mode of surface transportation without a federal trust fund to provide reliable, multiyear program funding. Reliance solely on the annual appropriations process for funding inhibits Amtrak’s ability to pursue large, multi-year capital projects or procurements and service expansion across the nation. If Amtrak is to significantly improve and expand its network, Amtrak suggests that congress must create a predictable and long-term source of federal funding, like a trust fund, for both the Northeast Corridor and the National Network.
3. Access to railroads for new service and adding trains
Most rail routes used by Amtrak trains are owned and controlled by freight railroads. Prompt access to the nation’s rail network is essential for Amtrak to fulfill its mission and meet the needs of the travelling public. The letter states that Amtrak always attempts to work cooperatively with its host railroads to add new routes, modify existing routes, and add additional trains. More often than not, these efforts fail to provide reasonable access for Amtrak trains, leaving Congress constituents without the services they desire and deserve. Amtrak are seeking Congressional support and updates to statute to ensure the Amtrak network can grow and serve more constituents.
4. Preference enforcement
Host railroads are required by law to provide Amtrak trains dispatching preference over their own freight trains. In the letter, Bill states that unfortunately, this requirement is not consistently honoured and “freight train interference” is the largest source of delay to Amtrak trains on host railroads, inconveniencing passengers in violation of the law. Amtrak seeks the right to bring an action in U.S. District Court when its preference right is violated so that they can ensure their customers are not unnecessarily delayed by freight trains and arrive on-time.
5. New routes
Frequent and reliable “corridor” routes, typically less than 500 miles, represent the fastest-growing segment of Amtrak service. Population growth, changing demographics and travel preferences, and environmental concerns, all point to new opportunities for intercity passenger rail. In the letter, Bill states that Amtrak have developed a visionary plan to expand service across the nation, and that they ask Congress to authorise and fund Amtrak’s expansion in such corridors by allowing them to cover most of the initial capital and operating costs of new or expanded routes prior to requiring state partner cost-sharing under Sec. 209 of the Passenger Rail Investment and Improvement Act.
https://www.globalrailwayreview.com/news/117074/amtrak-ceo-congress-rail-improve/
He outlined Amtrak's 5 top priorities in a letter to congress:
1. Sufficient funding
Amtrak requires additional COVID-19 relief funding to sustain and restore operations and recall employees through the remainder of FY21 and into FY22 and beyond. In the coming weeks, Amtrak will be requesting $1.541 billion in FY21 and will outline its FY22 needs in its annual Legislative and Grant Request.
2. Intercity Passenger Rail Trust Fund
Amtrak and intercity passenger rail are the only mode of surface transportation without a federal trust fund to provide reliable, multiyear program funding. Reliance solely on the annual appropriations process for funding inhibits Amtrak’s ability to pursue large, multi-year capital projects or procurements and service expansion across the nation. If Amtrak is to significantly improve and expand its network, Amtrak suggests that congress must create a predictable and long-term source of federal funding, like a trust fund, for both the Northeast Corridor and the National Network.
3. Access to railroads for new service and adding trains
Most rail routes used by Amtrak trains are owned and controlled by freight railroads. Prompt access to the nation’s rail network is essential for Amtrak to fulfill its mission and meet the needs of the travelling public. The letter states that Amtrak always attempts to work cooperatively with its host railroads to add new routes, modify existing routes, and add additional trains. More often than not, these efforts fail to provide reasonable access for Amtrak trains, leaving Congress constituents without the services they desire and deserve. Amtrak are seeking Congressional support and updates to statute to ensure the Amtrak network can grow and serve more constituents.
4. Preference enforcement
Host railroads are required by law to provide Amtrak trains dispatching preference over their own freight trains. In the letter, Bill states that unfortunately, this requirement is not consistently honoured and “freight train interference” is the largest source of delay to Amtrak trains on host railroads, inconveniencing passengers in violation of the law. Amtrak seeks the right to bring an action in U.S. District Court when its preference right is violated so that they can ensure their customers are not unnecessarily delayed by freight trains and arrive on-time.
5. New routes
Frequent and reliable “corridor” routes, typically less than 500 miles, represent the fastest-growing segment of Amtrak service. Population growth, changing demographics and travel preferences, and environmental concerns, all point to new opportunities for intercity passenger rail. In the letter, Bill states that Amtrak have developed a visionary plan to expand service across the nation, and that they ask Congress to authorise and fund Amtrak’s expansion in such corridors by allowing them to cover most of the initial capital and operating costs of new or expanded routes prior to requiring state partner cost-sharing under Sec. 209 of the Passenger Rail Investment and Improvement Act.
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While I don’t want to get too off topic, one of Amtrak’s biggest challenge is going to be rebrand the Acela product to get more leisure travelers - the pre pandemic business model of the Acela is probably dead with the permanent huge decline in business travel. That probably means lower prices and maybe rebranding these as express northeast regionals.
The NEC is different as pertains to Business and Government, with New York,Boston, Philly and DC being huge Centers for both.
The New Acela equipment ( I still wish they'd call them Acela II or even Metroliners) should be put to good use once things get back to the new Normal.
Okay yea, I just wasn't sure. Let's hope he also helps the LD services.
Ferroequinologist
Lead Service Attendant
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Ferroequinologist
Lead Service Attendant
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Look at the amount of sodium! And multiply that times all the meals on a cross country trip! Where is Michelle Obama!
Ferroequinologist
Lead Service Attendant
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A lot of people don't like garlic.
Ferroequinologist
Lead Service Attendant
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LOWER PRICES!
My daughters are healthy eaters - and during Michelle's reign as school food czar - they absolutely HATED the changes that were implemented based on her program. Maybe they sounded good on paper - but in practice they were a disaster for those who ate at school.
We don't need food police. We just need an Amtrak that listens to customers.
Ferroequinologist
Lead Service Attendant
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I never ate the food that Michelle Obama promoted but I understood that she encouraged healthy eating, so that's what I was referring to. My concern about Amfood is that it is very high in sodium which I must avoid. It's outrageous that a government run business forces us to eat food that is harmful to our health.
Flexible dining has been on the Western Amtrak trains for ten months,two to three years on the Eastern trains. We are all hoping full service dining returns in late May on the Western trains.
Amtrak must notice the reaction to flex dining is overwhelmingly negative. The biggest complaints are the lack of healthy food offerings and the sameness of what is being offered. Yet nothing changes. Again,how hard would it be to add a big salad,sandwiches and soup?.
Is Amtrak even aware of this? People have suggested bringing your own food on board. For a day trip OK,but a cross country journey? People try to pack light. Bringing a cooler on board is cumbersome.
I love when Amtrak posts on Facebook and they tout their food. Everytime the responses are 100% negative. Again,I remind you flex dining has been in place in the East since 2018,two years before Covid.
Amtrak must notice the reaction to flex dining is overwhelmingly negative. The biggest complaints are the lack of healthy food offerings and the sameness of what is being offered. Yet nothing changes. Again,how hard would it be to add a big salad,sandwiches and soup?.
Is Amtrak even aware of this? People have suggested bringing your own food on board. For a day trip OK,but a cross country journey? People try to pack light. Bringing a cooler on board is cumbersome.
I love when Amtrak posts on Facebook and they tout their food. Everytime the responses are 100% negative. Again,I remind you flex dining has been in place in the East since 2018,two years before Covid.
crescent-zephyr
Engineer
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Yes and no. The original flex dining was offered on Capitol and Lake Shore only and was much higher quality and also much healthier.
The current version of flex dining has only been with all Eastern Trains since October 1 of 2019.
Your point still stands that Covid didn’t cause flex dining, and I believe Amtrak always wanted to push flex dining to the western trains but was going to do it slowly.
And unfortunately, COVID is the perfect excuse to get it over with quickly.
If flex dining is permanent on western routes, I will have much less incentive to travel on Amtrak in the future. And I'm sure many others will stop travelling with them altogether.
20th Century Rider
Engineer
You're so right Sidney! Reaction to Amtrak's Flex dining is universally negative. Amtrak has a short video touting flex dining on YouTube. The reactions on YouTube are almost universally negative.
It should be noted that this promotional video by Amtrak is doctored up to look good... the food looks enhanced and fresh, and of course they show the on alcoholic drink that's included [whether its overnight on the Capital Limited, or three nights and four days on the Texas Eagle.] People are smart and don't like deception.
There is a disconnect between Amtrak management and the people they serve! In the comments which are posted below the video it's like the playbook for what everyone is saying in this forum... universal disgust to flex dining!
Yep. Yet I don't see it changing any time soon. :c
fdaley
OBS Chief
I was on one of the first eastbound runs of the Lake Shore with what was then called "contemporary" dining in June 2018. The offerings were more impressively packaged, and the quantities were larger than what's now offered as "flexible" dining, but the overall presentation, selection and food quality was a huge step down from what we'd experienced a few days earlier on our way west. There were no hot entrees for any meal. For breakfast there was only one choice, a random grab bag of yogurt cup, granola bars, glue-berry muffins etc. that didn't really add up to a meal. And of course, then as now, there was no table service, which to me means neither regimen can legitimately be called "dining." It just seemed an insult compared with what we'd received on many prior trips and considering the $700-a-night price of our bedroom. And my wife hated it even more than I did.
crescent-zephyr
Engineer
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Oh trust me I wasn’t saying contemporary dining was good. But it was better than flex. Have you had the current flex meals? I would be interested to know how you compare them.
20th Century Rider
Engineer
Gimme a break Amtrak! Healthy food portions and healthy food are not a part of flex dining... the food on those tiny 5" melted plastic plates looks gray and wilted. And that's a mighty fine new looking table in that roomette... however most of them are broken and need to be propped up to keep the food from sliding down. Doctoring up these promos just adds more insult to frustration. Please Amtrak! Read the reactions from your customers... and let's get catering 'back on track!'
That's a Viewliner II, the tables are actually like that in those.Gimme a break Amtrak! Healthy food portions and healthy food are not a part of flex dining... the food on those tiny 5" melted plastic plates looks gray and wilted. And that's a mighty fine new looking table in that roomette... however most of them are broken and need to be propped up to keep the food from sliding down. Doctoring up these promos just adds more insult to frustration. Please Amtrak! Read the reactions from your customers... and let's get catering 'back on track!'
20th Century Rider
Engineer
fdaley
OBS Chief
Since that trip in 2018, I used up some AGR points to book rooms for day use on the Lake Shore and Crescent a total of four times pre-Covid to sample the food after reports that the offerings were being improved. Other than not being presented in a box, the breakfast seems about the same, which is to say totally inadequate in terms of quantity and protein content (unless you want the Jimmy Dean hockey puck). Of the lunch/dinner entrees, I had the chicken and fettuccine, which I think was pre-flex, served in its foil freezer tub, and the shrimp and sausage, which came in the newer black plastic tub with teeny side salad. The entrees were rather salty but edible. Quantities were on the small side, and of the course the presentation is just awful.
The dining car scene on these trips was utterly depressing to me -- fetch your own stuff, sit at a bare table, eat out of plastic tub with plastic utensils, little to no interaction with other travelers because everyone sits at their own table. Before June of '18, even the Lake Shore "diner lite" had the atmosphere of a convivial restaurant on wheels; now it's more like a bad school cafeteria. If I'm planning a family vacation after the pandemic ends and Amtrak is still offering this level of service, I'd really rather drive and find my own meals. I can't get past the fact that the Amtrak management has taken something that was one of the most fun parts of long-distance train travel and turned it into a big net negative.
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I've seen a room tour in it, they are SO much nicer. There is an upcoming review by Simply_Railway. I can't wait!Looking forward to riding in one of those newest cars!
20th Century Rider
Engineer
Nicer? Then let this set the standard for Amtrak moving forward. Let all experiences be nicer and showing of respect and appreciation to all customers. We are Amtrak patrons... and no one is more deserving all of us who have supported Amtrak with our enthusiasm... and the money we put forward to travel by rail.
It feels more premium, if you know what I mean.Nicer? Then let this set the standard for Amtrak moving forward. Let all experiences be nicer and showing of respect and appreciation to all customers. We are Amtrak patrons... and no one is more deserving all of us who have supported Amtrak with our enthusiasm... and the money we put forward to travel by rail.
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