Amtrak dining and cafe service

[Sidney]

The CONO,CL and the TE are trains sans Sightseer cars. Could be they are one night trains and scenery is not as good as the other trains. Probably a cost cutting measure,nothing to do with Covid.

Like traditional dining the cars are an important part of an Amtrak trip and I hope they are restored.

 

[PaTrainFan]

The CONO,CL and the TE are trains sans Sightseer cars. Could be they are one night trains and scenery is not as good as the other trains. Probably a cost cutting measure,nothing to do with Covid.

Like traditional dining the cars are an important part of an Amtrak trip and I hope they are restored.

On the CL scenery is great between Pittsburgh and Washington. Of course, best viewed in the longer daylight of summer, and mostly eastbound.

 

[fdaley]

The CONO,CL and the TE are trains sans Sightseer cars. Could be they are one night trains and scenery is not as good as the other trains. Probably a cost cutting measure,nothing to do with Covid.

Like traditional dining the cars are an important part of an Amtrak trip and I hope they are restored.

I have not seen a clear explanation of why the Sightseer cars were removed from these trains. From the timing, I had assumed it was a cost-cutting measure related to low passenger counts during the pandemic. But I have read several times of the current/recent Amtrak managers' dream of consolidating food service to a single car, rather than running separate diners and lounges, so I fear this could be the trial of that.

I can't fathom why someone in charge of running long-distance passenger trains wouldn't understand that when you're on a train for 20 or 30 hours, you want to find places to spend time other than your seat or room. But of course, this is the same bunch that's been telling us that flex meals are just as good -- better, really -- than traditional dining service.

When I rode the Capitol from Pittsburgh to Chicago early last year, just before the pandemic, I remember thinking that with the dining service dead, the Sightseer Lounge was the one feature that distinguished that train from others in the east, so it would probably be the next thing they'd try to eliminate.

 

[crescent-zephyr]

The CONO,CL and the TE are trains sans Sightseer cars. Could be they are one night trains and scenery is not as good as the other trains. Probably a cost cutting measure,nothing to do with Covid.

Like traditional dining the cars are an important part of an Amtrak trip and I hope they are restored.

These trains all operate with cross country cafe cars correct? That’s probably the reason, because they can drop the SSL cars on those trains during a pandemic and not affect service.

 

[Asher]

In these times with the Pandemic were all on a FLEX something. I know I am and that includes meals.
How does the song go when Great Britain was in such despair during WW2
They'll Be Blue Birds Over The White Cliffs Of Dover Just You Wait And See.
That's when I'm booking. other than that, you get what you ask for.

 

[fdaley]

If it's just because of the pandemic, I'm OK with that. And even now it still seems like a bad idea to be traveling unless it's essential, given the still large outbreaks we're having in places like Michigan. But I'm expecting that we'll be freer to do things by later this year as vaccination becomes more widespread, so I'm hoping Amtrak will be able to offer something approaching normal service by then.

And given the pre-pandemic experience with flex dining, let's just say I don't have 100 percent confidence in the current Amtrak management to make the quality of the onboard experience a priority. The announcement of restored dining service on the western trains is a good sign, and I'm glad to hear reports that improvements are under discussion for the eastern trains. But after the past three years, there's a part of me that won't really believe it till I see it.

 

[TEREB]

My son is currently going north on the Silver Star. He's in car 12. It's the new car. He promised to send pics of his meals that I'll share. I hope he doesn't forget. He said he pre ordered his meals online before his trip. My trip north won't be sometime in June.

 

[jiml]

I have not seen a clear explanation of why the Sightseer cars were removed from these trains. From the timing, I had assumed it was a cost-cutting measure related to low passenger counts during the pandemic. But I have read several times of the current/recent Amtrak managers' dream of consolidating food service to a single car, rather than running separate diners and lounges, so I fear this could be the trial of that.

The Sightseer lounge cars have made several guest appearances on Pacific Surfliners in the last few months. This may be to spell off Surfliner coach/cafes which have been seen via railcam several times on the tail of the Southwest Chief - maybe heavy maintenance in Chicago or Beech Grove?

 

[fdaley]

The Sightseer lounge cars have made several guest appearances on Pacific Surfliners in the last few months. This may be to spell off Surfliner coach/cafes which have been seen via railcam several times on the tail of the Southwest Chief - maybe heavy maintenance in Chicago or Beech Grove?

Interesting. At least they are using them on a good scenic route rather than just storing them somewhere. That must be a treat for the Surfliner riders.

 

[Bob Dylan]

Interesting. At least they are using them on a good scenic route rather than just storing them somewhere. That must be a treat for the Surfliner riders.

Meanwhile The Texas Eagle doesnt have a Sightseer Lounge for its 32 Hour,4 State Trip, and according to the Crews on this Route, it wont be returning when Daily Service Resumes in May!

 

[MilwaukeeRoadLover]

Perhaps, but why, then, do the Sightseers still run on the Western trains? Covid is just as present there, I presume.

I think what you call Sightseers are what I call some cars and they are still on LD trains like the Empire Builder. During the early days of Covid, they were off-limits along with the dining cars. But they are currently open...with social distancing. Besides...isnt the cafe car below?

 

[Barb Stout]

The Sightseer lounge cars have made several guest appearances on Pacific Surfliners in the last few months. This may be to spell off Surfliner coach/cafes which have been seen via railcam several times on the tail of the Southwest Chief - maybe heavy maintenance in Chicago or Beech Grove?

What do you mean by "spell off" here?

 

[jiml]

What do you mean by "spell off" here?

Replace - usually for a predetermined period. My guess is the California blue Superliner cafes (and some coaches) have been going east for maintenance or overhaul, as they've been on the rear of the SWC at Galesburg, Fort Madison and La Plata in recent weeks.

 

[Cal]

I think what you call Sightseers are what I call some cars and they are still on LD trains like the Empire Builder. During the early days of Covid, they were off-limits along with the dining cars. But they are currently open...with social distancing. Besides...isnt the cafe car below?

That is the Sightseer Lounge, correct.

The cafe is below, but the trains that they were taken off of use a CCC (cross country lounge) which is a diner and cafe in one.So they don’t need a SL

 

[TEREB]

I finally heard from my son. There are 3 sleepers. 9210 & 9212 are new cars. There are 2 attendants taking care of 3 sleepers. In the public bathroom, there are 2 buttons. One the flush and the other to call the attendant. Of course, he hit the wrong button.
now, getting to the food,, he ordered the chicken which he didn’t like. No blondie offered. Dinner was the beef which he liked enough to order today for lunch. Now to the bad part. There was no food delivery. He was told to go to the dining car where one attendant was microwaving your meal. You sat at one of the tables and waited for it to be ready for you to bring it back to your roomette.

 

[crescent-zephyr]

Now to the bad part. There was no food delivery. He was told to go to the dining car where one attendant was microwaving your meal. You sat at one of the tables and waited for it to be ready for you to bring it back to your roomette.

As typical of Amtrak, employees make up their own rules. He should report this to Amtrak after his trip. Room Service is ALWAYS an option and is part of the job of the SCA’s.

 

[tim49424]

As typical of Amtrak, employees make up their own rules. He should report this to Amtrak after his trip. Room Service is ALWAYS an option and is part of the job of the SCA’s.

Exactly what I was going to say. I've never been turned down for the meal delivery which is an amenity afforded sleeper car passengers, pandemic or not. This definitely should be reported and the SCA should be reprimanded.

 

[TEREB]

As typical of Amtrak, employees make up their own rules. He should report this to Amtrak after his trip. Room Service is ALWAYS an option and is part of the job of the SCA’s.

I really think/hope they were just understaffed. 2 SCA’s taking care of 3 cars. Only 1 person microwaving meals. I hope it’s better when we leave end of May, first of June. We’re too old to carry our meals 3 cars.

 

[crescent-zephyr]

Only 1 person microwaving meals.

That is the standard staffing for dining Cars on the eastern trains even before covid.

 

[PVD]

Other than trans dorms, I've never been in a sleeper without an assigned attendant.

 

[jis]

That is the standard staffing for dining Cars on the eastern trains even before covid.

Right. That will change later in the year when traditional dining is restored on the eastern LDs

 

[Mystic River Dragon]

I really think/hope they were just understaffed. 2 SCA’s taking care of 3 cars.

Even understaffed, this doesn’t sound like the usual attitude of the Silver Service SCAs. The crews I’ve seen work well together, helping each other out, and everything —including meals delivered to rooms—gets done between them pleasantly and efficiently.

Of course, there can always be an exception, and I hope that’s what this was and not a “new normal.”

 

[user 14106]

Right. That will change later in the year when traditional dining is restored on the eastern LDs

I’m curious to see how they execute it especially as a couple of the eastern trains didn’t have full traditional dining prior to the introduction of contemporary/flexible dining. If they brought it back everywhere it would be the first time in a few years for the Star and Lake Shore to have full service dining and the first time in a long time on the CONO and Cardinal.

 

[crescent-zephyr]

I’m curious to see how they execute it especially as a couple of the eastern trains didn’t have full traditional dining prior to the introduction of contemporary/flexible dining. If they brought it back everywhere it would be the first time in a few years for the Star and Lake Shore to have full service dining and the first time in a long time on the CONO and Cardinal.

They have the equipment now if they want to make it happen.

 

[Cal]

Let's just hope it comes back at all, I don't think it has been confirmed at all yet, still a rumor, right?