Amtrak dining and cafe service

[rrdude]

Fresh flowers are very affordable and the tall slender vase take nearly no space at all. They are very much a touch of class. One more thing Amtrak can claim that airlines can’t.

Bought an Amtrak stainless steel vase off ebay or Amazon a few years back, been bringing my own damn flowers for years now. Some staff luv it, a few, "not so much"... Oh well.

 

[AmtrakBlue]

Bought an Amtrak stainless steel vase off ebay or Amazon a few years back, been bringing my own damn flowers for years now. Some staff luv it, a few, "not so much"... Oh well.

Do you bring your wife flowers as often as you take flowers on the trains?

 

[cocojacoby]

Dining car flowers are traditional, and even if passable fakes they are a real touch-of-class that make the diner car experience just a bit more unique. How much can it possibly cost to have a vase of flowers on the tables?

 

[Cal]

Check your reservations anyone traveling the week of the traditional dining return to see what you’re getting. It may take a couple days for it to phase in fully for each train as OBS crews typically originate from one base. It may not be available from the opposite terminal until the first full crew takes their return trip.

Just did a mock reservation for the 23rds EB out of Seattle, shows traditional dining, as does the 23rd departure out of Chicago bound for Seattle.

 

[Cal]

Has Amtrak set a policy regarding dining-cars? Will they socially distance? I don't know if they have yet established a policy.

According to the Amtrak website, which isn't 100% reliable, communal dining is returning with traditional dining.

 

[user 14106]

Just did a mock reservation for the 23rds EB out of Seattle, shows traditional dining, as does the 23rd departure out of Chicago bound for Seattle.

I just looked at it myself - on the 23rd - 25th it shows Traditional Dining out of CHI on the Zephyr but Flexible out of EMY until the 26th when it starts showing it both ways - guessing 26th is when the 23rd crew turns. Same on the Builder (Traditional out of SEA), Coast Starlight (Traditional out of LAX), Southwest Chief (Traditional out of LAX), and Sunset (Traditional out of LAX) First traditional on the remote end is 26th for all except SL (it doesn't run that day) first traditional for SL out of NOL is June 28.

 

[rrdude]

Do you bring your wife flowers as often as you take flowers on the trains?

Nope. Good call. I will get her flowers today!

 

[Barb Stout]

I’m pro-flower! View attachment 22823View attachment 22824

Which train is that? I have never been on a train with those kinds of seats in the dining car. I only ever saw booths.

 

[Amtrak709]

I guess I am about to experience my first "taste" with flex dining. Even though I have over 300,000 miles on the trains since the 1960's,
my last Amtrak was in 2018 (long road trip in 2019 and COVID in 2020 kept me away from Amtrak). I'll be on the Crescent tomorrow
in the sleeper ATN-NYP for the sole purpose of seeing the Moynihan Train Hall; and returning on Saturday. Since booking the trip,
I have been reading the discussions (most have been less than positive) about dining; and the sleeper service; and the high cost of sleepers (especially bedrooms which I prefer). For the first time in my 73 years on the rails, I am unclear as to what to expect and apprehensive as to what I may experience. Was hoping to upgrade to a bedroom, but the $1000 bedroom price one way will prevent this. I, however, am a little less apprehensive as the departure gets closer--AS I STILL LOVE BEING ON THE TRAINS.

 

[crescent-zephyr]

Which train is that? I have never been on a train with those kinds of seats in the dining car. I only ever saw booths.

That was on the Crescent. Those were the heritage diners that had the "Temoinsa" rebuilds. They were lovely cars.

 

[jis]

"Timenosa" -> "Temoinsa"

 

[crescent-zephyr]

"Timenosa" -> "Temoinsa"

Haha! I actually looked up an old post on this site to check the spelling - should have known to check a more reputable source!

 

[jis]

Haha! I actually looked up an old post on this site to check the spelling - should have known to check a more reputable source!

It is an abbreviation for TECNICAS MODULARES E INDUSTRALES SA

 

[TrackWalker]

That was on the Crescent. Those were the heritage diners that had the "Temoinsa" rebuilds. They were lovely cars.

Northern Pacific heritage diner on the Lake Shore Limited out of NYC on May 15, 2009. (sans flowers)

 

[jis]

Northern Pacific heritage diner on the Lake Shore Limited out of NYC on May 15, 2009. (sans flowers)
View attachment 22852

That is a Temoinsa rebuild.

 

[Ferroequinologist]

According to the Amtrak website, which isn't 100% reliable, communal dining is returning with traditional dining.

Without any social distancing? Have the rules been established?

 

[Cal]

Without any social distancing? Have the rules been established?

"Effective June 23, 2021, the Dining Car will offer communal seating, providing a unique opportunity to dine with a fellow rider. "

 

[zephyr17]

"Effective June 23, 2021, the Dining Car will offer communal seating, providing a unique opportunity to dine with a fellow rider. "

That's too early from a passenger comfort standpoint. We are just coming out of the pandemic and not everything is dropped yet and a lot of people are still uncomfortable. If it were my decision, I'd wait until late summer to start it. Communal dining should be something reintroduced late, not right off the bat.

The mask policy should be dropped first, then communal dining. This is gonna get weird, folks.

My opinion is from a PR perspective, not a scientific one.

 

[Cal]

That's too early from a passenger comfort standpoint. We are just coming out of the pandemic and not everything is dropped yet. If it were my decision, I'd start I'd wait until late summer.

I agree.

 

[Mailliw]

This is weird. Amtrak can reinstate communal dining on its own, but ditching the mask mandate requires a fresh executive order from President Biden.

 

[Willbridge]

Dining car flowers are traditional, and even if passable fakes they are a real touch-of-class that make the diner car experience just a bit more unique. How much can it possibly cost to have a vase of flowers on the tables?

Here's late news about the cost of flowers...

 

[Rambling Robert]

There are 2,620 passengers on the Queen Mary (19 decks) which I believe is quite low compared to most ships. Anyway my point is that it really makes no difference whether there are 2,620 (there won't be as they are limiting the number of passengers they accept) or whether there are sixty in a dining car. It only takes one Covid+ plus passenger to cough your way, shout germs your way etc. That's why Amtrak needs to continue some social distancing and why allowing coach passengers in the dining-car is not a good idea. Incidentally, Cunard passengers must be Covid tested prior to boarding, not so on Amtrak so your chance of infection on Amtrak is greater - especially in a dining-car.

I don’t buy the logic of comparing Trains to Ships - it’s apples to oranges. First of all get VAXd NOT just tested. Amtrak is using Lysol as a consultant. Amtrak has high volume air handling. First class dining on Cunard was eight seated to a round table at best BUT THE FLIP SIDE after dinner we all squeezed into elevators. APPLES TO ORANGES. I’ll obviously abide to what Amtrak decides on dining rooms - like masks especially and traveling 100% occupancy in coach. But what if everyone in sleeper has their meal delivered... the dining car would be empty. Sooner or later the dining car will I hope be offered to coach passengers.

 

[Ferroequinologist]

I don’t buy the logic comparing Trains to Ships is apples to oranges. First of all get VAXd NOT just tested. Amtrak is using Lysol as a consultant. Amtrak has high volume air handling. First class dining on Cunard was eight to a round table at best BUT THE FLIP SIDE after dinner we all squeezed into an elevator. APPLES TO ORANGES. I’ll abide to Amtrak decides, like masks especially. But what if everyone in sleeper has their meal delivered... the dining car would be empty.

Was your Cunard trip pre pandemic? My understanding is that they are just resuming operations. Their website speaks of social distancing at meals.

Everyone is NOT going to take the vaccine. The US is going to give unused vaccines to foreign countries because there aren't enough US takers. That means that while the pandemic continues there will be Covid+ passengers on Amtrak. Do you advocate operating dining-cars at 100% capacity?

Even if everyone has room service, there will still be food cooked on board. With social distancing, however, the dining-car can operate with reduced passenger loads.

It would be inconsistent for the federal government that has promoted safety and social distancing for over a year to abandon the policy on Amtrak trains.

 

[Ferroequinologist]

I agree.

It will be interesting to see the passenger response. Amtrak will need a clear policy. If not, employees will make up their own rules and I can foresee the sort of aggressive behavior by some passengers that we are seeing on the airlines. Will dining-car personnel squeeze strangers into the same table even if there is plenty of room to spread them out? I've seen this done in the past. Management had better think this out and state their policy clearly in writing. Passengers need to be notified of the policy at the time that they buy tickets and should be advised that they can have room service if they wish.

 

[Sidney]

I certainly hope shoving four strangers at the same table is history. Many times in the past four people were crammed at the same table in an empty diner.

Two across,unless traveling together should be the norm