Amtrak's New "Fresh Choices" Dining on CL & LSL

[cpotisch]

Idea: Doesn't the FDA say that Amtrak can offer passengers access to a microwave, so long as it's for passengers only (didn't they have that on the Automats)? Because if that's the case, Amtrak could just stick one or two microwaves in the Sleeper Lounge, and allow passengers to heat up their food. This would mean that passengers could still have hot meals, without adding to the LSA's workload.

"without adding to the LSA's workload"?

Have you ever seen a "self-service" microwave, such as in school or employee lounges?

Who do you think is going to clean it?

He/she could clean it at the end of the line. For the duration of the trip, there wouldn't be any added work.

 

[Thirdrail7]

I'm struggling to find the actual menu on the "improved" website. Can someone post the public link? I know it has to be around somewhere.

 

[cpotisch]

I'm struggling to find the actual menu on the "improved" website. Can someone post the public link? I know it has to be around somewhere.

I don't think they've released an actual menu beyond what they already told us the in the original announcement.

 

[Mystic River Dragon]

I thought a funny protest would be someone packing a microwave with them for a trip cross country. And just eating a lot of microwaveable food as a protest

Finally, something I could do that I'm an expert at--microwave cooking!

It would feel just like when I'm home!

By the way, looking at the sample "fresh choices" mentioned, some of them sound an awful lot like the sandwiches (called York Street around here, not sure if they have other names elsewhere) in the train stations, where they stick some turkey and cheese in a roll and charge almost $10.00 for it. So maybe, for the sleeper meals, they will just count up the sleeper passengers and then go raid the stations for the sandwiches they need!

 

[cpotisch]

I'm sort of tempted to get a ticket on the LSL and bring like 10 microwaves in a duffel bag, and charge everyone five bucks a pop to use it. I'd make a fortune!

 

[Thirdrail7]

I'm struggling to find the actual menu on the "improved" website. Can someone post the public link? I know it has to be around somewhere.

I don't think they've released an actual menu beyond what they already told us the in the original announcement.

Thank you. There is an official menu( which really didnt hold my interest) floating around so I guess it is internal. Keep a sharp watch on the website...I guess.

 

[Thirdrail7]

I'm sort of tempted to get a ticket on the LSL and bring like 10 microwaves in a duffel bag, and charge everyone five bucks a pop to use it. I'd make a fortune!

Or you could bring a deep fat fryer and have chicken fry off in your room. Its been done and it is apparently quite lucrative.

 

[Rail Freak]

My latest craze is the "Air Fryer"!!! I got rid of my grill & seldom use the oven!!! This might be a solution! Now, let's work on an "Ice Maker" to make our Happy Hours more manageable!!!

 

[tommylicious]

I just told my wife about these changes. Her response: "Just fly then."

 

[Maverickstation]

When discussing Amtrak meal service (or lack there of) we often turn to examples of service run by railroads overseas, or in Canada.

That said right here in the USA we have an example of how dining service can function well, the food is from a local caterer, and some of the

cooking is done on board.

https://www.alaskarailroad.com/travel-planning/onboard-experience/dining

Ken

 

[niemi24s]

. . . right here in the USA we have an example of how dining service can function well. . .

And methinks it should function well when comparing relative costs with, say, the Empire Builder or Capitol Limited:

• Denali Star, 1 adult, Anchorage to Fairbanks, 11h45m, 355 miles, Gold Star Service. . . . . . . . . . . . $441 or $1.24 per mile or $37.53 per hour

• Empire Builder, 1 adult, Chicago to Seattle, 46h10m, 2205 miles, Roomette (high bucket). . . . . . . .$949 or $0.43 per mile or $20.56 per hour.

" " " " " " " " " (low bucket) . . . . . . . $443 or $0.20 per mile or $9.60 per hour

• Capitol Limited, 1 adult, Chicago to Washington D.C., 17h25m, 780 miles, Roomette (high bucket) $520 or $0.67 per mile or $29.64 per hour

" '' " " " " " " " (low bucket) $273 or $0.35 per mile or $15.56 per hour

The Denali Star is thus 3X higher on a per mile basis and 2X higher on a per hour basis when compared to the combined averages of those two LD trains in the lower 48. It is, however, impossible to assign a value to scenery.

 

[railiner]

When discussing Amtrak meal service (or lack there of) we often turn to examples of service run by railroads overseas, or in Canada.

That said right here in the USA we have an example of how dining service can function well, the food is from a local caterer, and some of the

cooking is done on board.

https://www.alaskarailroad.com/travel-planning/onboard-experience/dining

Ken

Having ridden the ARR several times, I can vouch for the excellent food and service in its own dining cars, as well as aboard the Princess and Holland America owned cars on some of its trains...

 

[railiner]

I might add, that thankfully, the ARR, having been sold back in 1985 from the Federal Government to the State of Alaska, does not have to justify its Food and Beverage service to anyone in Washington....

 

[jis]

I might add, that thankfully, the ARR, having been sold back in 1985 from the Federal Government to the State of Alaska, does not have to justify its Food and Beverage service to anyone in Washington....

But it does have an issue of steadily losing money overall and requiring backfill of it from Juneau. Fortunately Alaska is flush with oil revenue and the tourism aspect of ARR is important to the state in addition to the transportation service provided to the back country specially between Talkeetna and Hurricane.
BTW the Denali Star is almost purely a tourist train and fares are set to milk the tourists for all they are worth. The fares on trains that provide actual transportation service to locals is much lower.

 

[railiner]

Thankfully, the Alaska state government seems more enlightened to the value of its railroad passenger service, than the national government does....

 

[jis]

Thankfully, the Alaska state government seems more enlightened to the value of its railroad passenger service, than the national government does....

I would not be so sanguine about that.

Alaska barely has any passenger service in the winter. And most of the summer passenger service is funded by tour companies and what not. On the plus side, the passenger business has been growing modestly.

The core problem in Alaska is maintenance and upkeep of the basic railroad. Budgets have been tight and getting tighter every year. At present it is only a matter of time before it reaches a crisis, unless somehow freight revenue picks up and becomes profitable. Due to the summer tourist traffic, passenger revenues are actually doing OK, but do not expect to get any passenger service between Anchorage and Whittier at all during the off season, or beyond weekend Saturday out and Sunday back service between Anchorage and Fairbanks during the off season either.

For the tight financial situation, see for example:

https://www.adn.com/business-economy/2017/02/10/with-revenue-struggling-alaska-railroad-cuts-nearly-50-positions/

 

[niemi24s]

The fares on trains that provide actual transportation service to locals is much lower.

That one train is the Hurricane Turn which goes back & forth between Talkeetna and Hurricane with costs of $0.93 per mile or $21.20 per hour. Cheaper than the other AAR tourist trains but still way more than comparable commuter train costs in the lower 48.

 

[jis]

The fares on trains that provide actual transportation service to locals is much lower.

That one train is the Hurricane Turn which goes back & forth between Talkeetna and Hurricane with costs of $0.93 per mile or $21.20 per hour. Cheaper than the other AAR tourist trains but still way more than comparable commuter train costs in the lower 48.

True that.

Considering that to run that train in the winter they essentially have to send out crews in trucks to many point to clear the tracks, I doubt that that train makes any money at all even just above the rails. It is run as a public service with recovery of only some of the cost from tickets. It is not like it runs overflowing full either.

In the winter even the Aurora, the weekly round trip, will stop for anyone that waves it down between Talkeetna and Hurricane. I have been on it and seen it done. That train too runs relatively mildly loaded even with the winter tourist traffic, except on few weekends with associated festivals and stuff.

 

[iplaybass]

Booked on the Capitol Limited on 7/12, back on 7/15. We'll see, but I'm getting Giordano's and Au Bon Pain before I board on the way out, something like Sbarro on the way back.

 

[Rail Freak]

What is Au Bon Pain?

 

[Ryan]

https://www.aubonpain.com

 

[Rail Freak]

OMG!!! Gotta try that!

 

[Lonestar648]

The fares on trains that provide actual transportation service to locals is much lower.

That one train is the Hurricane Turn which goes back & forth between Talkeetna and Hurricane with costs of $0.93 per mile or $21.20 per hour. Cheaper than the other AAR tourist trains but still way more than comparable commuter train costs in the lower 48.

True that.

Considering that to run that train in the winter they essentially have to send out crews in trucks to many point to clear the tracks, I doubt that that train makes any money at all even just above the rails. It is run as a public service with recovery of only some of the cost from tickets. It is not like it runs overflowing full either.

In the winter even the Aurora, the weekly round trip, will stop for anyone that waves it down between Talkeetna and Hurricane. I have been on it and seen it done. That train too runs relatively mildly loaded even with the winter tourist traffic, except on few weekends with associated festivals and stuff.

Alaska has so many isolated areas that depend on the train or bush pilots, so providing transportation with baggage service is critical. I have seen people unload several large containers at a trail along side the the track. An ATV waiting to help haul everything into the woods. Also, Alaskans do not pay taxes, the state pays the official residents an amount each year.

 

[cpotisch]

OMG!!! Gotta try that!

It's not anything particularly special (in my experience).

 

[chrsjrcj]

So is anyone planning on making a last run in the diners before June 1? I do have the chance to take the Cap Limited from Chicago in 2 weeks, so went ahead and booked to DC.