boarding LSL at midnight, will there be food/drinks for sale?

[ToniCounter]

I'm flying into Buffalo this evening. I have only a couple of

hours to get to the Amtrak Buffalo station to catch my train,

the Lake Shore Limited, which leaves at midnight.

IIRC, the station only had vending machines. Will the LSL

have any food/drinks/munchies that I can buy at those hours?

Thanks!

 

[greatcats]

I would figure on that being a negative. I would bring your own munchies.

 

[the_traveler]

Normally the lounge car stops service around my midnight, so I don't really know. I would guess not.

 

[Bob Dylan]

Nope, the Lake Shore is usually Late into Buffalo and the Cafe will be closed when you board.

It's not that far from the Buffalo Airport, perhaps you can snag some snacks at the Airport or on the way ( are you cabing or using a Car Service?). Breakfast, of a sort, will be served in the morning, but since there is no Diner! right now, it will be Cafe Crap @ High prices!

 

[ToniCounter]

Nope, the Lake Shore is usually Late into Buffalo and the Cafe will be closed when you board.

It's not that far from the Buffalo Airport, perhaps you can snag some snacks at the Airport or on the way ( are you cabing or using a Car Service?). Breakfast, of a sort, will be served in the morning, but since there is no Diner! right now, it will be Cafe Crap @ High prices!

I found a guy on Craigslist who offered to drive me from Buffalo airport to the Amtrak station for free. Will stop by a convenience store or something to pick up a few things to eat on the train.

 

[StriderGDM]

Let's all keep an eye on ToniCounter and make sure they actually make it to the Amtrak station after the "free" ride

 

[railiner]

Agree....that sure sounds like taking a risk

 

[tp49]

I was about to say that's very brave don't know if I'd do that. Things like that have a propensity to not end well.

 

[ToniCounter]

UPDATE: 1:10AM

I made it! The Craigslist guy drove me another couple from the airport to the Amtrak station.

but forgot to buy some food... oh well, I'll just get a really big breakfast in the morning

Unfortunately, the stupid Amtrak train is more than an hour behind schedule.

So many people waiting for the train at midnight. All look grumpy. (me included)

 

[Trainmans daughter]

Thanks for the update, Toni. That Craigslist arrangement had me worried for you. Enjoy the rest of your trip.

 

[Bob Dylan]

You might want to wait until you get to Chicago for a Good Breakfast since all you'll get on the train is Am coffee and Cafe garbage @ High Prices!

Glad you made it to the Station safely, and now you know why we say the LSL is usually Late into Buffalo!

 

[Asher]

Got a free ride from a guy on Craigslist, don't think I'll take this trip.

 

[Triley]

You might want to wait until you get to Chicago for a Good Breakfast since all you'll get on the train is Am coffee and Cafe garbage @ High Prices!

Glad you made it to the Station safely, and now you know why we say the LSL is usually Late into Buffalo!

Wrong. Taking a glance at the menu, it looks like they're still able to offer a somewhat okay selection given the circumstances. As far as the quality goes I have no idea, I'm sure it's not as good as an actual diner, but it's not "Cafe garbage @ High Prices!"

https://www.amtrak.com/ccurl/667/945/Lake-Shore-Limited-Dining-Car-Menu-0720.pdf

 

[mycalpal]

Since when does the Lake Shore Limited not have a dining car? I just took it in June and we had the dining car from Chicago till Albany. Can anyone tell me when this changed, why and for how long? I was told by Amtrak folks in June that the old consist of the Lake Shore Limited would return when the track work at Albany is complete, hopefully this fall.

 

[AmtrakBlue]

Since when does the Lake Shore Limited not have a dining car? I just took it in June and we had the dining car from Chicago till Albany. Can anyone tell me when this changed, why and for how long? I was told by Amtrak folks in June that the old consist of the Lake Shore Limited would return when the track work at Albany is complete, hopefully this fall.

Since sometime this summer. I can't find the thread where it is discussed. Most likely taken off due to the shortage of the old diners and the delay of the delivery of the new diners.

 

[user 6862]

Is there an estimate when the dining car returns?

 

[greatcats]

Vv. What is predicted and what may actually happen will probably differ widely. With the snail's pace of the delivery of new equipment, a safe prediction might be a date sometime prior to Hell freezing over. Sigh.

 

[user 6862]

OK, do you have a date for Hell freezing over then?

 

[greatcats]

That's the point! Who knows? Time will tell.

 

[SarahZ]

Here's a picture from Hell, Michigan, taken during a recent winter:

 

[user 6862]

Sorry greatcats, my small attempt at Pythonesque humour.

Made us laugh out loud Sarah...

 

[PVD]

There are struxtural issues being found resulting in a bunch of heritage diners going out of service creating a shortage. The LSL lost its diners on what is promised to be a temporary basis. It has less meal periods than CR or SM so it is probably a better choice for losing the cars than either of those two. Sometime later this year (I'm not guessing) new diners should start coming on line.

 

[user 6862]

We are in a sleeper overnight from Syracuse to Chicago in September, so we are due to have breakfast. How do they supply breakfast with no dinning car? is it just a change of venue from dining car to café car or is there another system to supply meals?

Thanks and sorry for hi-jacking this thread

 

[AmtrakBlue]

We are in a sleeper overnight from Syracuse to Chicago in September, so we are due to have breakfast. How do they supply breakfast with no dinning car? is it just a change of venue from dining car to café car or is there another system to supply meals?

Thanks and sorry for hi-jacking this thread

It's a cafe car. I think 1/2 is reserved for the "diner" and the other 1/2 is a "normal" cafe. And I believe it has a convection oven...just no grill for the foods normally cooked/heated up that way (steaks and some breakfast items).

 

[user 6862]

Thanks AmtrakBlue, that makes sense