Capitol Limited Dining Question

[mrn1957]

My wife and I are taking our first ever Amtrak trip in a few days. We are boarding the Capitol Limited in Elkhart, Indiana bound for Washington, DC. We have reserved a Roomette for the trip. My question is in regard to meals, particularly because of the timing. We are due to depart Elkhart at 8:53pm. Can we still expect to have dinner in the dining car? Should we make a reservation for the meal ahead of time? If so, how do we do that?

On our return trip from DC, I have a similar question regarding meal service. We are scheduled to arrive in Elkhart at 7:29am. If we're on schedule, can we plan on having breakfast before leaving the train?

In general, I haven't been able to figure out how a passenger makes reservations for dining, unless you just do it once you're on the train.

(Sounds like all I care about are the meals - but I just can't figure this out.)

Any advise is appreciated.

Newbie

 

[AmtrakBlue]

Not sure about the dinner, but you should be able to get breakfast.

Your SCA (attendant in your sleeping car) will have already made a reservation for you IF dinner is served that late.

Breakfast is non-reserved. Just go to the diner & wait to be seated.

The diner is community seating so you will most likely be seated with one or two other people.

 

[AlanB]

You'll most certainly be able to have breakfast, as they start serving at 6 AM on the Capitol going west. Be sure to get there no later than 6:30 AM however or you might not get breakfast if the diner fills up and goes to a wait list.

Dinner is another matter. Technically, at least as far as the diner is concerned, you're boarding at 7:53 Central time and still within the normal meal times. Since the diner starts serving in Chicago on Central time it remains on Central time until the meal period is over, despite the fact that the train will be in the Eastern time zone at Elkhart. But if the train is running a bit late or if one gets a crew that doesn't follow the rules, you could be stuck with cafe car food only.

 

[Blackwolf]

Indeed, three weeks ago while traveling eastbound on the Capitol Limited, we were in the diner and meals were being readily served during the station stop in Elkhart. Once you meet your SCA upon boarding, make your interest in dinner be one of the first things you mention. And enjoy your trip!