Could Amtrak Subcontract Dining

[sunchaser]

Let's first get the fleet replaced, then if there's enough money left over we can start talking about a new type of sleeping car that provides less.

I don't see any reason that there shouldn't be an opt out on meals w/sleepers, other than they may be trying to emulate cruises by being all inclusive.

Right. Other than a few bookkeeping issues (that shouldn't be TOO hairy), is it that much of an expense to create a slightly cheaper, non-first class sleeper option? It would tend to save the food for those who are actually hungry. Maybe the updated computer system will make adding such an option easier.

The current problem is that ARROW can't handle having some sleepers that include meals, while others don't. It would also be quite confusing to the dining car staff, and I suspect that even passenger would have a hard time understanding things. Yes, many would realize that they booked a room that did not include meals, but others would not notice that. I can see big arguements coming in the diner if that were the case.

The best answer IMHO remains that Amtrak needs a new type of sleeper car, like say a slumbercoach or some type of business class car with seats that almost fully recline. This class would not include meals and it would be easy to keep things straight.

Again, a nod to the wise one! What about adding more 'quiet cars'? I actually thought that the trains we will take (CZ & CS) had them available until I looked atwhich trains actually had them. Since they have manufactured them before, maybe they would not have a longer lead time for production?

 

[amtrakwolverine]

maybe have the dining car open longer so more coach pax can get something to eat and give there money to amtrak.

The dining car is already open until 9:00 PM for the last seating, I'm not sure that staying open much later will increase business all that much. Most people don't want to eat dinner that late. Not to mention the horrible toll it would take on the crew to extend their day by a few more hours.

That said I do agree with you that Amtrak needs to get more coach passengers back into the diner. But I think that the correct way to do that is to increase staffing, so that more people can be served at one time. Seating 32 people in one hour and a half when the Superliner diners used to serve 60 or more in that same time period is the problem. The only way to fix that problem is to increase staffing levels as the trains fill up.

how about making the dining cars longer so they can serve 64 sense i doubt amtrak will convert the cars back to real dining cars. just make the cars twice the length of a normal car and have it hinged in the middle. they did this with auto carriers called auto-max.

Railroads of today are still grappling with the problem of loading more and larger vehicles onto autoracks. One popular solution is to create a double-length car that is articulated over a single middle truck so that each half of the car is about the same length as a conventional autorack. These cars, which can be seen in operation on many of the railroads of the western US (but also seen occasionally in the Great Lakes and Southern Ontario), are brand named AutoMax cars. These cars, built by Gunderson (a subsidiary of The Greenbrier Companies) measure 145 ft 4 in (44.3 m) long and 20 ft 2 in (6.15 m) tall; they feature adjustable interior decks to carry up to 22 light trucks and minivans.

just apply the same technology to the dining cars.

 

[AlanB]

maybe have the dining car open longer so more coach pax can get something to eat and give there money to amtrak.

The dining car is already open until 9:00 PM for the last seating, I'm not sure that staying open much later will increase business all that much. Most people don't want to eat dinner that late. Not to mention the horrible toll it would take on the crew to extend their day by a few more hours.

That said I do agree with you that Amtrak needs to get more coach passengers back into the diner. But I think that the correct way to do that is to increase staffing, so that more people can be served at one time. Seating 32 people in one hour and a half when the Superliner diners used to serve 60 or more in that same time period is the problem. The only way to fix that problem is to increase staffing levels as the trains fill up.

how about making the dining cars longer so they can serve 64 sense i doubt amtrak will convert the cars back to real dining cars. just make the cars twice the length of a normal car and have it hinged in the middle. they did this with auto carriers called auto-max.

Actually if one doesn't use the cafe side as a cafe, but instead uses it for dining car seating, then the CCC's can seat 64 people. Take away the cafe side and I believe you loose 16 seats, but I'm not positive on that. But that still leaves almost 50 seats in the dining section, and even now Amtrak seats no more than 8 to 12 people at one time on that side of the car.

The problem isn't the car's seating capacity, the problem is the lack of staff to prepare the food and serve it. Converting cars back to full diners or making them longer at considerably greater costs isn't going to change the fact that Amtrak can't serve 60 people at once in the dining car with 1 SA, 1 LSA, and 1 cook. To serve 60 people all at once you'd need at least 2 SA's, maybe 3, 1 LSA, and 2 cooks.

 

[user 1215]

Hay, I was at a Outback a few weeks ago where they ran out of lettuce (how could that happen?), and the kitchen simply sent someone over to the supermarket next door to buy more. One can't do that from a speeding (79MPH ) Amtrak LD train. So, one needs to contract wth a company that has experience in successfully dealing with such situations.
I got bashed the last time I mentioned this. I was on a Silver that was stuck for 24 hours. Does a food service company have the resources to deal with that, by having a plan to get food to that train?

What is Amtrak's plan now when the train is hours late and food is running out? An emergency helicopter drop of French Toast and Garden Burgers?

Seems what happens if you read the trip reports are true is the local fast food place gets a bulk order.

No doubt the private company would use similar methods.

A good food service provider with a national network would not have to necessarily run out to KFC. If you had a productive staff on board, you can actually get your supplies from a grocery store instead of a fast food restaurant.

maybe have the dining car open longer so more coach pax can get something to eat and give there money to amtrak.

The dining car is already open until 9:00 PM for the last seating, I'm not sure that staying open much later will increase business all that much. Most people don't want to eat dinner that late. Not to mention the horrible toll it would take on the crew to extend their day by a few more hours.

That said I do agree with you that Amtrak needs to get more coach passengers back into the diner. But I think that the correct way to do that is to increase staffing, so that more people can be served at one time. Seating 32 people in one hour and a half when the Superliner diners used to serve 60 or more in that same time period is the problem. The only way to fix that problem is to increase staffing levels as the trains fill up.

how about making the dining cars longer so they can serve 64 sense i doubt amtrak will convert the cars back to real dining cars. just make the cars twice the length of a normal car and have it hinged in the middle. they did this with auto carriers called auto-max.

Actually if one doesn't use the cafe side as a cafe, but instead uses it for dining car seating, then the CCC's can seat 64 people. Take away the cafe side and I believe you loose 16 seats, but I'm not positive on that. But that still leaves almost 50 seats in the dining section, and even now Amtrak seats no more than 8 to 12 people at one time on that side of the car.

The problem isn't the car's seating capacity, the problem is the lack of staff to prepare the food and serve it. Converting cars back to full diners or making them longer at considerably greater costs isn't going to change the fact that Amtrak can't serve 60 people at once in the dining car with 1 SA, 1 LSA, and 1 cook. To serve 60 people all at once you'd need at least 2 SA's, maybe 3, 1 LSA, and 2 cooks.

I don't think that I could agree more. Unfortunately, Amtrak has taken a slippery slope with the CCC that will make it much more expensive to revert to a full-up dining experience.

How does dining on the Acela work? Are ALL 1st Class pax broght their meals, or do some choose to sit in the Bistro car? Can BC pax buy the same meals that FC gets? Do they run out of food? The Bistro Car seems to have a similar capacity and layout as a CCC....

 

[Tony]

The current problem is that ARROW can't handle having some sleepers that include meals, while others don't. It would also be quite confusing to the dining car staff, and I suspect that even passenger would have a hard time understanding things. Yes, many would realize that they booked a room that did not include meals, but others would not notice that. I can see big arguements coming in the diner if that were the case.

I would have to agree (wow, Alan and I in agreement ). It would be especially true for, say, passengers who might focus on the lowest cost room option (the option w/o meals) and not even notice that they weren't getting their meals included until the dining car attendant hands them a check.

Isn't it the case now, that the on-line reservation system doesn't even point out refundable vs. non-refundable tickets? I could all too easily foresee meals vs. non-meals being the same way.

Also, I would really not like it, if Amtrak started emulating the Airline industry, taking away "perk" after "perk". IMHO, since Sleeper Class is basically the LD train's First Class, all the "perks" of going First Class must remain part of it; all meals included, use of First Class lounge (Acela, etc), priority boarding, a shower, etc.

 

[ALC Rail Writer]

Another reason I brought it up is because I'm very disappointed every time I hear that after all the sleeping car attendants got their dining car meal, the coach pax were left with ZIP. That just ain't right. Revenue totally out the door. I would speculate that the more who buy a dinner with a credit card or cash looks better on the dining car expense report than serving 100% sleeping car passengers. I'm sure that the LSAs get tipped better, too.

I'd also reevaluate the services included with a sleeper ticket (gasp! is nothing sacred?).

Why are meals included in all sleeper tickets? Many times I'd rather have had the $5/meal/person back and just brought my own sandwiches. With the meals included, though, the passengers are encouraged to eat whether they're actually hungry or not, and whether they'd prefer their own food or not.

It speaks, I think, to the need for an intermediate level of sleeper service that we occasionally mention here.

Let's first get the fleet replaced, then if there's enough money left over we can start talking about a new type of sleeping car that provides less.

All hail the slumbercoach!

The slumbercoach was discussed on another thread not too long ago.

I don't see any reason that there shouldn't be an opt out on meals w/sleepers, other than they may be trying to emulate cruises by being all inclusive.

I noticed last Monday the westbound CZ was delayed 10 hours in Denver from a snowstorm. I'm not sure if they were in Denver proper, or on the track somewhere in between. There should be some way of carrying extra food for situations like that & to keep from those people in sleepers gobbling down all the food & leavinng the coach customers hanging.

Maybe add it after the first day, that way they would not have to change storage space around in the kitchen.

Since sleeper passengers on long distance trains get first shot at dinner reservations, with coach passengers given reservation opportunities on a space available basis (which it not always is), why not allow sleeper passengers to use thir dinner allowance in the lounge car for food (attendents would hand out exchange vouchers with a stated dollar value when they were going sleeper to sleeper taking reservations and a passenger declines a reservation). That would free up more reservation space for coach passengers. Not sure I would take that option but some would.

A problem I see with that is purely the consist of most LD trains where you have the sleepers, diner, lounge, coaches. If the sleeper pax are getting meals during meal service from the lounge they have to cross through the diner to get to the lounge and back again if they want to eat in their compartments. No problem with this for the sleepers, but I can't imagine the SA's would be very pleased by the disruption.

 

[user 1215]

I don't think that addresses the crux of the problem. Heck, they can eat in their room and that would open up dining table space. But that doesn't reduce the amount of food consumed.

Maybe that's a start, though. Add an SA to provide room service.

 

[sunchaser]

I don't think that addresses the crux of the problem. Heck, they can eat in their room and that would open up dining table space. But that doesn't reduce the amount of food consumed.
Maybe that's a start, though. Add an SA to provide room service.

Amtrak already provides some level of room service.

http://www.amtrak.com/servlet/ContentServe...79&ssid=352

From what I understand, if you are in the H bedroom, it is fairly routine for the SCA to bring meals to you if you ask.

I also understand that they will bring your meal to any room if you ask, but I could be wrong. It may depend on the how busy the SCA is. This may not be a rule carved in stone, but just a service.

Of course, you wouldn't want to require sleeper pax to eat in their room.

This would help thin out the diner crowd, but not deal with the issue of food available for coach. If the trains are routinely running out of food, then Amtrak needs to bring more food onboard at the start point. If there is not enough storage space, then maybe they could replenish the food down the line at another station, maybe after 3 meals have been served.

 

[had8ley]

I don't think that addresses the crux of the problem. Heck, they can eat in their room and that would open up dining table space. But that doesn't reduce the amount of food consumed.
Maybe that's a start, though. Add an SA to provide room service.

Amtrak already provides some level of room service.

http://www.amtrak.com/servlet/ContentServe...79&ssid=352

From what I understand, if you are in the H bedroom, it is fairly routine for the SCA to bring meals to you if you ask.

I also understand that they will bring your meal to any room if you ask, but I could be wrong. It may depend on the how busy the SCA is. This may not be a rule carved in stone, but just a service.

Of course, you wouldn't want to require sleeper pax to eat in their room.

This would help thin out the diner crowd, but not deal with the issue of food available for coach. If the trains are routinely running out of food, then Amtrak needs to bring more food onboard at the start point. If there is not enough storage space, then maybe they could replenish the food down the line at another station, maybe after 3 meals have been served.

It is a mandate that pax in the H room be served in their room if mobility impaired. Only time they wouldn't be is if the room was sold under the 15 day out rule.

 

[AlanB]

Hay, I was at a Outback a few weeks ago where they ran out of lettuce (how could that happen?), and the kitchen simply sent someone over to the supermarket next door to buy more. One can't do that from a speeding (79MPH ) Amtrak LD train. So, one needs to contract wth a company that has experience in successfully dealing with such situations.
I got bashed the last time I mentioned this. I was on a Silver that was stuck for 24 hours. Does a food service company have the resources to deal with that, by having a plan to get food to that train?

What is Amtrak's plan now when the train is hours late and food is running out? An emergency helicopter drop of French Toast and Garden Burgers?

Seems what happens if you read the trip reports are true is the local fast food place gets a bulk order.

No doubt the private company would use similar methods.

A good food service provider with a national network would not have to necessarily run out to KFC. If you had a productive staff on board, you can actually get your supplies from a grocery store instead of a fast food restaurant.

Yes, let's delay the train in a station while the LSA runs out to the local supermarket to buy a bunch of supplies with his own money, suplies for meals that the lone cook won't be able to prep on his own and still feed everyone.

How does dining on the Acela work? Are ALL 1st Class pax broght their meals, or do some choose to sit in the Bistro car? Can BC pax buy the same meals that FC gets? Do they run out of food? The Bistro Car seems to have a similar capacity and layout as a CCC....

All FC pax are brought their meals to their seat. If you choose to go sit in the Bistro car, you won't see your meal as the attendants aren't going to carry it through two BC coaches to reach you in the cafe car. Not to mention that the FC attendants actually frown on people walking from the FC car to the rest of the train when they are serving meals, since you have to walk right through the galley where they are busy moving hot dishes, as well as drinks that are easily spilled.

BC pax cannot buy the same meals that FC pax get. I've never seen Acela FC run out of all food, but I have seen them run out of one of the menu choices. A lot depends on how many last minute tickets were sold, as well as the passenger's personal tastes. Sometimes orders cover the entire spectrum of the choices, other times it seems like everyone wants the same thing.

 

[AlanB]

Amtrak already provides some level of room service.
http://www.amtrak.com/servlet/ContentServe...79&ssid=352

From what I understand, if you are in the H bedroom, it is fairly routine for the SCA to bring meals to you if you ask.

I also understand that they will bring your meal to any room if you ask, but I could be wrong. It may depend on the how busy the SCA is. This may not be a rule carved in stone, but just a service.

Of course, you wouldn't want to require sleeper pax to eat in their room.

This would help thin out the diner crowd, but not deal with the issue of food available for coach. If the trains are routinely running out of food, then Amtrak needs to bring more food onboard at the start point. If there is not enough storage space, then maybe they could replenish the food down the line at another station, maybe after 3 meals have been served.

The SCA is required to serve a meal in room to any passenger who requests it, regardless of what room they occupy. That said, if you are able bodied and you've got an attendant whose not real into doing his/her job, you may get some nasty stares if you ask for room service, in rare cases even an outright refusal. And in the later case, take names and report the SCA.

Turning to the issue of food availability, perhaps on the single level train if they had to run the western two night routes, storage space would be a huge problem. But the Superliner cars can easily carry enough food for a 4 day trip across the country, if such a route existed. Storage space isn't the issue.

The issue is the cost of all the spoiled food that would occur if they did load an entire extra days worth of food on board every train betting against delays that would actually require them to use the food up.

 

[battalion51]

The only train that ever had the "moving a lot of food across the country" issue was the Sunset Limited. With its extended stop in NOL for inspections and a power change, the Diner was able to hit the commissary if any items needed to be topped off before continuing the trip.

 

[sunchaser]

Amtrak already provides some level of room service.
http://www.amtrak.com/servlet/ContentServe...79&ssid=352

From what I understand, if you are in the H bedroom, it is fairly routine for the SCA to bring meals to you if you ask.

I also understand that they will bring your meal to any room if you ask, but I could be wrong. It may depend on the how busy the SCA is. This may not be a rule carved in stone, but just a service.

Of course, you wouldn't want to require sleeper pax to eat in their room.

This would help thin out the diner crowd, but not deal with the issue of food available for coach. If the trains are routinely running out of food, then Amtrak needs to bring more food onboard at the start point. If there is not enough storage space, then maybe they could replenish the food down the line at another station, maybe after 3 meals have been served.

The SCA is required to serve a meal in room to any passenger who requests it, regardless of what room they occupy. That said, if you are able bodied and you've got an attendant whose not real into doing his/her job, you may get some nasty stares if you ask for room service, in rare cases even an outright refusal. And in the later case, take names and report the SCA.

Turning to the issue of food availability, perhaps on the single level train if they had to run the western two night routes, storage space would be a huge problem. But the Superliner cars can easily carry enough food for a 4 day trip across the country, if such a route existed. Storage space isn't the issue.

The issue is the cost of all the spoiled food that would occur if they did load an entire extra days worth of food on board every train betting against delays that would actually require them to use the food up.

But isn't most of the food already frozen? I'm speaking of frozen foods. I'm not sure of the ratio of frozen to fresh, just thinking of availability. I assumed that it was a storage issue, otherwise why would you run out of food except in the case of extreme lateness? Any decent caterer or food manager should know how much food to load on the trains based on passengers expected.

Of course you would rotate thru the food available to avoid as much spoilage/waste as possible.

 

[ALC Rail Writer]

Amtrak already provides some level of room service.
http://www.amtrak.com/servlet/ContentServe...79&ssid=352

From what I understand, if you are in the H bedroom, it is fairly routine for the SCA to bring meals to you if you ask.

I also understand that they will bring your meal to any room if you ask, but I could be wrong. It may depend on the how busy the SCA is. This may not be a rule carved in stone, but just a service.

Of course, you wouldn't want to require sleeper pax to eat in their room.

This would help thin out the diner crowd, but not deal with the issue of food available for coach. If the trains are routinely running out of food, then Amtrak needs to bring more food onboard at the start point. If there is not enough storage space, then maybe they could replenish the food down the line at another station, maybe after 3 meals have been served.

The SCA is required to serve a meal in room to any passenger who requests it, regardless of what room they occupy. That said, if you are able bodied and you've got an attendant whose not real into doing his/her job, you may get some nasty stares if you ask for room service, in rare cases even an outright refusal. And in the later case, take names and report the SCA.

Turning to the issue of food availability, perhaps on the single level train if they had to run the western two night routes, storage space would be a huge problem. But the Superliner cars can easily carry enough food for a 4 day trip across the country, if such a route existed. Storage space isn't the issue.

The issue is the cost of all the spoiled food that would occur if they did load an entire extra days worth of food on board every train betting against delays that would actually require them to use the food up.

But isn't most of the food already frozen? I'm speaking of frozen foods. I'm not sure of the ratio of frozen to fresh, just thinking of availability. I assumed that it was a storage issue, otherwise why would you run out of food except in the case of extreme lateness? Any decent caterer or food manager should know how much food to load on the trains based on passengers expected.

Of course you would rotate thru the food available to avoid as much spoilage/waste as possible.

Little if anything brought into the diner is frozen (save for the ice cream) it is cooked at stations and brought on board, reheated in convection ovens. For the MILLIONTH time it isn't microwaved TV dinners.

 

[Tony]

Yes, let's delay the train in a station while the LSA runs out to the local supermarket to buy a bunch of supplies with his own money, suplies for meals that the lone cook won't be able to prep on his own and still feed everyone.

Well, a delay of like 24 hours (major track damage), I would say a well run railroad would indeed have a train remain stopped at a station, rather than having it proceed to a siding.

Possibly my view it a bit skewed, but my employer empowers me to make reasonable choices during an unusual situation, and that includes making necessary charges with my business AmEx card. There is no reason that an LSA could not be empowered similarly. And if the LSA doesn't have a business AmEx card, then the simple thing to do, is to have the LSA use cash out of their onboard working cash. There are lots of options, if any planning happens at all, before the LSA would have to use their own money.

Also, Aramark should have a large enough of an operational base, that it should be able to pull basic supplies from its numerous other operations in the event of an emergency on a LD Amtrak train they are the contracted food service provider.

 

[sunchaser]

Amtrak already provides some level of room service.
http://www.amtrak.com/servlet/ContentServe...79&ssid=352

From what I understand, if you are in the H bedroom, it is fairly routine for the SCA to bring meals to you if you ask.

I also understand that they will bring your meal to any room if you ask, but I could be wrong. It may depend on the how busy the SCA is. This may not be a rule carved in stone, but just a service.

Of course, you wouldn't want to require sleeper pax to eat in their room.

This would help thin out the diner crowd, but not deal with the issue of food available for coach. If the trains are routinely running out of food, then Amtrak needs to bring more food onboard at the start point. If there is not enough storage space, then maybe they could replenish the food down the line at another station, maybe after 3 meals have been served.

The SCA is required to serve a meal in room to any passenger who requests it, regardless of what room they occupy. That said, if you are able bodied and you've got an attendant whose not real into doing his/her job, you may get some nasty stares if you ask for room service, in rare cases even an outright refusal. And in the later case, take names and report the SCA.

Turning to the issue of food availability, perhaps on the single level train if they had to run the western two night routes, storage space would be a huge problem. But the Superliner cars can easily carry enough food for a 4 day trip across the country, if such a route existed. Storage space isn't the issue.

The issue is the cost of all the spoiled food that would occur if they did load an entire extra days worth of food on board every train betting against delays that would actually require them to use the food up.

But isn't most of the food already frozen? I'm speaking of frozen foods. I'm not sure of the ratio of frozen to fresh, just thinking of availability. I assumed that it was a storage issue, otherwise why would you run out of food except in the case of extreme lateness? Any decent caterer or food manager should know how much food to load on the trains based on passengers expected.

Of course you would rotate thru the food available to avoid as much spoilage/waste as possible.

Little if anything brought into the diner is frozen (save for the ice cream) it is cooked at stations and brought on board, reheated in convection ovens. For the MILLIONTH time it isn't microwaved TV dinners.

Oh, I thought more of the food was frozen & then reheated in the convection ovens for ease on the cook/chef. I was not in any way inferring that they were TV dinners! I know they do use the convection ovens instead of conventional or microwave ovens.

 

[ALC Rail Writer]

Little if anything brought into the diner is frozen (save for the ice cream) it is cooked at stations and brought on board, reheated in convection ovens. For the MILLIONTH time it isn't microwaved TV dinners.

Oh, I thought more of the food was frozen & then reheated in the convection ovens for ease on the cook/chef. I was not in any way inferring that they were TV dinners! I know they do use the convection ovens instead of conventional or microwave ovens.

No, the food is not frozen. It is refrigerated and frozen if the food calls for freezers, see ice cream. For the most park it stays in refrigerators or in warm trays if it is being used the same day.

 

[sunchaser]

Little if anything brought into the diner is frozen (save for the ice cream) it is cooked at stations and brought on board, reheated in convection ovens. For the MILLIONTH time it isn't microwaved TV dinners.

Oh, I thought more of the food was frozen & then reheated in the convection ovens for ease on the cook/chef. I was not in any way inferring that they were TV dinners! I know they do use the convection ovens instead of conventional or microwave ovens.

No, the food is not frozen. It is refrigerated and frozen if the food calls for freezers, see ice cream. For the most park it stays in refrigerators or in warm trays if it is being used the same day.

Got it! I would think that would be a better way to go, but then again it could affect the quality, depending on the food.

Slightly unrelated question:

I have read travel reports about sleeper pax being offered sparkling apple juice or champagne upon boarding in the afternoon/evening. Does anyone know if they still do that? And if so, which trains?

 

[volkris]

Also, I would really not like it, if Amtrak started emulating the Airline industry, taking away "perk" after "perk". IMHO, since Sleeper Class is basically the LD train's First Class, all the "perks" of going First Class must remain part of it; all meals included, use of First Class lounge (Acela, etc), priority boarding, a shower, etc.

Yes, but I don't like having to pay for something I don't want, and others don't like Amtrak running out of food before hungry coach customers got a shot. Requiring all sleeper customers to buy all meals on the train, paid in advance, (which is the glass half empty way of looking at it) has some downsides worth considering.

I don't think it would be too complicated to have "roomette" and "first class roomette" as separate options on the amtrak.com in the same way that they handle "coach" and "lower level coach." Maybe they could even leave all of the more expensive room options as automatic first class.

 

[Neil_M]

I have read travel reports about sleeper pax being offered sparkling apple juice or champagne upon boarding in the afternoon/evening. Does anyone know if they still do that? And if so, which trains?

Empire Builder. On my trip in November the flow of Champagne and Orange Juice to mix it with was fairly constant. All very pleasant......

 

[AlanB]

Slightly unrelated question:I have read travel reports about sleeper pax being offered sparkling apple juice or champagne upon boarding in the afternoon/evening. Does anyone know if they still do that? And if so, which trains?

That happens on the Empire Builder only.

On the LSL out of Chicago, sleeping car pax are offered a free wine tasting in the dining car, and sparkling apple juice is also an option.

Finally the Auto Train has a free wine tasting in the cafe car shortly before departure from the originating stations.

 

[user 1215]

A good food service provider with a national network would not have to necessarily run out to KFC. If you had a productive staff on board, you can actually get your supplies from a grocery store instead of a fast food restaurant.

Yes, let's delay the train in a station while the LSA runs out to the local supermarket to buy a bunch of supplies with his own money, suplies for meals that the lone cook won't be able to prep on his own and still feed everyone.

As Tony replied, my comment didn't refer to how things work right now. If the diner was well staffed (ie: 24-hr Diner), then fresh ingredients can be arranged to meet the train. The entire premise of serving fast food in the dining car in the event of an emergency would then go out the window.

 

[ALC Rail Writer]

Slightly unrelated question:I have read travel reports about sleeper pax being offered sparkling apple juice or champagne upon boarding in the afternoon/evening. Does anyone know if they still do that? And if so, which trains?

That happens on the Empire Builder only.

On the LSL out of Chicago, sleeping car pax are offered a free wine tasting in the dining car, and sparkling apple juice is also an option.

Finally the Auto Train has a free wine tasting in the cafe car shortly before departure from the originating stations.

And of course the EB and CS have wine tastings en route in the diner and PPC respectively.

 

[sunchaser]

Slightly unrelated question:I have read travel reports about sleeper pax being offered sparkling apple juice or champagne upon boarding in the afternoon/evening. Does anyone know if they still do that? And if so, which trains?

That happens on the Empire Builder only.

On the LSL out of Chicago, sleeping car pax are offered a free wine tasting in the dining car, and sparkling apple juice is also an option.

Finally the Auto Train has a free wine tasting in the cafe car shortly before departure from the originating stations.

Thanks Alan! I thought they did on the CS last year, maybe that was only for the relaunch of the PPC?

I'll still bring my own anyway. Thought it was a nice touch though!

 

[gswager]

Slightly unrelated question:I have read travel reports about sleeper pax being offered sparkling apple juice or champagne upon boarding in the afternoon/evening. Does anyone know if they still do that? And if so, which trains?

That happens on the Empire Builder only.

On the LSL out of Chicago, sleeping car pax are offered a free wine tasting in the dining car, and sparkling apple juice is also an option.

Finally the Auto Train has a free wine tasting in the cafe car shortly before departure from the originating stations.

I did received a can of soda and a bottle (small) of apple champange on SWC last March, westbound from ABQ to LAX. I've never got those before! Maybe that car was from Empire Builder because it still has the EB timetables, along with SWC timetable. Or maybe the sleeper attendant is adverstising...