Diner Seating

[SarahZ]

If someone gets upset because the natural movement of the train causes a man (or woman's) arm to accidentally touch their spouse/partner's arm, they have more issues than the LSA can solve with a simple meal seating placement.

 

[jis]

If someone gets upset because the natural movement of the train causes a man (or woman's) arm to accidentally touch their spouse/partner's arm, they have more issues than the LSA can solve with a simple meal seating placement.

Maybe they should put on a burlap bag to protect against such touching.

 

[Manny T]

It's today folks. Not yesterday. Then people wore hats and removed them. Or didn't wear hats to make a statement (JFK: I'm young, and I'm not Ike).

Today hats are a fashion accessory. Wear it forward. Wear it backwards. Wear it all the time. It's clothing. It's fun. It's how we live.

Asking someone who is wearing a hat as a fashion accessory to remove it is like asking someone to remove a piece of their clothing. I don't think it's right.

You always have the option of NOT eating in the dining car, if you find your companions objectionable for any reason.

 

[Eric308]

It's today folks. Not yesterday. Then people wore hats and removed them. Or didn't wear hats to make a statement (JFK: I'm young, and I'm not Ike).

Today hats are a fashion accessory. Wear it forward. Wear it backwards. Wear it all the time. It's clothing. It's fun. It's how we live.

Asking someone who is wearing a hat as a fashion accessory to remove it is like asking someone to remove a piece of their clothing. I don't think it's right.

You always have the option of NOT eating in the dining car, if you find your companions objectionable for any reason.

Manny T....I notice you are always wearing a hat in your posts.

 

[Manny T]

Total fashion statement! Thanks for noticing. Problem on Amtrak: it's usually too hot to keep hatted!

 

[trainman74]

Or didn't wear hats to make a statement (JFK: I'm young, and I'm not Ike).

I highly recommend this book, which expands on this idea quite a bit (expands on it enough for a full book, obviously!).

 

[SarahZ]

For me, it depends on the environment. Do I think men should wear hats in church? Absolutely not. In a fancy restaurant? Also no.

But Chicago's Union Station? Sure. It's a transitional building, where the majority of people enter and head to their train after a brief wait (I'm thinking of Metra, mostly).

The Amtrak dining car isn't much fancier than Denny's or IHOP, so I wouldn't put that on par with wearing a baseball cap to an expensive French restaurant.

Also, sometimes people wear hats to cover up thinning hair lost to chemo or other medical treatments and illnesses, so far be it from me to approach a complete stranger and demand they remove their hat, even if we ARE in church or a fancy restaurant. What they are doing does not affect me or my physical comfort one iota, so I mind my own business.

 

[zephyr17]

What they are doing does not affect me or my physical comfort one iota, so I mind my own business.

The voice of reason.

 

[Bob Dylan]

Most people who haven't served in the military, or come from a military family, don't realize that the custom of not wearing headgear indoors, unless you are under arms, is a longtime military tradition.

Custom and manners also made this true in civilian life.

I agree that Sarah is the voice of reason on this, perhaps she should be running for President?!! We surely could use some reason in this most important undertaking !

 

[FormerOBS]

Once again, Sarah wins!

But I guarantee she won't be running for President because if she did she'd have to associate with those nitwits who are, and she's too sensible to do that. If she did, she'd have my vote.

Did I just make a political statement on this ostensibly apolitical Forum? Oops! Sorry.

Tom

 

[SarahZ]

But I guarantee she won't be running for President because if she did she'd have to associate with those nitwits who are, and she's too sensible to do that.

You know me so well.

 

[Thirdrail7]

And how about bringing back a little Dining Car Music; stuff that is smooth and low volume-think Fashion Show in North By Northwest

 

[crescent-zephyr]

There are 18 tables in a Superliner diner. Two tables are the mise en place and one table is the crew table. The mise en place are necessary because there simply is not enough counter space in the pantry for all the set-ups, silverware trays, stacks of napkins and condiments, bread baskets and such.

I realize it is Amtrak policy but having 2 tables for basically dining car storage, 1 table for crew, and 1 table for the LSA paperwork really takes alot of class away from the dining car. It's great that the employees want to chat when on their meal break, but allowing it to take place in the diner is tacky in my opinion. VIA Rail Single level cars have every table set. The LSA never sits, and I've never seen a crew member eating in the Diner. So it can be done.

I do not blame the crews at all for this... this is Amtrak policy and standard procedure.

 

[EB_OBS]

There are 18 tables in a Superliner diner. Two tables are the mise en place and one table is the crew table. The mise en place are necessary because there simply is not enough counter space in the pantry for all the set-ups, silverware trays, stacks of napkins and condiments, bread baskets and such.

I realize it is Amtrak policy but having 2 tables for basically dining car storage, 1 table for crew, and 1 table for the LSA paperwork really takes alot of class away from the dining car. It's great that the employees want to chat when on their meal break, but allowing it to take place in the diner is tacky in my opinion. VIA Rail Single level cars have every table set. The LSA never sits, and I've never seen a crew member eating in the Diner. So it can be done.

I do not blame the crews at all for this... this is Amtrak policy and standard procedure.

There is only supposed to be one or two crew persons eating at at time. Everyone isn't supposed to be eating at the same time although this is only lightly enforced or not at all if there is not supervisor onboard.

A few years ago an Amtrak manager was onboard a train and while eating in the diner overheard the crew badmouthing their jobs and Amtrak. Shortly after all crew were told they now had to eat their meals in their rooms or a coach seat. A crew table would no longer be allowed in the diner. This lasted about a year before it was chagned. That's when the policy was lightened up to allow one or two crew at a time to eat in the diner again.

 

[EB_OBS]

To me, it is unprofessional and potentially sloppy when the Diner Crew puts all their "stuff" on display at an otherwise usabale table; check me if I'm wrong (and I doubt I am) but you never would have seen this in pre-Amtrak operations.

It's against Amtrak policy for the crew to have any of their personal belongings stored in view of the passengers in the diner. I do see this from time to time when I'm on the train though and I do immediately correct it. The LSA's stuff, paperwork, grip etc., any of their jackets or parkas are not supposed to be stored or out during meal periods.

During a meal an LSA may have a small amount out to tally checks or fill out an inventory abstract but they should NOT have all their stuff out covering a whole table looking like a mess.

As an LSA myself I usually accomplished all my necessary work during the meal at the Stewards counter inside the pantry just to the left of the handsink.. There is plenty of counter space there for a calculater, used checks etc. and it can still certainly appear neat and professional.

 

[TXhawk]

When one is bald, one often needs a hat in any car on Amtrak , even a sleeper. The best rail dining experience is on VIA Rail's Canadian.

 

[andersone]

how easily we are misunderstood on the interwebs,, my reference to the wearing of hats pertains to diners not staff,,, if a fellow diner gets close enough to get hair in my food I hope her name is Judy Collins,,, or She Who Must Be Obeyed,,, other than I might need to employ stronger language,,,,

 

[HenryK]

I am of two minds about hats in the diners. Bald-domes (like me) sometimes need a iittle protection, especially if the air conditioning is on high. Maybe the lead service attendant could hand out yarmulkes, the way the Israelis do for tourists at the Wailing Wall? (A Catholic attendant could hand out cardinal-red beanies.)

Teen-agers in backwards ball caps could be gently admonished and if they agree to turn the bills around to face forward, maybe they could be indulgently tolerated.

Adult men in ball caps? Anything one could say sotto voce about unlettered rednecks probably would be met with quiet contempt. Or not so quiet.

What to do about cowboys in Stetsons? I don't know. Maybe whisper in their ears that the lead service attendant is a Cheyenne with a sharp blade? No, that also would be stereotyping.

One solution is to eat one's dinner in one's roomette where one can wear one's Elmer Fudd fur hat with earflaps and nobody will gainsay that.

 

[jis]

Here is a revenue opportunity! Amtrak could sell "Hat in Diner" permits for a small fee!

 

[seat38a]

There are 18 tables in a Superliner diner. Two tables are the mise en place and one table is the crew table. The mise en place are necessary because there simply is not enough counter space in the pantry for all the set-ups, silverware trays, stacks of napkins and condiments, bread baskets and such.

I realize it is Amtrak policy but having 2 tables for basically dining car storage, 1 table for crew, and 1 table for the LSA paperwork really takes alot of class away from the dining car. It's great that the employees want to chat when on their meal break, but allowing it to take place in the diner is tacky in my opinion. VIA Rail Single level cars have every table set. The LSA never sits, and I've never seen a crew member eating in the Diner. So it can be done.

I do not blame the crews at all for this... this is Amtrak policy and standard procedure.

There is only supposed to be one or two crew persons eating at at time. Everyone isn't supposed to be eating at the same time although this is only lightly enforced or not at all if there is not supervisor onboard.

A few years ago an Amtrak manager was onboard a train and while eating in the diner overheard the crew badmouthing their jobs and Amtrak. Shortly after all crew were told they now had to eat their meals in their rooms or a coach seat. A crew table would no longer be allowed in the diner. This lasted about a year before it was chagned. That's when the policy was lightened up to allow one or two crew at a time to eat in the diner again.

Sure was not enforced in May. I heard the whole conversation badmouthing another crew member. Also, not sure why the conductor needed to take a table as well but lets tick off another table out of service. There were plenty of people wanting to eat that a waiting list had to be created for lunch. People were turned away and told to put their name on the list. With all the talk about cost and subsidies, do we really need crew / conductors taking up revenue real estate? If anything, use the tables in the SSL.

 

[Bob Dylan]

Yep, no excuse for Crew Members to turn Diner tables into "Clubhouses" Reserved just for them, especially when there is a waiting list to eat and the LSA is turning away Coach Passengers that want to eat in the Diner!

 

[OlympianHiawatha]

And do not forget on Superliner trains there is a Conductor Desk in the Transdorm and Hats Off to the Conductors who use it.

 

[Seaboard92]

One thing I've never understood is why the crew always monopolizes tables in the lounge. They almost always have two tables. Even though the AIIs have a small one man office. No one ever uses it

 

[seat38a]

In regards to crew monopolizing revenue space, do coach attendants really need 4 seats blocked for themselves in each car? Really?? Not sure if this is policy or what but the last 2 LD trips, I saw 4 seats per coach blocked off with the "Crew Area" Amtrak signage. Two I understand, but 4 is overkill. So on a train with 4 superliner coach, that is 8 potential revenue seats blocked off for crew.

 

[andersone]

Easy on the Elmer Fudd hat - I have the Carhart rendition for snow removal ,,,,, but not dining