Food "deliveries..." Worth the risk?

[AutoTrDvr]

In respect to the disappearance of good food options on board Amtrak LD trains, I wonder if it might be worth the risk of a pax. attempting to place a "delivery" order with an eatery near the station being approached, to be delivered to that station just in time to receive, pay for and accept delivery of the food right before the train departs the station.. It would take a bit of homework prior to travel (ie. researching the eateries, planning the stops where it would work, etc.)...

Example: You are on the CZ #5, heading westbound. The train is expected to arrive at "Denver" in, say, 40 min, where you know there is a 50 minute layover (probably too risky to do this at a station with no scheduled layover, unless you have it in good with the conductor). You call the local eatery near the Denver Train Station and place the order, to be delivered to the train upon its arrival. While the train is in the station, they deliver your food and you pay for it and enjoy.

I admit, a lot would have to work properly (especially the timing), but I wonder if this might be an option for some. How often is a train, say, 40 minutes out but subject to further delays? Is it possible that the eatery, wanting to take advantage of this market might monitor the train and time the delivery to be just right... or is it too risky for them to make up the order, only to have the train further delayed or not arrive? Would they then want the pax. to pay "up front" (by credit card) and then put the risk on the customer? Would it be advantageous for eateries to have a presence in the station itself?

This would, probably, work better at stations/stops where there is a scheduled layover a 1/2hr or more and at the appropriate meal time. in the example I used above, the CZ #5 arrives in Denver at 7:15a MT, So it would probably be a "breakfast" order, or maybe "brunch" if the train is late. Perhaps lunch if the train is really late. But, as stated, a lot of homework and planning (and contingency planning) is needed before travel.

Worth it?

 

[Cho Cho Charlie]

Would they then want the pax. to pay "up front" (by credit card) and then put the risk on the customer?

Any sane business would do it that way... pay up front.

Remember, when a train is running late, its layover time can shrink.. shrink all the way to zero. For example, if the train is scheduled to arrive at 7:15am, and depart at 7:45am, but is running late and arrives at 7:44am, it may still depart at 7:45am (Julie hints at this all the time).

If the delivery person can't simply "drop and go", or if the delivery person has to deal with parking anywhere but directly at the platform, the pax IMHO needs to give a very generous tip.

 

[AutoTrDvr]

Would they then want the pax. to pay "up front" (by credit card) and then put the risk on the customer?

Any sane business would do it that way... pay up front.

Remember, when a train is running late, its layover time can shrink.. shrink all the way to zero. For example, if the train is scheduled to arrive at 7:15am, and depart at 7:45am, but is running late and arrives at 7:44am, it may still depart at 7:45am (Julie hints at this all the time).

If the delivery person can't simply "drop and go", or if the delivery person has to deal with parking anywhere but directly at the platform, the pax IMHO needs to give a very generous tip.

True. Part of the "factoring" I guess is what needs to happen during that layover. If there's baggage service at that stop, then long enough for baggage to be exchanged. If it's a crew change or service stop (i.e. fuel engine, water the train, waste dumping, etc.) then long enough for that to happen, regardless of how late the train arrives. I mean, would they skip these things just because the train is late?

 

[cpotisch]

People definitely do this, and I think that if it's a decently long layover and you know roughly how long it will take for the food to be prepared and delivered, it works pretty well. And if it's a particularly long layover at a station with a decent restaurant inside or within very short walking distance, you could literally order the food when you arrive and pick it up yourself. So long as you know exactly how much time you have, that is probably most guaranteed to work.

 

[Seaboard92]

I've done delivery before in Fredericksburg, VA on a PV in both directions many times. There is a German Restaurant in the old waiting room of the station. It's always worked well for us. Pay in cash on the platform too. Of course we have an easy way for them to find us were the big brown Pullman on the end.

 

[Devil's Advocate]

The people who know the most about track side deliveries are the on board staff. If you want to order food for en route pickup I'd probably ask them before making any orders. In most of the US personal sized breakfast delivery isn't a common service so you'd probably need to use a third party like Grub Hub or Uber Eats to make that particular meal happen. These days even grocery stores are offering scheduled delivery options for a modest premium. Unfortunately, very few delivery services are likely to be familiar with Amtrak schedules, station locations, and timekeeping, which is why you should talk to the OBS first. They will likely have a short list of businesses that are already familiar with Amtrak staff orders and willing to work around questionable punctuality.

 

[Skyline]

I think this scenario would have more merit if the restaurant was right in the station, or within (very) close walking distance. You could pre-order by phone, detrain (if a long enough layover), go PICK UP your food, then return to the train. In some cases it might make more sense for the food to be delivered to the train by the restaurant.

As I tend to overplan everything, I think I'd try to print out a diagram of the station and close-by streets, and research available eateries and their menus, before leaving home.

Because takeout orders are notoriously missing things like utensils, napkins, spices, condiments, etc. if you know you might be doing this on your trip it would be smart to bring those in your carry-on just in case.

 

[Steve4031]

You just can’t guarantee anything. At Denver the train backs into the station. Sometimes there is freight traffic outside of major cities that is backed up to enter the yard.

A place like Denver has complicated parking. Havre and Albuquerque would be easier. Maybe Albany, ny.

 

[railiner]

At some station's, access by the deliverer to the platform may be restricted in some way....just another obstacle to be aware of....

 

[AutoTrDvr]

At some station's, access by the deliverer to the platform may be restricted in some way....just another obstacle to be aware of....

Like I said, one has to do their "homework."

 

[Palmland]

Perhaps Amtrak should regress to the early 1900s. Had a few hours to schedule and have SWC passengers take an hour or so to eat in the Harvey House restaurant: Recently opened Harvey House/ brew pub in LA before boarding then La Posada in Winslow and La Castaneda in Las Vegas (to open in 2019) and the nice restaurant in KC. Think of the savings for Amtrak even if they paid for a really good meal in those restaurants! Would certainly beat food in a box, but no, Im not serious.

 

[Seaboard92]

There are quite a few places that will do delivery to Amtrak stations. In Albany on the LSL 49 if your ontime plenty of time to order delivery. I would order it about rhinecliff while there is reception and just run into and out of the station for it.

The builder resides in Minot for thirty minutes if on time. Most places where a PV can be added or set off you probably can order something.

 

[GBNorman]

You are on the CZ #5, heading westbound. The train is expected to arrive at "Denver" in, say, 40 min, where you know there is a 50 minute layover

Are the platforms at Denver open to "non passengers"? The passenger might have to leave the train, go outside the station (remember the concessionaires in the station have paid for the right to exclusively serve food on the premises), and reboard.
Likely other stations such as Grand Jct, there would not be any such issue.

 

[Maglev]

Not to go too off-topic here, but I have always been interested in food deliveries to trains.

I rode a "Pullman" service train from London to Penzance, where we ordered food on-board but I think it was loaded at Reading. Dinner was excellent.

Sometimes, food is delivered to a train because the diner is down or the train is late. I was on a California Zephyr where sandwiches were loaded in Reno for dinner because of a diner problem.

How is the food delivered to the Empire Builder for the boxed meals on the Portland section?

 

[Devil's Advocate]

You are on the CZ #5, heading westbound. The train is expected to arrive at "Denver" in, say, 40 min, where you know there is a 50 minute layover

Are the platforms at Denver open to "non passengers"? The passenger might have to leave the train, go outside the station (remember the concessionaires in the station have paid for the right to exclusively serve food on the premises), and reboard. Likely other stations such as Grand Jct, there would not be any such issue.

I agree that we should do what we can to research potential logistical issues, and to simply the delivery process as much as reasonably possible, but that's no reason to split hairs over the tedious legal minutia of a private B2B contract we never signed and in no way represents us or our interests.

 

[PaulM]

You are on the CZ #5, heading westbound. The train is expected to arrive at "Denver" in, say, 40 min, where you know there is a 50 minute layover

Are the platforms at Denver open to "non passengers"? The passenger might have to leave the train, go outside the station (remember the concessionaires in the station have paid for the right to exclusively serve food on the premises), and reboard.

Believe it or not, the Denver platform is now wide open. There are commuter trains coming and going on both sides of the CZ's platform. The rent-a-cop who guarded the stairs to the CZ's platform prior to the station rebuild is long gone.

 

[mcropod]

Believe it or not, the Denver platform is now wide open. There are commuter trains coming and going on both sides of the CZ's platform. The rent-a-cop who guarded the stairs to the CZ's platform prior to the station rebuild is long gone.

Yup, access to the platform at Denver where the CZ sat when I was on it in May is completely open. What I understood to be the old station building is now the site of a hotel bar or a bar like thing anyway, with open, unmolested access to and from it train side. I didn’t check out the access into that space, but it seemed as if it was also open go from the look of the services offerred within.

It was only on reboarding there were corralled areas for different sections of the train on the boarding platform, but even then there was plenty of space to go around them, and no restriction against that, if you wanted to go beyond any of them.

 

[railiner]

You are on the CZ #5, heading westbound. The train is expected to arrive at "Denver" in, say, 40 min, where you know there is a 50 minute layover

Are the platforms at Denver open to "non passengers"? The passenger might have to leave the train, go outside the station (remember the concessionaires in the station have paid for the right to exclusively serve food on the premises), and reboard.

Believe it or not, the Denver platform is now wide open. There are commuter trains coming and going on both sides of the CZ's platform. The rent-a-cop who guarded the stairs to the CZ's platform prior to the station rebuild is long gone.

Is it 'wide-open', 24-7? Street people have open access at all times? Just curious about that....

 

[Steve4031]

I wonder if the restaurants in the Denver station deliver food or have take out.

 

[crescent-zephyr]

I always get a coffee (am) or ice cream (pm) during the layover at Denver. Pig Train Coffer right inside the station.

 

[me_little_me]

What risk is there? A few dollars? The worst that can happen is they don't bring it in time. So you call them and tell them to give it to some homeless person in need of food. The second worst thing is you are late and they either gave up on you (you can call them if you know you're suddenly going to be late) or they bring it and it's cold and inedible. So you have to throw it out. It's not like it's the end of the world. Much ado about nothing.

In the '80s, along the Southwest Chief route, there was a pizza place right across from one of the stations in either NM or Colorado. Their number was prominently posted on their sign but this was before cell phones and included Amtrak meals. I always wanted to do something like that. Finally, on one trip I wrote down the number figuring I'd call from ABQ, our starting point, the next time. Unfortunately, the next time was when we had moved to Atlanta and we stopped taking the train to visit her parents in Milwaukee.

The downside is low. The memory of a success will stay with you as you brag to friends what you did and they never did.

 

[Devil's Advocate]

What risk is there? A few dollars? The worst that can happen is they don't bring it in time. So you call them and tell them to give it to some homeless person in need of food. The second worst thing is you are late and they either gave up on you (you can call them if you know you're suddenly going to be late) or they bring it and it's cold and inedible. So you have to throw it out. It's not like it's the end of the world. Much ado about nothing. The downside is low. The memory of a success will stay with you as you brag to friends what you did and they never did.

Where I live food deliveries generally start around $20 with popular restaurants setting minimums closer to $50. That may be cheap compared to a $500 roomette but it's still a fair amount of money to risk throwing away on a lark. To the best of my knowledge none of the restaurants in my area hand food directly to homeless people. I think they even passed a law making it a criminal offense to do so. I personally believe it would be a great idea to post delivery successes in the form of logistical guidance, but having food delivered to a train seems like a silly thing to brag about.

 

[Asher]

One thing I know about LD trains, once they start running late it's hard to figure how long they will be at a designated stop.

Try it and let us know how it works.

 

[ehbowen]

How is the food delivered to the Empire Builder for the boxed meals on the Portland section?

If I'm Not Mistaken, the boxed dinners are loaded on the Sightseer lounge eastbound from Portland and the boxed breakfasts westbound are loaded during the stop in Spokane.

 

[Mystic River Dragon]

I think the safest thing is a compromise--get something right at the station (like the hot dog stand at Orlando--are they still there?), checking with the conductor first to make sure what time the train is leaving--then do it immediately and come right back to the train.

Sometimes the treat is built in (like the coffee/hot chocolate truck that showed up like a mirage in whatever state that was with nothing in it but cows

), because the train gets washed and pampered a bit there, so you definitely have time--but still do it right away.

Finally, I'm not sure about this, but I would think that perhaps bragging to friends about what you did and they never will might be a good way to lose friends?