How would you feed your train?

[Brian Battuello]

Your Amtrak train is running 24 hours late approaching Gallup, New Mexico. Your holiday crowd of 300 coach and 90 sleeping car passengers are hungry. The last can of Amstew has been opened.

Who would *you* call to cater the train, and what would you order? You have a reasonable amount of lead time and budget. Can you make everyone happy?

 

[Maglev]

There may or may not be facilities for catering nearby, and if the delay is weather related, these facilities may face staffing problems also. You just have to go with what's available. I didn't do a Google search, but that resource might not be usable by those on the stranded train due to cell phone problems.

 

[crescent-zephyr]

There’s a stand alone subway in Gallup.... probably the best best. Buy lots of box lunches.

There’s also a KFC. They do lots of family size meals.

Also a Panda Express and a Cracker Barrel.

 

[BCL]

There's got to be a place that does tamales. Maybe several like a "tamale lady". I found some place called Erlinda's Tamale Shop in Gallup. Not sure if they could do that kind of volume though. It might take a concerted effort and I'm not sure that a shop would necessarily have enough ingredients in stock and available to put that out in an afternoon.

What's the closest Costco? I looked it up and there's one in Albuquerque. A big truck could haul everything, and there's bound to be something there that could feed 400 people. I assume that all of that could be heated on the train.

 

[Brian Battuello]

I like the tamale idea. My college frat would order a pony keg of Lone Star and a five gallon can of tamales. The can was tightly packed and so hot you needed gloves to carry it. Instant party!

Other ideas? How about a giant wine/cheese/salami spread in the diner? Invite people a car at a time. Schmooze or take a plate back to your seat.

 

[Cal]

I would probably go with the subway option with basic sandwiches, maybe order three types of sandwiches in bulk along with water and chips. Then just go around and pass them out. Also see if it’d be possible to get some things in the diner so the crew can do breakfast in the morning.

 

[Brian Battuello]

I would probably go with the subway option with basic sandwiches, maybe order three types of sandwiches in bulk along with water and chips.

Don't forget the Subway cookies!

Maybe have someone swing by and pick up some fruit trays for the vegans/allergies.

How about pizza? Many pizza places can make small personal pies. I'd go with the meat lover's special, but probably should stick with cheese, mushroom and pepperoni singles. Could get a few with no cheese. Would go well with a few cases of Coke and/or beer.

I once had a large sausage and mushroom delivered to the train in Reno, back in the pre-internet/pre-cell phone days. Took some coordination ahead of time.

 

[crescent-zephyr]

Maybe have someone swing by and pick up some fruit trays for the vegans/allergies.

Subway has vegan and allergen options. If we are talking about a quick fix there won’t be “someone to to swing by”

 

[McIntyre2K7]

Your Amtrak train is running 24 hours late approaching Gallup, New Mexico. Your holiday crowd of 300 coach and 90 sleeping car passengers are hungry. The last can of Amstew has been opened.

Who would *you* call to cater the train, and what would you order? You have a reasonable amount of lead time and budget. Can you make everyone happy?

Easy. I would do a Walmart Grocery Delivery to the station since it's a short drive.







Dinner Menu:

Tacos (Beef, Chicken or Pork)
Chicken Enchilada
Smothered Burritos (Beef or Chicken)
Cilantro - Lime Rice
Black Bean Soup
Black Bean Tostadas
Corn
Quesadillas (Beef, Chicken or Cheese)
Vegan Burrito Bowl

 

[Qapla]

A mixture of Subway and Papa John's pizza

Both nearby

 

[Brian Battuello]

Dinner Menu:

Tacos (Beef, Chicken or Pork)
Chicken Enchilada
Smothered Burritos (Beef or Chicken)
Cilantro - Lime Rice
Black Bean Soup
Black Bean Tostadas
Corn
Quesadillas (Beef, Chicken or Cheese)
Vegan Burrito Bowl

Love it!

 

[Devil's Advocate]

Your holiday crowd of 300 coach and 90 sleeping car passengers are hungry.

Feeding this many people is likely to exceed what a typical fast food restaurant can handle without some advance warning. Fried chicken, chain pizza, and Chinese restaurants can fill orders quickly once they get going but I would still expect a delay unless the order was spread across multiple vendors.

 

[Maglev]

Your holiday crowd of 300 coach and 90 sleeping car passengers are hungry.

That's more than six four Superliner coaches packed to the gills. I don't think Amtrak has ever often seen that many passengers or coaches on a Western long-distance train.

edited: basic math error

 

[Cal]

Don't forget the Subway cookies!

Maybe have someone swing by and pick up some fruit trays for the vegans/allergies.

How about pizza? Many pizza places can make small personal pies. I'd go with the meat lover's special, but probably should stick with cheese, mushroom and pepperoni singles. Could get a few with no cheese. Would go well with a few cases of Coke and/or beer.

I once had a large sausage and mushroom delivered to the train in Reno, back in the pre-internet/pre-cell phone days. Took some coordination ahead of time.

I think sticking to water instead of soda, and of course beer, would be better. Everyone can and will drink water, some might not want to drink soda

 

[tgstubbs1]

Feeding this many people is likely to exceed what a typical fast food restaurant can handle without some advance warning. Fried chicken, chain pizza, and Chinese restaurants can fill orders quickly once they get going but I would still expect a delay unless the order was spread across multiple vendors.

I agree. I'd say they should wait for Albuquerque because Gallup probably wouldn't have the resources for 400 instant dinners.

People talk about getting KFC, etc. for emergency rations are probably on a smaller train.

 

[Ziv]

That sounds better than Flex Dining!

Easy. I would do a Walmart Grocery Delivery to the station since it's a short drive.


View attachment 26536




Dinner Menu:

Tacos (Beef, Chicken or Pork)
Chicken Enchilada
Smothered Burritos (Beef or Chicken)
Cilantro - Lime Rice
Black Bean Soup
Black Bean Tostadas
Corn
Quesadillas (Beef, Chicken or Cheese)
Vegan Burrito Bowl

 

[Asher]

Your running 24 hrs late
Who would *you* call to cater the train, and what would you order? You have a reasonable amount of lead time and budget. Can you make everyone happy?

24 hrs late. Hungry, stopped in Gallup. We have some pissed off travelers

 

[TinCan782]

A light-hearted look at the food situation from Don Imus...
1200 Hamburgers To Go

 

[PVD]

I have that album

 

[Devil's Advocate]

Whenever this thread pops up I look at the title and think "with diesel, duh."
Then I remember a certain video by Danny Harmon with a man named Walter.



Hope you're enjoying a nice retirement somewhere Walter.

 

[crescent-zephyr]

People talk about getting KFC, etc. for emergency rations are probably on a smaller train.

What smaller train?

 

[MARC Rider]

As I wrote on another thread -- use MREs! If they're good enough for our service personnel putting their lives on the line for their country, they're good enough for Amtrak passengers in an emergency.

The baggage car is usually not very full, they could fill it with cases of the stuff, and could hand them out as needed. No calling around at the last minute, no worries about food preparation, the passengers can just heat and eat at their seat.

And MREs come in vegetarian, kosher and halal varieties. And maybe for sleeper passengers, they could stock French combat field ration packs, which are supposed to have better food than the American ones.

 

[ehbowen]

THIS is how I'd feed my train:

 

[Brian Battuello]

I think we have a winner!

 

[TaseMeBro]

Given that our theoretical train is outside of Gallup, NM..

I'd start with green chile stew and sopapillas (indian fry bread). Both are very very easy to prepare and serve in bulk (they're common to serve around potlucks and holidays).

They take very little to prepare in terms of kitchen equipment -a caterer or even a community center could be sput up and making them with minimal ingredients very quickly. In Gallup, any New Mexican restaurant or caterer makes these in bulk, probably daily.

They transport easily - the fry bread can be wrapped in foil, which makes for very minimal waste disposal bulk. The green chile stew can go in foam cups with lids - which any retaurant supply will have on hand. And the cups can easily be crushed/nested, again to make waste disposal easier.

Lastly, green chile stew and sopapillas are warm, often vegetarian if not vegan, tasty, and consitute a main course+dessert, or main+snack for later.

Oh, and they're both cheap.