July 1st Service Change Recap

[peconicstation]

The food facts site has the new menu for the City of New Orleans, as speculated it is very similar to the Cardinal's offerings.

http://www.amtrakfoodfacts.com/lp.do?sk=D41EB01771057D8399BF1CA08C28F32F92090B4A1FB15972&EV=2

 

[SteveSFL]

Yuck to the CONO menu.

 

[Anderson]

(1) I was on 92 last night. Had a lively time in the cafe with other pax, but the lack of dinner sucked. I had a cup of noodles and a hot chocolate, stayed up until about 0400, and made a point to rack out until we were as close to PTB as possible. Bottom line for this: 91 is no longer a feasible choice for me to Florida since it leaves at about 1700 from Richmond and I want more than cafe food for dinner. If I'm forced onto it (say, 97 is $600+ on a blackout day I need to travel) then I'll pack an MRE (and I'll remember some cheese spread packets to swap around with other pax). 92 remains feasible heading north because it offers a private room option and I can grab dinner in DC or New York.

(2) On the CONO...well, there's always Iowa Pacific to take if you can travel on their trip dates...><

 

[Train2104]

(1) I was on 92 last night. Had a lively time in the cafe with other pax, but the lack of dinner sucked. I had a cup of noodles and a hot chocolate, stayed up until about 0400, and made a point to rack out until we were as close to PTB as possible. Bottom line for this: 91 is no longer a feasible choice for me to Florida since it leaves at about 1700 from Richmond and I want more than cafe food for dinner. If I'm forced onto it (say, 97 is $600+ on a blackout day I need to travel) then I'll pack an MRE (and I'll remember some cheese spread packets to swap around with other pax). 92 remains feasible heading north because it offers a private room option and I can grab dinner in DC or New York.

What would you say the general passenger sentiment was? Anger? Acceptance given the low fares?

 

[Ryan]

The first Silver Star pair have completed their dinerless runs. Any reports?

http://www.trainorders.com/discussion/read.php?4,3784555

For the record, keep a sharp on the east day tripper trains. There will be a slight change to one of them soon.

Dining cars on the Palmetto?

 

[Lonestar648]

The DC crew on the 22 SAS-CHI late last month acted like they didn't expect to be working much longer. Not caring, very short dining hours, only 2 seatings at Dinner, also, being out of many items. The 21 DC crew was more positive, but were turned at FTW on the delayed 22 heading to Chicago, resulting in a mini dinner service without the cook and servers, and less a Coach and the Cafe attendants. Sleeper Attendant stayed on. Reason given was that several of the 21 crew of the previous day decided not to do the return trip on the 22 we were meeting.

 

[Acela150]

Photo of 91 with no diner.

http://chuchubob.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=4234507

 

[Devil's Advocate]

The DC crew on the 22 SAS-CHI late last month acted like they didn't expect to be working much longer. Not caring, very short dining hours, only 2 seatings at Dinner, also, being out of many items. The 21 DC crew was more positive, but were turned at FTW on the delayed 22 heading to Chicago, resulting in a mini dinner service without the cook and servers, and less a Coach and the Cafe attendants. Sleeper Attendant stayed on. Reason given was that several of the 21 crew of the previous day decided not to do the return trip on the 22 we were meeting.

Looks like sound reasoning on their part. With several staunchly anti-rail folks already elected and several more running for the highest office in the land I would expect to see deeper and deeper cuts over time. Surely they know as well as the private railroads that if you make the trip uncomfortable enough the passengers will leave and once those numbers have suffered sufficiently there will be little if any push back from dropping the route itself. If there is a path forward where Amtrak ends up stronger in the future than it is today I cannot yet foresee it.

 

[dlagrua]

The cuts in food service are very irritating to say the least. You pay a high price for a roomette or bedroom and we should expect and have every right to deserve good food.

As for the Cardinal menu we have had it a few times. In August as part of our Colorado trip we will connect through Chicago twice.

The French toast sticks and the rubbery omelette are terrible. The rest of the cuisine is similar to prepared frozen food but passable. I just could not imagine more than one overnight trip where we would have to eat this food. I hope that ridership on the star plunges Its the only way that sleeper passengers will get the diner back and what about all the new Viewliner diners that Amtrak has on order with Allstom? By the way things are unfolding maybe they will turn into buffet service cars.

 

[WoodyinNYC]

The cuts in food service are very irritating to say the least. You pay a high price for a roomette … and have every right to … good food.

As for the Cardinal menu ... terrible. ... I hope that ridership on the Star plunges...

Amtrak probably needs to make some dramatic cuts, even if, or maybe especially if, they expect a lot of blowback from unhappy riders. But they have to try ugly stuff before they can tell Congress, "We took drastic steps and it didn't go well.

Hope that food service will bounce back, at least in the East, after the new diners go into service next year.

 

[WoodyinNYC]

The DC crew on the 22 SAS-CHI late last month acted like they didn't expect to be working much longer. ...

With several staunchly anti-rail folks already elected ... expect to see deeper and deeper cuts over time.

It's hard to predict, especially about the future. But I'm not quite so pessimistic.

The 2010 elections brought a lot of haters into Congress. Even so, the House's proposed cuts to Amtrak are stupid, but not massive nor fatal. If Amtrak survives without worse cuts until the 2016 elections, well, then it survives a few more years.

In 2017 the story line could change as the Stimulus projects come on line chiefly in Illinois, Michigan, and the Pacific Northwest, but also in NC and New England. Ridership will rise smartly along with positive media.

Meanwhile, despite the haters, the old rules of politics may still come to apply: Pressure will grow to fix the NEC, and I don't see investing a Billion in a new Portal bridge without investing another Billion elsewhere in the country. Maybe CAHSR could suck up a Billion easily, but that wouldn't solve the political imperative to spread the butter around. Amtrak directly may not get much cash, but if, for example, the SOTL project thru indiana moves ahead, and/or the corridor train St Paul-Milwaukee-Chicago gets funds, the whole system would benefit a from those upgraded corridors.

Meanwhile, the 175 shiny new bi-levels and the 25 shiny new Viewliners will do more than help the image. A daily Cardinal would probably show good results. (We haven't heard a peep about what capital improvements there would cost, except that $200 million in Indiana would cut 30 minutes from its Chicago arrival time.) And it's rumored that the Eastern trains will get Wi-Fi soonish. In a few years, the Eastern trains are probably going to be close to break-even as a group, and they'll be safe.

The Western LD trains do appear to be at risk. But the most interesting thing about the ruckus over movng the Southwest Chief to the Transcon route was that there was such a ruckus in Kansas and Colorado. Apparently enuff heat to get politicians on board to prevent the discontinuance. Now even Gov Martinez in NM is trying to get herself into the picture as helping to save the train. If the haters can't kill off or even reroute one relatively weak LD train, can they kill them all off at once? Won't the citizens rally to keep them?

Be nice to think that staffing changes on the Texas Eagle are coming down the track because a daily Eagle/Sunset is on its way.

 

[Bob Dylan]

I'm not going to start rumor mongering about the Eagles, but after what's happened to food service on the Star and the CONO, don't be shocked if the CCC on the Eagles is changed over to be the same as the CONO!

 

[afigg]

Looks like sound reasoning on their part. With several staunchly anti-rail folks already elected and several more running for the highest office in the land I would expect to see deeper and deeper cuts over time. Surely they know as well as the private railroads that if you make the trip uncomfortable enough the passengers will leave and once those numbers have suffered sufficiently there will be little if any push back from dropping the route itself. If there is a path forward where Amtrak ends up stronger in the future than it is today I cannot yet foresee it.

I don't think the future for Amtrak is that bleak. We don't know what is going to happen in the 2016 elections, but the odds are fair that the Democrats will take control back in the Senate. Regardless of whether the Dems take control of the Senate, Senator Schumer (D-NYC) will be succeeding Reid as the Majority or Minority Leader. Schumer's interest with respect to Amtrak will be the NEC and eastern routes, but he will be in a position as either Majority or Minority leader to look out for Amtrak. The House is very likely to remain in Republican control, but the Dems are almost certain to pick up seats in 2016. As for the White House, yes, it could be a problem if either Governor Walker or Kasich is elected President, but I don't see either of them winning the general election, except maybe as a long shot in the VP slot.

So, Amtrak will, at a minimum, continue to muddle along after the 2016 elections with a boost in 2017 for the corridor services and to an extent, the LD trains, from the completion of a bunch of stimulus and FY10 funded projects and new rolling stock. As for dining car service, we will see how the the Silver Star and CONO "experiments" go.

 

[cirdan]

How unfortunate. I have already booked a CONO trip in November with two friends. One of them has never been on Amtrak before so I was hoping to show him some of the best.

Maybe next time I should book on Iowa Pacific.

 

[andersone]

if Kasich wins the WH maybe his replacement will view OH trains differently,,,,,, COL to CHI?

 

[yarrow]

The food facts site has the new menu for the City of New Orleans, as speculated it is very similar to the Cardinal's offerings.

http://www.amtrakfoodfacts.com/lp.do?sk=D41EB01771057D8399BF1CA08C28F32F92090B4A1FB15972&EV=2

don't the cono meals look generally awful in the food facts pics?

 

[Shortline]

The food facts site has the new menu for the City of New Orleans, as speculated it is very similar to the Cardinal's offerings.

http://www.amtrakfoodfacts.com/lp.do?sk=D41EB01771057D8399BF1CA08C28F32F92090B4A1FB15972&EV=2

don't the cono meals look generally awful in the food facts pics?

Yes. Yes they do.

 

[OlympianHiawatha]

How current are the various Meal Specials on the Food Facts? Some of those look pretty good!

 

[Ryan]

This list is compiled based on information provided by Amtrak approved food suppliers, as of 5/8/13.

 

[Shortline]

How current are the various Meal Specials on the Food Facts? Some of those look pretty good!

The chicken lunch special is good. Had it once, a year ago. Last 5 trains I have been on, had it on the menu, but not on board. Go figure.

 

[keelhauled]

The food facts site has the new menu for the City of New Orleans, as speculated it is very similar to the Cardinal's offerings.

http://www.amtrakfoodfacts.com/lp.do?sk=D41EB01771057D8399BF1CA08C28F32F92090B4A1FB15972&EV=2

don't the cono meals look generally awful in the food facts pics?

Yes. Yes they do.

In fairness if you look at the picture of the famed steak in the diner it looks like a charred piece of indeterminate greyish meat with canned vegetables and an unadorned potato that may or may not be raw. Perhaps a single low resolution photo should not be considered enough to pass immediate judgment.

 

[OlympianHiawatha]

How current are the various Meal Specials on the Food Facts? Some of those look pretty good!

The chicken lunch special is good. Had it once, a year ago. Last 5 trains I have been on, had it on the menu, but not on board. Go figure.

I have had the Lunch Chicken as well a few times and enjoyed it; I just wish they'd bring back the Lamb Shank system wide!

 

[Shortline]

The food facts site has the new menu for the City of New Orleans, as speculated it is very similar to the Cardinal's offerings.

http://www.amtrakfoodfacts.com/lp.do?sk=D41EB01771057D8399BF1CA08C28F32F92090B4A1FB15972&EV=2

don't the cono meals look generally awful in the food facts pics?

Yes. Yes they do.

In fairness if you look at the picture of the famed steak in the diner it looks like a charred piece of indeterminate greyish meat with canned vegetables and an unadorned potato that may or may not be raw. Perhaps a single low resolution photo should not be considered enough to pass immediate judgment.

I had that the other night. For the record, the potato was raw. The rest, as described!

 

[tommylicious]

Republicans definitely have the right recipe to shut down Amtrak with the onboard service cuts. So bad, so sad.

 

[SteveSFL]

Just got done with a very disappointing dinner in the new diner-lite on the City of New Orleans (northbound). Of the four entree choices, I decided on the beef shortrib, which I've had on other trains.

This is not the same. It reminded me of a can of Chunky soup. It was a bowl with small chunks of meat in a brown sauce with a small pile of veggies on one side and a plop of polenta on the other. It is amazing that Amtrak has the nerve to put a $25 price tag on that. I'll rank it right up there with the boxed breakfast out of Spokane for worst Amtrak meal.

But someone at another table had the fish entree and you could smell it in the whole dining car. Both me and the other person at my table thought it smelled like a fish market.

One person from coach was seated at our table and when she looked at the menu and saw they didn't have the steak, she got up and left.

I will definitely be calling Amtrak to express my displeasure with this change on the City of New Orleans train.