Lake Shore Limited discussion 2023 Q4 - 2025

[quadrock]

Is everyone talking about the same thing here, namely the wine and cheese reception on the eastbound Lake Shore just prior to, and maybe during, the departure of the train from Chicago? I get the impression that some are talking about other things.

Yes, I was referring to the wine & cheese tasting that takes place onboard the train. We were invited by our sleeping car attendant as soon as the train pulled away from Chicago. I did ask the person serving in the dining car how long they've been doing this and she said for about two years. Perhaps the sleep car attendants don't always communicate this. For anyone that's interested, I recommend just walking over to the dining car and checking it out, whether or not this is mentioned by the attendant.

 

[glensfallsse]

Yes, I was referring to the wine & cheese tasting that takes place onboard the train. We were invited by our sleeping car attendant as soon as the train pulled away from Chicago. I did ask the person serving in the dining car how long they've been doing this and she said for about two years. Perhaps the sleep car attendants don't always communicate this. For anyone that's interested, I recommend just walking over to the dining car and checking it out, whether or not this is mentioned by the attendant.

I've ridden the LSL many times and never heard a word about this.

 

[trimetbusfan]

I've ridden the LSL many times and never heard a word about this.

It's a pretty recent thing (within the past 6 mos or so)

 

[BlackDiamond]

I'll be on 49 the end of March so I'll have to check out the wine and cheese tasting.

 

[njdon]

The wine and cheese party for sleeping car passengers on the Lakeshore prior to departing Chicago was discontinued a few years ago, (prior to Covid), and as far as I know it has not been revived.

It was an interesting perk, a great way to start the trip.

 

[NYP2NFL01]

I believe the wine and cheese party was suspended several years ago probably pre COVID-19. I didn't know it was reinstated. I'm not a wine or cheese fan, but it's a nice gesture!

 

[Rasputin]

I seem to recall that it was terminated as a cost cutting move several years before COVID. I am guessing it was probably 2014-2017. Corrections would be welcome.

I don't recall hearing any indication at the time that it was ever coming back but I am glad to hear that it is back.

 

[Tom C]

I think the "wine and cheese" thing was added as part of the "flex plus" arrangement where they now serve the flex meals on plates. Back before that when it was regular flexible dining they did a night cap where you could go get a complementary beverage in the diner upon departure since they don't serve dinner on the east bound train. The only dinner on the east bound train is if you are going to Boston on the second day For the special "Boston" meals the lunch heading west is a choice of any cafe car meal, a cafe car snack, and a soft drink. Heading east the dinner is a flexible dining meal, a cafe car snack, and a drink (alcohol if you want.) The orders are taken before Albany so that the meals can be collected from the diner. If you board in the sleeper at Albany or after heading east you get a snack and drink from the cafe.

 

[Tom C]

Also on the 449 sleeper the last station where the cafe lunch is offered is Springfield.

 

[Chief0792]

So here's something not encountered before (but somehow not surprising). My wife was on 49 from NYP to CHI on the 23rd and was told by the SCA that only one bathroom was open for passengers because the second one was reserved for his personal use (on a VII sleeper). It came about after she tried to go into it because the other bathroom was occupied. She asked if he was kidding since that left one bathroom for the rest of he car, and the SCA told her he would allow her to use it this one time, but it was off limits to passengers.

That's a new twist on making up rules as you go. The end result for my wife was deciding that the only way we'll travel on a Viewliner will be by bedroom if that's the case going forward, since you never know what version of the car (VI or VII) you're going to be on. Suffice to say, that'll be a phone call to Amtrak, for all the good it does.

Anyone else have that happen on on VII before?

 

[Tom C]

Definitely not and I would absolutely report that.

 

[zephyr17]

That is definitely a Customer Relations call.

 

[trimetbusfan]

So here's something not encountered before (but somehow not surprising). My wife was on 49 from NYP to CHI on the 23rd and was told by the SCA that only one bathroom was open for passengers because the second one was reserved for his personal use (on a VII sleeper). It came about after she tried to go into it because the other bathroom was occupied. She asked if he was kidding since that left one bathroom for the rest of he car, and the SCA told her he would allow her to use it this one time, but it was off limits to passengers.

That's a new twist on making up rules as you go. The end result for my wife was deciding that the only way we'll travel on a Viewliner will be by bedroom if that's the case going forward, since you never know what version of the car (VI or VII) you're going to be on. Suffice to say, that'll be a phone call to Amtrak, for all the good it does.

Anyone else have that happen on on VII before?

I think I have ran into this before, but it was on a VII baggage dorm car (the majority of the rooms on the car are for crew), not on the LSL btw. They closed it off by locking the bathroom from the outside after each use. (So I was never told it was unavailable, but it was always locked). However, it seemed to be the conductors (not the OBS) that did this or allowed this, as after a new set of conductors came on the bathroom was magically unlocked for use again.

I didn't call CR on it since it was only closed for part of the trip, but I am curious what kind of response they will give to your situation.