Menu Capitol Limited?

[willcline]

I boarded the capital limited in Connellsville and went to the cafe for breakfast. Surprised by the empty car. The attendant offering a box for breakfast only after I inquired where was the cafe. I find that totally unacceptable given the premium we pay for sleeping accommodations. I travel by train several times a year, but may need to rethink my options if this is to be the new norm. It’s also wasteful, I threw most of it away. The level of service had steadily declined over the twenty years I’ve been taking long distance trains.

 

[cpotisch]

Sorry, you get your boxed breakfast in the cafe car? That doesn't sound right. Are you sure you're not thinking of the Cross Country Cafe/Sleeper Lounge?

 

[Bob Dylan]

This is also true on the Lake Shore Ltd.

Sugar Bombs for Breakfast aren't good!

Please,contact Amtrak and express your dissatisfaction with this BS. Amtrak is releasing Press Blurbs saying how great the passengers think the New Fresh and Contemporary Boxed Meals are!

 

[willcline]

My mistake, it was the dinning car.

 

[willcline]

I definitely will write to complain!

 

[Amtrakfflyer]

Complain to Amtrak and more importantly your 3 members of Congress.

 

[Maglev]

When my first wife was alive, we made several trips on the Capitol Limited from Connellsville (after the demise of the Broadway Limited), as it was near her home town of Greensburg. One trip to Washington was delayed four hours by frozen switches in Indiana, and the passengers were given a free dinner of beans and rice. Sleeper passengers were served in their rooms, and coach passengers were served in the dining car.

 

[Sauve850]

While I certainly prefer a hearty breakfast I found for such a short trip this was ok from Chi to Was.

 

[gswager]

Yup, it's a new menu for some routes such as Capital Limited and LSL. I believe you have 3 choices for dinner and only one choice for breakfast. It's on the rumor that it may expanding to other routes.

Keep writing to your Congress Representatives about it.

 

[cpotisch]

Yup, it's a new menu for some routes such as Capital Limited and LSL. I believe you have 3 choices for dinner and only one choice for breakfast. It's on the rumor that it may expanding to other routes.

There are actually five choices for lunch/dinner. Only one vegetarian option though.

 

[Manny T]

Quite a good overview of the horrors of the new contemporary dining (with photos that look anything but appetizing to me) can be found here:

http://trn.trains.com/news/news-wire/2018/07/31-comparing-amtraks-contemporary-and-traditional-dining

The new hot offering, beef short rib, is described this way (and confirmed by the photo):

"This image shows a cross-section of the entrée after a few bites to reveal a texture similar to tough pot roast. As delivered, it resembles a round mound of gravy-covered meat."

 

[JRR]

Quite a good overview of the horrors of the new contemporary dining (with photos that look anything but appetizing to me) can be found here:

http://trn.trains.com/news/news-wire/2018/07/31-comparing-amtraks-contemporary-and-traditional-dining

The new hot offering, beef short rib, is described this way (and confirmed by the photo):

"This image shows a cross-section of the entrée after a few bites to reveal a texture similar to tough pot roast. As delivered, it resembles a round mound of gravy-covered meat."

The short rib has a decent flavor but exceedingly salty!

 

[cpotisch]

Quite a good overview of the horrors of the new contemporary dining (with photos that look anything but appetizing to me) can be found here:

http://trn.trains.com/news/news-wire/2018/07/31-comparing-amtraks-contemporary-and-traditional-dining

The new hot offering, beef short rib, is described this way (and confirmed by the photo):

"This image shows a cross-section of the entrée after a few bites to reveal a texture similar to tough pot roast. As delivered, it resembles a round mound of gravy-covered meat."

The short rib has a decent flavor but exceedingly salty!

Yeah, at 1,941 milligrams of sodium (81% of your recommended daily intake), I would think so.

 

[ciship]

If the food is reduced to this kind of offering, why are the prices on the sleepers still so high?

 

[cpotisch]

If the food is reduced to this kind of offering, why are the prices on the sleepers still so high?

Because they can.

 

[AutoTrDvr]

Just curious... I did not notice on the Auto Train (because I wasn't looking, in essence,,, didn't really need to), but do the sleepers have Microwave ovens for anyone's use to heat things up? That could solve a lot of issues, as there are MRE type meals I could bring aboard, if i did not want to partake of the "box meal" type fare. I'd be more than happy to do that, both to have save a few $$$ but also to enjoy food I know I like to eat. I think that's the least Amtrak could do if they aren't going to provide full meal service.

While I trust & hope this won't be a problem on my first trip on either the SWC or CZ, I can see myself not needing to eat dinner the first night on those trains as I'd probably be bringing 1 or 2 deep dish Pizza's from Geno's East (I like the "Meaty Legend" pie).

If necessary, I could probably keep it chilled somehow with the ice bucket for a 2nd night if needed, We'll see. But there are other things I can do, both to save $$$ and get a meal I enjoy eating.

 

[AutoTrDvr]

If the food is reduced to this kind of offering, why are the prices on the sleepers still so high?

Because they can.

Precisely. They are the "phone company," right? (Referring to the old classic joke when ATT was the only LD game in town)....

 

[PerRock]

There are no microwaves for passenger use on any Amtrak train.

At one point, Amtrak toyed with the "Automat" car, which was essentially a canteen on wheels: vending machines & microwaves.

peter

 

[cpotisch]

Just curious... I did not notice on the Auto Train (because I wasn't looking, in essence,,, didn't really need to), but do the sleepers have Microwave ovens for anyone's use to heat things up? That could solve a lot of issues, as there are MRE type meals I could bring aboard, if i did not want to partake of the "box meal" type fare. I'd be more than happy to do that, both to have save a few $$$ but also to enjoy food I know I like to eat. I think that's the least Amtrak could do if they aren't going to provide full meal service.

While I trust & hope this won't be a problem on my first trip on either the SWC or CZ, I can see myself not needing to eat dinner the first night on those trains as I'd probably be bringing 1 or 2 deep dish Pizza's from Geno's East (I like the "Meaty Legend" pie).

If necessary, I could probably keep it chilled somehow with the ice bucket for a 2nd night if needed, We'll see. But there are other things I can do, both to save $$$ and get a meal I enjoy eating.

The FDA prohibits passenger microwaves.

 

[Skyline]

Quite a good overview of the horrors of the new contemporary dining (with photos that look anything but appetizing to me) can be found here:

http://trn.trains.com/news/news-wire/2018/07/31-comparing-amtraks-contemporary-and-traditional-dining

The new hot offering, beef short rib, is described this way (and confirmed by the photo):

"This image shows a cross-section of the entrée after a few bites to reveal a texture similar to tough pot roast. As delivered, it resembles a round mound of gravy-covered meat."

The short rib has a decent flavor but exceedingly salty!

That helps make it tasty! But I get your point. There are other ways to add flavor that are healthier.

 

[AutoTrDvr]

Just curious... I did not notice on the Auto Train (because I wasn't looking, in essence,,, didn't really need to), but do the sleepers have Microwave ovens for anyone's use to heat things up? That could solve a lot of issues, as there are MRE type meals I could bring aboard, if i did not want to partake of the "box meal" type fare. I'd be more than happy to do that, both to have save a few $$$ but also to enjoy food I know I like to eat. I think that's the least Amtrak could do if they aren't going to provide full meal service.

While I trust & hope this won't be a problem on my first trip on either the SWC or CZ, I can see myself not needing to eat dinner the first night on those trains as I'd probably be bringing 1 or 2 deep dish Pizza's from Geno's East (I like the "Meaty Legend" pie).

If necessary, I could probably keep it chilled somehow with the ice bucket for a 2nd night if needed, We'll see. But there are other things I can do, both to save $$$ and get a meal I enjoy eating.

The FDA prohibits passenger microwaves.

The FDA???? What would their interest be? I can see if it was the NTSB or another "safety" org, but the FDA????

 

[Skyline]

Just curious... I did not notice on the Auto Train (because I wasn't looking, in essence,,, didn't really need to), but do the sleepers have Microwave ovens for anyone's use to heat things up? That could solve a lot of issues, as there are MRE type meals I could bring aboard, if i did not want to partake of the "box meal" type fare. I'd be more than happy to do that, both to have save a few $$$ but also to enjoy food I know I like to eat. I think that's the least Amtrak could do if they aren't going to provide full meal service.

While I trust & hope this won't be a problem on my first trip on either the SWC or CZ, I can see myself not needing to eat dinner the first night on those trains as I'd probably be bringing 1 or 2 deep dish Pizza's from Geno's East (I like the "Meaty Legend" pie).

If necessary, I could probably keep it chilled somehow with the ice bucket for a 2nd night if needed, We'll see. But there are other things I can do, both to save $$$ and get a meal I enjoy eating.

Letting pax operate a cooking appliance on a moving train would eventually have dire safety consequences, and would even more often result in burned food permeating a car; or undercooked food causing illness. An attorney's dream...

 

[cpotisch]

Just curious... I did not notice on the Auto Train (because I wasn't looking, in essence,,, didn't really need to), but do the sleepers have Microwave ovens for anyone's use to heat things up? That could solve a lot of issues, as there are MRE type meals I could bring aboard, if i did not want to partake of the "box meal" type fare. I'd be more than happy to do that, both to have save a few $$$ but also to enjoy food I know I like to eat. I think that's the least Amtrak could do if they aren't going to provide full meal service.

While I trust & hope this won't be a problem on my first trip on either the SWC or CZ, I can see myself not needing to eat dinner the first night on those trains as I'd probably be bringing 1 or 2 deep dish Pizza's from Geno's East (I like the "Meaty Legend" pie).

If necessary, I could probably keep it chilled somehow with the ice bucket for a 2nd night if needed, We'll see. But there are other things I can do, both to save $$$ and get a meal I enjoy eating.

The FDA prohibits passenger microwaves.

The FDA???? What would their interest be? I can see if it was the NTSB or another "safety" org, but the FDA????

Why would the Food and Drug Administration care about passengers using and sharing public microwaves? Think about it.

 

[AutoTrDvr]

Just curious... I did not notice on the Auto Train (because I wasn't looking, in essence,,, didn't really need to), but do the sleepers have Microwave ovens for anyone's use to heat things up? That could solve a lot of issues, as there are MRE type meals I could bring aboard, if i did not want to partake of the "box meal" type fare. I'd be more than happy to do that, both to have save a few $$$ but also to enjoy food I know I like to eat. I think that's the least Amtrak could do if they aren't going to provide full meal service.

While I trust & hope this won't be a problem on my first trip on either the SWC or CZ, I can see myself not needing to eat dinner the first night on those trains as I'd probably be bringing 1 or 2 deep dish Pizza's from Geno's East (I like the "Meaty Legend" pie).

If necessary, I could probably keep it chilled somehow with the ice bucket for a 2nd night if needed, We'll see. But there are other things I can do, both to save $$$ and get a meal I enjoy eating.

The FDA prohibits passenger microwaves.

The FDA???? What would their interest be? I can see if it was the NTSB or another "safety" org, but the FDA????

Why would the Food and Drug Administration care about passengers using and sharing public microwaves? Think about it.

Well, I mean, that's no different than public businesses where people share microwaves in their cafeterias or lunch rooms. Not from a "food safety" context. Now, as Skyline says, "operating a cooking appliance on a moving train" might be an OSHA or NTSB type safety issue. And I could see it being banned in that context. Not a "food safey" context under FDA purview.

 

[PerRock]

Just curious... I did not notice on the Auto Train (because I wasn't looking, in essence,,, didn't really need to), but do the sleepers have Microwave ovens for anyone's use to heat things up? That could solve a lot of issues, as there are MRE type meals I could bring aboard, if i did not want to partake of the "box meal" type fare. I'd be more than happy to do that, both to have save a few $$$ but also to enjoy food I know I like to eat. I think that's the least Amtrak could do if they aren't going to provide full meal service.

While I trust & hope this won't be a problem on my first trip on either the SWC or CZ, I can see myself not needing to eat dinner the first night on those trains as I'd probably be bringing 1 or 2 deep dish Pizza's from Geno's East (I like the "Meaty Legend" pie).

If necessary, I could probably keep it chilled somehow with the ice bucket for a 2nd night if needed, We'll see. But there are other things I can do, both to save $$$ and get a meal I enjoy eating.

The FDA prohibits passenger microwaves.

The FDA???? What would their interest be? I can see if it was the NTSB or another "safety" org, but the FDA????

Why would the Food and Drug Administration care about passengers using and sharing public microwaves? Think about it.

They're fine with me sharing a microwave with my coworkers.

It's probably more that some state's health departments don't allow it & since Amtrak rotates cars around, they can't guarantee that the cars with microwaves won't go thru states where it's not allowed.

peter