Roomette on Capitol Limited PGH->WAS -- food situation

[bsammon]

I will be doing sleeping accomodations for the first time later this week. I am riding the Capitol Limited, boarding in Pittsburgh at 5:20AM and (scheduled to) arriving in Washington DC at 1:10PM.

I will be traveling alone, having the roomette to myself.

My wishful thinking is that I will have breakfast as soon as possible after boarding, sleep until noon, and then have lunch before disembarking at 1:10PM.

Is this likely to work? Would my roomette package include both meals? Any suggestions/anecdotes to share related to this?

 

[OlympianHiawatha]

You can get both Breakfast and Lunch but they literally come one right after the other as the Diner needs to close well before WAS to allow the Crew to close out.

 

[Blackwolf]

I would suggest asking your car attendant about getting lunch to-go later that morning after they settle you into your roomette. Then get breakfast at your leisure when the diner is open for business.

Unfortunately lunch is a very abbreviated service, as Olympian said.

 

[the_traveler]

Breakfast service does not begin until 6:30 (I believe) and all meal service ends (if the train is on time) usually around 10:30 or 11 am. During that time period, you are eligible for 2 meals.

 

[ALC Rail Writer]

I take the CL from ALC-WAS (one stop before you) and have done it in roomettes on occasion, you do get both meals but that won't leave much time for sleeping as you won't get out of breakfast until 7-7:30 and lunch usually stops seating for lunch around noon. You should let your attendant know your schedule when you board and probably have an alarm to wake you around 11 for lunch. Personally I wouldn't make my bed I'd just catch a nap against the window. Then again I'm usually too excited to sleep.

 

[bsammon]

Thanks for the help, everyone!

I looked at the Amtrak website, and found some information, but the answers here really filled in some gaps. Now I know what the "Express Lunch" referred to in the sample menu is about.

It's a shame I can't use my breakfast entitlement earlier. I'll definitely check with the attendant about the take-out/to-go options for lunch.

I'm going to stay up all night tonight (train leaves tomorrow morning at 5-something AM), so I'll be playing it by ear (and by how I'm feeling) as to which meals I use, and how I use them.