Station amenities

[Boogs]

Hi.

I am based in the UK and later this month will be touring the US using Amtrak. We have 3 long distance journeys booked and I am keen to find out whether or not it will be feasible for us to top up our supplies during these long journeys.

Our first journey is from NY to NOLA on the Crescent. The overall journey time is scheduled at 27 hours. We will of course take some snacks and drinks on board with us but we have 3 stops I could use to top up our supplies if necessary, these are Charlotte for 25 mins, Atlanta again for 25 mins and Birmingham for 18 mins.

On our second leg we will travel from NOLA to LA, a journey of around 45 hours on the Sunset Limited. Again we will start with some supplies but I am sure will need to top them up during the journey. In this case we have stops at Houston for 37 mins, San Antonio for 2 hours and 40 mins, El Paso for 25 mins and Tucson for 50 mins.

The final leg is fom LA to Seattle on the Coast Starlight for 34 hours or so. On this leg we have stops at San Jose for 12 mins and Portland for 40 mins.

We have a roomette and therefore all meals booked for each leg of this tour so I am really looking at soft drinks and snacks etc.

Can anyone advise if it is feasible to find somewhere to buy items during the above stops and if so which of the above stations have shops, fast food outlets etc that I could use in easy reach of the train and the platform?

Many thanks in advance for yor assistance.

Regards.

John

 

[greatcats]

Some others could offer a bit more exact advice, but I would say forget about hopping off the train to do shopping in any of those places, with the possible exception of Portland. Most of those stations do not have enough frequency to warrant shops and convenience stores, and places like Charlotte are arrived at in the middle of the night. Stock up before the departure of each train. And enjoy at least some meals in the dining car.

 

[RampWidget]

John, in regards to the Crescent, the Atlanta station has a grocery store across Peachtree Street from the station. There's nothing near Birmingham or Charlotte, if my memory is correct.

The 25 minute stop in Atlanta may not give you enough time to get up the LONG flight of stairs, cross the street, walk to the store, make your purchase, and get back in time. I personally recommend against it, although others have done it successfully.

 

[Ryan]

Not really feasible at Charlotte or Atlanta for sure. I doubt Birmingham, Houston, El Paso, Tuscon or San Jose.

You can probably find something in San Antonio. IIRC, there is a little shop in Portland that you can make use of (assuming the train is on time).

Best bet is to not plan on restocking en route and bring enough for the trip at the beginning. If the train is running late, all of these stops will be just long enough to load discharge pax (and maybe change operating crews at a couple of them).

 

[AmtrakBlue]

Just to be clear that you are aware the trains have cafes with sodas (Pepsi products) and snacks. I understand if you're trying to save money and don't want to buy from the cafe. I took snacks on my LD trip to save.

 

[Shortline]

Other than being a bit expensive, the cafe on board has everything you need, and with a sleeper, as you said, you already get meals. Between the meals on board, complimentary bottled water, juice,and ice available, I never really needed to have anything else with me. Typically, I just carry a little bottle of my favorite beverage for settling in at night, mixed with a can or two of soda from the cafe, and I've been good to go. Sitting around on a train doesn't give one much activity, so I find I am usually not hungry at all, and even skip meals sometimes, just because I havent worked off the last one yet. Like most, I wouldn't recommend trying to go far from the train, too easy to get left behind, and the next train may be more than a day away. Take what you think you'll need, and go from there. Last time I was in NOL, there was a small shop in the station, but it was closed when our train (City of New Orleans) arrived. There is nothign in/near Birmingham, and I don't think I'd bother with trying Atlanta. While the on board foo isn't exactly to die for, it's certainly always been more than enough for me to not bother bringing much, if anything else on board with me.

 

[battalion51]

I would agree with the above sentiments, don't plan on getting off the train for more than to get some fresh air or take a couple of pictures. (The station in Atlanta is a great place to take pictures, if you go up the stairs you can get a good shot of the Midtown Skyline.) Bring with you what you need for the segment is your best bet. The LSA in the Lounge Car will typically provide you with a cup of ice if you need it for a personal soda, but not enough for a cooler. There's also an ice well in each sleeper, but how well its kept up will depend on your attendant. I'd recommend things that don't necessarily need to stay cold, and definitely don't need to be heated. Cereal, granola bars, chips (crisps I believe is the UK term), cookies, fruit, crackers, canned tuna are all items that come to mind that will travel well.

 

[the_traveler]

Again, I would not recommend trying to "re supply" at any of these stops, with the exception of a quick stop at the vending machine.

You also said that you have sleeper accommodations on all the train. On Amtrak, when you have a sleeper up to 3 meals IN THE DINING CAR (and on the Coast Starlight, also the Pacific Palour Car) are included at no charge! I don't know how much you eat, but that is enough for me. (Maybe too much - I doubt you'll want more. And if you do, there's a café car on the trains.)

 

[Bill Haithcoat]

John, in regards to the Crescent, the Atlanta station has a grocery store across Peachtree Street from the station. There's nothing near Birmingham or Charlotte, if my memory is correct.
The 25 minute stop in Atlanta may not give you enough time to get up the LONG flight of stairs, cross the street, walk to the store, make your purchase, and get back in time. I personally recommend against it, although others have done it successfully.

Take it from me,as somebody who lives six blocks from the station in Atlanta ----that Krogers is out of businessl

I know, I used to shop there every Saturday morning, and often had the pleasure of seeing or at least hearing the southbound

There is nothing but vending machines in Birmingham. And at Washington you have the opposite problem. It is too big to zip in and out of that way.

 

[amamba]

You don't really need that many soft drinks or snacks since you are booked in a roomette.

 

[battalion51]

You don't really need that many soft drinks or snacks since you are booked in a roomette.

Great point. When I did the Crescent from ATL-NOL and return in a sleeper a few years ago I nearly burst I ate so much. I would recommend an earlier breakfast, lunch around 12-12:30 and dinner at the 7:00 seating. Space it out so you don't burst like I almost did.

 

[Bob Dylan]

:hi: Welcome to AU and Nice Trip! Good advice from the other Posters but I would say that there are Five Stops where you will have adequate time to shop for Supplies during your journey! San Antonio,New Orleans (since you'll be spending @ least one night in a Hotel due to connection times) Tuscon (if the Train is on time!) Los Angeles and possibly Portland depending on the Arrival time! As was said, do NOT Leave Trainside @ any of the other Stops except El Paso where the Burrito Lady sells Good Homemade Food and Houston where you can go into the Stations for Vending Machine stuff! (El Paso has a Coke Machine, not Pepsi! )

 

[BCL]

San Jose has a little store in the station, but the prices are ridiculous and the selection is limited.

I'd just load up before getting on each train. Maybe even purchase a smaller cooler and ask for ice.

 

[Shanghai]

As a sleeper passenger, you should have plenty to eat!! I often will skip a meal

on a long trip because you can easily eat too much in the diner.

 

[chakk]

The Burrito Lady at El Paso sells right on the platform -- you don't have to wander at all from trainside. But be quick into her queue, as she often sells out her supply. I am not a Burrito Man, but I heard from others that they are quite tasty.

I concur with the advice about the San Jose station. But they do have a selection of magazines and newspapers for sale inside this station, in case you wish to catch up on something other than the pages of USA Today (which the SCA typically provides free to all sleeping car passengers).

 

[Boogs]

Many thanks for the advice, it seems like you are all confirming what I thought and what my wife was worried about, If I head off into the great unknown for a snack or two, I will get left behind. We will make sure we have everything when we start each leg of the trip.

The Burrito woman does sound tempting but I notice we arrive there around 1.20 pm, just after lunch and it sounds like I may be sleeping off a heavy meal so I will just have to forgoe her supplies.

Less than 3 weeks to go to the start of this trip, we can't wait.

Many thanks.

John

 

[crescent2]

It sounds like a wonderful trip!

We've never needed many snacks, so with your included meals, I think you'll be fine. You can always pack a few non-perishable snacks in your luggage if you think you'll need something between meals. By the way, dessert is included with your meals, and you can take it back to your roomette to eat later if you wish.

The trains will leave you, so don't stray at station stops! Best wishes and enjoy...

 

[FunNut]

Boogs/John,

The first time I rode on the Southwest Chief and Capitol Limited I was worried about needing snacks. I took a "crew cooler" with nuts and granola bars. What I found, as several people above have mentioned, is that they feed you so well in the dining car you cannot possibly need snacks as well. I believe tea is available (tea bags, it's America...) in each sleeper car. If you like soft drinks (aka pop or soda) the train only sells Pepsi products. I do take my own Diet Dr. Peppers due to my intense dislike of anything Pepsi.

Frankly, I wouldn't venture too far from trainside at any stop. Maybe pop into the Portland station for a look at the architecture, but I don't even wander off the platform at the long stop at Albuquerque.

It's customary to tip in the dining car, 10-15% of what the bill would be. Be sure to have small notes ($1s and $5s since there are two of you) for each leg of your journey. Enjoy your trip.

 

[SanAntonioClyde]

Some times the Sunset arrives early in Houston, but I do not recall any stores nearby. If on time you will have a extended layover in San Antonio which affords you the chance to check out the bar at the depot and maybe a quick trip downtown.