Subway coming to Amtrak

[Trogdor]

No, Amtrak isn't going underground, but the restaurant chain Subway will soon start providing food service on the New York-Albany trains. Employees will be Subway employees, and Subway will give Amtrak a portion of the revenues.

 

[MrFSS]

Will they prepare them to order as in their stores, are just bring a bunch of ready made ones on board? Just curious.

 

[Trogdor]

I don't know all the details yet. All I know is, this will be done at pretty much no cost to Amtrak (other than providing the cafe car), and Subway will pay Amtrak for the privilege of serving food on board. Sounds like a win-win situation to me.

 

[haolerider]

The food will be prepared in the Subway locations in Penn Station and in Albany and then transported to the trains. Subway will lease a portion of the cafe car and then also pay Amtrak a portion of the gross receipts.

 

[Viewliner]

Click Here for the official press release.

It's nice to see some good news for a change, it's a good concept and I hope it will work out, especially if it will restore food service to Empire Service. I think if it works out well maybe Amtrak should consider adding similar type food service to Keystones.

Hmm...two of my favorites, Amtrak and Subway, I may have to try this out some time...

 

[battalion51]

Sounds like a good proposal to me. It'll be interesting to me to see how passengers and Amtrak alike respond to this, not to mention the Unions.

 

[Steve4031]

It could certainly work on certain shorthaul runs with subway outlets at each end such as the Empire service. If the sandwiches are not made to order though, they will be soggy and nasty by the end of a run. Also, late trains might also upset plans. But I am pulling for it, because I like subway sandwiches better than what is already serviced.

Now . . . if only they could but a Connie's pizza concession on the midwest corridder trains . . .

 

[AmtrakFan]

I like the idea. I think it is a good one I hope it expands on more shorthaul routes.

 

[Trogdor]

Now . . . if only they could but a Connie's pizza concession on the midwest corridder trains . . .

Hell, I'd settle for them restoring Connie's pizza to the upper-level food court of Chicago Union Station.

 

[AlanB]

Now . . . if only they could but a Connie's pizza concession on the midwest corridder trains . . .

Hell, I'd settle for them restoring Connie's pizza to the upper-level food court of Chicago Union Station.

:lol: :lol:

Yeah, I'd love to see it back in CUS too. I don't care for most of the rest of the fast food left in CUS.

 

[Steve4031]

Me too!!!! That Connies bailed me out a few times. Once, about 10 years ago I had a slumbercoach on 48. This was in January when it was cold out. At about 8:00 p.m., Amtrak announced that their would be now dining car service on 48. I went up Connies, ordered my Pizza, and took back to the waiting area. As I ate my small pizza, people kept coming up to me to find out where to get one. Next thing I new there was a line extending back down the stair with people waiting for a Connie's pizza.

Another time, 48 again, I got to Union Station, looked at the Departure Board, and saw the note "see agent" for 48. I knew tha their had been a derailment near Elkhart, so I ordered my pizza before going to the metropolitan lounge. Again dinner was canceled, but this time I was given 10 bucks which paid for my pizza. I ate it in the metropolitan lounge, and the cleaning lady was real nice. She brought me extra paper towels.

 

[NEC1970]

Disgusting. With the fine history of cuisine that railroads had this is what we have come to? Also, this is not a move that a viable company makes. This is desperation.

 

[Sam Damon]

On some DB trains I rode on during my hitch in Germany, a cart would come by my coach compartment seat (second class, because it was less hassle to run through the bureaucracy). Occasionally, I would buy a cup of coffee. I can't recall buying much else from the carts.

I usually would have the presence of mind to snatch a litre of juice from the station vendors, and some munchies to keep me going on my trips. Unless, of course, I was on an IC-train with diner. Then I would splurge for something there. The service on DB dining cars at that time certainly matched the Amtrak experience, if not exceeded it. Prices were not surprisingly, considerably higher than one would find on Amtrak diners at that time.

 

[PRR 60]

Disgusting. With the fine history of cuisine that railroads had this is what we have come to? Also, this is not a move that a viable company makes. This is desperation.

I think the disgusting element has existed with the Amtrak cafe service for some time. That is certainly not in the storied tradition of railroad dining. But this is not 1935, so quite frankly, Subway fare will be several steps up the culinary ladder compared to today's Amtrak-run short haul food service.

 

[Amtrak OBS Gone Freight]

Disgusting. With the fine history of cuisine that railroads had this is what we have come to? Also, this is not a move that a viable company makes. This is desperation.

Well you are entitled to your opinion, however, history is as exactly as the word means! All that fine cusine is in the "past" except on a few private dinner trains, and VIA Canada's "Canadian" to name an example. Yes, don't get me wrong, I will miss the way things are now! I would really like it if things were more like the passenger trains of yesterday regarding on board services. But we have to remember we live in the now! We can't change the past, and it is fun to talk about it sometimes. But we have to accept change no matter whether we like it or not! I can personally attest that the majority of my passengers I deal with (if given the opportunity to do so) WILL certainly get off the train and hit a "McDonalds" or "Subway" instead of the microwave cafe car food. I feel we at Amtrak offer a decent product in our lounge cars. However, I don't think the price is as affordable it could be to the majority of our passengers who are very "budget minded" on the FL trains (and I am speaking mainly of our average coach passenger). Every trip when we get to WAS several passengers disappear upstairs (taking the risk of missing the train) to go to McD's and bring it back. They try in PHL, too. I believe these passengers "think" they are saving money, but it is really the name recognation thing when it comes down to it!

But anyway, the "Subway" deal will most likely work, especially on short distance routes. Take a look at many of our airlines. They offer name brand sandwiches on their meal carts. The airline I rode last July even had "Subway" sandwiches as if anyone would have thought of that! In our dining cars, right now on the menu cycles one and two, we offer a breakfast scrambler dish! Guess who it is put out by? The "Bob Evans" restaurant chain should ring a bell if you have been on our "Silver Service" trains lately! They put this on the menu in response to passengers comments as well as employees. The people want a dish where they can have eggs, sausage, and pancakes with cut fruit all as one entree! And it has been going well at least on my last three runs since it started. That is not desparation! That is living in the now a going with todays business trends! This is what your average every day Joe-passenger wants, folks! A viable company makes a decision on how it is gonna affect it's business. Amtrak isn't the most business savy company in the world, but it was created as a "for profit" business, and decisions are made accordingly. Folks, this "Subway" deal, I believe is the wave of the future regarding food service with passenger rail (short and eventually long distance)! OBS...

 

[Amtrak OBS Gone Freight]

Sounds like a good proposal to me. It'll be interesting to me to see how passengers and Amtrak alike respond to this, not to mention the Unions.

My friend, it is amazing with what one can do with the power of a name brand! I believe it will go over well with the general public. The unions, hmmm, I am sure they are not gonna like it. Personally, it causes concerns regarding the job situation for me if it grows. But we have "diner lite" to contend with here in the near future, and that is going to cause job concerns, too. There isn't really much the union can do about it if you ask me. Like I have said in other posts, big changes are coming to Amtrak should it actually survive as the entire national carrier it is today. I personally think it will be here in some shape and form, but I have a feeling I may not be able to be a part in it due to job cuts among other things. We shall see! OBS...

 

[trainboy325]

The Subway located in the Fayetteville Amtrak Station is a major issue for train crews. With Fayetteville being a smoke stop on the Palmetto, regular riders knew that FAY was lunch time. I can tell you that if the train was running late and the crew wouldn't let passengers off to smoke or go to Subway, we'd get an earful. I wouldn't be surprised to see if the sandwich program works on the corridor trains to see some sort of rolling Subway shop that would operate independently like the cafe car on the Downeastern or the semi-private cafes on the Cascades. The days of the en-route dining experience, such as the traditional dining car are coming to an end in the near future!

 

[gswager]

I've rode on Cascades two weeks ago from TAC to PDX and back and there's an independent vendor (not Gate Gourment). I can tell by those name brands that are related to NW area. Those food are pretty good!