Texas Eagle/Sunset Limited El Paso Burrito Lady

[iliketrains]

View attachment 14436

Glad to see her face and not sunglasses. Something about actually seeing someone's face makes you feel more comfortable with that person.

 

[AmtrakBlue]

Glad to see her face and not sunglasses. Something about actually seeing someone's face makes you feel more comfortable with that person.

So someone should be uncomfortable and/or risk eye damage so that you’ll be comfortable buying food from him/her?

 

[iliketrains]

So someone should be uncomfortable and/or risk eye damage so that you’ll be comfortable buying food from him/her?

That's her choice. She dresses the way she wants to. I get to decide if I buy her product or not. That's the way we roll in this country. Everyone has their own choice. If her health is a concern, then she needs to make the correct choice.

One of the basic concepts taught in b-school is sellers decide how to appeal to buyers. The decision the seller makes will directly effect sales.

 

[Rasputin]

One of the basic concepts taught in b-school is sellers decide how to appeal to buyers. The decision the seller makes will directly effect sales.

I think we know what Amtrak's grade is.

 

[tricia]

So someone should be uncomfortable and/or risk eye damage so that you’ll be comfortable buying food from him/her?

Sorry to say it's true (around where I live, anyway, and probably at least in throughout the US) that outdoor vendors sell much less if they can't make eye contact with prospective customers. Not sure why, but as a veteran of many farm markets, I can attest that it's true. A corollary to that: Vendors with their eyes attached to smartphones also sell less.

 

[john h]

love her burritos. was able to get one earlier this year going to Deming from Dallas

 

[Noob76]

Huge line for her burritos when we got off in El Paso. I didn't buy one but admit I probably missed out. Kind of surprising more longer stops don't have at least one small food vendor. Could make a nice chunk. Similar to the pottery/blanket sellers in Tucson.

 

[dogbert617]

Huge line for her burritos when we got off in El Paso. I didn't buy one but admit I probably missed out. Kind of surprising more longer stops don't have at least one small food vendor. Could make a nice chunk. Similar to the pottery/blanket sellers in Tucson.

I've heard from others who've ridden the California Zephyr THIS far west(I haven't yet), that at Grand Junction, CO, there is a convenience store next to the platform called Dave's Depot, that's popular with customers. And I agree with you totally, in thinking that there are a lot of smoke/stretch break stops where a local food vendor could theoretically make a lot of money selling food during a stretch stop, but that noone has stepped up to the plate to do so at certain stations just yet(i.e. Havre, MT, *Shelby, MT, *Winona, MN). Also in Minot for the morning westbound #7 train(note that they are NOT open on weekends, as this place was closed while my westbound EB train had its stretch stop in Minot), that there's a coffee truck parked just south of the station where one could get coffee during that stretch stop. I believe westbound #7 passengers could only take advantage of this coffee truck, if you were riding westbound EB train #7 through Minot on weekdays. And from what I can tell this coffee truck is not open at night and around sunset, for the eastbound #8 train.

*- these stretch stops are shorter vs. Havre, so there'd be slightly less opportunity for such a food vendor to make money during these 2 stretch stops.

Back to the other point you mentioned in your thread, that is interesting about Tucson's platform having pottery and blanket sellers during that station stop. Reminds me of reports I've heard about such vendors setting up shop on the platform, during the Albuquerque smoke/stretch stop.

 

[Noob76]

I've heard from others who've ridden the California Zephyr THIS far west(I haven't yet), that at Grand Junction, CO, there is a convenience store next to the platform called Dave's Depot, that's popular with customers. And I agree with you totally, in thinking that there are a lot of smoke/stretch break stops where a local food vendor could theoretically make a lot of money selling food during a stretch stop, but that noone has stepped up to the plate to do so at certain stations just yet(i.e. Havre, MT, *Shelby, MT, *Winona, MN). Also in Minot for the morning westbound #7 train(note that they are NOT open on weekends, as this place was closed while my westbound EB train had its stretch stop in Minot), that there's a coffee truck parked just south of the station where one could get coffee during that stretch stop. I believe westbound #7 passengers could only take advantage of this coffee truck, if you were riding westbound EB train #7 through Minot on weekdays. And from what I can tell this coffee truck is not open at night and around sunset, for the eastbound #8 train.

*- these stretch stops are shorter vs. Havre, so there'd be slightly less opportunity for such a food vendor to make money during these 2 stretch stops.

Back to the other point you mentioned in your thread, that is interesting about Tucson's platform having pottery and blanket sellers during that station stop. Reminds me of reports I've heard about such vendors setting up shop on the platform, during the Albuquerque smoke/stretch stop.

I was tired when I wrote the original post back at Lake Tahoe. I did mean Albuquerque about the vendors on the platform. I bought from them both ways when I took the Sunset Limited back in 2010/2011 and also had time to walk to a Thai restaurant and order takeout.

Though I hadn't been to Dave's Depot when I last posted, I took the Zephyr home and definitely stopped in there on Monday morning. I think it was like four bucks for a Starbucks coffee but who cares an actual story that isn't on the train. Besides Albuquerque, Dave's Depot, the Burrito Lady, and the long stop in Albany, NY that allows you to chill in the station, I feel like there isn't a ton of space in schedules for any realistic Amtrak adventures. I considered trying to get off and take some Alamo pictures but it was 3 AM.

In Denver on the way back we were in Denver for a good 45 minutes but I was eating dinner. The guy next to me takes the train a lot and was like "damn I wish I wasn't eating dinner right now because there is a great pan-Asian place inside the station."

 

[me_little_me]

I was tired when I wrote the original post back at Lake Tahoe. I did mean Albuquerque about the vendors on the platform. I bought from them both ways when I took the Sunset Limited back in 2010/2011 and also had time to walk to a Thai restaurant and order takeout.
"

ABQ on the Sunset Limited? You mean the Chief? Or were you referring to the burritos in El Paso?

 

[Noob76]

ABQ on the Sunset Limited? You mean the Chief? Or were you referring to the burritos in El Paso?

I just keep mis-speaking. I mean the Chief.

Burritos = El Paso = Sunset Limited
Blankets/Pottery = Alburquerque = Southwest Chief

I think one the drawbacks of our very long distance trains is that you really don't get to see lots of these smaller places. I remember in Europe a train was like 45 minutes late from Ukraine (the conductor was appalled this had happened) and I had two hours to spend in Katowice, Poland before the next connection. Visited some churches, a coin shop, and had a Donner Kabab. Kind of wish there were more opportunities for that but the American train network is set up very different.

 

[dogbert617]

I was tired when I wrote the original post back at Lake Tahoe. I did mean Albuquerque about the vendors on the platform. I bought from them both ways when I took the Sunset Limited back in 2010/2011 and also had time to walk to a Thai restaurant and order takeout.

Though I hadn't been to Dave's Depot when I last posted, I took the Zephyr home and definitely stopped in there on Monday morning. I think it was like four bucks for a Starbucks coffee but who cares an actual story that isn't on the train. Besides Albuquerque, Dave's Depot, the Burrito Lady, and the long stop in Albany, NY that allows you to chill in the station, I feel like there isn't a ton of space in schedules for any realistic Amtrak adventures. I considered trying to get off and take some Alamo pictures but it was 3 AM.

In Denver on the way back we were in Denver for a good 45 minutes but I was eating dinner. The guy next to me takes the train a lot and was like "damn I wish I wasn't eating dinner right now because there is a great pan-Asian place inside the station."

During the break in Havre, MT, AND as it's only 1 block south from the east to west street the train station is located on(Main Street, thanks google maps), just for fun when taking #8/28 east back home(to Chicago) I walked a block south to US Hwy 2(1st Street), to get a quick look at the street for myself. I was glad I did that, since some of those buildings in downtown Havre really give you the sense that they're stuck in time, with how old the signage on some of those buildings are like! It's too bad in Shelby, MT that the station and platform are on the north side of the tracks, since otherwise it would've been fun to do a very fast walk to US Hwy 2(Main Street, thanks google maps) in Shelby, and admire how stuck in time its downtown looks like. (btw, here's 2 street view looks at Shelby's downtown on US Hwy 2: https://goo.gl/maps/NUycv79e4MNcrj2NA , and https://goo.gl/maps/pFRCiFJU6DRVFbWm7 ) Back to Havre, the other direction when I was taking #7/27 west to Glacier National Park, I did notice a statue and fountain that was just south of the station entrance(on Main Street) that was interesting to look at, myself. The statue honors if I recall correctly James J. Hill, who founded Great Northern Railway and was instrumental in starting the Empire Builder(pre-Amtrak) and other train routes that used to be ran by them, before in the 60s(I believe) most of those short passenger train routes got discontinued just before the Amtrak takeover in 1971. And of course that Great Northern Railroad was eventually bought out by Burlington Northern Railroad, until decades later Burlington Northern Railroad merged with Santa Fe Railroad, to create BNSF Railroad.

If you want to read more about James 'Empire Builder' J. Hill's life, this page is a good place to start: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_J._Hill

Also, someone on wikipedia did a great job of mentioning train numbers, and the start to end points of so many of their shorter route passenger trains: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Northern_Railway_(U.S.)#Passenger_service

As a quick question, I do wonder if the pic of the Great Northern Depot shown here is what used to stand likely in that same place, until the Midway Depot(and Amshack) was built in the late 70s/early 80s? And also was the main Amtrak stop for long distance Empire Builder trains, plus also their former St. Paul-Duluth train till unfortunately that was eliminated years ago. Never mind that I know a few years back in the mid-2010s, that Amtrak began using the restored depot in downtown Saint Paul, and abandoned the Midway Depot 'Amshack' that they used for something like over 3 decades.

Finally, here's a pic I took of the James J. Hill statue in Havre, MT, during the train stop for train #7/27 when I was riding the Empire Builder west to Glacier National Park this past summer. AND yes every time I do take such pics, I ALWAYS do very carefully mind how much time during each smoke break I have, as I've never once been left(or even almost left) behind at a single such break ever! Enjoy, as I'm actually giving y'all a RARE early preview of one picture I have yet to post, on my Glacier National Park Empire Builder thread on the travel reports board I'm in the slow process of posting more details and pics of over there. Cheers to James J. Hill, since it was with him leading Great Northern and financing the construction of the transcontinental train route that the Empire Builder today uses, that we all get to enjoy a great transcontinental train route today. The Empire Builder may be less celebrated than the California Zephyr or VIA's The Canadian, but for sure I still believe it's one of the premier North American long distance train routes everyone should ride at least once in their life.

 

[Devil's Advocate]

That's her choice. She dresses the way she wants to. I get to decide if I buy her product or not. That's the way we roll in this country. Everyone has their own choice. If her health is a concern, then she needs to make the correct choice. One of the basic concepts taught in b-school is sellers decide how to appeal to buyers. The decision the seller makes will directly effect sales.

Sorry to say it's true (around where I live, anyway, and probably at least in throughout the US) that outdoor vendors sell much less if they can't make eye contact with prospective customers. Not sure why, but as a veteran of many farm markets, I can attest that it's true. A corollary to that: Vendors with their eyes attached to smartphones also sell less.

She's selling gray market food to strangers so I can see how some people might be a little put-off if they can't read her body language or see identifying features.

 

[Palmland]

She wasn’t at the station last Saturday. Maybe because it was a weekend. We had been looking forward to it as we really enjoyed last time, it would have been welcome respite from Amtrak’s lack of variety and bland food.

Agree with the comment that a few food trucks at long station stops on LD routes would be a good thing. But also think the communal dining is a good thing. Met a fascinating young couple last trip. They worked in DC but originally from Peru (she was born in US.)

 

[Siegmund]

As a quick question, I do wonder if the pic of the Great Northern Depot shown here is what used to stand likely in that same place, until the Midway Depot(and Amshack) was built in the late 70s/early 80s?

Yes, Amtrak used the Minneapolis GN station (2 Hennepin Ave.) until 1978. Not the same place as Midway.

 

[tim49424]

She wasn’t at the station last Saturday. Maybe because it was a weekend.

I knew a few people who were on the westbound train and said the same thing. I was really hyping her to them, telling them once they got to El Paso that they had to get off and get themselves a burrito or two. Then they informed me she wasn’t there. The train was running a few hours late and it was after sunset when they stopped there very quickly. I’m sure that likely was the reason she wasn’t there. My friends did manage to have the time (barely) to step into the station to snap a couple of pictures but that was it. I felt really bad for them being I bragged her up so much to them.

 

[dogbert617]

Yes, Amtrak used the Minneapolis GN station (2 Hennepin Ave.) until 1978. Not the same place as Midway.

Ah, so the old Great Northern Railway depot was in downtown Minneapolis, vs. the Midway Depot(starting in 1978) which they used after moving out of the GN depot? Thanks for clarifying this detail, to me.

I knew a few people who were on the westbound train and said the same thing. I was really hyping her to them, telling them once they got to El Paso that they had to get off and get themselves a burrito or two. Then they informed me she wasn’t there. The train was running a few hours late and it was after sunset when they stopped there very quickly. I’m sure that likely was the reason she wasn’t there. My friends did manage to have the time (barely) to step into the station to snap a couple of pictures but that was it. I felt really bad for them being I bragged her up so much to them.

That's too bad, but I guess it's more likely that she'll be waiting on the platform and selling her burritos IF Sunset Limited in either direction(as westbound combined train #1/421 arrives after 1pm if it's on time, and after 3pm for train #2/422) is on time? Also going west, I remember reading a lot of hype about the coffee truck(called Daily Buzz) permanently parked just to the south of Minot, ND's train station that one can walk to during that extended smoke break there, if you're riding through Minot, ND on combined train #7/27(7 to Seattle, 27 to Portland) going west. I am thankful that several reviewers on Google Maps later clarified to me after I asked a question on their review page, that Daily Buzz is open from Monday to Saturday mornings while combined train 7/27 is at the station, and for a little time before and after the train leaves. It is NOT open on Sunday mornings(and which was the day of the week and morning my train was in Minot), and probably also any holiday mornings too. Though those who responded, were silent on confirming or not if that truck opens on any holiday mornings.

 

[tim49424]

Ah, so the old Great Northern Railway depot was in downtown Minneapolis, vs. the Midway Depot(starting in 1978) which they used after moving out of the GN depot? Thanks for clarifying this detail, to me.



That's too bad, but I guess it's more likely that she'll be waiting on the platform and selling her burritos IF Sunset Limited in either direction(as westbound combined train #1/421 arrives after 1pm if it's on time, and after 3pm for train #2/422) is on time? Also going west, I remember reading a lot of hype about the coffee truck(called Daily Buzz) permanently parked just to the south of Minot, ND's train station that one can walk to during that extended smoke break there, if you're riding through Minot, ND on combined train #7/27(7 to Seattle, 27 to Portland) going west. I am thankful that several reviewers on Google Maps later clarified to me after I asked a question on their review page, that Daily Buzz is open from Monday to Saturday mornings while combined train 7/27 is at the station, and for a little time before and after the train leaves. It is NOT open on Sunday mornings(and which was the day of the week and morning my train was in Minot), and probably also any holiday mornings too. Though those who responded, were silent on confirming or not if that truck opens on any holiday mornings.

I've never heard of that coffee truck before (being that I rarely drink coffee, I may have just ignored any hype) as I've been through Minot a half dozen times or so on 7/27. The restocking/crew change break sometimes can be quite lengthy, sometimes an hour or more, so it would be an easy walk not having to hurry back to the train. I'll have to check it out, just to say I have...or at least get eyeballs on it, depending on the weather when I'm out there in mid February (likely very very cold, so if that's the case, I'll step outside, take a breath so I can freeze my bronchial tubes and hop back on board). In recent years, I've been taking a couple of round trips on the Builder to Seattle, so it probably won't be the only time I'm headed through there.

 

[dogbert617]

I've never heard of that coffee truck before (being that I rarely drink coffee, I may have just ignored any hype) as I've been through Minot a half dozen times or so on 7/27. The restocking/crew change break sometimes can be quite lengthy, sometimes an hour or more, so it would be an easy walk not having to hurry back to the train. I'll have to check it out, just to say I have...or at least get eyeballs on it, depending on the weather when I'm out there in mid February (likely very very cold, so if that's the case, I'll step outside, take a breath so I can freeze my bronchial tubes and hop back on board). In recent years, I've been taking a couple of round trips on the Builder to Seattle, so it probably won't be the only time I'm headed through there.

Yep, from what I read online(other reviews and reports about that place), they sell coffee and other such drinks(i.e. tea), along with scones and other such snacks. It's just to the south of the Minot Amtrak station house, and parked on the side of a road that slopes down from the higher elevation of the rest of Minot, till you get to the lower elevation where its station is.

Also in Havre, MT(assuming your smoke/stretch break there is a full 20 minutes, and the Amtrak crew doesn't say you have less time there), you can do a brief walk to First Street(like I did, US Highway 2 is also routed going through downtown on this street) to get a quick look at it's downtown. Also I found this statue on the street side(Main Street, which runs just to the south of the station house) of the Havre station house, which honors James J. Hill(who helped grow Great Northern Railroad to the big company it later became, well before their buyout by Burlington Northern Railroad, and later on BN merged with Santa Fe Railroad to create BNSF):

Here's another pic of Havre, but this is looking on First Street(US Hwy 2):



The view, just to the right of this building on First Street(US Hwy 2):


Finally when I researched this for myself, I later realized that this former gas station/service station was renovated into Old Station Brewing Company(a local microbrewery that makes beer that per looking up reviews on google maps recently opened in this space, I forget if they have a kitchen and serve food or not). This is just a look kitty corner away from that building, and right after that I walked back to the platform. FYI, I just did a very quick walk south to First Street(one block south of Main Street, both Main St and First St are east to west streets in Havre, MT btw) for a very quick look, then walked right back to the platform area:

BTW, I advise you to check out my new thread I created on the Travelogues/Trip Reports board here about my Amtrak Empire Builder trip, if you hadn't looked at it yet yourself. Today I finally got to posting virtually all pics of the 1st day of that trip west(on combined Empire Builder train #7/27 going west), and I hadn't yet gotten to posting any info or pics of the trip going back. I'm treating this thread like how Sara(h)(of Kalamazoo, MI here) treated her recent thread about doing a Southwest Chief train trip, by only posting a little info and pics about that trip at a time.

I know I'll be most excited about posting info and pics once I get to the parts about Glacier National Park and also heading back on combined Builder train #8/28 going east, since #7/27 wasn't as enjoyable of a train trip for me since it was too expensive to upgrade to a sleeper going west. At least coming back, I was able to afford upgrading to a sleeper, ALONG with that train being far less crowded vs. #7/27 going west. Plus it probably helps I rode back and boarded the train going east from Glacier National Park(and home to Chicago) on a holiday(July 4th, and July 5th in Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Illinois), as ridership had to have been less that day. Anyway: https://discuss.amtraktrains.com/th...ark-empire-builder-trip-june-july-2019.76446/

 

[me_little_me]

Can we get together to convince her to move to the east to sell burritos to those of us subjected to Contemptible Dining?