Viewliner II Part 2: Dining Car Production, Delivery, Speculation

[Steve4031]

I remember the employees carrying the food then, but figured cost cutting would eliminate that position.

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[Green Maned Lion]

You only need three people: a cook, a server, and a carrier.

 

[OBS]

You only need three people: a cook, a server, and a carrier.

With 3 people you can run full dining car....

 

[Acela150]

Think inexperienced people carrying plates overloaded with food on a silver service train rolling down the NEC at 110 mph, and then hitting a interlocking where 3 tracks are reduced to 2 such as at gunpowder or havre de grace, and you will understand why buffet and cafeteria style would not work.

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You obviously don't get sarcasm..

 

[Steve4031]

Think inexperienced people carrying plates overloaded with food on a silver service train rolling down the NEC at 110 mph, and then hitting a interlocking where 3 tracks are reduced to 2 such as at gunpowder or havre de grace, and you will understand why buffet and cafeteria style would not work.

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You obviously don't get sarcasm..

huh?

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[daybeers]

Think inexperienced people carrying plates overloaded with food on a silver service train rolling down the NEC at 110 mph, and then hitting a interlocking where 3 tracks are reduced to 2 such as at gunpowder or havre de grace, and you will understand why buffet and cafeteria style would not work.

You obviously don't get sarcasm..

huh?

Easy, Acela. Steve, I think Thirdrail was being sarcastic, evidenced by the side-looking emoji.

 

[Steve4031]

I missed the sarcasm emoji. No disrespect meant to 3rd rail. Sorry about the confusion.

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[Green Maned Lion]

You only need three people: a cook, a server, and a carrier.

With 3 people you can run full dining car....

The advantage to the buffet layout isnt so much employee cuts, but higher throughput.

 

[Thirdrail7]

No worries, Steve4031. I was kidding about the buffet car but I have always thought the restoration of the cafeteria (not cafe) car was a good idea.

The LSA could still run it and you'd have a nice, eastern lounge with actual views. For those of you that are confused, there used to be a couple of heritage, self service "cafeteria car." I've looked all over for pictures and this is the closest thing I could find:

Basically, the car was stocked with sandwiches, heat and eat meals, snacks and beverages. The passengers had access to the microwaves, coffee machines and hot water. Heck, if my memory is correct, the car even had a toaster.

If they decided against full service dining cars, you could probably remove the wall around the kitchen and open the area for use.

 

[Steve4031]

I understand now. Your picture reminds me of the layout on some snack bar areas in the lower level of a sightseer lounge. That would be ok with me. With the big windows and more tables this would be better than current single level amcafes.

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[Dutchrailnut]

passengers had access to microwave ?? there is huge no no for Health authorities, just imagine mommy drying those wet baby cloths or guy who **** himself , drying his BVD's after rinsing them.

 

[Green Maned Lion]

Actually, thats not what I was talking about. That was an automat style car used on, IIRC the Pere Marquette as an experiment.

On the Florida trains they had an actual cafeteria set up that consisted of two cars: one with a kitchen, and a school cafeteria-style serving area, and a second consisting of just tables. The kitchen was staffed by a cooking team (there was more than one, but I was too young to remember), the serving area consisted of another two people which would allow them to serve two at once. There was a further number of people that carried trays for passengers to a table in the other car, anc also wiped down the table when its use was finished.

The advantage of this set up is throughput- it could seat about 100 people in 25 rows of booths, cooked the food enmass, and did not really engender the lingering conversations a regular dining car did, probably allowing 45 minute turn overs, so a 3 hour service could feed 400 passengers. It would also likely allow enough food to be stored to permit such loads.

 

[Green Maned Lion]

Self service microwaves occur all over the place.

 

[PerRock]

You're thinking of the Automat car.

peter

 

[Thirdrail7]

passengers had access to microwave ?? there is huge no no for Health authorities, just imagine mommy drying those wet baby cloths or guy who **** himself , drying his BVD's after rinsing them.

BVD's????????????

I haven't heard that term in years!!! You're showing you age, big boy!! At any rate, I did hear this is one of the reasons they didn't bring back the concept. However, it IS worth noting:

Self service microwaves occur all over the place.

They are allowed in other public places. I suppose there may be better attention to details at a fixed location.

 

[neroden]

The actual FDA rule is that microwaves must be *either* self-service or staff-only. I.e., if it's self-service, staff can't use it. Funny rule, but there you go.

 

[George K]

The actual FDA rule is that microwaves must be *either* self-service or staff-only. I.e., if it's self-service, staff can't use it. Funny rule, but there you go.

Interesting.

Has anyone ever seen a "self-service" only microwave on any train?

 

[Seaboard92]

The actual FDA rule is that microwaves must be *either* self-service or staff-only. I.e., if it's self-service, staff can't use it. Funny rule, but there you go.

Interesting.
Has anyone ever seen a "self-service" only microwave on any train?

*Raises hand. Do PVs count because I've seen plenty of them. And I've used them after passengers as a member of the crew. I guess I should turn myself into the FDA now.

 

[PerRock]

The actual FDA rule is that microwaves must be *either* self-service or staff-only. I.e., if it's self-service, staff can't use it. Funny rule, but there you go.

Interesting.

Has anyone ever seen a "self-service" only microwave on any train?

There are two sitting on the counter here in this Amtrak Automat car:

(both photos from Hebner's)

peter

 

[Thirdrail7]

That's not exactly the car I was on in the 90s, PerRock. It looked similar but instead of vending machines, it resembled the picture I posted with cabinets and refrigerators of food. It DID have two microwaves and next to them sat coffee machines, teas and condiments.

At any rate, Excelsior has powered up with orders to pursue.

 

[A Voice]

That's not exactly the car I was on in the 90s, PerRock. It looked similar but instead of vending machines, it resembled the picture I posted with cabinets and refrigerators of food. It DID have two microwaves and next to them sat coffee machines, teas and condiments.

At any rate, Excelsior has powered up with orders to pursue.

Did you remember to remove anything from her main transwarp computer drive?

 

[neroden]

There are a number of cafes around my locality which have microwaves prominently marked "CUSTOMER ONLY" and "STAFF ONLY".

 

[Green Maned Lion]

The FDA is mostly a joke anyway. Natural and artificial flavors may be added.

 

[AmtrakLKL]

That's not exactly the car I was on in the 90s, PerRock. It looked similar but instead of vending machines, it resembled the picture I posted with cabinets and refrigerators of food. It DID have two microwaves and next to them sat coffee machines, teas and condiments.

At any rate, Excelsior has powered up with orders to pursue.

Give my regards to Captain Sulu.

 

[Ngotwalt]

Mady and Monty have left the building.

Nick