Will dining cars resume 12/15/20?/Flexible dining extended to May 2021?

[Sidney]

The Auto Train is Amtrak's cash cow. I have ridden every long distance train multiple times. I remember the Pacific Parlour Car,free wine tastings on the Coast Starlight and Empire Builder free champagne on the EB and regional menus.

The only LD train I never rode was the Auto Train. For the price,I can easily drive to Fl. from Pa. and stay at nice hotels along the way. Of course that train is popular..hence the continued daily service and full service dining,but I never found a need for it.

 

[Ziv]

Foolproof, West Point? Not even close to being needed.
This too shall pass.
Today's fears will grow in the weeks to come as cases and deaths rise, but in a few months the numbers will be better/lower. People often think that the current economic boom will last forever, because "this time it is different". Or the current economic recession will last forever because"the fundamentals have changed."
Today's Covid fears are similar. Our fear of this disease is such that we can not recognize that eventually this virus will be yesterdays news. It may never go away entirely, but the vast majority of us will accept the risk and carry on. There may be a short term return to using some form of evidence that you have had the disease or the ***, but within a year no one will care. If the *** works, the fear will ease within 6 or 8 months.

The problem of determining who has been vaccinated needs an almost fool prof way to restore dinning room confidence on trains and elsewhere. That as well as any multi person event. One idea that would never be accepted is a vaccination card with your picture taking the shot(s). That would certainly ease my mind.

 

[Lonestar648]

One of the hindrances to rapid deployment of the vaccine to the general population is the extreme cold that the vaccine must be stored at. Most places where one gets the flu vaccine do not have this extreme cold storage capability. The logistics for distributing the vaccine plus tracking those who have had BOTH shots will be massive. I do not see the vaccine getting out as quickly as most of the public is thinking.

 

[Dakota 400]

It may never go away entirely, but the vast majority of us will accept the risk and carry on. There may be a short term return to using some form of evidence that you have had the disease or the ***, but within a year no one will care. If the *** works, the fear will ease within 6 or 8 months.

The reason "the vast majority of us will accept the risk and carry on" is became there will be an effective vaccine. Hopefully, effective; but, for how long? That answer is unknown as of now.

If the disease is like others, i.e. malaria, and one does need to be immunized against the disease after a certain time period after being originally vaccinated, I think more of us will need to obtain "the Yellow Bible" or some form of it as proof that we have been immunized.

 

[tricia]

The reason "the vast majority of us will accept the risk and carry on" is became there will be an effective vaccine. Hopefully, effective; but, for how long? That answer is unknown as of now.

If the disease is like others, i.e. malaria, and one does need to be immunized against the disease after a certain time period after being originally vaccinated, I think more of us will need to obtain "the Yellow Bible" or some form of it as proof that we have been immunized.

AFAIK there is not yet an effective and available malaria vaccine.

 

[Sidney]

Back to the food..I'm on the Silver Star.There are five choices for meals. All are bland and loaded with sodium. I remember looking forward to all three meals. Now,it's something you have to do. On previous trips I somewhat liked the Shrimp in lobster sauce. I just had it for lunch and it gave me a bit of a queasy feeling. $468 for a one night trip and mediocre food. A bit pricey,to say the least.

I rode Coach on the way down because of the two seats to yourself guarantee. I enjoyed the cup of noodles more than anything on the flex menu. Eastern trains are stuck with it. Western trains until May 21,until it gets pushed back again. Why can't their be other options like a sub or sandwich. I ll even take one of the burgers they sell in the Cafe Car.

I still love riding but there has to be some upgrade to the dreck they are serving. Sleeper passengers are paying quite a premium. I wish something would happen with the food,but I have a feeling we are stuck with it.

 

[Qapla]

I wish something would happen with the food,but I have a feeling we are stuck with it.

There has been a lot of complaining here on the AU forum about the food ... but, I not seen anything in the major news media about it. Perhaps, if there were some visible protests, you know- like marching with signs, at some of the large market stations it would get some TV coverage and some needed attention.

 

[flitcraft]

Given the many other issues in the country today, I suspect that complaining about the quality of the food on Amtrak LD trains would be considered an eye-rolling 'first world problem.' Like when somebody commented online that he was upset about COVID restrictions in his area because he was unable to take walks on the Pacific Coast beach near his comfortable home...yeah, the response to that by folks who had lost their jobs or gotten sick or lost loved ones was, "Cry me a river, buddy!"

I'm not saying that we are wrong to be annoyed by the probably-counter-productive trashing of food service on the LD trains. Only that I wouldn't expect a local TV station to run an item on it as an "outrage du jour."

 

[user 14106]

Indeed a first world problem - on Acela first you are paying a bunch more money for a snack box and drinks. I find it hard to interpret this as Amtrak trying to kill the long distance trains when, as I’ve said multiple times, Amtrak has cut food and beverage across the board everywhere except the auto train - not just on long distance. Cafes have been stripped down to the microwave stuff and Acela first is a snack box and airlines have made huge cuts too. If you go to the cafe car - no sandwiches no salads if you don’t like microwave stuff or sugary junk food you’re out of luck in the cafe. Let’s see what happens after the pandemic.

 

[crescent-zephyr]

Let’s see what happens after the pandemic.

Contemporary dining started long before the pandemic on the east coast trains. From the beginning we heard that Amtrak wanted to roll it out system wide.

 

[tgstubbs1]

Maybe start a movement like "Train Lunch Matters"

 

[Lonestar648]

Could management be considering or working on a plan to eliminate food service on ALL trains? If everyone is complaining, why not just devise a plan to eliminate all food related services. One alternative could be a catering company or two at major stops set up to sell their products trainside for consumption on the train. This would be a horrible option, but to a management team that wants food service to go away this could be a compromise they might live with. Either way, current meals filled with sodium and preservatives, or having to purchase sandwiches trainside once or twice a day, I can not see a way for me to travel in the near future. Restoring the Dining Car to its original Chef cooked standards isn’t going to happen with the current management team and current Board.

 

[me_little_me]

Maybe start a movement like "Train Lunch Matters"

"Stop the Cheat - Amtrak is providing bad food". They could recycle the Trump signs after January 20th and it would become non-political!

 

[user 14106]

Contemporary dining started long before the pandemic on the east coast trains. From the beginning we heard that Amtrak wanted to roll it out system wide.

I am aware - but they have stated that the flex dining out west is due to COVID and before the pandemic they officially stated in letters to RPA and other circumstances that it was NOT the intention to roll it out system wide - now could they have been lying? Sure - that's why I said let's see what happens after the pandemic when ridership starts to return - if they bring things back on the Acela as well as the cafe car but flex dining stays out west then we'll know. They haven't removed western traditional dining from the website and there is still a date on it and they are still calling it temporary so they could still do the right thing - this May date could be a more realistic time to do it if they really are planning on it as vaccines should be available to more people then but any of these initial restoration dates would not have made sense from a pandemic perspective and it's no surprise to me that they were extended.

It's just hard for advocacy groups to have this battle over food with management right now when they still have the pandemic as an excuse and I think groups like the RPA need to focus on making sure they do the right thing on getting service back to daily first. After the pandemic if they don't do the right thing regarding F&B I'll be right with you complaining about it. I think traditional dining coming back out west is probably the most we can hope for with the current management. I personally can deal with flex dining on eastern trains but this really isn't acceptable long term out west.

 

[Exvalley]

That’s a fair point. Contemporary dining makes it easier to restore daily service.

 

[user 14106]

That’s a fair point. Contemporary dining makes it easier to restore daily service.

I’m not even saying that - I just think the current focus needs to be on making sure Amtrak brings back daily service when they either have the revenue or stimulus money to do so - you’re not going to be able to get anywhere with the food battle until after the pandemic at least slows down - we are seeing an explosion in cases now and travel ridership is once again cratering - not a good time to be restoring amenities.

 

[Sidney]

We are stuck with flex dining until May 21 on the Western trains. i have a feeling it will be postponed again if not scrapped altogether. As I mentioned earlier,how hard would it be for Amtrak offer more variety,? Sandwiches,subs,burgers hot dogs pizza soup,etc? Traditional dining is still in effect on their cash cow The Auto Train.

 

[20th Century Rider]

We may be approaching a point of 'no return' for Amtrak because 'diminishing returns' are bringing a mounting discouragement to avid riders and supporters ... the further out the frequencies extend... the more disappointment it brings.

The eventual end of the pandemic and the 'Amtrak positive' president promises a confluence of some sort for next summer that will beckons positive change from what is now. But my gut feeling is that Amtrak will be different than the recent past. Only time and fate will tell!

How many times has the return of traditional dining been postponed? I doubt it will ever return,regardless of the pedemic. Why can't there be a wider selection of offerings?..sandwiches and burgers would be most welcome

Agreed... and at this point is justifiably essential!

 

[20th Century Rider]

I have a trip booked on the Southwest Chief in March 2021, from Chicago to Flagstaff. Now that Traditional Dining is suspended until May 21, should I consider traveling later? I booked three roomettes for my family, $1800+ one way. I feel like it would be more worth it to wait, it just doesn't seem worth it any more. Should I still go? Maybe there's hope it will return earlier?

I don't blame you for wanting to rebook. I am cancelling my January 2021 trip but mostly because I fear the risk of getting covid at this time of apex surge. It looks like we may pay higher fares later when many will want to return. But at some point I do hope that the government realizes Amtrak as a service for the people and the environment... and brings more funding support!

 

[Manny T]

There has been a lot of complaining here on the AU forum about the food ... but, I [have] not seen anything in the major news media about it.

Although it's not a continual drumbeat, like here, the situation re: dining on Amtrak has indeed been reported in major media:

"People hated Amtrak's new airline-style meals so much they filed 125 pages of complaints in the first year after the change"
https://www.businessinsider.com/amt...rline-style-meals-125-pages-complaints-2020-6"The end of an American tradition: The Amtrak dining car"
https://www.washingtonpost.com/loca...3cca3a-d888-11e9-bfb1-849887369476_story.html"I tried Amtrak's new 'contemporary' dining car and it was immediately clear why so many people want to save the old one"
https://www.businessinsider.com/amtrak-new-contemporary-dining-car-review-lake-shore-limited-2019-10"Amtrak is making the trains not worth riding again"
https://www.poughkeepsiejournal.com...ains-not-worth-riding-again-column/650890002/"RIP the Amtrak dining car, done in by murderous millennials"
https://thetakeout.com/amtrak-dining-car-dead-millennials-1838363648
This is just a sampling, obviously. There is much more coverage out there.
Is anyone listening? That is the question.

 

[Qapla]

Internet articles and/or print headlines are not the same as TV coverage - and that would take some type of people in public drawing attention to the situation

The situation could use some TV attention

 

[jiml]

Internet articles and/or print headlines are not the same as TV coverage - and that would take some type of people in public drawing attention to the situation

The situation could use some TV attention

Let's send Robert Irvine. It's no less of a "Restaurant Impossible" scenario than he deals with on his show.

 

[Manny T]

Internet articles and/or print headlines are not the same as TV coverage

Depends who you are trying to reach. According to Pew research, people over 50 still get most of their news from watching TV. Under 50, most of people's news comes to them from online sources.

So if you want to reach tomorrow's Amtrak riders (who were supposed to hop on board for "contemporary" "dining"), coverage of the Amtak dining deterioration online would be quite important.

 

[crescent-zephyr]

Let's send Robert Irvine. It's no less of a "Restaurant Impossible" scenario than he deals with on his show.

They don’t need him. They know how to deliver better quality food. They just don’t want to pay for it.

 

[jiml]

They don’t need him. They know how to deliver better quality food. They just don’t want to pay for it.

Very true. I was more thinking of the publicity, especially the part where he turns up his nose at the stuff he's served.