It sounds like Amtrak has come to its senses and will be offering really good dining car menus on 10 of its 14 overnight trains. Freshly prepared omelets, RR french toast, belgain waffles, "make your own hamburgers", new wine menus, freshly prepared steaks, fresh ice cream, etc.
The article did not say how soon the new dining car menus will come into place.
Richard
Posts: 1909 | From: Santa Rosa | Registered: Jan 2004
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All of the above is great news, and to me really not all that surprising.
I think that Amtrak has realized that the "savings" from the SDS initiative were simply some consultant's "tell 'em what they wanna hear" charade and, considering the capital cost of converting further 38XXX to 37XXX cars, as well as the "fallout" from passenger patronage, are looking for a way to "half step" away from the initiative that, lest we forget, did not start with Amtrak.
I know that I am not the greatest advocate the LD trains have around here, but somehow I think Amtrak management knows best how to maximize their revenue yield - certainly they know more than the Congressman you voted for during Nov '06.
Posts: 9975 | From: Clarendon Hills, IL USA (BNSF Chicago Sub MP 18.71) | Registered: Apr 2002
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You know what Napoleon said about armies marching on their stomachs. Same with the discerning rail traveler, especially Mr. Gilbert M. Norman and Mr. Henry D. Kisor, gentlemen who ride with knife and fork, bib and tucker, and discuss the relative merits of the Illini and the Wildcats over a spot of brandy in the lounge car. (Or would if the lounge car served brandy.)
Posts: 2236 | From: Evanston, Ill. and Ontonagon, Mich. | Registered: Feb 2007
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I had dinner, 2 breakfasts, and one lunch while making my way south to Florida from Minnesota a day ago. The meals were rather good, and better than the microwave TV dinner quality I was expecting. This despite some malfunctioning equipment in the diner aboard #98 on December 26-27. I was almost sorry that there was not more snow, as going east from P'burgh to DC along the Capitol Ltd's route, snow would have been more picturesque. The meals were good, nonetheless.
Posts: 506 | From: Wisconsin | Registered: Mar 2002
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I don't know what the financial picture will be, but I have to think the simplified dining experiment was a case of "diminishing returns". To me, Amtrak IS the long-distance train...and I found it completely unacceptable to have poor food in the dining car. I think this is especially true for people on the train 24 hrs or more...they should expect good food. To have a fresh omelet, in the morning, instead of the "Bob Evans Scramble" is enough, I have to think, to engender a resurgence in the popularity of the Amtrak overnight trains.
If I ever meet Mr. Norman or Mr. Kisor on a LD train, I will join you, over a brandy, in a toast to the Fightin Illini. I can say that because, in regard to the upcoming Rose Bowl game, I am from Northern Calif, not Southern Calif. Cheers.
Richard
Posts: 1909 | From: Santa Rosa | Registered: Jan 2004
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Sounds good--except for the LSL and Cardinal, where what I considered a weaker menu sounds like it will continue. Don't know about the CONO, haven't been on it.
I wonder if cakes and pies in includes cheesecake?!?!?!
Posts: 2642 | From: upstate New York | Registered: Mar 2004
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So does this mean Amtrak will keep its traditional dining cars? And if so, will they spend (or get), the money to give them the rebuild they need? The one I ate in going to Orlando was really tired looking. The food wasn't as bad as I'd feared. It's possible this is but a tweaking of the SDS, with a few human touches thrown in. Maybe they are upgrading from Bob Evans level to Picadilly.
Posts: 510 | From: Richmond VA USA | Registered: Mar 2004
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Just returned from a roundtrip on the Empire Builder (MKE-ESM-MKE) and the diner food was generally great! Desserts at lunch today included peanut butter-chocolate torte, apple crisp, lemon shortbread bar (like lemon pie on a cookie), chocolate or vanilla Hagan-Daz ice cream, and pumpkin pie (which the waitress warned us not to try). They were out of the raspberry/chocolate cheesecake from the night before - darn!
Lunch was the weakest menu (except for the desserts), but overall food was great. Vegetables actually not overcooked, salads that were more than just iceberg lettuce with a few tired carrot strips, made-to-order omelets at breakfast, grits (even us northerners like them once in a while).
Our Christmas at Izaak Walton Inn was wonderful - more about that in a post in a few days. (My signature is probably outdated now.)
-------------------- My new "default" station (EKH) has no baggage service or QuikTrak machine, but the parking is free! And the NY Central RR Museum is just across the tracks (but not open at Amtrak train times. . ..) Posts: 337 | From: Goshen, IN | Registered: Jun 2006
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i expect that Mr. Norman, Mr, Kisor and myself might spend a wonderful evening together on the SWC, the EB or the Capitol and consume a few adult beverages prior to and after dinner. It seems we three have some similar experience and perhaps a few stories to tell, all of them verifiable of course.
Posts: 467 | From: Prescott, AZ USA | Registered: Mar 2002
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No word about the Silver Star in this release. Hopefully it will continue to soldier on with it's Heritage fleet diners serving this improved menu in spite of recent rumors of a pending switch to amcafe's exclusively a la the Lake Shore Limited.
-------------------- David Pressley
Advocating for passenger trains since 1973!
Climbing toward 5,000 posts like the Southwest Chief ascending Raton Pass. Cautiously, not nearly as fast as in the old days, and hoping to avoid premature reroutes. Posts: 4203 | From: Western North Carolina | Registered: Feb 2004
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