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I would guess so given the early AM departure but i cant be certain. I think since COVID hit only sleeping car passengers can eat in the diner.
Posts: 420 | From: St. Albans, Vermont | Registered: Feb 2003
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Thanks M.J. I'll let you know how it works out after my trip on Friday. Tom
Posts: 526 | From: Maynard, MA, USA | Registered: Sep 2000
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Have a good trip! Yes would appreciate a report. Im up here in Vermont. Do lots of day trips on the Vermonter. Was planning to do one this coming Monday, but big snowstorm will prob hit. Maybe ill go anyway, ride a train in a snowstorm!
Posts: 420 | From: St. Albans, Vermont | Registered: Feb 2003
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Mr. Black, I don't know if this affects you, but #51(16) got the CX.
Posts: 10062 | From: Clarendon Hills, IL USA (BNSF Chicago Sub MP 18.71) | Registered: Apr 2002
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#3(15) #50(15) #59(15) get the CX
Posts: 10062 | From: Clarendon Hills, IL USA (BNSF Chicago Sub MP 18.71) | Registered: Apr 2002
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Thanks Gilbert, but it didn't affect me. In fact #51(14) made it to Chicago on time! But the food, as has been previously reviewed, was horrible! I did find that if I stuck to the continental breakfast and the braised beef, plus the salad and roll I did OK. After getting to Chicago I took #48(15) back to ALB in a new sleeper. #48 was on time, too. We were allowed to eat in the diner on #48, but not on #51. I think that is a decision made by the attendant.
Posts: 526 | From: Maynard, MA, USA | Registered: Sep 2000
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quote:Originally posted by TBlack: We were allowed to eat in the diner on #48, but not on #51. I think that is a decision made by the attendant.
Mr. Black, from the itinerary you note: all the markings of a joyride
From the captioned quote, it appears you, like any sane person taking a discretionary journey, made the trip in Sleeper. Isn't the Diner there on #48 for the exclusive use of Sleeping Car passengers, and doesn't #51 have only a Cafe car for all food service and all passengers?
Finally, was the "Flexichow" on #48 any better than the "Birdseed" on #51?
Posts: 10062 | From: Clarendon Hills, IL USA (BNSF Chicago Sub MP 18.71) | Registered: Apr 2002
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Hi Gilbert, Guilty on all counts! Yes, a joy ride in a sleeper. The 51 has the cafe car and one attendant, while the 48 has a new diner, and one attendant. The food menu is the same on both trains. As you undoubtedly know, 48 is also 448 (the Boston section). The latter, one sleeper, two coaches and a cafe car is tacked on at the front of the train and separated at ALB which is where I get off and drive home (I can make it faster than the train). I know that you don't do joy rides, but that's all I do. I think I should stick to the western routes, as I'm told the food is better. Tom
Posts: 526 | From: Maynard, MA, USA | Registered: Sep 2000
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I guess I'm becoming a Country and Western songwriter:
"Will you cut me some slack, Mister Black"
Lest we forget, I did take a July '08 joyride to Denver, and another June '10 to Jackson, MS. Both were "adequately enjoyable" experiences, but to some extent, both were motivated to "be one of the boys" around here and at Railroad Net.
Now to what extent were my AT "voyages" joyrides is kind of a "half and half". I was actually going to/coming from Florida, and not doing a DPM where he once flew to Wash, rented a car, loaded it and rode on the private AT, then drove it to Orlando and flew home (auto rental rates back then had a mileage component; he had "a whole lot of splainin' to do when returning the auto @ MCO).
But as the rate for the trip, along with my preference for a Bedroom (and First or Business on flights), escalated "through the roof", and my reduced desire to socialize en route, it just became a "meh" and only was saving me some 400 miles of driving, instead of the 800 it would if origin or destination was the Northeast.
So, I haven't said "never again", but Amtrak will simply need to be the most convenient A to B transportation for me to consider future rides. That likely means I'm already out in the Corridor and I have somewhere to go within - the same criterion as with the overseas trips I've made in recent years (this past August, only Munich Airport-Salzburg and return Getting "run off" the platform by the "DB Mask Police" for not having an N-95, and then returning, a strike that almost made me miss my flight home).
Finally, I wish AGR could partner up with one recognized charity or the other so my 17,000 points would have a home rather than likely expire in another year.
Posts: 10062 | From: Clarendon Hills, IL USA (BNSF Chicago Sub MP 18.71) | Registered: Apr 2002
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Gilbert, Let's look at the record. The last "joy ride" you did was 12 years ago and the one before that was 14 years ago. And by your own admission they weren't really joy rides. I rest my case. Let the jury decide.No slack needs to be given! Tom
Posts: 526 | From: Maynard, MA, USA | Registered: Sep 2000
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Mr. Black, I respect your thoughts, but as we both know, one need not take a "loyalty oath" to the preservation and even expansion of the Amtrak LD system ("National Network" in newspeak) to participate around here such as you must at another site from which I got run off:
I thank our new member Mr. Lord, for "sticking up for me" back then.
Posts: 10062 | From: Clarendon Hills, IL USA (BNSF Chicago Sub MP 18.71) | Registered: Apr 2002
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I hope, Mr. Norman, you get a chance to "cash in" your 17,000 AGR points. If not charity, could you apply it to hotel or restaurant expenses?
I have never been interested in AGR's as I don't travel, much more, on Amtrak. The exception may be a yearly jaunt on the Builder, Cascades, or Starlight.
Here is an interesting suggestion for changes in AGR:
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Thank you for the "heads up" regarding Guest Rewards, Richard.
I wasn't aware that rewards could be redeemed for anything other than Amtrak transportation. Going through their non-rail redemption partners, I find several - Darden, Ruth's Chris, Best Western - that I regularly use.
I make one exception with Best Western, which is a chain that otherwise is "lower than I go". The property in Marion IL is en-route on any of my road trips heading South, it's adjacent to a restaurant that I really like (unpaid plug - '20's Hideout). But alas, I haven't been that way since "COVID Eve" - Jan '20, and "things could well have changed".
Posts: 10062 | From: Clarendon Hills, IL USA (BNSF Chicago Sub MP 18.71) | Registered: Apr 2002
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