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The Railway and Locomotive Historical Society produces interesting publications. Their current publication of 'Railroad History' documents an interview with Leonard Bernstein (no, not that Bernstein). This is about the late Mr Bernstein who started employment with the Rio Grande as a dining car steward in 1942. He worked all the Rio Grande trains (Exposition Flyer, Royal Gorge, Prospector) but most notably the CZ when it was introduced in 1949. In 1967 he became Superintendent of Dining Cars - a tenure that included the Rio Grande Zephyr era.
At that time the dining car staff totaled 12 employees! This included the steward, 4 cooks, a stationary pantry man, and 6 waiters. Compare that to today's staff on the CZ. I believe its 2 cooks, an LSA, and one or two waiters. No wonder the service I remember from the 'good old days' was so good. Guess I shouldn't be too critical of Amtrak. Lots of other good info in the interview. For instance, not all food was prepared on board, as we like to think about those days.
This is an excellent publication and required reading for the railfan and those with a particular interest in the CZ.
Posts: 2397 | From: Camden, SC | Registered: Mar 2006
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I think it should also be noted a CZDiner seated 48 and not the 68 some a Superliner Diner can accommodate.
Oh the good old days; seated opposite someone who insists on lighting up - and exhaling it right into your face.
Finally, just think what a sitting duck for Rep. Mica et al Amtrak Dining Cars would be if all that overhead existed today.
Posts: 9976 | From: Clarendon Hills, IL USA (BNSF Chicago Sub MP 18.71) | Registered: Apr 2002
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Yes, GBN, the days of inexpensive labor are long gone. I think if you want to get that level of service, a luxury train operation is the only option (with appropriate pricing). Guess that's why the Pullman Sleeping Car Co. venture intrigues me.
As for smoking, I guess we've gotten sensitized to it. I certainly don't remember it bothering me in my younger days, probably because 'everyone' did it. I actually liked the small of pipe tobacco and at any decent baseball game, you would be surrounded by cigar smoke.
Posts: 2397 | From: Camden, SC | Registered: Mar 2006
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Can someone confirm or deny this for me: Did Amtrak's Superliner diners used to be split smoking/non-smoking? I vividly remember the coaches being split, as well as the Sightseer Lounge, but I don't recall what they did in the diner.
Posts: 2355 | From: Pleasanton, CA | Registered: Apr 2007
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To my best recollection, smoking in Diners was prohibited within three years of A-Day.
Posts: 9976 | From: Clarendon Hills, IL USA (BNSF Chicago Sub MP 18.71) | Registered: Apr 2002
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It took me a couple of days of digging, but I finally found the information about CZ train staffing that I was looking for. One round trip for the CZ requires one chef (working ~79 hours), 2 food specialists (~80 hours each), 1 diner lead (~80 hours), 1 LSA (~80 hours), 3 service attendants (~78 hours each), 2 train attendants (~85 hours each) and 3 sleeping car attendants (~87 hours each). That's about 1064 labor hours per round trip and that doesn't include T&E costs. So, it would be nice to have the same service standards of bygone eras, but who could afford to pay the fare?
Posts: 831 | From: Seattle | Registered: Jan 2011
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How much more evidence beyond Mr. Vincent's report is there needed to establish the LD's are a "hopeless economic case" and exist only for political expediency?
This means that any aficionado of them around here (me included; to an extent) had best accept "you got what you got" and forget any thoughts of a future expansion of the system.
Quite honestly, and somehow I think anyone who follows the material I post here will not be surprised, if an LD no longer has political value, be rid of it. Case in point: Sunset East.
Posts: 9976 | From: Clarendon Hills, IL USA (BNSF Chicago Sub MP 18.71) | Registered: Apr 2002
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