posted
Recently, my wife and I rode first-class in the Sunset Limited from Maricopa to New Orleans, and back. Overall, we had a very good trip. Our car attendants were very good, and most Amtrak employees were good. Our train was kept neat and clean. When coming home, the employees at the New Orleans station were particularly good, trying to make our experience the best it could be.
The exception to good service was in the diner, in both directions. The diners were consistently out of food. It was prepared wrong, or served differently than advertised in the menu. I do not understand why Amtrak employees are not given the authority to correct problems. As an example, when we left New Orleans they had no bacon in the diner. The steward should have been able to direct an employee to drive to a grocery store and buy some before we left. I am sure he knew long in advance. Or, at least radio ahead to a station to have some bacon ready when we arrived. The dining car employees seemed to care less whether the passengers were satisfied or not.
Normally, I always leave a tip when dining in the diner. The employees were so rude during this trip, that I did not, and I did not see anyone else leaving a tip either. I did tip our car attendants rather largely. They were both excellent and went out of their way to give us a pleasurable experience.
I enjoyed listening with my scanner along the way. Using a scanner is a good method to really get involved into what is happening.
Posts: 446 | From: Phoenix, Arizona | Registered: Jul 2000
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"Once upon a time", Dining Car Stewards or Chefs' would go on "shopping trips" to local grocery stores en route where there was sufficient Station Time for such. If not, they would leave a shopping list with the Agent at a station an hour before hand. The supplies would then be waiting for the train at the station an hour away.
The Steward would simply pay the grocery store cash and take credit for same on his "blotter".
But today, something tells me an Amtrak LSA does not have "local procurement" authority
Posts: 9975 | From: Clarendon Hills, IL USA (BNSF Chicago Sub MP 18.71) | Registered: Apr 2002
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There are 2 grocery stores within walking distance of Amtrak's maintenance facility in Seattle and I have seen Amtrak personnel shopping there. I don't know if they were doing personal shopping while in uniform or if it was for the train. One of the stores is a restaurant outlet type of store, however. Also, the lamb shanks that Amtrak served at one time were straight off the freezer shelves at Costco which would be about a 5 minute drive from the Seattle maintenance facility.
Posts: 831 | From: Seattle | Registered: Jan 2011
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Had a total of four meals on the CONO round trip I recently took. Only one was passable (actually very good), and that was Chicken Madeira the first night going N/B. Breakfasts were uniformly horrid, as was the cold Cuban sandwich for dinner S/B.
Posts: 1530 | From: Ocala, FL | Registered: Dec 2006
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This topic prompted me to review the current Sunset Limited menu at the website. I note with a "barf" that the Short Ribs have "surfaced" - and this time with a recipie from one of the Amtrak Council's chefs.
How any chef with a name to uphold can associate with that vile barf I had on Auto-Train during '16 escapes me. But of course, perhaps with a named chef with restaurant interests to be protected, it is a new ballgame.
If properly prepared, Short Ribs can be "oh so special.😍" Sky Chefs does 'em superb for United Business Class, as does, as I found last month, Gage Restaurant at Michigan and Monroe in Chicago.
Posts: 9975 | From: Clarendon Hills, IL USA (BNSF Chicago Sub MP 18.71) | Registered: Apr 2002
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As a confirmed trencherman, I find this report distressing. While I have had a few high quality meals in the diner--a fillet of salmon on the Builder comes to mind--most have been pretty average. We have the right to expect at least average--service and the chow. I would send a polite but blistering letter to management. Name names, dates, etc. No bacon? What? d
Posts: 11 | From: upper midwest | Registered: Jan 2016
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Pardon if I keep coming back to the Short Ribs, but they can be so good - and Amtrak's were so vile.
Here is Chef Roberto Santibanez with whose name, as well as that of his multi outlet NYC restaurants, are associated with Amtrak. All I can hope is that under his direction, the Short Ribs are "improved".
Short Ribs are obviously not prepared to order, but somehow Sky Chefs at O'Hare (who knows on how many flights of how many different airlines they handle that evening last August offered them) knows what they are doing. At Gage Restaurant, they were a Lunch menu sandwich item, so if they prepared too many, they had 'em ready to go for Dinner. Just maybe "the help" got a good "chow down".
Posts: 9975 | From: Clarendon Hills, IL USA (BNSF Chicago Sub MP 18.71) | Registered: Apr 2002
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One thing about Amtrak is consistent, the inconsistency of their on board service. I suspect Mr. Moorman in his short tenure had much more important things to worry about and this wasn't on his radar screen. But I would hope he would restructure his organization to have a competent person be in charge of all aspects of on board service.
I was reading an old Trains article about VIA operation of Budd cars out of Sudbury, ON. This passage surprised me:
"The crew consisted of two qualified engineers (one of whom doubled as a baggageman) and a Service Manager. Since VIA lacks the passenger conductors with whom stateside passengers are familiar (having done away with the position in 1990 following intense negotiations with labor unions — now the engineers are members of the Teamsters Rail Canada Conference and the Service Managers are nonunion), the Service Manager handles all passenger-related duties, including selling and collecting tickets, ensuring passenger safety, and selling food and beverage."
Certainly this approach works, based on our experience on the Canadian. And, if Canada can do it - not the most conservative of countries - why can't the U.S. No doubt it would be a battle but perhaps worth it? Their Service Manager sounds a lot like the old dining car steward GBN mentions, or perhaps some combination of that position with the Pullman conductor.
Posts: 2397 | From: Camden, SC | Registered: Mar 2006
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I appreciate all of your responses. Please let me clarify that my "bacon" comment was only an example, Bacon really is not that important to me, but the example illustrated the problems the dining car had.
I don't expect the food to be top-quality, but it should be as advertised. Each direction, there were three "chef-inspired" (or similar wording) choices on the menu. Not one of them was available in either direction. They were always unavailable. We found the dining car workers to be rather callous, and could care less rather good service was provided.
On the other hand, I want to emphasize, that, other than the dining car, the rest of the trip was excellent. The other employees were very good.
Posts: 446 | From: Phoenix, Arizona | Registered: Jul 2000
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Mr. Konstantin, whether or not bacon is a menu preference for you, what matters is that it is offered as a breakfast "side" and within several Entr'ee selections.
Regarding the "ACAT Inspired Specials", even if they have CYA'd with "subject to availability", Amtrak has made a "big thing" of this Amtrak Culinary Advisory Team - and they don't even offer their savory collations.
While Dave's position of "we have the right..." is a bit extreme, Amtrak is just going to invite a few more naive souls into the "never again" fraternity. For a whole litany of reasons - now including "cuisine", I have not recommended LD travel to anyone in likely the past ten years.
Posts: 9975 | From: Clarendon Hills, IL USA (BNSF Chicago Sub MP 18.71) | Registered: Apr 2002
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Yes, Mr Norman, asking for, at the very least, average quality food and service in the diner seems "a bit extreme." It certainly is sad. Was a time going to the diner was a trip highlight; now, I rather dread it. I see apparently well heeled passengers lugging coolers full of sustenance onto sleepers. One gentleman joked about being served a small bag of corn chips on a plastic plate and a can of Diet Pepsi. Now, that's extreme. d
Posts: 11 | From: upper midwest | Registered: Jan 2016
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What a shame that serving really good food Every. Single. Meal. by polite and friendly and skilled staff is now too much to expect on Amtrak LD trains. Isn't dining in the dining car one of the main reasons people ride trains?
"How the mighty have fallen." I miss the days of superb food on the railroad's own passenger trains. It was quite delicious.
Posts: 211 | From: California | Registered: Dec 2004
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You just have to be a big enough customer on UP, BNSF, NS or CSXT to be wooed with a trip on the Company dime.
Posts: 1404 | Registered: Oct 2001
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At a site known for dealing in rumors, there are postings stating that the Sunset, is to bring "Fresh and Contemporary" to the West Coast.
Needless to say, the "natives are restless" and quoting Churchill: "We shall fight on the beaches, we shall fight on the landing grounds, we shall fight in the fields and in the streets, we shall fight in the hills;"
Posts: 9975 | From: Clarendon Hills, IL USA (BNSF Chicago Sub MP 18.71) | Registered: Apr 2002
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I like seeing a reply almost two years after the original post.
I would love to ride Amtrak again, but have not had the opportunity since this past trip. I hope things are improving in the dining car.
Posts: 446 | From: Phoenix, Arizona | Registered: Jul 2000
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I saw that rumor too, GBN. That was about an hour after making a reservation this fall from LAX-NOL. Guess we’ll just stock up from the burrito lady in ELPaso, the good deli in Tucson station, and bring lots of wine. Maybe Amtrak should invite food trucks to trackside at service stops.
Posts: 2397 | From: Camden, SC | Registered: Mar 2006
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It has been interesting reading at another site, and at which some around here participate, and from which I got kicked out, how a young family of four were taking a round trip Lafayette,LA to LA and return on the Sunset Limited. Their apparent itinerary was to be #1(5) and return on #2(8) - and in Coach.
In short, they were going to make a SAME DAY return and apparently be "homeless" for the day in LA.
OMG, what were they on; some kind of assault course? To each their own.
According to their reports, they were "busteetooted" to Houston, where they boarded #1. They posted photos of their sitting in the Lounge playing cards.
Then silence.
That #1(5) reporedly arrived LA some 3.5hrs late, which I would think a blessing. #2(8) is reported on time into Houston.
I must wonder if they completed the journey as planned, or did they simply "bail" somewhere and flew home.
Posts: 9975 | From: Clarendon Hills, IL USA (BNSF Chicago Sub MP 18.71) | Registered: Apr 2002
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