OK, here is an interesting question: For a sleeper passenger, dinner seating times are arranged sometime in the early afternoon. If you will be boarding at a late afternoon time, what can you do to insure a seating? Can you call ahead somewhere up the line?
I will be boarding the Three Rivers at Harrisburg, PA in the afternoon and it probably won't be a problem, but it made me wonder. I read where some people have gotten "whatever was left" or nothing.
Posted by GrandmaJudy (Member # 2467) on :
If you are traveling in a sleeper, your attendant may make a reservation for you. If not (or if the time is not good for you), ask the attendant to bring your meal to your room.
If you are in coach, pack a lunch or plan to visit the cafe car for a sanwich because the diner may be completely reserved before you board (this has happened to me on the EB when traveling west from Milwaukee).
Posted by jp1822 (Member # 2596) on :
You shouldn't have any problem with boarding in Harrisburg on the Three Rivers for dinner that evening. Just ask your sleeping car attendent when he/she comes by to greet you, once you board, what time dinner is and can they make the reservation for you. They will probably not serve dinner until after 5:30 p.m. and depending on how full the sleeper is, they may just have one sitting. Even if you board after 5:30 p.m. (if the train is incredibly late for some odd reason), I am sure they will accommodate you.
Posted by Mr. Toy (Member # 311) on :
In my experience, if dinner reservations have been taken before we get on board, the sleeping car attendant has always made a reservation for us. He or she then hands us a slip of paper with the seating time.
If you are in coach, you wait for the "last call" when they seat stragglers and those without reservations.
[This message has been edited by Mr. Toy (edited 04-16-2004).]