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Dining with Amtrak’s Diner Lite
Thursday, January 17, 2008
Last month, I highlighted offerings from Amtrak’s improved Simplified Dining Service menu, which applies to most long-distance routes. The Lake Shore Limited is not one of them. In September, facing a crunch in Heritage Dining Car availability, Amtrak pressed into service the first of its converted former Amfleet II Lounge cars, now Diner Lite cars. The serving counter area is now flanked by steam tables and a large reefer; the disused smoking lounge was removed in favor of more seating, and a Steward’s office was installed.
I just arrived into Chicago on train 49 from New York, and had the opportunity to sample the Diner Lite offerings for the first time.
As you can see, half of the tables in this car have the view impeded due to misalignment with the windows, while half are properly aligned. The misaligned side is the one with the Steward’s office. As well, the table numbers were hand-written above each table, a very tacky touch.
This is the “good” side; note the far table being used for storage.
Modified serving counter, now diner galley.
Beverages Menu
All-Day Menu
Appetizers Menu
Dinner Entrees Menu, with slightly lower prices and less selection than in regular dining cars.
Dinner service was passable given the limitations of the setup. The spring rolls were prepared surprisingly crunchy, and the Salmon Filet with rice, corn, and beans was served piping hot. However, the salmon was somewhat rubbery and very salty, and could’ve used more diverse seasoning. It was served on a cheaper-looking plastic plate than usual that did not have the Amtrak logo.
Breakfast Menu
Breakfast was of sub-par quality: The Southwestern Omelet was not an omelet at all, but a spongy crescent of egg with a hard layer of cheese congealed on top, with “Southwestern” toppings served on the side in a cup. Everything, from the eggs, to the bland potatoes, to the turkey sausage and even the croissant, were all rubbery and tasted microwaved. If this meal was supposed to be prepared in a convection oven, it certainly was not done properly. I also noted that beverages do not appear on the menu to be included with breakfast as they customarily are (though I was not charged for my coffee and juice).
Amtrak claims that the Diner Lite setup on the Lake Shore is temporary and that Heritage diners will return once the maintenance situation has stabilized. I certainly hope that’s the case. As the only daily train between New York and Chicago, this is supposed to be one of Amtrak’s key routes, but the current level of service does not live up to that expectation. I give Diner Lite service a D for ambiance and a C for food quality.
—Matthew Melzer
Posted by NARP
Tags: amtrak, food service, lake shore limited,Belated Report on Toledo National Train Day
Wednesday, June 04, 2008
By all indications, the events of May 10 in Toldeo, OH were a smashing success. Organizer Beth McCray tells us that estimated attendance was about 1,000. Of the activities that took place, she writes that there were two local musical groups - a jazz/pops trio and a Dixieland/New Orleans band. A Karaoke contest ended the day. Two clowns - including balloons - were on hand all day. Two model railroad organizations provided working layouts in 3 different gauges. People could sign up for drawings for various donated gifts; drawings were held every hour. Amtrak gave two pairs of tickets good for travel to any destination served by The Capitol Limited and The Lake Shore Limited. There were 38 organizations with displays/exhibits.
Support was provided by local Amtrak employees, All Aboard Ohio, the Toledo Metropolitan Area Council of Governments, and the Toledo/Lucas County Port Authority, which owns the Amtrak station building.
The highlight of the day was a ceremony with dignitaries to honor National Train Day, which attracted media attention.
Toledo Mayor Carleton “Carty” S. Finkbeiner (D).
TLCPA President James Hartung.
Derrick James, Senior Officer, Government Affairs Midwest, Amtrak.
NARP Board Member and President of All Aboard Ohio Bill Hutchison (l.) receives a resolution from Toledo City Council President Mark Sobczak.
Bill Hutchison and State Sen. Teresa Fedor (D), who presented a proclamation from the Ohio Senate.
Stu Nicholson, Public Information Officer, Ohio Rail Development Commission.
Demonstration of a Segway Personal Transporter.
All Aboard Ohio Regional Coordinator William Gill and Beth McCray, without whom the outstanding program would not have been possible.
—Matthew Melzer
Posted by NARP
Tags: all aboard ohio, amtrak, capitol limited, lake shore limited, national train day, toledo,A Healthy Dialogue
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
In a welcome show of responsiveness to Amtrak’s most loyal riders and supporters, President & CEO Joseph Boardman requested, and TRAINS Magazine hosted, a public forum on the present and future of the passenger railroad at the Merchandise Mart adjacent to Chicago’s Union Station, the main hub of the long-distance train network. Over 300 people signed up on a first-come, first-served basis and about 250 showed up to hear from, and ask questions of, Boardman, Amtrak Police Chief John O’Connor, Vice President for Marketing and Product Development Emmett Fremaux, Chris Jagodzinski (a senior official who reports directly to V.P. for Transportation Richard Phelps), and other top officials.
Amtrak officials did discuss the possibility of splitting the Lake Shore Limited at Toledo instead of Albany, with the New York section running via Pittsburgh/Altoona/Harrisburg, partially recreating the Broadway Limited. As columnist Don Phillips put it, “They mentioned this at the same time they said they would operate no new long-distance routes. Train reroutes can have the effect of creating a new service.” As for adding new long-distance routes, the assembled officials would only commit to improving existing services. Fremaux pointed to the fact that the Passenger Rail Investment and Improvement Act (PRIIA) of 2008 emphasizes the expansion of short-distance corridor services and relies on state leadership. “This country builds stuff, including Amtrak, then walks away from it and doesn’t give it the support it needs,” said Boardman. “I want to do real stuff.”
Fremaux did make a commitment that efforts would be made to improve existing long-distance trains, including daily operation of the Texas Eagle and Sunset Limited (as a through Chicago-Los Angeles train with a connection at San Antonio for Houston, New Orleans and points in between) and the introduction of on-board wireless Internet service across the entire Amtrak system.
On the condition of Amtrak’s fleet, Jagodzinski emphasized “We don’t want 60-year-old equipment. The passengers don’t want it, and we don’t want to maintain it.” He reiterated that the Heritage diners and baggage cars, which are around 60 years old, will be the first to be replaced, within the next five years. After the forum, attendees were led on a tour of three newly-rehabilitated passenger cars—two Superliner sleepers and one Superliner diner—and a rebuilt P42 locomotive that were parked in Union Station’s trainshed.
Another topic of concern to attendees was Amtrak’s months-old policy prohibiting photography from station platforms, except by ticketed passengers and those with permission from a station agent or other Amtrak official. In response to criticism from train advocates, including NARP, O’Connor announced a program whereby photographers could register themselves and be amongst a group of citizens who act as a second set of eyes to warn of safety and security issues, similar to the one initiated by BNSF Railway.
Boardman has promised that this will be the first of many such discussions. NARP welcomes, and stands ready to help facilitate, the further involvement of passengers and train advocates as Amtrak continues to plan and prepare for growth. —Ross Capon and Malcolm Kenton
Posted by Malcolm Kenton
Tags: amtrak, amtrak policies, broadway limited, dialogue, expansion, forum, growth, improvement, joseph boardman, lake shore limited, long-distance trains, passenger trains, photography, sunset limited, texas eagle,©2010 National Association of Railroad Passengers | » NARP website
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