Lake Shore Limited dining car status

1. You put your car number and room number on the dining car form at the table and sign it.
2. Yes
3. There are seatings. A dining car person comes through to ask which seating you want.

chuchubob wrote:1. You put your car number and room number on the dining car form at the table and sign it.
2. Yes
3. There are seatings. A dining car person comes through to ask which seating you want.

Thanks Bob.

Generally the sleepers are on one end of the diner and the coaches on the other, so the dining car folks already know you're from a sleeper (assuming you come from that direction). That said, since the LSL has sleepers on both ends, that doesn't work

But yes, the attendant will ask you if you are in a sleeper or coach. Then they'll have you sign the paper ticket they use for their archaic accounting system.

While generally diners on most (all?) trains have seatings, I've found them to be fairly flexible about things if you're willing to be patient (i.e. if you're not sure, or whatever, show up, ask, and they may seat you or tell you to come back later.)

Somtimes the sleeping car attendant will ask you about which Dining Car seating you prefer. Often Breakfast doesn't have seating times.

While the meals are free for sleeper passengers, don't forget that tips are appreciated. I try to estimate what the restaurant price would be and leave an appropriate percentage. Since no cash has changed hands, this poses a problem unless you carry a lot of ones and fives. Therefore, I carry a lot of twos (they still exist in limited quantity). In stocking up in preparation for a trip, i asked the bank cashier (they also still exist in limited quantity), "Do you have any twos?" She replied, "Go fish."
-John M

In my one time in a sleeper on 449, the sleeper attendant essentially brought us to the diner (cafe for lunch after leaving BOS) in a group. I don't know about breakfast or later, though, as I had a short trip and didn't sleep on the train.

However, don't miss the Acela Lounge in South Station!

According to Amtrak web site there are no seatings for breakfast, just show up between 6:30 and 10 AM.

Jon

markhb wrote:In my one time in a sleeper on 449, the sleeper attendant essentially brought us to the diner (cafe for lunch after leaving BOS) in a group. I don't know about breakfast or later, though, as I had a short trip and didn't sleep on the train.

However, don't miss the Acela Lounge in South Station!

That's been my experience on 449 as well, as there's already been several seatings in the dining car while it was attached to 49 coming up from New York. Breakfast on 49/449, as I believe is the case on all Amtrak trains, is first-come first-served.

Another question: does the diner close during the long stop at Albany where they add/cut off 448/449?

Jon

Yes, since there's no power during that time. (if you're already there they won't kick you out though).

Greg Moore wrote:Yes, since there's no power during that time. (if you're already there they won't kick you out though).

We are connecting via 449 so I guess that means no seating until the combined train is under way.

jonnhrr wrote:

Greg Moore wrote:Yes, since there's no power during that time. (if you're already there they won't kick you out though).

We are connecting via 449 so I guess that means no seating until the combined train is under way.

Once the HEP is on after joining the two sections of the train, the diner is usually open for business, although they may need a couple minutes to get ready for the next wave of passengers. Departure from ALB is typically 5-10 minutes after the HEP comes back.

Until my latest trip on 449 2 weeks ago, once the power comes on, it was 'first come, first served' at the diner, as the NY passengers had mostly eaten. But two weeks ago, the diner staff arranged with the sleeping car attendants to advise all New York section sleeper passengers to wait until 8PM before going to the diner so all Boston section sleeper passengers could get fed first. I was not thrilled, as I rode business class from SPG and moved to a NY sleeper at ALB to get away from the horn as well as be next to the diner, rather than 7 coaches and 1 lounge car away from the diner.

jonnhrr wrote:According to Amtrak web site there are no seatings for breakfast, just show up between 6:30 and 10 AM.
Jon

True. But once the all seats are filled, they usually start a waiting list.