Amtrak Diner and Food Service Discussion

[mtuandrew]

Given enough storage space (which V-II diners have currently) and weight capacity (ditto) it’s possible to serve food on clean china, put the used plates, glasses and tableware in a box, and have an industrial cleaning service do all the dishes post-ride. Uses much less water on-board, creates a lot less trash.

[Alphaboi]

It appears flexible dining will be added to the Silver Star on May 1.

Anyone else think it might be a good idea to not include meals in Silver Star sleeper prices, but open the also open Flexible Dining up to coach passengers? It seems to me like it could be a useful experiment, especially given the Silver Meteor overlaps with enough of the route to basically seve as a control group.

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[JimBoylan]

Amtrak.com for April 29 and May 6 Southbound shows no difference in price or food service on the Silver Starvation.

[STrRedWolf]

Given enough storage space (which V-II diners have currently) and weight capacity (ditto) it’s possible to serve food on clean china, put the used plates, glasses and tableware in a box, and have an industrial cleaning service do all the dishes post-ride. Uses much less water on-board, creates a lot less trash.

Take that idea and slot it in current Amtrak operations. When a train comes into a station for scheduled restock and crew swap, that's when you pull the trash and swap the china/silverware/glasses (dirty for clean).

[electricron]

Given enough storage space (which V-II diners have currently) and weight capacity (ditto) it’s possible to serve food on clean china, put the used plates, glasses and tableware in a box, and have an industrial cleaning service do all the dishes post-ride. Uses much less water on-board, creates a lot less trash.

Take that idea and slot it in current Amtrak operations. When a train comes into a station for scheduled restock and crew swap, that's when you pull the trash and swap the china/silverware/glasses (dirty for clean).

Either way, you still have to pay someone to wash them, move them around, and restock them back on the trains.

Many prolong Amtrak crew changes take place around meal times. I can see it now, right in the middle of your meal, Amtrak exchanging the china,, glasses, and silverware. Not a good idea at all.

You have all lost the reason why Amtrak has switched to using paper and plastic wares in the first place, to reduce costs.

[mtuandrew]

I mean, they’re not gonna take the plates while you’re using them

But mid-route meals are why I’d rather exchange tableware at endpoints - NYP, MIA, CHI, NOL, LAX, OAK, SEA. Service facilities would be unnecessary at BOS and POR because the sections that terminate there don’t have diners, and the Capitol Limited crew could seal used plates in a crate in the baggage car for washing in Chicago.

Not sure what to do about dishes on Auto Train since there’s no baggage car. I guess Amtrak could retain on-board dishwashers.

[SouthernRailway]

Many prolong Amtrak crew changes take place around meal times. I can see it now, right in the middle of your meal, Amtrak exchanging the china,, glasses, and silverware. Not a good idea at all.

You have all lost the reason why Amtrak has switched to using paper and plastic wares in the first place, to reduce costs.

Just keep some extra sets of china and glassware on board. Problem solved!

[David Benton]

Just do it the same way the airlines do, the same trolley that delivers the meal tray,is used to take them away.

[danib62]

Exactly. We need to stop acting like this exact problem hasn’t been solved several times over. Heck the Acela uses real dishes and glasses in first class and doesn’t clean them onboard.

[SouthernRailway]

Exactly. We need to stop acting like this exact problem hasn’t been solved several times over. Heck the Acela uses real dishes and glasses in first class and doesn’t clean them onboard.

Well-said. I agree.

[gokeefe]

It appears flexible dining will be added to the Silver Star on May 1.

Hopefully people realize that Anderson's innovation in dining have allowed meals to return to the Silver Star. I think that's a significant improvement in service ...

[SouthernRailway]

It appears flexible dining will be added to the Silver Star on May 1.

Hopefully people realize that Anderson's innovation in dining have allowed meals to return to the Silver Star. I think that's a significant improvement in service ...

Yes, it definitely is. But we Amtrak passengers are not orphans in the South Sudan, in dire need of food. We're consumers in a capitalistic country and we can give our dollars to airlines that offer more value for the money, compared to an expensive but non-luxurious sleeping car.

[gokeefe]

Very true. My post was more directed at those taking a specific interest in Amtrak and especially the advocacy sector. I think it's important they give credit when and where it's due.

[SouthernRailway]

Very true. My post was more directed at those taking a specific interest in Amtrak and especially the advocacy sector. I think it's important they give credit when and where it's due.

Yes. I agree with you 100%--you are correct.

[JoeG]

I'm puzzled by the actions about the Star. Amtrak reduced the first class fares on the Star in consideration of their not providing food. That move, to my surprise, increased business. Seems like passengers would rather have the money than Amtrak's current lousy food at fine dining prices.

So, if they are now providing food, have they raised the first class fares?

In any case I didn't see any notice about it. Was there a notice and I just missed it?