No more "Enhanced Dining" on Empire Builder?

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Andy

Train Attendant
Joined
Feb 20, 2009
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93
Location
Atlanta, GA
Yep. Somewhere probably still on the first or second page of threads here is one about service eliminations-in short, yes, the china, tablecloths, flowers, etc have been cut from those trains that had them as part of the enhanced dining service, along with no more newspapers, cranberry juice, amenities kits (which were only on the EB, CS I think) etc. food is the same, just not "enhanced" anymore, it's now in line with the other train services.
 
I will miss the table clothes and the china, so what are they going to do with the china? sell it on e bay? ha hah
 
Are you saying that the tables in the Dining Car and the Diner/Lounge car are going to be bare tables with no tablecloths or coverings of any kind?
 
On the list of official Amtrak list of amenities being eliminated china and tablecloths were *not* listed. But I'm not surprised if they were...

With the other amenities being eliminated in the diner (and across the train)... eliminating the "enhanced" title is only proper.
 
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Things to bring on your next Amtrak trip in "Sleeper" class. (in addition to Duct Tape):

Sheets

Pillowcases

Shampoo

Conditioner

Towels and facecloths

For the diner:

Plastic or Paper place mats and napkins

Paper Plates,Plastic knives forks, spoons, Paper Cups

Artificial or real flower with vase for you dining pleasure.

:giggle:
 
Well, I hope the real plates stay. I hate seeing the bags of AmPlastic AmGarbage going to the AmDump -- it's very non-ecological.
 
I would bring my own flower, but I fear the Governor of Wisconsin might take it away from me. Maybe I can make a late dinner reservation and hide it on my lapel look enough until after departing LaCrosse.
 
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I will miss the table clothes and the china, so what are they going to do with the china? sell it on e bay? ha hah
To be fair these downgrades do appear to be a reaction to the House of Reprehensible Representatives.
While do I now feel (fear?) that the next time I write to my Congressman about LD rail support, his appeasing boiler-plate reply will include a commemorative Amtrak dining plate.
 
I am a big rail supporter and while we do indeed dwell on the idiots in the House, the Senate and the Administration haven't exactly stepped up to the plate to propose adequate funding either over the past 4-5 years. I have looked back at what the Administration included in its budgets specifically in direct support of Amtrak and these numbers did not appear to be that far from what was approved by BOTH the House and the Senate in final bills.

Yes, in several speeches and preliminary hearings larger numbers were always tossed out to the public, but the actual firm numbers that were eventually sent to BOTH houses of Congress for their action have never supported the national passenger rail corporation's requests.

Having lived in the DC area for over 6 years and seen Congress in action (or as some in DC call it "dynamic inaction"), I know there is a lot of give and take and "negotiating", but one would have thought with a Veep who is known as "Amtrak Joe" and a POTUS who has spoken many times about how the administration has as one of its top priorities everything from HSR to a fully integrated and modernized LD train system, the rhetoric in DC has not matched the amount of money that has been actually authorized and included in the spending bills.
 
Not much point proposing something that you know isn't going to have a prayer in the House.

Given that there's a reflexive need on the part of many to fight tooth and nail against anything that Obama proposes, a low profile is probably a better course of action.
 
Are you saying that the tables in the Dining Car and the Diner/Lounge car are going to be bare tables with no tablecloths or coverings of any kind?
Tables? They were eliminated last year. That's the justification for eliminating table cloths. Now, you stand up and there is a counter along each side of the train and one down the middle so you can look out and eat if you are lucky enough to get the counter up against the window. You pick up your food at the food distribution counter and when you are finished, you bus your own trash. Amtrak found out they can save $3/passenger by doing it this way and then they can show congress that there is no waste on Amtrak any more. :giggle: :giggle: :giggle:

The counters now have those big glass jars of sugar like in the old street-side stand-up diners in the big cities. gives you that "big city" thrill.
 
News Flash-- the latest new policy change proudly announces the latest menu change, "Le Mort de Route du Jour." Any roadkill, if it meets the chef's standards for freshness, will be picked up and butchered on the spot. That will save money while restoring some variety to the day's repasts...
 
The constant overreaction and doom and gloom approach by y'all to these cuts is not going to win you guys any political points.
 
Overreaction??? If one is shelling out over $1000 (and often twice than much) for a single LD train trip you would expect at least some "perks" during the trek. I have asked Amtrak people twice now how much they are going to save by eliminating these items and both times they have refused to say, stating only it isn't so much how much they will save, it's more "the perception" that Amtrak is now being more "frugal" (their words).

My own calculations of the cost to Amtrak for these items could have easily been covered by a very small increase in the already high fares if it had been a function of making sure all of these costs were indeed covered. If you are spending four figures for a trip do you think another $30 or so makes that much of a difference? I think not.

Amtrak is right about one thing: It is indeed all about "perception" and not the reality of actual operating costs.
 
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