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Don peterson
Guest
Were boarding the LSL at Boston bound for CHicago. Our sleeper is 4920 and my question is where are we on the train relative to the dining car? In the past we chose to board at ALB. Thanks.
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the_traveler
Engineer
4920 is the Boston section sleeper. It will be the first passenger car on the front of the LSL. Right now the LSL does not have an actual Dining Car, but when it did it was all the way towards the back of the train.
When the train is operating normally, Boston and NY sections joining or splitting at Albany, the dining car (be it d/c or the current d/l) is part of the NY section. which starts with NY coaches before the diner, followed by NY sleepers and finally, NY bag. so you are walking through the Boston coaches, the BC/cafe/lounge and the NY coaches before you get to the diner. After that would be the NY sleepers and NY bag....Over the summer, due to work on the West Side path to NYP things will likely be different, but exactly how is not finalized and is the subject of endless (some might argue pointless) speculation.
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Don peterson
Guest
We are going thanksgiving. I think I was told last trip that the dining car would be back with the train by then?
I rode the LSL just about a month ago, and this description is correct for the consist I was on. The "Diner-lite" serves almost all meal selections that you are used to having. I was amazed at how much the crew was able to do with the very limited "kitchen" they are working in.
Regarding restoration of the full diner by Thanksgiving: they have been discussing the restoration timeline for the Viewliner diners on another thread. I understand that they need to acquire a couple of "protect" Viewliner diner cars for the ones that are already in service, but after that the LSL might be the next route in line for restoration. It takes several new diners at once to restore the full diner to a route, as they need to do it for all 48/49 consists at the same time. Production appears to be about one per month. When I asked our server about this timeline, he sighed and rolled his eyes. "They've promised it several times already, and they lied." He was sure he'd be retired before the diners came back. In all fairness, he admitted he only had a couple of months to go!
I too am looking forward to this restoration, as it's my usual route to visit family back east.
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cpotisch
Engineer
I rode the LSL just about a month ago, and this description is correct for the consist I was on. The "Diner-lite" serves almost all meal selections that you are used to having. I was amazed at how much the crew was able to do with the very limited "kitchen" they are working in.
Regarding restoration of the full diner by Thankfsgiving: they have been discussing the restoration timeline for the Viewliner diners on another thread. I understand that they need to acquire a couple of "protect" Viewliner diner cars for the ones that are already in service, but after that the LSL might be the next route in line for restoration. It takes several new diners at once to restore the full diner to a route, as they need to do it for all 48/49 consists at the same time. Production appears to be about one per month. When I asked our server about this timeline, he sighed and rolled his eyes. "They've promised it several times already, and they lied." He was sure he'd be retired before the diners came back. In all fairness, he admitted he only had a couple of months to go!
I too am looking forward to this restoration, as it's my usual route to visit family back east.
- I would say that the diner-lite has a much more limited selection than a full diner. No side salads and pretty poor dinner and lunch options. But that's just my opinion.
- There are three Lake Shore Limited consists, so ignoring protects for a second, that should mean three diners. CAF has actually been pumping out two Viewliner IIs each month for the past eight months.
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I would say the odds are on your side to have VII Diner by Thanksgiving. One, the Summer construction work arounds will be over, and two, more of the Diners will have been released by . Based on this I think the odds are good, but there is no guaranty with Amtrak.
cpotisch
Engineer
All diners are due to be finished WELL before Thanksgiving. They might even be finished with all the bag-dorms by then. If Amtrak is ever gonna restore the diner to the LSL, they will have done so by your trip.
Ryan
Court Jester
That’s only true if the reason for not having one now is equipment.
“Ever” is a very long time...
“Ever” is a very long time...
cpotisch
Engineer
My point was that by Thanksgiving, equipment will not be the limiting factor (whether it is or is not now is another story). If the plan is to return the diner to the LSL at some point in the future, by Thanksgiving they should have the means to do so.
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