To clarify, we personally like to eat at Waffle House once or twice a year, and I feel like they theoretically could run the dining cars more efficiently than Amtrak. However that *does not mean I actually think that Waffle House should take over Amtrak dining*, considering how (un)healthy their food is, and their less than stellar health code performance.
Hi Jim. Metroplex is still here!I did not run for reelection this year. 25 years serving the community is enough. And I have had 6 surgeries in a 12 month period, 4 of them spinal surgeries, so I was not really healthy enough to run. Of course, I am still involved in it, though.
The latter. Poor choice of words with that first one.
Great. At this point I don't see any way that the TE keeps full meal service. Ride it while you can, folks!
We are already seeing NYC staff bumping people from Chicago. At some point they will run out of jobs at the rate Amtrak is eliminating positions. Times are different under Anderson and the rules of the game are changing.
What would the union say about having non-union jobs where they were union jobs before? I think that might be a bigger issue. It's one thing to eliminate jobs (especially if it can be done through attrition or buyouts) and another if the jobs are outsourced. Private companies can do it but often run into buzz saws if unionized. For Amtrak to do it, that might be more of an issue.
I don't think that storing them in the dining car for four days is going to be the main concern. We don't know how far in advance the meals are prepped anyway, and I don't think it makes much difference for them to be stored in a dining car fridge or a commissary fridge.
Isn't that how it is now done with the current menu? Chicago loads the provisions/food for the entire round trip.
Served over rice on a plastic plate with disposable napkins and silverware!
We have several people relaying similar reports and a history of Amtrak following through on such threats. We also have some public relations marketing spin waxing poetic about how everyone loves the new changes. From Amtrak's perspective the new contemporary dining benefits include fewer staff, smaller selections, less prep-work, cheaper costs, and lots of happy customers. What possible reason would Amtrak have for not putting the new meals on the TE? The writing is on the wall whether you choose to read it or not.
Sitting on the sidelines waiting to see what happens is the best way to ensure you have zero say in the matter. Welcome to your new contemporary dining.
In early June I indeed voiced my concerns, via U.S. Mail, to my three elected representatives in Washington regarding the contemporary dining. A month ago I did the same regarding the Southwest Chief.
Well here on AU you're currently voicing your lack of concern. Sorry for the confusion but you seem to be sending two different messages. Keep in mind that not all rumors are created equally and that these particular rumors fit a profile that is backed by precedent. So far as I am aware Anderson's Amtrak has made one meaningful change since the original introduction of contemporary meals. They replaced one of the cold options with a reheat option. Everything else has remained roughly the same and the "nothing to see here" crowd has little more than bureaucratic inertia on their side. Put yourself in Anderson's shoes and then ask yourself why you would not roll out boxed lunches to the rest of the fleet.
The last time I rode the Maple Leaf, many years ago, when it had just started running, the practice was for the Amtrak attendant to lock up his stock upon reaching NFL. The Via attendant then boarded at NFS, with a much smaller stock, just enough for the short hop to Toronto.
On this particular TE topic, my "sitting on the sidelines" is strictly in regards to waiting to hear something concrete. I'm not going to jump on something I read, here or on Facebook or, on other sites, based on hearsay.
What makes you say that? Just because he's unpopular with some folks doesn't mean they're going to kick him out. From the board's standpoint, so long as he's following federal statutes and mandates, and is trying to help Amtrak achieve it's core competency, they don't have cause or reason to kick him out.
