Chefs being removed off Capitol Limited

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A friend of mine, who is a chef on the Capital, just posted on FB that he was told the Chef jobs are being eliminated on that route.

I would assume that means a conversion to Diner Lite is imminent.

Maybe Thirdrail has more info or can confirm?
 
A friend of mine, who is a chef on the Capital, just posted on FB that he was told the Chef jobs are being eliminated on that route.

I would assume that means a conversion to Diner Lite is imminent.

Maybe Thirdrail has more info or can confirm?
Do we see a trend developing here? Will the New Diners end up being Diner Lites and the Chefs getting jobs @ Dennys as another craft job bites the dust?
 
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A friend of mine, who is a chef on the Capital, just posted on FB that he was told the Chef jobs are being eliminated on that route.

I would assume that means a conversion to Diner Lite is imminent.

Maybe Thirdrail has more info or can confirm?
Do we see a trend developing here? Will the New Diners end up being Diner Lites and the Chefs getting jobs @ Dennys as another craft job bites the dust?[emoji848]
All the new diners are single-level, so I doubt they’ll be put in the Cap anytime soon. No chef would mean heat-and-eat (probably in a CCC with a menu similar to that of the CONO).
 
Well, scratch that route off my list then. I refuse to ride any overnight train that doesn't have a chef.
 
A shortage of Chefs is because Amtrak is eliminating them. There are plenty of individuals who are qualified for the position of Chef, Amtrak just wants to save money by eliminating the position. Just quietly move to heat and serve MW food. Maybe the food will get so bad , then Amtrak can eliminate food service totally,
 
I don't like seeing people lose decent jobs. Completely separate though is the fact that you can serve food prepared in advance off board of more than satisfactory quality. As some of us have pointed out before, airlines do it on international Flights and sometimes on domestic long haul first class. But, you have to want to do it.
 
It's worth noting, for those not aware, that the Capitol Limited has for a couple years now operated the same as the City of New Orleans in that the SSL was not staffed, and the CCC car was used as both the cafe' car and dining car with only 1 LSA.

This train also offers a schedule where it serves Dinner and Breakfast only (with lunch availability going back and forth at the whim of amtrak and that days crew on the East bound).
 
It's worth noting, for those not aware, that the Capitol Limited has for a couple years now operated the same as the City of New Orleans in that the SSL was not staffed, and the CCC car was used as both the cafe' car and dining car with only 1 LSA.

This train also offers a schedule where it serves Dinner and Breakfast only (with lunch availability going back and forth at the whim of amtrak and that days crew on the East bound).
The Capitol does not use a CCC, and the SSL is staffed. Additionally, it is generally the case that the eastbound CL gets an abbreviated lunch so long as it’s not early.
 
A CONOL type menu on 29/30 is a significant downgrade IMHO. I specifically dislike the breakfast on 58/59. If they kept the pancakes and French toast as currently served it would be tolerable.

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A friend of mine, who is a chef on the Capital, just posted on FB that he was told the Chef jobs are being eliminated on that route.

I would assume that means a conversion to Diner Lite is imminent.

Maybe Thirdrail has more info or can confirm?
Something like that.

Well, scratch that route off my list then. I refuse to ride any overnight train that doesn't have a chef.
Your options may become limited in the not too distant future so if you have AGR rewards to burn, I'd start traveling soon.
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Ideally in "first world railway" countries A 900 - 1000 mile journey limited stop intercity (non-HSR) run with about 8 or so stops would typically be a 5-6pm to 9-10am train, of course give or take an hour for the one hour time zone change. Unfortunately that is not to be in this country for the foreseeable future.

If we could manage that then it would be a simple Dinner + Breakfast train and it could be completely adequately served with international airline first class style food. But unfortunately the situation at present has way more uncertainties involved than that and there is very little support structure en-route to handle exceptional situations.

Well, scratch that route off my list then. I refuse to ride any overnight train that doesn't have a chef.
Your options may become limited in the not too distant future.
Amtrak 2.0. Here we come! Toot - toot!
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It's worth noting, for those not aware, that the Capitol Limited has for a couple years now operated the same as the City of New Orleans in that the SSL was not staffed, and the CCC car was used as both the cafe' car and dining car with only 1 LSA.

This train also offers a schedule where it serves Dinner and Breakfast only (with lunch availability going back and forth at the whim of amtrak and that days crew on the East bound).
The Capitol does not use a CCC, and the SSL is staffed. Additionally, it is generally the case that the eastbound CL gets an abbreviated lunch so long as its not early.
The Capitol has had a CCC car everytime I rode it in the past several years.

Last time I rode it the SSL was not staffed... Was that just a winter consist thing?
 
When I was on the CL deadheading a few months back in the summer the SSL was unstaffed, and everything was done out of a CCC. And honestly it was more then enough to cope with our train. Breakfast especially had a very light load.
 
I thought the Cap had ditched the CCC a while ago. And Amtrak.com says that the Cross Country Cafe only operates on the TE and CONO. And Wikipedia (which I know is not a great source) says that it uses a standard diner.

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The problem with the CL is often it runs well below full capacity. I just came back from Cumberland to Pittsburgh last year and my buddy and I pretty much had a private coach. CL has a horrible schedule out of major cities like Cleveland and Pittsburgh. You need to leave at ungodly hours and it takes nearly twice the time to get there then by car.

Something has to give. I just hope they hold off till after my trip back from Chicago this year.
 
I thought the Cap had ditched the CCC a while ago. And Amtrak.com says that the Cross Country Cafe only operates on the TE and CONO. And Wikipedia (which I know is not a great source) says that it uses a standard diner.

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Sorry.. I'm talking about a physical CCC car. CCC cars haven't operated as CCC cars were designed since like the first few months they started. Ha.

The Capitol has been using a CCC car as a full diner for years. So the amtrak site lists it as a full diner.. but physically it's a CCC car.
 
I thought the Cap had ditched the CCC a while ago. And Amtrak.com says that the Cross Country Cafe only operates on the TE and CONO. And Wikipedia (which I know is not a great source) says that it uses a standard diner.

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Sorry.. I'm talking about a physical CCC car. CCC cars haven't operated as CCC cars were designed since like the first few months they started. Ha.
The Capitol has been using a CCC car as a full diner for years. So the amtrak site lists it as a full diner.. but physically it's a CCC car.
Right (and sorry if I’m coming off as rude) but the same applies to the Texas Eagle, yet they list that as operating with a CCC.
I 100% believe you that the CL was using a CCC the times you’ve taken it, I’m just trying to figure out if that’s always the case.
 
Any eta for the removal? The Cap has been on my near term bucket list because its the only Chicago to East Coast train with a full service diner.

Seeing this trend is exactly why I booked a trip on the Sunset Limited next month.
 
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Lest we forget that the Simplified Dining Service (which translated to "fanese" as Diner-Lite) proposed during the Bush 45 administration in response to a Micascope charade, was to convert all Diners and Lounges to Food Service cars. The rebuilt cars would be able to offer all F&B items. They would be assigned to trains based on travel demand. During slack periods, one such car would suffice; peak periods would be assigned two.

Abolishing the Chef position on 29-30, Capitol Limited, is a continuation of same previously affecting 58-59, City of New Orleans, and leading towards implementing such system wide.

Oh well, at least I have my memories of extensive travel during the 60's on the "great trains". I'm sorry that the youngsters around here missed out.
 
I 100% believe you that the CL was using a CCC the times you’ve taken it, I’m just trying to figure out if that’s always the case.
It's been standard practice to use the CCC as a full diner on the Capitol for many many years. Like 10? I've ridden the Capitol many times in that span and it's always been the CCC. (I even rode in the famous aisle facing booths! the horror! actually... I kinda like them... don't tell anyone or I'll be banned).

As I said.. the last time I rode the Capitol... and per his post above the last time Seaboard rode, the CCC car was being used as both the diner and the cafe' - meaning the only staffed food service car was the CCC car. Coach Passengers would walk through the un-staffed SSL and enter the cafe side of the CCC car. This eliminated an LSA, since 1 LSA could handle both the Cafe, and the Dinning car sales.

When I saw this in person, the waiter and waitress were excellent and everything worked very well.
 
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