Dinner for "late boarding" sleeper passengers?

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velotrain

Service Attendant
Joined
Jul 29, 2019
Messages
150
Location
Boston
I'm getting on the southbound Texas Eagle at 7:55 PM in St. Louis - can I expect dinner or should I get it in town before the train? I realize this isn't particularly late, but gather the time kitchen operations close down depends on the train and how heavily it is booked, so that may not be possible to know in advance. I'm happy to have it in my room.
 
You’ll get dinner.
I boarded 21 in St Louis recently after it arrived late and was sent to the diner after dropping my stuff off in my room.
 
St. Louis is scheduled last call for dinner on the Texas Eagle southbound. Unless the train is (multiple) hours late, you'll get dinner...or, at least, you should. But do go directly to the dining car upon boarding once you have your ticket scanned.
 
I got on in Houston but the train was 3 hours late. No dinner at 10:00 PM. So, YMMV on that score.
 
I think it would depend on the mood of the OBS personnel and just how late the train is. As a backup plan, especially if the train is reported more than an hour late, I'd eat in St. Louis or bring something non-perishable on board that you could still eat another day if you did manage to get fed on board.
 
When I boarded a late northbound CS at San Jose some years ago, the SCA had taken it upon himself to order a steak dinner in advance for me and told me to go straight to the Pacific Parlour after boarding, where the attendant had it ready for me with a "re-heat and serve". The regular diner had been closed for some time.

The conductor even stopped
by the diner to lift my ticket.
 
As noted on the Traditional Dining page, meal service is currently provided as follows:
Meal Times
Breakfast: Available 6:30 - 10 am; board by 9:30 am
Lunch: Available 11:30 am - 3 pm; board by 2:30 pm
Dinner: Available: 5:00 - 9:30 pm; board by 8:30 pm

Exceptions apply to certain trains and adjustments may be made in the event of a delay.

The disclaimer is key; as mentioned it can vary and sometimes for no reason than the whim of the dining LSA. I've boarded the California Zephyr at 8:25-8:26 and been ushered into the dining car where I was the only person seated and got full service without a hitch. They knew I was coming and "left the light on" for me.

Other times, I've boarded the same train at the same station and it has run 15-20 minutes late and at 8:40-8:45 it's "Nope, dining car is closed---but the Cafe Car is open!" (Gee thanks, but I already paid for my meal in the diner.) I've never complained when the "Missed it by this much!" rule is in effect, but I've decided I will in the future. If they are going to be sticklers about the time, then the schedule should be adjusted so down-to-the-wire station stops have extra padding in them so that there's no expectation of receiving meal service after boarding at those stations.
 
In my experience you can't count on anything if you are boarding late. We once boarded a late CZ No.6 at Denver well after 9 pm and were invited to the dining car for dinner which was quite a surprise since it was well after the normal serving times. Since the train was running late, we had already eaten and the LSA seemed quite disappointed that we declined his invitation. Other times you expect the dining car to be open and it is not.
 
As others said, it depends on the Diner Crew or Management.

In my many years of riding Amtrak ( since A- Day), the routes I have been able to eat Scheduled meals when boarding late Trains have mostly been on the 2 night Western Routes, especially the Sunset Limited ( Tucson,Alpine, El Paso and Houston) and the Texas Eagle ( Springfield,StLouis,Longview,Dallas,Temple).

The one time that I was really surprised was on the Lake Shore Ltd. ( aka Late for Sure)when I boarded very Late in Utica and was offered Diner @ 10pm!!)

The other times I was surprised to be offered surprise Meals was in Chicago, where the Lounge gave us $$ to eat Dinner when several Trains were Delayed due to equipment problems delaying Departures, or Late arriving Western Trains making connections to the City of New Orleans caused us to miss Dinner on the CONO.
 
I forgot to mention that when we arrived at Denver Union Station to await the arrival of the late No. 6, the agent gave us some money as compensation for the fact that we were sleeping car passengers who would not be getting dinner in the dining car due to the late arrival. Then when we boarded No. 6 at about 9:30 p.m. we were quite surprised to be invited to the dining car for dinner anyway. One hand did not know what the other hand was doing.
 
I forgot to mention that when we arrived at Denver Union Station to await the arrival of the late No. 6, the agent gave us some money as compensation for the fact that we were sleeping car passengers who would not be getting dinner in the dining car due to the late arrival. Then when we boarded No. 6 at about 9:30 p.m. we were quite surprised to be invited to the dining car for dinner anyway. One hand did not know what the other hand was doing.

Hopefully, your one hand knew to take the money and give it to your other hand to put it into your pants pocket.
 
Hopefully, your one hand knew to take the money and give it to your other hand to put it into your pants pocket.
That is exactly what happened and since we did not have dinner in the dining car, we were not presented with any ethical issues which of course would have haunted me to this day.
 
In my experience you can't count on anything if you are boarding late. We once boarded a late CZ No.6 at Denver well after 9 pm and were invited to the dining car for dinner which was quite a surprise since it was well after the normal serving times. Since the train was running late, we had already eaten and the LSA seemed quite disappointed that we declined his invitation. Other times you expect the dining car to be open and it is not.

The one time that I was really surprised was on the Lake Shore Ltd. ( aka Late for Sure)when I boarded very Late in Utica and was offered Diner @ 10pm!!)
Several years ago, when traveling on the California Zephyr during the summer months (I can't remember if it was eastbound or westbound), I made a dinner reservation for 8 or 8:30 and heard all of the first calls but then none of the later calls. Around 9 or so I was growing concerned that I may have missed the announcement, so I went to the packed diner to inquire and one of the longtime attendants apologized and said they were still serving the earlier seatings and were just backlogged. I assured him that was no issue and I was only concerned about missing the call.

I ended up being seated at 10:30 and it worked out fine. It was like being at a Midnight Buffet on a cruise ship. Sometimes there are advantages to riding on packed trains during peak periods. :cool:
 
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