Yes, the different types of food service cars found along the Northeast Corridor is quite confusing. Life is like a box of chocolates...you never know what you're going to get. At any time, you can run into one of the following:
* Acela Regional Cafe Acela (newest type, modeled after the Acela Express cafe only I believe it is a mirror image)
* Full size dinette -- serving area in the center, tables on either end
* Half dinette -- serving area in the center, tables on one end, regular coach seating on the other end.
* Half dinette with business class -- serving area in the center, tables on one end, reserved Business Class (off limits to others) on the other end.
* Cafe only -- serving area in the center, coach seating on both ends
I get the picture that they really don't want you spending time in the cafe car, even though this is supposed to be the central, or focal point of the train trip. And they feel they do need as much coach seating as possible.
The Cafe Acelas in both Acela Express and Acela Regional form were built with minimal pedestal seating, intentionally uncomfortable, so that nobody lingers too long. They want you to finish your food and go back to your seat, or better yet, find no available seating and go back to your seat anyhow.
Personally I like being in the cafe car -- it helps to know what is going on if you're not listening to a scanner, since the crew usually hangs out there. You can eavesdrop on them, or hear their radios. Usually the conductor sets up shop to do bookkeeping. On the Cafe Acelas, there is an office for the conductor, with a much more comfortable seat than those pedestals for the passengers. Rank has its privileges.
