Coffee Pot and Ice now sealed for your protection!

[C&O RR]

The sleeping car attendants are no longer allowed to make coffee on the day the train departs (This is my third trip on a long distance train out of Chicago). I am currently on the South West Chief and there is a sign posted by each coffee pot saying that “coffee is provided from 6 a.m. till 11 a.m.

Two of the attendants told me that Amtrak is inspecting the sleepers to make sure that the VERY expensive coffee is not being made on outbound trips. An attendant told me that a friend of his was marked off for 14 days for making a pot (I hope this isn't true).

Ice is no longer provided in the sleeping cars either.

 

[Bob Dylan]

Wow, if this is true that's pretty harsh discipline for a few cups of coffee! Where was the Union on this one?

And for what its worth, the coffee is generic commercial grade coffee that isn't very good, even if Amtrak pays too much for it!

More nickel and dime crap from suits who don't have any real work to do, unlike those that work the trains!

The ice thing isn't new, its a health issue, not a bean counter cut!

 

[Lonestar648]

Cutting out the coffee saves a small amount of money in the Sleeper, makes life easier for the attendant who had to clean the pot throughout the day before making fresh coffee, and it gives more revenue to the Café, especially from those working late who like a cup or two to keep sharp in the evening.

 

[Bob Dylan]

But don't the OBS and T&E crews get Free Coffee from the Diner? There's usually a pot brewing there day and night!

 

[C&O RR]

Cutting out the coffee saves a small amount of money in the Sleeper, makes life easier for the attendant who had to clean the pot throughout the day before making fresh coffee, and it gives more revenue to the Café, especially from those working late who like a cup or two to keep sharp in the evening.

It also reduces the amount of tips. Many riders tip based on extra services received.

 

[JSmith]

Silver Meteor 97 had coffee in our sleeper all day when I was onboard last week (I guess I won't mention the day to avoid getting anyone in trouble). No coffee on 98 today but there was ice. The cafe car gave me coffee for free though.

I actually like the Amtrak coffee!

 

[Guest]

But don't the OBS and T&E crews get Free Coffee from the Diner? There's usually a pot brewing there day and night!

When there is no coffee available in my sleeper, I simply go help myself to coffee in the diner. There is hot coffee made, with "to go" cups & lids, sweetener, and creamer sitting out.

 

[StriderGDM]

As Amtrak continues the penny-wise, pound-foolish strategy mandated by Congress.

 

[guest]

Next thing someone will figure out is that there's 15 spaces on Viewliner and 21 spaces on Superliner. Have 2 SCAs cover 3 Viewliners.

 

[Bob Dylan]

Next thing someone will figure out is that there's 15 spaces on Viewliner and 21 spaces on Superliner. Have 2 SCAs cover 3 Viewliners.

Hopefully the Union won't go for that in the next contract!!

 

[guest]

Time to bring my own coffee maker and thermos!

 

[George K]

Hey! On my trip to WAS next September and NOL in November, I'm bringing a thermos! I'm going to fill it with ice, and that way I'll have plenty for my, ahem, adult beverage!

 

[neroden]

Ice is no longer provided in the sleeping cars either.

Ice (not potable ice, just ice) needs to be made available for medication etc. This piece of idiocy could get Amtrak in serious trouble. Unless they're providing the ice some other way.

 

[SubwayNut]

Next thing someone will figure out is that there's 15 spaces on Viewliner and 21 spaces on Superliner. Have 2 SCAs cover 3 Viewliners.

Hopefully the Union won't go for that in the next contract!!

That's already done by VIA Rail Canada, each attendant gets one and a half sleepers.

 

[SarahZ]

The new coffee hours have been around for a while. I didn't realize the attendants would get that severe a punishment, though.

If a train leaves at 3:00 p.m, such as the SWC does, it's no surprise they aren't brewing coffee, as it's after the cut-off. We didn't have any on the EB either, but the attendant let us know exactly when she'd have it ready. Since I was up early the next morning, I thought it was cute that she popped by to say, "Coffee's fresh. Help yourself."

 

[DesertRat]

Aw..I'm sorry. I don't drink coffee but I know it's the magic starter for the day...

 

[Eris]

Boarding the Coast Starlight out of Los Angeles (well, Van Nuys) Wednesday morning... I'll let y'all know if there's coffee straight away. Ice, if it's not available at all in the sleeper and we need some, we'll make the run to the cafe- never had a problem while in coach getting cups of ice, so hope that hasn't changed.

 

[seat38a]

I was on the CS on the 16th. There is a sign on the coffee makers that say that coffee service is available from 6-11AM. Also, I didn't ask for ice from the SCA. I got it from the PPC. I saw others getting it from the PPC as well. The sleepers do have fruits: apples / oranges and orange juice around all day. The bottled waters are the bigger full size kind and not the smaller ones that they used to give out. Getting on the EB tomorrow. I'll let you know what I see in the Portland sleeper.

 

[caravanman]

Time to wheel out my solution again to getting a "nice cup of tea", on my first Amtrak long distance ride back in 2004... Can work for coffee too, or porridge!

http://data1.blog.de/blog/a/amtrak/img/0603152-R1-023-10.jpg

Ed.

 

[seat38a]

This is from the 16th on the CS Sleeper.

DSC00162 by Brian H, on Flickr

 

[Guest]

Ice (not potable ice, just ice) needs to be made available for medication etc.

I'm just curious, how is this a "needs to be"?

 

[SarahZ]

Ice (not potable ice, just ice) needs to be made available for medication etc.

I'm just curious, how is this a "needs to be"?

Some medications, particularly insulin, need to be refrigerated.
Ice is available from the café car, and the SCA will often get it for you, so this really isn't a huge issue.

 

[Devil's Advocate]

Ice (not potable ice, just ice) needs to be made available for medication etc.

I'm just curious, how is this a "needs to be"?

Some medications, particularly insulin, need to be refrigerated.
Ice is available from the café car, and the SCA will often get it for you, so this really isn't a huge issue.

Some SCA's will decline to get ice for you. If you then try to get the ice yourself the diner crew will complain that your SCA needs to get it. At which point you'll discover you're stuck between indifferent staff that are more concerned with following protocol than finding a practical solution. I've had this happen multiple times during my travels and on a few occasions I've even had to endure lectures about how ice is completely unnecessary for most travelers and a real pain for staff. Sometimes the snack car attendant will happily provide ice without issue but other times they'll say they're running out or that you need to buy something to go with it. Amtrak service is so flaky that even simple cutbacks which may seem reasonable at first can result in far more of an impact than you'd initially anticipate.

 

[jis]

Next thing someone will figure out is that there's 15 spaces on Viewliner and 21 spaces on Superliner. Have 2 SCAs cover 3 Viewliners.

Hopefully the Union won't go for that in the next contract!!

The much beloved VIARail actually operates along those lines on the Ocean already.

 

[SarahZ]

Ice (not potable ice, just ice) needs to be made available for medication etc.

I'm just curious, how is this a "needs to be"?

Some medications, particularly insulin, need to be refrigerated.
Ice is available from the café car, and the SCA will often get it for you, so this really isn't a huge issue.

Some SCA's will decline to get ice for you.

That's why I said "often", not "always".