Diner on the Cardinal

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BOSMike

Train Attendant
Joined
Apr 12, 2009
Messages
30
I'm debating whether to book a June 2018 trip (DC -> CHI) on the Cardinal or the Capitol Ltd. I've never been a fan of the Diner Lite experience on some of the Viewliner routes, so am leaning toward the Capitol Ltd. I've seen conflicting information online, but can anyone confirm does (or will) the Cardinal have the Viewliner Diners?

Thanks in advance.

Mike
 
It is too early to confirm (since there has been a regime change) but I'd bet real money the Cardinal will NOT have a full dining car in June. The Cardinal hasn't had a full dining car in many years and no one except various people on discussion boards ever mentioned a return to full dining service when the CAF delivery is completed.

Stick with Capitol.
 
Meanwhile it is so much fun riding the cardinal as it speeds along a single line for hours through dense woods with the nearest trees being just a few feet away from the single line...
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It's difficult to determine if the Cardinal will get a full diner anytime soon.. While most of us would prefer have our meals in a diner, the food quality in the Cardinal may remain marginal. If food is the key to your trip east or west to or from CHI, the CL is the choice.

What is most disappointing to us is that the LSL and Cardinal are higher priced trains and for the money they should provide good amenities..
 
dlagrua said:
It's difficult to determine if the Cardinal will get a full diner anytime soon.. While most of us would prefer have our meals in a diner, the food quality in the Cardinal may remain marginal. If food is the key to your trip east or west to or from CHI, the CL is the choice.

What is most disappointing to us is that the LSL and Cardinal are higher priced trains and for the money they should provide good amenities..
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All the talk is about the diners but probably IMO the bigger issue outside of getting the Broadway/CL/Pennsylvanian would be an additional sleeper and or/coach on the LSL to reduce prices there. The LSL shouldn't be more expensive than the CL. I'm planning a trip to Texas soon and I probably will go via NYP.
 
Just did NYP to Dallas and back, and one way was on the CL, one way on the LSL. because of LSL pricing on the day I needed to leave. Using a NER coach instead of BC saves even more. (The Penn would be even cheaper changing in Pittsburgh, but that involves getting up at the crack of dawn, sitting in Pittsburgh, and missing dinner)
 
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Most people do not realize that except for things like steak and cooked to order eggs that require a grill, EVERY meal on Amtrak is pre-prepared and reheated in a convection oven and plated by the chef. Almost nothing is freshly prepared on board on any train.

The difference between a meal served on the Cardinal and a meal served on the CZ is that you cannot get steak on the Cardinal because there is no grill!
 
Does the Cardinal run with 2 sleepers regularly? It would make sense to build up that population on board before the addition of a diner would become viable. Either way, it’s clear that the Lake Shore Limited is next in line to get Diners. Diners on the Cardinal probably won’t happen before June 2018.

Sent from my iPad using Amtrak Forum
 
the_traveler said:
Most people do not realize that except for things like steak and cooked to order eggs that require a grill, EVERY meal on Amtrak is pre-prepared and reheated in a convection oven and plated by the chef. Almost nothing is freshly prepared on board on any train.

The difference between a meal served on the Cardinal and a meal served on the CZ is that you cannot get steak on the Cardinal because there is no grill!
Click to expand...
Why can't they serve steaks on the Cardinal that are reheated in the convection oven as well? I've enjoyed some pretty good ones in First Class Air....
 
Cardinal is such a neglected route imo. I won't ride it till it gets a proper diner serving (relatively) cooked to order food.
 
the_traveler said:
Most people do not realize that except for things like steak and cooked to order eggs that require a grill, EVERY meal on Amtrak is pre-prepared and reheated in a convection oven and plated by the chef. Almost nothing is freshly prepared on board on any train.

The difference between a meal served on the Cardinal and a meal served on the CZ is that you cannot get steak on the Cardinal because there is no grill!
Click to expand...
Right you are on most items but the biggest objection to the Cardinal diner lite may be the choice of only four entrees that currently include Chicken w Madiera sauce, Seafood Jambalaya, Pork Shanks w Tomatillo Sauce and Rice noodles with vegetables.

In contrast the CZ (and other LD trains) offers eight dinner entree choices:Land & Sea (steak with Shrimp), Signature Steak, Griddle seared Norwegian Salmon, Thyme Roasted Chicken breast, Butternut Squash Risotto, Vegetarian Pasta , and the ACAT special of Indian spiced Shrimp Bryani w Rice and Vegetables.

Point is that you get better choices on other LD trains. Space to carry every dinner dish on the Cardinal is just not available so I would suggest to Amtrak to allow passengers to pre-order when they buy their ticket. This way they can chose from an expended menu.

,
 
Steaks have to be grilled. If it ain't grilled, it ain't steak. Specifically, they need to be very lightly seared on a grill, so that the inside remains raw.
 
Haven't any of you ever had a good steak on a first class airline flight? They serve up a pretty decent product....
 

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