July Changes to Lake Shore and Capitol Limited Dining

[Turtle]

I will say the presentation was top notch. It was packaged very nicely. Fake silverware was rolled in the thickest napkin I've ever used (was paper, but felt like cloth). Plastic containers had fancy designs and were very strong. Came in the green bag to carry it in. Box was like balsa wood and not strong, so it's good they had the bag... But how many bags get thrown away?

 

[cpotisch]

Never posted in here before, but do read some. Here are my recent meals on the CL

Thank you, Turtle.
Finally after forty + posts of meaningless blather it takes a brand new forum member to post the very first meaningful thing about the new food items. Congratulations and welcome to the Forum!

How'd the stuff taste?

While I greatly appreciate the photos and info Turtle posted, it seems a bit harsh to label every single post up to this point “meaningless blather.” Also, Turtle joined in January of last year.

 

[Bob Dylan]

I'm finding this thread to be very informative and see no "blather".( that's for trainorders! LOL)

It does sound like Amtrak is trying to come up with a better menu based on feedback from actual riders but there does seem to still be too much unhealthy stuff in the meals and lots of trash generated by this system.

Why no "Hot " Breakfast choice yet?

 

[tommylicious]

Hot breakfast! Nuke croissant egg, cheese sandwiches?

 

[cpotisch]

I'm finding this thread to be very informative and see no "blather".( that's for trainorders! LOL)

It does sound like Amtrak is trying to come up with a better menu based on feedback from actual riders but there does seem to still be too much unhealthy stuff in the meals and lots of trash generated by this system.

Why no "Hot " Breakfast choice yet?

I’m not sure Amtrak is trying to come up with a better menu for passengers’ sake. Perhaps their thinking is that passengers don’t like the new meals, so giving them less food must be what they want.

 

[TinCan782]

I'm finding this thread to be very informative and see no "blather".( that's for trainorders! LOL)

It does sound like Amtrak is trying to come up with a better menu based on feedback from actual riders but there does seem to still be too much unhealthy stuff in the meals and lots of trash generated by this system.

Why no "Hot " Breakfast choice yet?

Maybe the "trash generated" is how they are determining what is disliked in each box!

Sign me up for a hot breakfast choice too.

 

[Mystic River Dragon]

I do agree that the "blather" comment was a bit harsh--PVD, for example, has presented what he found clearly, succinctly, and helpfully, without any blather at all.

I am sure I have blathered on somewhere here, but if you can't blather with your friends, who can you do it with?

 

[Turtle]

I'd like a hot breakfast as well, sausage and eggs would be great. It is a long ride with just a cold breakfast, especially last week when we didn't get to DC until 5pm.

 

[cpotisch]

Buttermilk Pancakes and/or Railroad French Toast would be great. Both can be microwaved or convection ovened.

 

[frequentflyer]

I'm finding this thread to be very informative and see no "blather".( that's for trainorders! LOL)

 

[pennyk]

Never posted in here before, but do read some. Here are my recent meals on the CL

I've had each twice in the last week and presentation was slightly different for each. The chicken was cut and laid out differently in the salad on my return trip. The parmesan crisps were also in the salad instead of bagged separate. And for breakfast the second time the blueberries were already in the yogurt instead of separate on top.

IMG_3482.jpg

IMG_3491.jpg

Thanks for posting Turtle. Do you recall whether the ingredients for any of the items in the dinner box were listed? I have food allergies and do not know if I can eat the chicken. I assume I can eat the salad with oil and vinegar I bring from home. I will be on the eastbound Capitol Limited in a couple of weeks.

 

[Turtle]

Ok. I brought one of the muffins and the banana bread home. They are the ones I got this morning. My boyfriend says the muffin is moist and good. Perkins quality.

 

[Turtle]

As someone mentioned there was a nutritional card. I didn't get a photo. If the item wasn't packaged with nutrition info on it, it was on the card. There was all allergen list for each item on the card, as well as ingredients.

 

[Turtle]

Another picture of the chicken salad

 

[pennyk]

What bothers me most (other than the lack of the food I loved) is the waste. You have to take the whole boxed meal even if you want just one thing. Then people just throw the rest away. I hated doing that, but had no way to take it with me on my trip.

Do you think it would be possible to give away unopened items (dessert, pasta salad) to other sleeper passengers or walk into coach and give away there (rather than throw away)?

 

[KmH]

I wonder if the MAN in charge is reading all the comments or is he stuck on Twitter?

Fortunately, no 1 man is in charge, including the current Amtrak CEO and the current potus - if that is who you are referring to regards being "stuck on Twitter".

The current Amtrak CEO is answerable to the board and congress while the current potus is answerable to every US citizen and congress.

 

[Turtle]

What bothers me most (other than the lack of the food I loved) is the waste. You have to take the whole boxed meal even if you want just one thing. Then people just throw the rest away. I hated doing that, but had no way to take it with me on my trip.

Do you think it would be possible to give away unopened items (dessert, pasta salad) to other sleeper passengers or walk into coach and give away there (rather than throw away)?

I think so. I originally brought my first set to DC in hopes of giving them to a homeless person, just never worked out.

 

[Skyline]

I don't know why Amtrak can't offer a modest slice of quiche, warmed, at breakfast. Any supplier should be able to accommodate this, and rotate at least three varieties. A normal size quiche should yield at least six slices. Pair that with some fresh fruit and some cold cereal and it should be OK.

In fact quiche is one of those items that could be carried over at lunch time.

Everything must be self contained because there is only one LSA for the entire car. To cook something separate (an entire quiche to be cooked and split/plated) would require a chef as well

So...

The vendor pre-packages the quiche. Problem solved. The quiche would already be pre-"cooked" -- just needing to be gently reheated.

 

[Skyline]

I guess what I am trying to say, is that we can all bring nicer food aboard, even in the sleepers... Eating the Amtrak "offerings" seems more a chore rather than a gastronomic pleasure, judging by these AU forums?

I have not quite understood the "box" meals situation... Are they served in a cafe car where other folk can also consume their own food, or in a quite seperate dinner? Just wondering if it is feasable to add an item of your own food to the included box meals?

Ed,

That's a good question...

Typically, they do not permit you to bring your own food to tables where they serve you theirs...but since it is now essentially "self-service" from the counter to the tables, perhaps you can mix your own to what they provide....not sure...

If Amtrak has sufficient staff to be the "bring-your-own police," they have sufficient staff to cook a real meal for you!

 

[CHvision]

I wonder this: how come coachclass customers can't have dining service but only sleeping car passengers do?

 

[railiner]

I wonder this: how come coachclass customers can't have dining service but only sleeping car passengers do?

I agree that when you look at the big picture, the new 'system' does seem convoluted...

I can only guess, that it is a result of the earlier practice of including meals with sleeper fares. And since they 'think' they have an idea of how many of those included meals will be taken, by the sleeper passenger's...that is all that they are stocking.

The biggest shame is that they spent all that money for those complete Viewliner diner's, and they will never be used as designed with their full galley capability.

I think that they should eliminate the included meals, lower the fares, like they did with the Star, and serve the same menu, with hot items in both the coach and sleeper cafe's for purchase.

They can either let coach passenger's into the Viewliner cafe or not, depending on need...

 

[keelhauled]

First we had the dining car. Then we had the diner-lite. Now we have meal boxes. Next...

 

[railiner]

First we had the dining car. Then we had the diner-lite. Now we have meal boxes. Next...

Love that! Besides, didn't you know that....

 

[caravanman]

I guess "real men" don't need a guidebook...

Ed.

 

[crescent-zephyr]

If we can keep the physical diners on the operating roster, and we can keep the LD trains running, there is always hope we can get full service diners back.