Meals on LD trains

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J

Jim G.

Service Attendant
Joined
Mar 26, 2010
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243
Location
Lincoln, Illinois
I have noticed a lot of long distance trains run seven,eight, or more hours late. Do sleeper passengers continue to receive regular meals from the same menu at the regular serving times. Amtrak must have to load a lot of extra food on board to accommadate first class and coach people who run out of their snacks.
 
Yes, passengers continue to be served food if the train is running late at

meal times. You may not get a complete meal, but you usually get food,

even if it is Beef Stew. I have not heard that anyone has starved on the

train.
 
Generally Sleeper pax will get first choice of what is left in the Diner and the Emergency Stew will be offered to Coach pax. Sometimes, depending on the logistics, the Crew will call ahead to a franchise fast food such as KFC or Subway and have meals readied.
 
On our recent trip, the EB was quite late getting into CHI. Sleeper pax were given a choice of three items from the regular menu (not including the steak). The purpose of the reduced menu was to get all sleeper pax served *quickly* because they needed to serve all the coach pax their stew after us. I saw no evidence food was running low, but they may have run out of one of the three choices before all frist-class pax were served.

On the SL, we weren't late, but I chatted a bit with one of the OBS, who said that all the food they would or could get for the trip was already on-board (including the AmStew). If anything ran low or out, they would just serve what they had. I will say the cafe was almost totally out of food at the end of the trip! I know the SL is different from the EB (maybe not for much longer...), but it seems a good idea to have a stash of energy bars, or dried fruit and nuts, somewhere in your luggage for emergencies.
 
I was on a CL that was running a few hours late into WAS. Instead of the normal brunch, they served a normal breakfast service, closed shortly and then served a limited lunch. They used what ever food items that were left.

Even if it's not the end of the line, if you're on a train at meal time and you're in a sleeper and the train is late, you're entitled to that meal. Example: You're scheduled to get off at 4 pm but the train is late and won't arrive until 8 pm. You get dinner included!
 
the_traveler said:
I was on a CL that was running a few hours late into WAS. Instead of the normal brunch, they served a normal breakfast service, closed shortly and then served a limited lunch. They used what ever food items that were left.

Even if it's not the end of the line, if you're on a train at meal time and you're in a sleeper and the train is late, you're entitled to that meal. Example: You're scheduled to get off at 4 pm but the train is late and won't arrive until 8 pm. You get dinner included!
Click to expand...
The exception is, infamously, the eastbound Lake Shore Limited, where dinner is not included even though the train schedule *normally* runs across a mealtime.
 
Glad you raised this question, OP :) Getting ready for a trip on the SWC and noticed it has been running late out of Chicago the past couple weeks. Maybe they make up time before getting to LAX; should have been checking that as well. The Midwest schedule is likely still at the whim of the weather. I plan to bring an emergency ration of snacks just in case. Also, with an 0815 arrival time, I wonder if there is a breakfast on board or if there's enough time to grab something before the 10 am bus departure. I can get by with coffee until lunch but that doesn't work for MI kids :)
 
If you can hold out or get away eating light on your final morning into LA, save room for breakfast at Philippe which is just a few steps from the station. While they offer a great selection of conventional Breakfast items, since they are carving by 8 I always grab a Beef Double Dip loaded with Peppers :blink: :eek: :p
 
In addition to the extra meal stew kept aboard long distance trains, Amtrak does actually carry "emergency" snack kits for coach passengers in the event of a late train. Starvation is not an issue I would consider under practically any situation where Amtrak would actually send the train out in the first place.
 
When I was on the westbound Empire Builder (#7) in June, 2012 and we were running 8 hours behind, in the Portland sleepers we got a hot breakfast, lunch from Subway and early dinner from KFC. On the return trip, we were running 6 hours late and offered stew, however, the offer came just about 45 minutes before I got to my destination, so I turned it down.
 
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Nathanael said:
the_traveler said:
I was on a CL that was running a few hours late into WAS. Instead of the normal brunch, they served a normal breakfast service, closed shortly and then served a limited lunch. They used what ever food items that were left.

Even if it's not the end of the line, if you're on a train at meal time and you're in a sleeper and the train is late, you're entitled to that meal. Example: You're scheduled to get off at 4 pm but the train is late and won't arrive until 8 pm. You get dinner included!
Click to expand...
The exception is, infamously, the eastbound Lake Shore Limited, where dinner is not included even though the train schedule *normally* runs across a mealtime.
Click to expand...
That's not true. I rode the LSL last November and got dinner. Of course, I went to Boston...
 
Ispolkom said:
Nathanael said:
the_traveler said:
I was on a CL that was running a few hours late into WAS. Instead of the normal brunch, they served a normal breakfast service, closed shortly and then served a limited lunch. They used what ever food items that were left.

Even if it's not the end of the line, if you're on a train at meal time and you're in a sleeper and the train is late, you're entitled to that meal. Example: You're scheduled to get off at 4 pm but the train is late and won't arrive until 8 pm. You get dinner included!
Click to expand...
The exception is, infamously, the eastbound Lake Shore Limited, where dinner is not included even though the train schedule *normally* runs across a mealtime.
Click to expand...
That's not true. I rode the LSL last November and got dinner. Of course, I went to Boston...
Click to expand...
:) Right, I meant the NY section. Being delayed on the NY section will leave you very hungry.
 
I was on a delayed silver heading north last year. We finally arrived in NYP around 2 pm and there was NO lunch in the diner.
 
Michigan Mom said:
Thinking we'll have to try that Phillipe's place. All I need for the 1st four hours is coffee....
Click to expand...
Speaking of coffee... Try the coffee at Phillipe's... It's superb. A cup is included in the price of breakfast, 45¢ by itself (although I'm still a little mad they raised the price from 9¢.)
 
oregon pioneer said:
On our recent trip, the EB was quite late getting into CHI. Sleeper pax were given a choice of three items from the regular menu (not including the steak). The purpose of the reduced menu was to get all sleeper pax served *quickly* because they needed to serve all the coach pax their stew after us. I saw no evidence food was running low, but they may have run out of one of the three choices before all frist-class pax were served.

On the SL, we weren't late, but I chatted a bit with one of the OBS, who said that all the food they would or could get for the trip was already on-board (including the AmStew). If anything ran low or out, they would just serve what they had. I will say the cafe was almost totally out of food at the end of the trip! I know the SL is different from the EB (maybe not for much longer...), but it seems a good idea to have a stash of energy bars, or dried fruit and nuts, somewhere in your luggage for emergencies.
Click to expand...
Being the "Southern Amtrak Boy" that I am, I never leave home without a few cans of Vienna Saisage!!!!! ( Always forget the crackers!) It has come in handy, more than once!
 
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I don't know how to ask this follow-up question, other than to give an example.

Let's say I am on a LD train that normally serves a total of 12 meals.

I normally get 8 meals before I reach my destination. However, as this thread is based, the train is running late, I can simply go to the dining car while they are serving their regularly scheduled 9th meal, and get fed. Same would go if the train is running very late, and I join in for their 10th meal.

My question is what happens after the 12 meals? Is the 13th meal served, and if so, is it leftovers or the "beef stew" mentioned here? Ditto for a 14th meal if the train is running very late.

I guess the dining car staff just keeps on working, and gets paid for working the unplanned, extra, meals?
 
If things really go badly, Amtrak will sometimes call ahead for food to be delivered at a station. I've been on a train where Subway sandwiches were distribted, and once left a very late Empire Builder where they were talking about KFC for dinner at Wisconsin Dells.
 
Whos_Hungry said:
My question is what happens after the 12 meals? Is the 13th meal served, and if so, is it leftovers or the "beef stew" mentioned here? Ditto for a 14th meal if the train is running very late.

I guess the dining car staff just keeps on working, and gets paid for working the unplanned, extra, meals?
Click to expand...
If there are leftovers, they'll be served. If not, time for the beef stew, or Subway/KFC/etc.
Yes, the workers (not just the dining car, but all of the OBS) get paid for hours worked.
 
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