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A

AKA

OBS Chief
Joined
Apr 17, 2004
Messages
637
Location
Northern OHIO
Would like to have a meal or two in roomette. I understand about a good tip and am willing to do so. This would be a treat for my wife. How do I make arangements, without seeming to demanding?, or shall I say gracefully. As stated before we will be two couples in sleepers on the CZ. Another question, we will be in car 0531 & 0631 should be right ahead of the diner. Diner appears to be open a total of about ten hours a day. We will have to go thru diner to get to lounge. Is this going to be a problem during meal times? Any unwritten rules about this, or just plain rules? Other couple may want more meals in roomette as they are both less than steady on the train. My wife and I are quite able, but a meal or two in the roomette would still be treat. I am quite willing to tip well for good service. Thanks in advance. You all have been a great help with all of my questions and have made this trip a lot easyer on me as I do all of the planing. My wife and I are still looking at the sugestions on the Amtrak to Amtrak trip. A plan is forming. :D
 
AKA said:
Would like to have a meal or two in roomette. I understand about a good tip and am willing to do so. This would be a treat for my wife. How do I make arangements, without seeming  to demanding?, or shall I say gracefully. As stated before we will be two couples in sleepers on the CZ. Other couple may want more meals in roomette as they are both less than steady on the train.
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You simply approach the sleeping car attendant and ask him/her to bring you your meal. Give the attendant fair warning that you're going to want to do that. Expect that it will take at least a 1/2 or more from the time you actually order the food, depending on how many meals including other people in your car they've got to serve. Also how busy the dining car is will affect things too.

AKA said:
Another question, we will be in car  0531 & 0631 should be right ahead of the diner. Diner appears to be open a total of about ten hours a day. We will have to go thru diner to get to lounge. Is this going to be a problem during meal times? Any unwritten rules about this, or just plain rules?
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You will indeed have to walk through the diner to reach the lounge car. People pass through the car all the time, even during meals, and it is expected. Just remember, one hand for you and one hand for the train. Otherwise you could find yourself sitting in someone lap. :eek: Most people try to hold onto the seat backs in the dining car.
 
AlanB said:
Just remember, one hand for you and one hand for the train.  Otherwise you could find yourself sitting in someone lap.   :eek:  Most people try to hold onto the seat backs in the dining car.
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Also try to keep your feet spread pretty far apart when walking through the train as it will allow you to keep your balance a lot easier. Usually I can walk this way even when the train is at full speed and still be okay without holding on to something. It is the folks who keep their feet close together and "shuffle" along that always end up falling over into someone's lap, even when they're holding on.

AlanB is right on with the info about the diner. B)
 
MrFSS said:
Falling over on someone allows you meet new people. B)
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It works for Santa all the time.

h12_18.jpg
 
I was on the crescent once, waiting in line in the corridor next to the kitchen to be seated. A lady was making her way out of the diner. As the train entered a curve, I saw that she was not balance, and ended up "catching her" as she lost her balance. She was embarrased, and I got a bit of a laugh out of it. :D
 
My family and I just had a wonderful trip on the California Zephyr. We had meals served to our rooms on several occasions...but this was done by a wonderful gentleman named Deon, who worked as a server in the diner itself. Our train attendant...a fellow by the name of Chris was virtually none existant. We were very generous in our tipping and were more than willing to pay for good service, we just happened to have a lousy attendent.....sooooo.......I just wandered up to the diner and expained my prediciment to our server whereupon excellent service was rendered by the dining car attendent for the duration of our trip...even going so far as to replentish our towels and soap. We had a deluxe bedroom suite and really expected the sleeping car attendent to help us with any needs we had...as I said before, I was more than ready to tip generously but when this wasn't enough, I simply sought service elsehwhere...and got it. Deon from the dining car was a life saver and gave us excellent service once he heard of our dilemma.......THANKS DEON!!! My point is...don't be afraid to ask for service elsewhere if necessary.....and always be ready with a nice tip! :)
 
A good tip is always incentive for continuing good service. For example, my father goes to one particular (buffet) resturant every Friday. There is one waitress who always seats him, brings him a pitcher of Iced Tea, a dish of Lemons, and a loaf of bread without even being asked to. He tips her well, she gives him the same service every time. To prove the point of like father like son, she knows when I'm there to bring two cokes.
 
battalion51 said:
A good tip is always incentive for continuing good service. For example, my father goes to one particular (buffet) resturant every Friday. There is one waitress who always seats him, brings him a pitcher of Iced Tea, a dish of Lemons, and a loaf of bread without even being asked to. He tips her well, she gives him the same service every time. To prove the point of like father like son, she knows when I'm there to bring two cokes.
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Yup, the same thing works for my wife and I at a local Japenese resturant that we typically visit once a week. We don't even say anything other than hello when we walk in, yet they know to come to our table with two waters, and two sake's, along with the traditional hot towels.

Makes for great service that I tip very generously for.
 
Yes, I just got back from SF on the CZ on April 19th and had the misfortune of having Chris for an attendant. It was nearly impossible to find him. The first evening out of Emeryville, I finally did locate him only to be told he had been napping. The next morning, after complaining to the conductor, Chris appeared and said he had overslept). I've ridden the CZ on several occasions over the last couple of years and never had bad experiences with attendants until Chris. He gives Amtrak service a bad name.

Carol
 
I have no idea the attendants name but I remember an eastbound trip on the CZ about 4 or 5 years ago. The attendant was "napping" and then showering after the train opened up on Emeryville. We stood and stood and nobody showed up.

We had to carry our own luggage, find our rooms etc, all by ourselves. I had no trouble of course but what a ghastly way to begin a trip. We saw very little of him all the way to Chicago. I remember he was on the station phone almost the entire stopover in Denver.

Sounds like the same guy. He should be working for someplace which has little customer contact.

It is a pitiful shame to get a bad sleeping car attendant, when some are so marvelous. And think what an impression for good or bad the person in that position makes on people who are riding the train for the first time.
 
If you encounter a "bad" employee, write a complaint to Amtrak. Hopefully, they'll give him/her a hard time and learn a lesson or in worst case- having Donald Trump says, "You're fired!" Remember, lazy employees jeopardize the safety.
 

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