Interestingly enough, I have just booked a trip out to the Rockies and back. I'm taking Capital Ltd and Zephyr going out, though. I want to come back through West Virginia, so I'm taking the Chief back. From most reports and [limited] personal experience, it seems to be more on time into Chicago than most of the others.
Your itinerary sounds breathtaking in terms of the scenery, though.
My last Amtrak trip was year-before-last, and they were still doing the on-board food on all the trains I rode. That is one feature I will surely miss.
Thanks for your reply. It sure sounds very positive and we can hardly wait to get on board. I have been on the Capitol and have had a wonderful time. We however have not been on the Lake Shore which is why we picked it as our train of choice to Chicago. I am concerned about the lateness though as we have a same day departure on the Empire Buillder. I am hoping that the 2:15 departure will allow us enough time for connection from the Lake Shore.
Are the first class lounges still as good as they used to be??
Thanks again..........Drumbo.
Drumbo wrote: I have seen many posts that say we may be in for a rude awakining as far as on board services are concerned.
Eight years is a long time between trips, but I think overall you'll find few significant differences. I'm assuming you'll be in sleepers most or all of the way, so I'll base my answers on that.
Most of my Amtrak experience has been on the Coast Starlight, with one trip in 2000 on the Zephyr. Overall, I have found the on-board service personnel, particularly the sleeping car attendants, to be generally friendly and efficient. Unlike most large companies, Amtrak doesn't force them to use pre-approved formulaic friendliness language, so each employee is free to be themselves. I find that refreshing. However, there are a handful of "bad apples" here and there. I keep hearing reports of one particular sleeper attendant on the Empire Builder who is absolutely useless. Otherwise they seem to be quite competent.
I don't know how reliable the Lake Shore (Late For Sure) Limited is with connections, so I hope you've allowed plenty of time between trains.
There are a couple of recent changes that will affect your trip. Under a congressional mandate to cut food service costs, Amtrak has a new "Simplified Dining Service." On most long distance trains food is no longer prepared fresh on board, and food is served on plastic plates that look surprisingly like china until you touch them. On my last trip last fall the food quality was generally good, but one meal was absolutely horrible, and that was a salmon dinner. Amtrak does chicken very well, and burgers. I would avoid fish and the "Bob Evans Breakfast Scramble." The one exception is the Empire Builder, now considered to be Amtrak's flagship train, which still has a full service kitchen.
One welcome change has been the complete rebuilding of some older Superliner sleeping cars. These can be recognized by better interior lighting, paneling on the hallway walls, and (my personal favorite part) more spacious rest rooms. Most if not all of the sleepers on the Empire Builder are of the rebuilt variety. On other routes they turn up here and there, but its pretty much the luck of the draw whether you get one or not. Nearly all sleeping cars, rebuilt or not, have gotten new upholstery within the last couple of years.
The Coast Starlight has the exclusive Pacific Parlour Car for sleeping car passengers. There was some question last fall whether it would continue on that train or not. It has been operating unstaffed in recent months, but I hear that it will be staffed again starting sometime in June.
You might enjoy reading my most recent travelogues at http://www.trainweb.org/delmonte These will give you a good idea of what to expect.
If you have any further questions please feel free to ask.
My wife and I have just completed arrangements and reservations for an extensive cross country trip to Los Angeles. We will be on the Lake Shore Limited, The Empire Builder, the Coast Starlight, and return on the Cal Zephyr and Capital Limited. We have been on long Amtrak trips before and generely have had a good time. Our last trip was about 8 years ago from Chi To LA and back. The services were good and the food was adequate. All in all it was a good trip.
My question is: What will we see this year? Tardiness I can accept owing to the way the arrangements are with the freight roads. I have seen many posts that say we may be in for a rude awakining as far as on board services are concerned.
What is everybodys take on this. I would like to hear pros and cons so we can prepair ourselves. The trip is booked and paid for so their is no turning back.
Thanks for your input
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