TX Eagle dining car

[Anonymous]

For her birthday, I am taking my girlfriend for her first Amtrk ride Feb 25-Mar 2nd. I let her pick the routing. One of the segments will be a sleeper on #2/22 from LAX to Springfield. I have read somewhere that the dining car service on the Eagle/Sunset has been reduced. My question is just what type of diner service will we now have on the Eagle? Microwave food? Just wondering.

[greyhounds]

Good luck on finding a new girlfriend.

[Anonymous]

Sammy,
The Eagle Dining Car Service has been reduce to a Convection Oven Dinners. The meals are prepared off the train and heated on board. The Diner-Lite AKA Simplified Dining Service is on the Eagle since last year and will be on all Overnight Long Distance trains expect 7/8 and the Auto Train by summer.

[conrailman]

If the Meals are like the Cardinal & The former Three Rivers trains, they are very Good and Tasty.[:D]

[daveklepper]

Please give us a report when you return. I do advise that taking along some of your own food for emergencies or supplement is always a good idea on any long distance trip, rail, plane, bus, car or whatever. It should be food that you like to eat and still will keep fresh without refrigeration.

[Anonymous]

Thanks to all for the info. Will report on trip when I get back. As for my other half, with the $$$$ I have spent on this, she better enjoy the trip as she is getting nothing else until Christmas

[samfp1943]

QUOTE: Originally posted by sammythebull

Thanks to all for the info. Will report on trip when I get back. As for my other half, with the $$$$ I have spent on this, she better enjoy the trip as she is getting nothing else until Christmas

Sammy: Two words..Brown Bag!
Good Luck and take your camera, A report later on your experiences would, I'm sure be appreciated here..
Sam

[Anonymous]

Microwave dinners?[xx(]

Do you have to pay for the food too? Or is it included in fare?

[Anonymous]

Sleepers get there meals included in the fare

[Anonymous]

as a seemingly knowledgable railfan you should be ready with the explaination that the rocking of the car at night has to do with the imperfections in the track....

[Anonymous]

I rode the Texas Eagle from Chicago to St. Louis yesterday and the dining car meals were very good. There was a good selection, (I went with the chicken fried steak). I am not sure if they fixed it onboard or not, but it did not taste like microwave food at all. We were coach passengers so we had to pay. The sleeper passengers did not and they get first pick of seating times. I found it pretty cool to be speeding along at 79 mph passing cars on Interstate 55 while enjoying a nice dinner. Oh ya, we were on time into St. Louis.

Mike in Tulsa
BNSF Cherokee Sub

[dldance]

Just note that there is no dining service between San Antonio and Austin on 22. The dining car crew overnights in Austin TX instead of continuing to San Antonio.

dd

[Anonymous]

Here is a quick OS report, Debra & I left from KS early AM on #3 2/25 SW Chief. Due to a full trn, we were seated in the lower level of the rear coach. I liked that, not as noisy down there. 3&4 still operate w/full diner until Apr. Deb slept some, so we did not make breakfast in diner but had a nice meal in lounge. After daylight, she felt more rested and explored the train. This was her first Amtrk ride, my first since 1998 prior to employment w/BNSF. Had a nice lunch & supper in diner. She enjoyed it and meeting the other riders. Runtime ontime to LA. On 2/26 caught Sunset/Eagle that afternoon. This is where we had our sleeper. By time we got to Palm Springs, 2 hrs late thanks to UP traffic. At night, Deb took lower bunk, I the upper. She enjoyed the sleper quite much. Food service on Sunset was a change w/the downgraded diner. Food was not bad but service was slow. Enjoyed the ride across NM,TX and prior to going to bed, we sealed ourselfs in dark, looking at the passing scenes. Arrive in SPR ontime 3 days later on 3/1. 90 min layover. Took quick walk to st Capitol grounds prior to lving at noon to GBurgh on shuttle connection. 4 hr layover at GAL. Walked around town. This was my old stomping grounds as GAL was 1st location on BNSF I worked in 1999. Like the town, brought back good memories. At 6:00 left home on #3 for 9 hr ride. Spent time in lounge eating, visiting and watching the Johnny Cash movie. Overall, it was a good vac, she enjoyed it. My comments on the new diner service:hopefully after the bugs wil be worked out ,the system will work. Will miss the old full service cars but this is sign of times. If she wants to take a trip somewhere else next yr, I'm up to it.

[samfp1943]

Thanks for the heartening report, it is nice to hear someone with a positive report, my experiences were on the Little Rock to San Antonio, good trips, pleasant employees, but the food quality was spotty.Glad you had a nice vacation.
Sam