Balt, I am sorry that you had that horrible experience in the New Orleans-Mobile (the TT indicated that that was the run) diner. Altogether, I ate in the diner on 33 & 34 six times (1960-1966), and the car rode smoothly each time. I do not recall the name on the car.
My only experience with a flat wheel was 15 years ago when we had seats in the Vermonter's business car from Washington to New York. I noticed the flat wheel right after we left Washington, and the car was taken out in Philadelphia. The problem was not anywhere as near as bad as the problem was in your case--but the man who provided refreshments had to pack up and hope there was a replacement in New York City.
Johnny
Deggesty oltmannd Something like this https://www.greatjourneysofnz.co.nz/assets/food-menus/scenic-trains-menu.pdf would be okay for Amtrak eastern LD trains, I think. Maybe convert the kitchen of Viewliner diners into cafe counter... Don, you just reminded me of the meal service that the L&N provided on the Pan American between Cincinnati and Montgomery for a few years--a counter-lounge. I do not remember just what I ate in those, but I found the offering to be superior to what Amtrak offers in its lounge and cafe cars. Perhaps the tastes of travellers have changed in the past 50 years?
oltmannd Something like this https://www.greatjourneysofnz.co.nz/assets/food-menus/scenic-trains-menu.pdf would be okay for Amtrak eastern LD trains, I think. Maybe convert the kitchen of Viewliner diners into cafe counter...
Something like this https://www.greatjourneysofnz.co.nz/assets/food-menus/scenic-trains-menu.pdf would be okay for Amtrak eastern LD trains, I think.
Maybe convert the kitchen of Viewliner diners into cafe counter...
Don, you just reminded me of the meal service that the L&N provided on the Pan American between Cincinnati and Montgomery for a few years--a counter-lounge. I do not remember just what I ate in those, but I found the offering to be superior to what Amtrak offers in its lounge and cafe cars. Perhaps the tastes of travellers have changed in the past 50 years?
On a family vacation we rode the Gulf Wind from New Orleans to Jacksonville. Had dinner in the diner shortly after departing NOLA - the car's was 'Square Key Tavern' in reality it should have been named 'Square Wheels Tavern' I have never ridden such a rough riding car (even a caboose). The only times there weren't waves in the water was when we were stopped. The car was switched out of the train at Flomaton, AL so it could be used on the breakfast run back to NOLA on the other side of the run.
Never too old to have a happy childhood!
Electroliner 1935 BaltACD Of course Amtrak could advertise their trains without diners as 'low calorie diet specials'. Don't give then ideas.
BaltACD Of course Amtrak could advertise their trains without diners as 'low calorie diet specials'.
Don't give then ideas.
BaltACDOf course Amtrak could advertise their trains without diners as 'low calorie diet specials'.
-Don (Random stuff, mostly about trains - what else? http://blerfblog.blogspot.com/)
Sleeping car passengers that don't use the diner when it is included in the ticket price are just throwing money away.
Of course Amtrak could advertise their trains without diners as 'low calorie diet specials'.
I eat in dining cars because I want something better than snacks at mealtimes. I know--and I expect many others who have sleeping accomodations know--that the cost of the accomodation includes meals in the diner, and that the meals are not free. Most of those with whom I have shared tables seem to be people who are aware that they have paid for their meals when they bought their tickets or exchanged points for their tickets.
I never had any thought about asking others about their understanding of the cost of the meals.
Most Amtrak passengers ride on the NEC or State-sponsored corridors. Consequently most are riding less than 6 hours and not needing meal service. According to some "experts" on here, the bulk of Amtrak riders on LD trains are not riding from end point to end point, so even there many of the rides are under <8 hours. Additionally, the LD diners are mostly used by the sleeper passengers, perhaps only because they think the meal is free. Coach passengers only lightly use dining services, prefering the snack bar. So it seems likely that Anderson is saying who is actually using a traditional dining car service? And how many? Is that really needed?
[My error in dealing with defenders of subsidized dining cars I should have said most sleeping car passengers know they have actually already paid for the food. But that misses the point. If the meals were not a forced choice,i.e., they had to pay only if they ate, would sleeping car passengers partake of the menu? Maybe some would have some of the meals, but I doubt if they would choose all the offerings. And thus the subsidy for dining would have to be even higher, unless the actual cost were charged.]
PJS1 Samuel Johnston ........Now a Subway franchise nearby in walking distance or in station might do good for an evening meal. I ride the Texas Eagle between San Antonio and Dallas 8 to 12 times a year. The Eagle has a significant dwell time in Fort Worth. A seemingly large number of veteran coach riders appear to get off the train to grab their eats at the Subway inside the Fort Worth Intermodal Transit Center.
Samuel Johnston ........Now a Subway franchise nearby in walking distance or in station might do good for an evening meal.
........Now a Subway franchise nearby in walking distance or in station might do good for an evening meal.
I ride the Texas Eagle between San Antonio and Dallas 8 to 12 times a year. The Eagle has a significant dwell time in Fort Worth.
A seemingly large number of veteran coach riders appear to get off the train to grab their eats at the Subway inside the Fort Worth Intermodal Transit Center.
Meal stops!
Just like before dining cars were invented.
Greetings from Alberta
-an Articulate Malcontent
Rio Grande Valley, CFI,CFII
Probably none. Space issues with hot pizza. Now a Subway franchise nearby in walking distance or in station might do good for an evening meal. I think I did that with the Sure Late Ltd. out of Chicago in 2005, plus a visit to CVS.
I think the first time I took advantage of payng for my meals when I bought my ticket was in 1987,
Miningman Actually agree with the half of us that think discontinuing hot meal service is absurd. How it ever got to this point is absurd itself.
Actually agree with the half of us that think discontinuing hot meal service is absurd. How it ever got to this point is absurd itself.
GN_FanNo replacement crotch was necessary...it was white wine and just had to dry off. Altho it was embarrassing to walk up to the stewardess station with a wet crotch and ask for the replacement, I never noticed any smirks, laughter or anything else. And yes, it looked like I couldn't make it to the toilet in time. The joys of being 75 I guess. But then again, the alternative of making it this far is not good.
Having birthdays beats the alternative!
Miningman They give you a replacement crotch on Lufthansa? Geez that's pretty amazing! Actually agree with the half of us that think discontinuing hot meal service is absurd. How it ever got to this point is absurd itself.
They give you a replacement crotch on Lufthansa? Geez that's pretty amazing!
cfm-railThe transcontinental flights on American only had cold food. Hot meals in coach, even for a fee are not available on most airlines. Go to their web-sites and check out what is available in coach. Business class and the increasingly rare first class may have hot meals. Some transoceanic flights may still have hot meals
I'm an American expat retired in Italy and fly once a year to visit relatives in both Maine and California. I fly Lufthansa steerage between Trieste, Italy and Boston and return via Frisco to trieste. I had been taking the Lake Shore, Empire Builder, Coast Starlight to see my son in the Bay Area, but because of Richie Baby at Amtrak and his cutbacks, I'll be taking the Canadian to Vancouver instead. As for hot meals on international flights, all Lufthansa meals are hot. The arm room is horrible and the plates are plastic, but the silverware is metal and alcohol is included. The service is very good, even when you spill a glass of wine on your crotch and need a replacenment. Business class will run you $8,000 for a trip like that and a billion or so for 1st class, none of which is worth it.
I had the horrible experience of flying United out of Venice to Boston -- very late with ZERO explaination, having to wait in in a stairwell for a bus to board, starving while on board, having to pay for a glass of wine, plastic utinsels, no service, $13 for a ham and cheese sandwich, etc. it was horrible. NEVER again. And that's why I refuse to travle the LSL with cold food. Forget it Richie Baby. You can take your airline food and shove it.
V.Payne From the PDF at the link Table 1(A) / 1(B) all say "Not Available" and have for so since the data was first to have been reported.
From the PDF at the link Table 1(A) / 1(B) all say "Not Available" and have for so since the data was first to have been reported.
Who cares? The data is in the Monthly public report, as I said and using my link. All but one piece of data, the subsidy.
You didn't look at/understand the link? The data is there.
Variable cost typically requires the business to calculate it on the finance side or an outside group can construct an engineering analysis, like when they estimate how much it costs to build cell phones or cars per unit. Remember, the Legislature appropriated funds for the financial systems to do this.
However, FRA has had blank Table 1(A) and 1(B) sheets in their metrics waiting for this information, for 10 years, since PRIIA 2008.
That means Amtrak is not reporting the information as FRA is the granting agency. It is also missing from their February reports to the Legislature where it is supposed to be located.
Most of that is available monthly or can be easily calculated except for the subsidy breakdown. How do you know this info is not being provided?
Monthly report
Recall that even though "Amtrak shall" by law report short-term avoidable profit/loss for the routes yearly, they do not. Similar variable cost metrics are tracked weekly at the business I work.
So how exactly will they manage the business without knowing variable cost?
(a) Amtrak Annual Operations Report.—Not later than February 15 of each year, Amtrak shall submit to Congress a report that—
(1) for each route on which Amtrak provided intercity rail passenger transportation during the prior fiscal year, includes information on—
(A) ridership;
(B) passenger-miles;
(C) the short-term avoidable profit or loss for each passenger-mile;
(D) the revenue-to-cost ratio;
(E) revenues;
(F) the United States Government subsidy;
(G) the subsidy not provided by the United States Government; and
(H) on-time performance;
PJS1No real business would be confronted with this sort of conflict. It is an example of why the government should not be running a commercial activity.
I agree with most of your post. However, you do overgeneralize, in my opinion. The problem is Congress's micromanagement of Amtrak over its 47 years. Amtrak was set up as a quasi-public corporation but Congress started interfering with unfunded edicts almost immediately (many, many ludicrous example spring to the minds of most). Other countries have quasi-public corporations running national rail systems very successfully because they are protected from this sort of political nonsense.
You are right that is what the House called an earlier version of their rail bill.
But this text is from the House maintained US Code with annotations, based on Public Law 114-94, known as the FAST Act , which did pass at the end of 2015. I have no idea if that is considered an "error" in the US Code.
Just a remark, the Passenger Rail Reform and Investment Act of 2015 made it through the House but never the Senate.It died in the previous congress.
Parts of it were amended to the FAST Act (Fixing America's Surface Transportation). The Food and beverage reform is Section 11207 and contains the same text as cited above.Regards, Volker
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