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News Wire: Cold-meal service coming to 'Capitol Limited,' 'Lake Shore Limited'

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Posted by Deggesty on Saturday, April 28, 2018 8:45 PM

Overmod

My wish is that no one ever suffers a garnishMENT and that we get great gifts that are not in the German sense of the word.

 

Ja, eine deutscher Gift ist nicht gut fuer den Leib.

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Posted by Overmod on Saturday, April 28, 2018 8:11 PM

My wish is that no one ever suffers a garnishMENT and that we get great gifts that are not in the German sense of the word.

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Posted by Miningman on Saturday, April 28, 2018 7:44 PM

Overmod recovers and gives an excellent counter. I declare a tie!

My wish is no one every suffers a garnishee and we all get great gifted gifts. 

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Posted by Overmod on Saturday, April 28, 2018 6:30 PM

Deggesty
Well, Webster's Third New International English Dictionary defends "garnishee" as a verb, meaning to attach part of a person's pay.

Yes, but (1) it's not the preferred verb; and (2) the OED makes the correct distinction -- they recognize the use as a verb, but note it's secondary.

This is one of those things like using 'gift' as a verb - you may find it in the dictionary as the rot spreads in the culture, but it will never be right.

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Posted by Miningman on Saturday, April 28, 2018 5:30 PM

....and Johnny counters with the old 'iron skillet to the head' move.

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Posted by charlie hebdo on Saturday, April 28, 2018 4:46 PM

Deggesty

 

 
Overmod

Johnny, "garnishee" as a verb is, at best, a sturdy indefensible.  It's the noun for the person whose wage is garnished.  And we have too much using nouns as verbs in sloppy contemporary practice as it is.

A bit like that ridiculous line of dreck that came out of 'the Mac is not a typewriter' -- the idea that there are not two spaces separating sentences in 'desktop published' composition.  The wretched idea that the space between composed words is adjusted just like that between sentences not only makes a mockery out of esthetics, it makes it impossible to automate capitalization and punctuation in a straightforward way, especially if you are an iOS "engineer" trying to make text entry workable.

 

 

 

Well, Webster's Third New International English Dictionary defends "garnishee" as a verb, meaning to attach part of a person's pay.

 

 

According to the OED, you are both correct.  However, in law garnish is a verb, garnishee is a noun, as "a third party who is instructed by way of legal notice to surrender money to settle a debt or claim."  It can also be used as an adjective, as "a garnishee order."

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Posted by Deggesty on Saturday, April 28, 2018 4:04 PM

Overmod

Johnny, "garnishee" as a verb is, at best, a sturdy indefensible.  It's the noun for the person whose wage is garnished.  And we have too much using nouns as verbs in sloppy contemporary practice as it is.

A bit like that ridiculous line of dreck that came out of 'the Mac is not a typewriter' -- the idea that there are not two spaces separating sentences in 'desktop published' composition.  The wretched idea that the space between composed words is adjusted just like that between sentences not only makes a mockery out of esthetics, it makes it impossible to automate capitalization and punctuation in a straightforward way, especially if you are an iOS "engineer" trying to make text entry workable.

 

Well, Webster's Third New International English Dictionary defends "garnishee" as a verb, meaning to attach part of a person's pay.

Johnny

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Posted by Overmod on Saturday, April 28, 2018 3:04 PM

Johnny, "garnishee" as a verb is, at best, a sturdy indefensible.  It's the noun for the person whose wage is garnished.  And we have too much using nouns as verbs in sloppy contemporary practice as it is.

A bit like that ridiculous line of dreck that came out of 'the Mac is not a typewriter' -- the idea that there are not two spaces separating sentences in 'desktop published' composition.  The wretched idea that the space between composed words is adjusted just like that between sentences not only makes a mockery out of esthetics, it makes it impossible to automate capitalization and punctuation in a straightforward way, especially if you are an iOS "engineer" trying to make text entry workable.

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Posted by Deggesty on Saturday, April 28, 2018 7:54 AM

railfanjohn

So if I understand all of this correctly - When I take the Capitol Limited in June;  Washington, DC to Chicago, IL (and return);  the train will not include a dining car?  I am booked in sleeper space so I will get a cold meal delivered to my room, which I can then take to a table in the lounge car (seating subject to availability - 1st come 1st accomodated) ?  Please explain to me how this will "enhance" my Amtrak experience?

 

 

Perhaps Amtrak has redefined the word "enhance"? Or is someone at Amtrak so unlearned as to not have any idea as to the meaning of the word? 

I do not know of any word similar in form to "enhance" that means "reduce pleasure," but I am reminded of the fact that some people use the word "garnish" ("add to") when they mean "garnishee" (sequester part of someone eles's pay).

Johnny

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Posted by railfanjohn on Friday, April 27, 2018 10:43 PM

So if I understand all of this correctly - When I take the Capitol Limited in June;  Washington, DC to Chicago, IL (and return);  the train will not include a dining car?  I am booked in sleeper space so I will get a cold meal delivered to my room, which I can then take to a table in the lounge car (seating subject to availability - 1st come 1st accomodated) ?  Please explain to me how this will "enhance" my Amtrak experience?

 

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Posted by ruderunner on Sunday, April 22, 2018 5:16 PM

this is interesting, I've not seen a thread or thread update about this  I did read the newswire article but for whatever reason I've not been able to read comments on newswire for a couple weeks.

It certainly does seem like florFlo government is against private party passenger trains.

Modeling the Cleveland and Pittsburgh during the PennCentral era starting on the Cleveland lakefront and ending in Mingo junction

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Posted by PJS1 on Sunday, April 22, 2018 5:16 PM

CMStPnP
 chrsjrcj  Are the sleeping cars a bigger money loser than coach? I would think the opposite when rooms can approach $1k on popular trains, where as a coach ticket is typically only $100-$200 for the same journey. 

Well, I'll be damned.  This is the second time in this thread that I agree 100 percent with CMStPnP's analysis.  It is largely in line with the IG's 2005 study of sleeping car subsidies vs. coach subsidies. 

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Posted by ROBERT WILLISON on Sunday, April 22, 2018 4:00 PM

zugmann
I think  partially that we want to keep politics out of here. You here the retoric for all sides all day long till it becomes numbing.

In the case of bright line, is the flak coming from the highway lobbist? Between miami and cocoa beach I 95 is 8 laned for the majority of the trip and parallel to it  the florida turnpike is 6 lane. The same goes for  I 4 between tampa- Orlando and Daytona. We are talking like California grid lock with no more room for concrete.

From what I read bright line is exceeding expectations, so Floridians have begun to embrace it. Maybe it's a little fear.

 

 
CMStPnP
I find it rather disconcerting that nobody was offended at how Brightline was treated by Congress this week. Apparently Congress feels that passenger rail operations should not be privately run either. A very clear bias that the highway lobby is in control. I would think all railfans would jump on but was met with a rather curious silence in these forums and a ho-hum.

 

So why not start a topic?

 

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Posted by CMStPnP on Sunday, April 22, 2018 2:32 PM

zugmann
So why not start a topic?

It's in the Trains Magazine Newswire section.    Everytime I start a topic and link to that part of the website someone tells me I should have waited for Brian Schmidt (Trains Editor) to do the link.

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Posted by zugmann on Sunday, April 22, 2018 12:17 PM

CMStPnP
I find it rather disconcerting that nobody was offended at how Brightline was treated by Congress this week. Apparently Congress feels that passenger rail operations should not be privately run either. A very clear bias that the highway lobby is in control. I would think all railfans would jump on but was met with a rather curious silence in these forums and a ho-hum.

So why not start a topic?

It's been fun.  But it isn't much fun anymore.   Signing off for now. 


  

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Posted by zugmann on Sunday, April 22, 2018 12:14 PM

BaltACD
Sleep Inn and Comfort Inn and a number of other motel chains offer a 'real' brealfast of your chosing. Bacon, Sausage, Eggs, Cereal, Fruit, Waffles - doing it on a train is more difficult, however, it could be done with one attendent and the proper supplies.

Holiday Inn Express has those "gain 5#s by looking at them" cinnamon buns, though.

It's been fun.  But it isn't much fun anymore.   Signing off for now. 


  

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Posted by ROBERT WILLISON on Sunday, April 22, 2018 11:59 AM

CMStPnP

 Nothing has chsnged for the better.

 
ROBERT WILLISON
Hopefully the fall election's will solve some of these issues and restore funding that Amtrak needs to operate.

 

The same conventional wisdom that led to the shock of 2016,  will lead to the shock of 2018.   It will be worth twice the snickering though if you ask me because again those that want the status quo will be again be shocked the country has changed and is tired of it.

I find it rather disconcerting that nobody was offended at how Brightline was treated by Congress this week.   Apparently Congress feels that passenger rail operations should not be privately run either.    A very clear bias that the highway lobby is in control.     I would think all railfans would jump on but was met with a rather curious silence in these forums and a ho-hum.

 

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Posted by CMStPnP on Sunday, April 22, 2018 11:44 AM

chrsjrcj
Are the sleeping cars a bigger money loser than coach? I would think the opposite when rooms can approach $1k on popular trains, where as a coach ticket is typically only $100-$200 for the same journey. 

Yup, they lose more money because they haul less passengers plus Amtrak wants to stick with a pricing model that attracts the most people to the train vs a pricing model that attempts to recover the actual costs.     So even if Amtrak sold out the Sleeping car for 4-5 consecutive nights in a row on some runs, it would still lose money.    

Some acedemic exercises for you to prove to yourself that Amtrak is undercharging for Sleeping Car Passengers.

1. See if you can find some old tarriffs from Class I Sleeping Car service for approx equal sized accomodations and bring the rates up to today using an inflation calculator.

2. If you find #1 too challenging, hell just compare the VIA Rail Canada Sleeping Car rates to Amtrak and make the appropriate dollar adjustments and see if VIA Rail is not charging more, for older equipment. 

3. Sleeping Car passengers provide the bulk of the Dining Car's patronage yet most do not tip for the service nor do they pay much in the Dining Car because meals are free and included in the fare (which means Sleeping Car charges are even less than what you state above, if you subtract the meals included).

4. See any difference in price in the Viewliner Sleepers vs the Superliner Sleepers?    Viewliner can carry less than a Superliner, is a lot newer, but should have approx the same single car running costs as a Superliner or close to it.    But less passengers so what does Amtrak do?     Well, um it is part of the Sleeping Car fleet......and the rooms are similar.......lets charge the same or similar rate as we do on a Western Train.     Thats how Amtrak runs a business.

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Posted by BaltACD on Saturday, April 21, 2018 9:59 PM

zugmann
They need a pancake machine like at Holiday Inn Express.

Sleep Inn and Comfort Inn and a number of other motel chains offer a 'real' brealfast of your chosing.  Bacon, Sausage, Eggs, Cereal, Fruit, Waffles - doing it on a train is more difficult, however, it could be done with one attendent and the proper supplies.

Never too old to have a happy childhood!

              

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Posted by PJS1 on Saturday, April 21, 2018 9:42 PM

MidlandMike
 So you cannot think of a successful business that wants to do things just like they were done in the 1950s.  Is Greyhound still in business?  

Cruse lines cerentainly have changed since the 50s.  

Greyhound completely revamped its business model, thanks in no small part to the influence of First Group, which is the UK based firm that owns it.

Cruise ships have changed dramatically since they first appeared on the scene.  They feature more amenities, in part because they are huge compared to their predecessors, and they carry lot more paying passengers. 

The Carnival Valor, which I returned on today from a five day cruise, has a gross weight of 110,000 tons and carries 2,980 guests.  But it is not Carnival's largest ship, which is the Vista class at more than 133,500 tons.  They can carry more than 3,900 paying guests.  

Cruise ships today don't look anything like they did 25 years ago when 70,000 tons and 2,000 guests was considered huge.  That's the point.  They have changed dramatically to meet a changing market.

Interestingly, the Carnival Vista's displacement at 133,500 tons outstrips the Gerald Ford class carrier at 100,000 long tons and 110,000 short tons.  

Revamping the long-distance trains may be the best hope of keeping them around. 

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Posted by zugmann on Saturday, April 21, 2018 8:37 PM

MidlandMike
Maybe the cruse lines should act like a business and just serve cold food and make people sleep on deck chairs.

As long as the passengers are drunk, teye'd be happy with that.

It's been fun.  But it isn't much fun anymore.   Signing off for now. 


  

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Posted by MidlandMike on Saturday, April 21, 2018 8:36 PM

PJS1

 

 
CMStPnP
I'm OK with the change and to me it appears to be a innovative move financially.   Wow, I used Amtrak and "Innovative" in the same post. 

 

Sounds like Anderson is intent on managing Amtrak like a real business.  And that is innovative.

If I were Anderson I would get rid of the dining cars and sleepers.  I would convert the sleepers to business class cars with pods similar to those found on international flights and upgrade the lounge car menus to include cold meals as well as whatever can be heated up in a microwave.

I cannot think of a successful business that wants to do things just like they were done in the 1950s.   But that's what those who insist on no changes to the long-distance trains seem to be saying. 

Eighty-five percent of the long-distance trains passengers ride coach class.  I doubt that a sit-down meal in the dining car is high on their priority list. 

 

Didn't the railroads run their passenger trains like a business?  How did that work out for them?

So you cannot think of a successful business that wants to do things just like they were done in the 1950s.  Is Greyhound still in business?  

Cruse lines cerentainly have changed since the 50s.  Passengers used to be happy with a porthole, but now they want a sliding glass door to a veranda.  And passengers no longer have to dress up for dinner in the main dinning room, but have the option to go to the buffet in their shorts.  Of course they can still get hot food.  Maybe the cruse lines should act like a business and just serve cold food and make people sleep on deck chairs.

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Posted by zugmann on Saturday, April 21, 2018 8:15 PM

They need a pancake machine like at Holiday Inn Express.

It's been fun.  But it isn't much fun anymore.   Signing off for now. 


  

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Posted by runnerdude48 on Saturday, April 21, 2018 6:33 PM

CMStPnP
 I would think all railfans would jump on but was met with a rather curious silence in these forums and a ho-hum.

Oh CMStPnP, they're still all worked up over not being able to go down to the station and get a timetable or able to get hot pancakes in the diner.  They haven't gotten to the things that really matter.  And I doubt they ever will.

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Posted by CMStPnP on Saturday, April 21, 2018 5:35 PM

ROBERT WILLISON
Hopefully the fall election's will solve some of these issues and restore funding that Amtrak needs to operate.

The same conventional wisdom that led to the shock of 2016,  will lead to the shock of 2018.   It will be worth twice the snickering though if you ask me because again those that want the status quo will be again be shocked the country has changed and is tired of it.

I find it rather disconcerting that nobody was offended at how Brightline was treated by Congress this week.   Apparently Congress feels that passenger rail operations should not be privately run either.    A very clear bias that the highway lobby is in control.     I would think all railfans would jump on but was met with a rather curious silence in these forums and a ho-hum.

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Posted by chrsjrcj on Saturday, April 21, 2018 5:34 PM

This is a service downgrade, plain and simple. At least when they whacked the diner off the Star, they cut prices on the sleeping car (since meals are technically included in the fare. 

 

PJS1

 

 
CMStPnP
I'm OK with the change and to me it appears to be a innovative move financially.   Wow, I used Amtrak and "Innovative" in the same post. 

 

Sounds like Anderson is intent on managing Amtrak like a real business.  And that is innovative.

If I were Anderson I would get rid of the dining cars and sleepers.  I would convert the sleepers to business class cars with pods similar to those found on international flights and upgrade the lounge car menus to include cold meals as well as whatever can be heated up in a microwave.

I cannot think of a successful business that wants to do things just like they were done in the 1950s.   But that's what those who insist on no changes to the long-distance trains seem to be saying. 

Eighty-five percent of the long-distance trains passengers ride coach class.  I doubt that a sit-down meal in the dining car is high on their priority list. 

 

 

Are the sleeping cars a bigger money loser than coach? I would think the opposite when rooms can approach $1k on popular trains, where as a coach ticket is typically only $100-$200 for the same journey. 

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Posted by Deggesty on Saturday, April 21, 2018 4:51 PM

zugmann

Maybe the engineer can make a few bucks heating up passengers' meals on the engine block?

 

And stopping so his assistant can pick road kill up and butcher it?

Johnny

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Posted by zugmann on Saturday, April 21, 2018 4:32 PM

Maybe the engineer can make a few bucks heating up passengers' meals on the engine block?

It's been fun.  But it isn't much fun anymore.   Signing off for now. 


  

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Posted by PJS1 on Saturday, April 21, 2018 4:27 PM

CMStPnP
I'm OK with the change and to me it appears to be a innovative move financially.   Wow, I used Amtrak and "Innovative" in the same post. 

Sounds like Anderson is intent on managing Amtrak like a real business.  And that is innovative.

If I were Anderson I would get rid of the dining cars and sleepers.  I would convert the sleepers to business class cars with pods similar to those found on international flights and upgrade the lounge car menus to include cold meals as well as whatever can be heated up in a microwave.

I cannot think of a successful business that wants to do things just like they were done in the 1950s.   But that's what those who insist on no changes to the long-distance trains seem to be saying. 

Eighty-five percent of the long-distance trains passengers ride coach class.  I doubt that a sit-down meal in the dining car is high on their priority list. 

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Posted by ROBERT WILLISON on Saturday, April 21, 2018 1:01 PM

NKP guy

   Well, this is good news!  Paying passengers will no longer have to wonder when the new Viewliner diners will finally be in service on the Lake Shore Limited because the answer is "never."  These now-unneeded dining cars may be converted at probably modest cost into coaches.

   Futher benefits:  Passengers will no longer have to endure moving to another car to eat their meals, only to find total strangers seated at their table.  The dangers of hot food will be eliminated.  Bonus:  Passengers will now enjoy contemporary cold cuisine instead of the stodgy traditional dining and hospitality.

   National benefit:  Amtrak will at last save enormous amounts of money; this will enable it to finally make a profit and earn the approval of a conservative-led Congress which has recently shown again its devotion to fiscal responsibility.

   Operational benefit:  The inevitable fewer passengers will soon obviate the need for more than one sleeper and a coach or two.  Another big savings here.

   Question:  Which pizza shops in Rensselaer deliver to the trains at the railroad station?  

 

u

Hopefully the fall election's will solve some of these issues and restore funding that Amtrak needs to operate.

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