From The Washington Post: “Amtrak says it is reinventing its dining service on long-distance trains, killing the traditional dining car to create more ‘flexible’ and ‘contemporary’ dining options.”
I remember sitting in a dining car just once — white tablecloth, eggs. Other than that, I’ve known only café cars serving sandwiches — tuna salad on stiff white bread. The tuna salad had relish mixed in.
Now is a good time to visit the Railroad Dining Car Archives.
Sunday, September 22, 2019
The end of the dining car
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comments: 9
I wondered about this as I think it was announced there was no dining car on the Capitol Limited this trip, and I don't remember any seating announcements or last calls either. I did eat in the dining car a few times on the old Broadway Limited. I'd probably have a hard time fitting in the booths now (I have that problem with the cafe car). I am Not Surprised by this.
We've become a casual society, going to even jury duty and church and such in casual clothes. The audience for opera is aging. The dress code for fine dining is relaxed. On the train, people want pizza, sandwiches, chips, pop, and beer. I imagine decreasing demand met increasing costs (no linens, and it takes just one employee to run the cafe car).
I noticed, although I can't remember when, Amtrak stopped giving out little head pillows for people in coach on overnight trains. They'd have to collect them, remove and replace (or wash?) the covers, etc. I wish I had noticed when. It finally dawned on me that it wasn't an aberration, and just recently I bought camp pillow — after my recent trip.
P.S. The cafe car sandwiches and choices are getting better.
When I first started traveling for business, the airlines had just started to move away from traditional dinner service on shorter flights. I remember American coming up with something called “Bistro Bags” which were basically individual brown bags of snacks. They didn’t even deliver the bags to your seat - they were set up on a table at the check-in, and you carried it on by yourself. I assume Amtrak’s “flexible” service might include something similar.
Pete — I finally had a chance to skim the article. I think they tried boxes, which went over like a lead balloon. Also recall something about pre-ordering online.
I was struck by the idea that the millennial and post generations don't like the idea of sitting at a table with a stranger. I'm an introvert and it's uncomfortable but that's the adventure of travel by train. When I was younger, my seat companion would ask me what I was reading, etc., and we'd kill time chatting. One fellow was a history major; another was a Chicago Tribune press man. When this stopped, I figured it was partly because I wasn't young and potentially interesting anymore. Now I wonder if it's just this turning inward toward devices.
We had several long train trips, one from Atlanta to NYC to embark for the voyage to Bremerhaven, then train to Frankfurt am Main... so cold between cars as we made our way to the dining car. I do not recall anything about the food! My brother was a babe in arms, and I was only three.
Thanks, everyone, for these travel moments. I suppose that the dining in the dining car will become something that people can describe to later generations, like sending a telegram and calling long-distance.
Or calling long distance, using a phone company calling card. I think I still remember my dad’s four-digit access code.
The pacific coast starlight express had a dining car, an observation car and a small movie theatre. I can't say I ever watched a movie, but I'm sad that all these things are going. I mean, the dining car food isn't great, but I actually ironically like the opportunity to be seated with strangers and share a meal.
Yep — and so much better than everyone looking at their phones.
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