Passenger Trains > Coast Starlight Question

I know the expresso machines in the Coast Starlight's Pacific Parlour Car have had problems in the past... but has Amtrak just given up on them?
I noticed in the that the expresso-based "speciality coffees" have been taken off the latest bar menu online.
Are there any recent riders that know if they still serve the expresso drinks?

Here's a link to the new menu online:
http://www.amtrak.com/ccurl/270/929/Coast-Starlight-Pacific-Parlour-Car-Bar-Menu-201211.pdf



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/18/12 12:19 by rickycourtney.

I can't give you any solid/factual information, but I believe it's safe to say that they are no longer. When they were first installed, I was given a tour of the refurbished cars including the new coffee machines. I said to Brian Rosenwald, "Well, they're really nice but there's no way these are Amtrak proof". He asked what I meant, and I told him that there is NO WAY you are going to get a group of Amtrak employees to follow the special cleaning rules and special operations of a fancy coffee machine--NO WAY. I told him I give it six months until they're either broken, stolen, or just simply begin collecting dust. As some may recall, these are VERY expensive machines that cost $10,000 per machine (they bought five of them). They are European made, and they are made specifically for trains. It's what most of the European trains use on a daily basis (with no problems of course, because they don't have to deal with "It's not my job" Amtrak employees). The machines required a special cleansing solution that was only available from Europe. No cleansing fluid, no coffee. Can you just imagine an Amtrak clerk trying to figure out how to order a European cleansing solution? Can you imagine them trying to figure out how to keep it in stock??? This had disaster written all over it from the beginning. I always fail to understand why Amtrak pulls stunts like this.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/19/12 04:29 by coaststarlight99.

Well said.

Dave Johansen
Glen Ellyn, IL

coaststarlight99 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
Can you just imagine an Amtrak
> clerk trying to figure out how to order a European
> cleansing solution? Can you imagine them trying to
> figure out how to keep it in stock??? This had
> disaster written all over it from the beginning. I
> always fail to understand why Amtrak pulls stunts
> like this.

Yes, I can imagine an Amtrak clerk ordering the solution, if he or she was given the authority, budget and instructions to do so. I don't automatically assume the worse of someone because he or she works for Amtrak.

Last two times I was on the Coast Starlight, the most recent being this past July, there was no mention of it made in the sleepers or Parlor Car - and for the July trip I had to get off the train at San Luis Obispo and then re-board the Coast Starlight a few days later for continuation on up to Portland.

I predicted the same for the coffee machine and the arcade car - that is not neeed and waste of money. They should have spent the money on some other sort of upgrade on the Pacific Parlor Cars. Even if they would have spent part of the money on special Pacific Parlor Card souvenirs that would have generated additional money, where the money could have been used to put it back into the car......

Heaven Help us, yet another Coffee Machine on Amtrak and Never Parts for any of them

Shortly after the Super II Diners and their New Coffee Urns showed up there was a Shortage of the Wire Basket to Hold the Pouches of Coffee,but my using a Piece from a Different Coffee Maker we got the Trains Out

I agree with Rule G since a dedicated Amtrak employee could have managed a coffee machine if he or she was trained to do so.
I traveled on #5 and #6 in July and the crew was just great.
My sleeping car attendant made up my bed and put if all back in the morning without asking.
The dining car staff was just great and I am sure the crew on the CZ would have done a great job mataining a coffee machine.
Bad employees will occur anywhere whether they are Amtrak, airlines, bus lines, etc ect....
Please don't pre judge people just because some of them are not good.

Hal

RuleG Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------

> Yes, I can imagine an Amtrak clerk ordering the
> solution, if he or she was given the authority,
> budget and instructions to do so. I don't
> automatically assume the worse of someone because
> he or she works for Amtrak.

You missed the point. Amtrak, as we all know, is 100% hit and miss. You get a great employee, or you get a crappy employee. Unfortunately, the crappy ones seem to outshine the great ones. Getting everyone on the same page with something that is very "custom" is NOT do-able at Amtrak. It *can* be done, given the right internal changes.....but that ain't happening any time soon.

Aw gee. Yes it's a crapshoot, but on my last 10 or 15 LD Amtrak trips, all in sleeper, I'd say the good ones have outnumbered the jerks 10:1. One of the best SCA's (CZ eastbound) spent any free time he had bending my ear about how the work sucked and how he had only 5 years before cashing in and hoped he never had to even look at a train after he retired. But by god he got the job done. I've never seen bathrooms kept as clean as he did. Yeah, it's a crapshoot but we as passengers can do a lot to help other passengers and the crew. Smiles, sympathy, tips (both kinds) and even pitching in to help if and when we're sure our "help" will actually help.

Looking forward to my next trip -- CL to SWC to CS, with luck maybe Cardinal instead of Cap Lim.

Cheers

Phil S

coaststarlight99 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> RuleG Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
>
> > Yes, I can imagine an Amtrak clerk ordering the
> > solution, if he or she was given the authority,
> > budget and instructions to do so. I don't
> > automatically assume the worse of someone
> because
> > he or she works for Amtrak.
>
> You missed the point. Amtrak, as we all know, is
> 100% hit and miss. You get a great employee, or
> you get a crappy employee. Unfortunately, the
> crappy ones seem to outshine the great ones.
> Getting everyone on the same page with something
> that is very "custom" is NOT do-able at Amtrak. It
> *can* be done, given the right internal
> changes.....but that ain't happening any time
> soon.

While it may not be the point you're trying to make, your reply reinforces your overall negative attitude of Amtrak employees.

RuleG Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------

> While it may not be the point you're trying to
> make, your reply reinforces your overall negative
> attitude of Amtrak employees.

Yes, I do have an overall negative view of AmEmployees. Some are great, and I give credit where credit is due. But there are so many duds out there who have no business being in the people profession.