Passenger Trains > The Cardinal really does need help.

My wife and son and I traveled from Cincinnati to Newark a few weeks ago and booked a sleeper.  We were excited to 1. travel by train.  2. have a room.  and 3.  Have 1st class food for the 3 meals we would be on board for.

​The late arrival of #51 into Chicago prevented that trainset from being turned into our #50, but I give credit to Amtrak for assembling a trainset for a departing #50.  It was a little late (about an hour late across it's entire route), but better than a multi-hour late trip.

​We awoke in the morning and headed to the 'Diner' and sat for breakfast.  The realization hit me that the food would not be of the quality of the Hoosier State, but still Amtrak food generally is good - to very good.  Unfortunately, the dining car steward informed us that the late #51 resulted in not only a different trainset, but a different OBS crew.  [He said they normally work the Lake Shore Limited].  He also stated the breakfast food option was a chicken biscuit - pictured below, or cereal.  Seriously?  This is similiar to the Chic-fil-A breakfast chicken biscuits, but since it is microwaved (bun and all), wasn't near as good.  In fact, I would rate what I received as 'bad'.  We were thoroughly disappointed - especially since we paid cash for this trip instead of using AGR points.  

​Now, I would much prefer an on-time train over better food, but this was ridiculous.  Absolutely ridiculous.  Can someone provide a contact for me to send this complaint to Amtrak?  It was really that bad.  Lunch and dinner were better but certainly not up to the standard of 1st class. 

​BTW, the Cardinal OBS crew can often be unpleasant to work with, but this crew was pleasant to have.  That was a plus. 

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Here's Amtrak's contact page:
https://www.amtrak.com/contact-us

Some veteran Amtrak travelers on TO might have another option to suggest.

KFC looks better.

Look, not making any excuses for Amtrak, but as a veteran Amtrak rider for 40 years, especially on the Cardinal, Crescent, and even more so on the Florida trains, this "breakfast" is not normal at all, The Cardinal has been running with this Diner - light baloney for a long time now, and while the food is not the best, it's always been better than what is pictured above. A call to customer service is in order. I've never been disappointed with the amount of money they're willing to refund for a bad experience..

I wouldn't expect much from a compliment or a complaint to Amtrak.  They don't care, and they don't respond.

At least not on any comments I've made in the last few years.  And, they don't pass on compliments to employees, either. 

a few weeks ago?  and you're just now complaining?
How were the rest of your meals?

Not to excuse this dining experience (please report it), but this comes up more often than it should. Amtrak doesn't market its sleeper class as First Class. That was ditched a long time ago. So anyone going into their sleeper travel with the expectation of First Class service and amenities is setting themselves up for disappointment. The only First Class service on the entire network is on the Acela trains.

And if Amtrak did try to market a First Class sleeper product, you can bet your first child that the Cretins of Congress would be howling bloody murder regardless of how Amtrak priced it.

 

ColdRainAndSnow Wrote:
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> Not to excuse this dining experience (please
> report it), but this comes up more often than it
> should. Amtrak doesn't market its sleeper class as
> First Class. That was ditched a long time ago. So
> anyone going into their sleeper travel with the
> expectation of First Class service and amenities
> is setting themselves up for disappointment. The
> only First Class service on the entire network is
> on the Acela trains.
>
> And if Amtrak did try to market a First Class
> sleeper product, you can bet your first child that
> the Cretins of Congress would be howling bloody
> murder regardless of how Amtrak priced it.
>
>

  Its still first Class Sleeping Cars to alot of people like me. It the only way to travel on LD Trains. Or travel in Business Class on my homebase train Amtrak 42&43 out Latrobe, Pa. I love my Sleeping Car. 

"First class" does convey a lot of elitism.  Like private jet, congressional country club, wall street bonus, etc.

Who cares?  It has be around for a long time.  Heck there was a red carpet for the "elite" 20th Century Limited.  Should have removed it and made the train coach only.

Lackawanna484 Wrote:
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> "First class" does convey a lot of elitism.  Like
> private jet, congressional country club, wall
> street bonus, etc.

Now here is the truth.

ColdRainAndSnow Wrote:
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> And if Amtrak did try to market a First Class
> sleeper product, you can bet your first child that
> the Cretins of Congress would be howling bloody
> murder regardless of how Amtrak priced it.
 

Chessie1963 Wrote:
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> Who cares?  It has be around for a long time.
>  Heck there was a red carpet for the "elite" 20th
> Century Limited.  Should have removed it and made
> the train coach only.
>
> Lackawanna484 Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > "First class" does convey a lot of elitism. 
> Like
> > private jet, congressional country club, wall
> > street bonus, etc.


No point in putting red meat in front of Congress, they're already irritated about Amtrak's losses.

People are willing to pay a lot more for some first class experiences when they think it confers value.  One developer slaps his name on luxury golf resorts, worldwide hotels, casino properties, etc.

It is no coincidence that Amtrak First Class service is alive and well on the NEC, the same NEC that Congressmen and their harem of lobbyists use for travel. No screaming bloody murder there. Just shameless hypocrisy.

Imagine if they sold that sandwich on Acela. It would be on the 5 o'clock news.

joemvcnj Wrote:
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> Imagine if they sold that sandwich on Acela. It
> would be on the 5 o'clock news.

I doubt it

Posted from iPhone

altoonafn Wrote:
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> joemvcnj Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Imagine if they sold that sandwich on Acela. It
> > would be on the 5 o'clock news.
>
> I doubt it
>
That sandwich would likely have tasted far better than the omlette I had in Acela first class a couple of months ago, which is the ONLY Amtrak meal I've had out of hundreds in the past 40 years I would rate as "BAD". 

I suspect that the last-minute switching of trainsets for the Cardinal also resulted in a partial menu from the Lakeshore as when I rode the Cardinal this past May, the microwaved omelette wasn't bad.  Not great, but OK.
 

ColdRainAndSnow Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> It is no coincidence that Amtrak First Class
> service is alive and well on the NEC, the same NEC
> that Congressmen and their harem of lobbyists use
> for travel. No screaming bloody murder there. Just
> shameless hypocrisy.

But we know that the NEC is profitable, and Acela mints money with its $2 per mile fares.

Mr Boardman said so.

So who does the OBS on the LSL if they're on thebCardinal ??? ...

Amtrak dining service continues to be a crap shoot- sometimes it's good and sometimes it's bad.  I've learned to enjoy the good meals and survive the bad ones, and I doubt that any number of letters, complaints, compliments or threats is going to change a thing.  We can either accept it as it is or take alternate transportation.  I certainly don't ride Amtrak for the meals.

Andy

If you want to get some notice to the problem, sit down and write a letter.  I mean a real letter, you know, the kind that you put on paper and fold it and put it in an envelope and put a stamp on it.  Write it and just stick with the facts and express your concern.  You don't have to mention the "idiots" or "lousy service" or things like that.  Be professional about it and just state what was wrong.  Then let it sit for a day or two and read it and make sure it says what you want it to say in a professional manner.  Then address it to:

Mr. Charles Moorman
National Railroad Passenger Corp. (Amtrak)
60 Massachusetts Ave. NE
Washington, DC   20002-4285

Mr. Moorman probably won't see it but it will get to his office area.  The last time I wrote to the CEO was several years ago and it was to comment on a problem and to complement the employees that tried to make things better.  About two weeks later I got a letter from his office. 

Anyone can get upset and fire off an e-mail to someone that doesn't really care but does what they can to collect the data and then send a form letter reply.  It takes a bit more effort to send an old fashion letter.  It shows you cared enough to make the extra effort.

John