Passenger Trains > Pennsylvanian Food Service Survey

I just received a call tonight from a firm doing a survey for Amtrak regarding my recent trip on the Pennsylvanian. It centered on food service. I answered a few question and the lady told me that she had a online questionnaire that she would like to send me. If I agreed to complete that 15 minute survey I would receive a check for $5.00. I agreed and completed the online survey. The online survey asked questions like this...If there were no food service on the Pennsylvanian would I continue to ride if the fare were the same? If there were no food service and the fare were lower would you ride? If there were food service and the fare was higher would you ride? Seems like they are trying to determine if they are going to continue to have food service on the Pennsylvanian. That train needs a food service car.

Keith Hunter
FOREST CITY, IA

Or is this some sort of precursor to see what type of food service they would offer on a Pennsylvanian that had through cars to Chicago tacked on. The Pennsylvanian is part of the national network and travels over 8 hours endpoint to endpoint. I can't imagine they would drop food service. Granted it I used to travel on the Three Rivers much more than the Pennsylvanian, but this is a long route from even Pittsburgh to Harrisburg/Philly without providing beverage service, let alone another 1.5 hours to get to/from NYC on the NEC. Personally, some of these long distance "day trains" could benefit from operating an Amfleet Diner Lite car as opposed to just an Amtrak Cafe/Lounge car. I am surprised there is not some law about trains travelling "X" hours without offering basic food/beverage service. They Keystone and Empire trains between NYP and Albany (solely) I can understand with no food service as they operate in under four hours and for the Keystone trains even have a semi-layover at Philly if one really needed to get off to get drink or food.

jp1822 Wrote:
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> Or is this some sort of precursor to see what type
> of food service they would offer on a
> Pennsylvanian that had through cars to Chicago
> tacked on....

Dream on. We had another discussion about a week ago about a similar survey concerning another train. I venture to guess this has to do with the reduction in operating grants and the need to apply for an operating grant for each individual route.

ts1457 Wrote:
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> jp1822 Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Or is this some sort of precursor to see what
> type
> > of food service they would offer on a
> > Pennsylvanian that had through cars to Chicago
> > tacked on....
>
> Dream on. We had another discussion about a week
> ago about a similar survey concerning another
> train. I venture to guess this has to do with the
> reduction in operating grants and the need to
> apply for an operating grant for each individual
> route.

Then it would appear there are a LOT of trains that would fall into this category such as the Pennsylvanian because there are a number of these long distance day trains that are currently not subsidized by the State and are part of the national system. Only the Keystone trains between NYP and Harrisburh are state supported by Pennsylvania, not the Pennsylvanian.

I was the one who posted my account of the survey of food service on the Empire Builder.
I wonder what Amtrak has in store for us who look forward to meals in the dining cars?
Will meals in the future consist of putting a few quarters in a machine to get a stale
egg salad sandwich?

Zopilote Wrote:
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> I was the one who posted my account of the survey
> of food service on the Empire Builder.
> I wonder what Amtrak has in store for us who look
> forward to meals in the dining cars?
> Will meals in the future consist of putting a few
> quarters in a machine to get a stale
> egg salad sandwich?


Perhaps they received an unusual number of comments or complaints about the food service, and they're exploring changes in delivery. First thing to determine is how representative the complaints are among a broader population of Empire Builder passengers.

Zopilote Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I was the one who posted my account of the survey
> of food service on the Empire Builder.
> I wonder what Amtrak has in store for us who look
> forward to meals in the dining cars?
> Will meals in the future consist of putting a few
> quarters in a machine to get a stale
> egg salad sandwich?

Zopilote Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I was the one who posted my account of the survey
> of food service on the Empire Builder.
> I wonder what Amtrak has in store for us who look
> forward to meals in the dining cars?
> Will meals in the future consist of putting a few
> quarters in a machine to get a stale
> egg salad sandwich?


Reminds me of SPs infamous atomatic buffet cars,to reduce diner cost.Had a row of vending machines
for food sevice.Was a attendent there to make change and make cocktails For those that wanted one.
Think there was canned beer in one of the vending machines? Think D.J.Russell was president of the
SP at the time. That was his idea to cut passenger costs? I old enough to remember them. Rode a couple
of times.

pb