Passenger Trains > comments on 49(25) NYP-ALB lounge service

Yesterday was my reverse many-mode trip from Key West to Utica. Using many private auto, commuter air, long-distance air, city bus, elevated, subway, and AMTRAK, every one of my segments were within 5 minutes of the advertised.

While crews aboard the Lake Shore Limited were excellent, the system for lounge service between New York and Albany is structured so that effectively there is no lounge service. The single food service car coming out of NYP is the now-infamous modified Amfleet food dinette car - it is intended to serve as diner-lounge to Albany and then diner beyond. However, preparation for dinner service, which begins at 5pm (train leaves NYP at 3:40), means most of the counter space is used for food prep. In addition, the Lead Service Attendant (aka, Steward) is not only responsible for any sales transactions in the car but also for taking dinner reservations.

In yesterday's case, an announcement was made about 30 minutes into the trip that the lounge portion was not yet available, and an announcement would be made when it was available. I never heard that second announcement.

At 45 minutes into my journey I decided to go back and after a short wait for the passage of the conductor to open the locked door, I was told I would have to wait until the LSA returned to get a libation or snack. No table space was allocated for lounge use. Finally the crew took pity on me (or simply wanted me out of there) and served me my order, but politely agreed it would be best if I took it forward to my seat.

Along the way I encountered the LSA still working the coaches for reservations ... she look a little startled to see me with drink in hand.

I repeatedly heard the coach attendant and the operating crew telling people who asked that they would be better off waiting until Albany when a real cafe car would be added to the train and all manner of snacks, light meals, and drinks would be be available. That, in effect, what the timetable says about lounge service is, in practice, untrue. The result is that most coach passengers will ride from 3:40 until 7:05 with no real snack and beverage service.

On the other hand, the dinner service was handled well. The entrees (all now prepared by the upscale sous vide method which produces tender and moist entrees to be reheated on the train in the limited preparation space) were excellent - at my table chicken, beef, and jambalaya were all well-received. The accompanying medley of vegetables were delightfully crisp, not overcooked. Rolls were warmed before service. Service was prompt and professional. The little things matter. As a cash customer, I felt I received good value for my money.

(Curious note: when I was seated for the 7pm seating just after the restoration of HEP at Albany, a table-mate asked about beer and was told the import was all sold out already and only Budweiser swill (my term) was left. It took questioning to discover that some fine micro-brews were available. Apparently the lounge operation of the food service car from NYP is not well stocked, again suggesting a corporate attempt to hope passengers will wait until the 449 section is added to the train at Albany).

So, for food service I give them a B+/A- (still prefer on-board food preparation), but for lounge service D-. I still remember the NYCRR diner/lounges in which one section of the car functioned as lounge space until/unless the seating was actually needed for food service, not pre-set for anticipated service. When not needed it was always available for lounge seating and lounge items were always available.

For those who keep track of on-time performance, you will note that despite a double stop at Schenectady we were only 2 minute down out of there ... but lost 6 minutes from there to Utica, account two slow orders over bridges (West Canada Creek at Herkimer [10 mph], NYS Barge Canal at Schuyler [25 mph]) - recent extreme rains and the subsequent flash flooding seem to have made CSX cautious about these older bridges. Without those delays we would have been into Utica early.

My experience last Thursday was quite a bit better. They announced snack service available from 4:45 to 5pm, then dinner seatings would start.

West of Albany, we had a pretty good conductor to Buffalo whose station dwell time was as short as it could be. Disappointing was travel to Schenectady at a 30 MPH schlep, mostly approach signals.

64 came in on time and just ahead of 68. I don't know which departed first.

Posted from Android

Sounds like you had a slightly worse than average experience, but only slightly.

I'm a regular customer on afternoon northbounds, LSL included.  It is routine to be told to go back to your seat and wait for an announcement that the lounge car is open, and then to have that announcement never come.  By "routine" I mean "well over half the time, unless you make a pest out of yourself and end up looking like an alcoholic in the process."

This happens even on the Rutland and Niagara Falls trains, and it is infuriating.

Even when the LSL was carrying a full diner, you would seldom hear any announcement that it was open.

If I sound exasperated, well, I am.

I sure hope that people who complain on here take the time to actually communicate with Amtrak about the issues/concerns/problems they experience when travelling on Amtrak. Carping about it among ourselves does nothing and I hope that not all that there is.

wtsherman100 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I sure hope that people who complain on here take
> the time to actually communicate with Amtrak about
> the issues/concerns/problems they experience when
> travelling on Amtrak. Carping about it among
> ourselves does nothing and I hope that not all
> that there is.

<LIKE>

I'm sure there are operations people at Amtrak who are pained to hear about this kind of non-service. Bar and beverage --should be--wildly profitable.

Amtrak should not be allowing people on the front line and in support to shut off the money gusher.

Posted from Android

I am amazed at this thread. The single New York to Chicago train does not serve drinks or meals before departing Albany? Perhaps I misunderstood.
The New York Central had reached a pinnacle of disdain for passengers by the 60's, but I would always have a drink in my hand by Yonkers and sitting down to dinner out of Croton Harmon. Perhaps NYC was just not innovative enough in its effort to rid itself of the passenger business.

No. There is a dinner seating at 5pm up the Hudson. His point was the invisible take out snack service.

Posted from Android

Thanks for clearing that up.

already done!

wtsherman100 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I sure hope that people who complain on here take
> the time to actually communicate with Amtrak about
> the issues/concerns/problems they experience when
> travelling on Amtrak. Carping about it among
> ourselves does nothing and I hope that not all
> that there is.

That is precisely my point - an afternoon libation, sitting in lounge space, while traveling up the Hudson is part of the reason to take that train. We were well past Croton Harmon when it was only my initiative that got me served, and then without a place to sit down in the alleged lounge car.

Alas, the days chronicled in "North by Northwest" are gone ... but I do wonder why the only person who is designated to take money for drinks and snacks is instead taking dinner reservations?

(let me add to my note: when I did get served by another member of the staff who took pity on me [or wanted me out of there] it was evident that the case in which the drink support items had been loaded on the train ... tonic water, stirrers, etc.,... had not been opened or unpacked. In other words, in the 45 minutes from departure and 1 hour from train arrival from the yard into NYP, nothing had been done to get ready to provide the advertised lounge service.)

prrmpup Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I am amazed at this thread. The single New York to
> Chicago train does not serve drinks or meals
> before departing Albany? Perhaps I misunderstood.
> The New York Central had reached a pinnacle of
> disdain for passengers by the 60's, but I would
> always have a drink in my hand by Yonkers and
> sitting down to dinner out of Croton Harmon.
> Perhaps NYC was just not innovative enough in its
> effort to rid itself of the passenger business.

Thanks for the clarification.
As I understand it you can get dinner out of New York but not have a drink in the lounge section. What threw me off was the discussion about dinner out of Albany, but that was your choice, yes?

Again need to complain to customer service

Posted from iPhone

This is a very depressing thread to read! Reminds me of the SW Chief at Kansas City. They close the lounge car now, just as people are getting on #3. Heck! It's only 10:30pm. At least give the Kansas City passengers a chance to have a little enjoyment before they try & sleep.

Passengers must be a real nussiance for the dining car and cafe crews! But even if it was available I find the Amfleet cafe - or diner lite - pretty depressing places and not where I where I would want to hang out. For that reason we alway bring our own wine and have a pre dinner glass in our room. But it does defy logic why Amtrak would have the equipment on the train and not maximize the revenue from it. If it's too 'disruptive' for the crew, have a rolling cart that goes goes through the coaches shortly after NYP departure. A few years ago we were on the Hiawatha and were glad to have snacks available from the cart. On a recent trip overseas, it was the common practice there on the HSR trains.

Allow me to add another pet NYP-ALB peeve: 

This is a typical scene once the lounge car actually opens (Not the LSL in this case, this is the Ethan Allen).  It is common for crew members to take up two or three of the tables in the lounge car, making these tables unavailable for passengers.  Often the obstruction isn't even a crew member--it's his bag or some other item that could be put overhead if anybody actually gave a crap about customer service.

This pic was shot on my most recent homeward trudge last week.  Three out of the six tables in the lounge are taken up with crewmen or their paraphernalia.  I don't really begrudge these guys taking up a table, but THREE?  This is not an aberration, it is a standard practice.

On this day, the lounge had a steady stream of customers, many of whom evidently wanted to sit at a table and watch the Hudson River go by.  The view is better in the lounge than it is in the coaches.  Three of us wound up jammed into the one remaining table, and several customers gave up and returned to their seats.  A few of them went back disappointed without purchasing anything.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 07/28/17 17:58 by march_hare.

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mp51w Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> This is a very depressing thread to read! Reminds
> me of the SW Chief at Kansas City. They close the
> lounge car now, just as people are getting on #3.
> Heck! It's only 10:30pm. At least give the Kansas
> City passengers a chance to have a little
> enjoyment before they try & sleep.

Are you saying they close the entire lounge car, or just the snack bar sales?

march_hare Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Allow me to add another pet NYP-ALB peeve: 
>
> This is a typical scene once the lounge car
> actually opens (Not the LSL in this case, this is
> the Ethan Allen).  It is common for crew members
> to take up two or three of the tables in the
> lounge car, making these tables unavailable for
> passengers.  Often the obstructionisn't even a
> crew member--it's his bag or some other item that
> could be put overhead if anybody actually gave a
> crap about customer service.
>
> This pic was shot on my most recent homeward
> trudge kast week.  Three out of the six tables in
> the lounge are taken up with crewmen or their
> periphernalia.  I don't really begrudge these
> guys taking up a table, but THREE?  This is not
> an abberation, it is a standard practice.
>
> On this day, the lounge had a steady stream of
> customers, many of whom evidently wanted to sit at
> a table and watch the Hudson River go by.  The
> view is better in the lounge than it is in the
> coaches.  Three of us wound up jammed into the
> one remaining table, and several customers gave up
> and returned to their seats.  A few of them went
> back disappointed without purchasing anything.


I'm becoming concerned that nobody at Amtrak. HQ is interested. At all. Isn't anyone in charge?

Posted from Android

This really isn't anything new. I rode the Palmetto quite a bit, and the crew would take up two tables, but at least they had three crew people, two trainmen and a baggage person. Two taking up three tables is quite impressive.