Passenger Trains > Amtrak advice needed

In a few days, I will be making a one way business related day trip on The California Zephyr between Roseville & Reno. It’s my understanding coach class travelers are no longer served in the dining car. Instead of being stuck with the gas station style food offerings in the lower lounge, I plan to pack my own deli-prepared sandwich aboard to eat instead. My question is, can I actually do this? Is outside food allowed aboard? I don’t want a scene to erupt with any onboard staff when I unwrap my lunch in my coach or lounge seat. I do plan to “smuggle” some beef jerky & trail mix aboard regardless, should there be an unexpected delay & I find myself confined aboard for several hours beyond my de-train time, but what’s Amtrak’s policy this week for bringing your own food? 
Thanks in advance.
Desmond Praetzel ,”4451 Puff”

No such restriction. You can eat in the Dining Car on the California Zephyr regardless of how you're ticketed. By Roseville, you may have to get on the waitlist, but given the low season, perhaps not. Who told you this inaccurate information?

Not sure they ever considered snacks as contraband ... and I’m pretty sure no one would blink if you bring your sandwich, etc. come to think of it I saw folks in the lounge car eating their own food ...

I’m just wrapping up a multi-day adventure that includes sleeper cars and ‘dining’ ... and it is an all around, disappointing mess... So, bring your own picnic and enjoy yourself.

Addnl info. My experience based on the Capital Limited, where only sleeper car travelers are welcome in the ‘diner’...
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Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/19/20 21:57 by GoodTimeCharlie.

ColdRainAndSnow Wrote:
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 Who told you this inaccurate information?

I came to the (I guess) wrong conclusion from reading posts here in the Passenger Trains section. I guess the no-coach-passengers-in-the-diner thing only applies to certain trains? 
Anyway, thanks for the answers, & any additional tips. This is my first LD trip (albeit a short one) in about 2 years, and my first time in coach & not sleeper in about 20 years.

-Des

4451 Puff, "Coach passengers verboten in the Dining Car" only applies on certain Eastern trains where Downgraded Dining has been imposed upon the traveling public by Amtrak.

It has not yet come to the Western long distance trains, some of which may be under the threat of complete discontinuance instead.

GenePoon Wrote:
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> 4451 Puff, "Coach passengers verboten in the
> Dining Car" only applies on certain Eastern trains
> where Downgraded Dining has been imposed upon the
> traveling public by Amtrak.

Pretty much all East Coast trains that serve Boston, New York or Washington plus the City of New Orleans.

I take the Zephyr two to three times a year between Sacramento and Elko and noticed that during the winter season, other than the holidays, that it only seems to be crowded on the weekends especially if it's snowing over the Sierras. The casino traffic can be heavy if there's some popular acts appearing at Reno on the weekends. 

Several years ago, Amtrak entered into a "consent decree" with the FDA to eliminate unsanitary conditions. Because of this, passengers may not bring their own food into an Amtrak food-service car. However, they may consume their personal food in their coach or sleeper space. I'm not sure how this would work with a Superliner lounge (or Surfliner snack bar/coach), where the food service is on one level and the seats are on the other, but I imagine the object is to keep outside food away from where Amtrak-provided food is stored and served.

Gene;  It's called "Enhanced Dining," not "Downgraded Dining." Please get your facts straignt LOL. 

Many a fried chicken has been consumed in the coaches.
Just don't throw the bones on the floor.

What day are you traveling? If I’m free I’ll snag a photo of your passing for you.
SR

BYO dining options depend on your choice of repast. Your coachmates and traincrew might not tolerate an odoriferous Caeser salad of Surströmming, Durian and Limburger in their space.
If your business destination arrival time is time-sensitive get there a day early because, well, one cannot always plan for the vagaries of once-a-day fixed guideway transportation.
 

andersonb109 Wrote:
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> Gene;  It's called "Enhanced Dining," not
> "Downgraded Dining." Please get your facts
> straignt LOL. 

Let’s call it what it is: ‘Depressing Dining’. That’s the truth. It is kind of awkward.

Posted from iPhone

"an odoriferous Caeser salad of Surströmming, Durian and Limburger"

I'd give that a try.

Lurch_in_ABQ Wrote:
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> BYO dining options depend on your choice of
> repast. Your coachmates and traincrew might not
> tolerate an odoriferous Caeser salad of
> Surströmming, Durian and Limburger in their
> space.
> If your business destination arrival time is
> time-sensitive get there a day early because,
> well, one cannot always plan for the vagaries of
> once-a-day fixed guideway transportation.
> 

I was thinking, if outside food was a no-no, consuming my roast beef & all the trimmings sandwich may have to take place in one of the restrooms. Anyone entering after I was inside for 10 minutes would be pleasantly surprised to have the facility smell like a lunch cafe & not like, well a bathroom that someone just came out of after 10 minutes! Also, since I will be de-training relatively close to the trains origin point, I don’t anticipate too hideously late of an arrival in Reno. I informed my contact of the potential of a late arrivial, and the bulk of our work is planned for the next day anyway. 

-Des



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/20/20 13:24 by 4451Puff.

I've got many miles on long distance trains and can confidently say that no one will notice or care if you eat your own food in the lounge.  Tables in the lounge and at seat tray tables will serve you well. 

Don't get your hopes up about the diner, that way if it is a good experience you'll be pleased and if negative you won't be too disappointed.  Amtrak diner meals cover the spectrum from surprisingly good to truly awful, and you never know what it's gonna be.  The hamburger and veggie burger at lunch are reliably good, and the hot dog on the dinner menu.  Even though the hot dog is on the childrens' menu, it's huge and is a good adult meal too. 

Andy



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/20/20 14:53 by AndyBrown.

wpamtk Wrote:
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> Several years ago, Amtrak entered into a "consent
> decree" with the FDA to eliminate unsanitary
> conditions. Because of this, passengers may not
> bring their own food into an Amtrak food-service
> car. However, they may consume their personal food
> in their coach or sleeper space. I'm not sure how
> this would work with a Superliner lounge (or
> Surfliner snack bar/coach), where the food service
> is on one level and the seats are on the other,
> but I imagine the object is to keep outside food
> away from where Amtrak-provided food is stored and
> served.

No one actually follows this on any train I've ever ridden on unless a conductor feels like being a jerk.

> No one actually follows this on any train I've
> ever ridden on unless a conductor feels like being
> a jerk.

For the most part, enforcement of this falls to the LSA (On Board employee running the food service). Conductors have plenty of other things to manage and rarely get involved unless asked to by the LSA. (Big hats and radios being taken more seriously than a stupid apron)

The disputed area is tables near the food counter. On a Superliner lounge/cafe, this is the lower level. I knew plenty of LSA’s who enforced this “outside food” FDA thing with a vengeance (they kinda got off on it).
I always approached it as more a curtesy/economic issue. On a crowded busy train passengers buying a meal on the car had higher rights to table space. Just below that you have folks who buy a sandwich, but have there own chips, water or soft drink.
On a quite trip, with little demand for space, it wasn’t much of a problem.

But again- some LSA’s really relished to sweet vengeance of rule enforcement.

SR
Retired LSA- 32yrs service.

Rules for riding the Cardinal.

1) 1 Rollercase with the clothes and the boring stuff.
2) 1 Carryon with the camera and the computer and stuff.
3) 1 Big huge bag filled with all the foods, chips, juices and waters you can humanly consume in a fourteen hour span. Be sure to share with your seatmate.

Happy 'burrp' traveling!

Jim

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