Cardinal Food Question

[penfrydd]

On amtrak.com, under Routes, the Cardinal is listed as having only a lounge car for food.

However, when I go to make a reservation, and the Cardinal is given as an option, it shows a symbol implying that it has a full dining car.

So does it have a dining car or not? This is going to be my wife's first cross country train trip, and I'd like it to be special. I know I'll miss some scenery, but the whole trip will be full of scenery.

 

[the_traveler]

The dining service on the Cardinal is unlike other long distance trains. Although it does not have a full dining car and a full café car, it does have a hybrid car that is 2/3 café car and 1/3 dining car. Also, the dining car portion does not have a grill but only a convection oven. Thus there are no cooked to order items like steaks!

 

[AmtrakBlue]

It has a diner/lounge car. Half of the car is the diner & half is the lounge. If you're in coach, you may not be able to get a seat in the diner. I believe it also has an abbreviated menu (menus can be found on the website).

 

[dlagrua]

I believe that the Cardinal is scheduled to receive a Viewliner II dining car in 2014 but the question is what month? Meanwhile you can have reheated pre-prepared meals or sandwiches on the Cardinal in the "diner lite" car. Food is served there but the meal selections are not as elaborate as served on other LD trains. We are booked on the CDL in June of 2014 and are hoping to see the new Viewliner diner but who knows? Either way, we won't starve and its only one overnight.

 

[Ryan]

I wouldn't count on it, and the food really isn't all that bad in my experience.

 

[buddy559]

What is the staffing like on the cardinal 1/2 & 1/2 car? Is there a server?

 

[OBS]

What is the staffing like on the cardinal 1/2 & 1/2 car? Is there a server?

Two people work the car. One person works the cafe/ takeout portion, and the second is the chef/server for "dining car" section.

 

[Acela150]

I believe that the Cardinal is scheduled to receive a Viewliner II dining car in 2014 but the question is what month? Meanwhile you can have reheated pre-prepared meals or sandwiches on the Cardinal in the "diner lite" car. Food is served there but the meal selections are not as elaborate as served on other LD trains. We are booked on the CDL in June of 2014 and are hoping to see the new Viewliner diner but who knows? Either way, we won't starve and its only one overnight.

VL Diners will go into service on the Cardinal when all are in service on the SM, SS, Crescent, and LSL. Then the Cardinal will receive some attention. Play it one car and train at a time. We haven't even heard the status of these cars. Hopefully we'll find out this week. CAF has been very tight lipped about the progress, as was Siemens.

 

[AG1]

What is the staffing like on the cardinal 1/2 & 1/2 car? Is there a server?

Two people work the car. One person works the cafe/ takeout portion, and the second is the chef/server for "dining car" section.

In my trips one person worked the cafe/ takeout portion, and the SCA(sleeping car attendant) was the server for the dining car section.

 

[rrdude]

It has a diner/lounge car. Half of the car is the diner & half is the lounge. If you're in coach, you may not be able to get a seat in the diner. I believe it also has an abbreviated menu (menus can be found on the website).

"Lounge" is being overly generous if you ask me.

It's an AmCan with tables, and the small AmCan windows, IMHO, there is no "lounge experience", unless you get an off-the-wall GREAT LSA. I've seen that, thou rarely these days. They bring an audio device (against Amtrak employee rules I believe, but .........) with barely perceptible, and acceptable, jazz or other EZ listening, non-confrontational, music, and actually come out from behind the snack bar to take drink orders and clean tables. Like I said, RARE, but happens once in a great while.

In my opinion, the Cardinal has some of, if not THEE, best scenery of any train East of Chi-town, but it also has THEE worst equipment and amenities. (i.e. "none")

 

[Ryan]

All of the single level "lounge" cars are abysmal. I'd much rather stay in my room and enjoy the view through those sweet Viewliner windows.

After eating dinner in the 8400 last week, a hypothetical Viewliner Lounge/Cafe would be an AWESOME car.

 

[SarahZ]

"AmCan" is one of my new, favorite terms. I'm going to use that from now on.

 

[the_traveler]

FYI Sarah - the Amcan on the Cardinal serves Amfood reheated in an Amconvection oven served by an Amserver (not the LSA) and served on Amplates!

 

[OlympianHiawatha]

All of the single level "lounge" cars are abysmal. I'd much rather stay in my room and enjoy the view through those sweet Viewliner windows.

After eating dinner in the 8400 last week, a hypothetical Viewliner Lounge/Cafe would be an AWESOME car.

One good thing about the AmCan Lounge is at least you can look out both sides. Strongly agreed a Viewliner Lounge would be an epic improvement.

 

[buddy559]

It has a diner/lounge car. Half of the car is the diner & half is the lounge. If you're in coach, you may not be able to get a seat in the diner. I believe it also has an abbreviated menu (menus can be found on the website).

"Lounge" is being overly generous if you ask me.

It's an AmCan with tables, and the small AmCan windows, IMHO, there is no "lounge experience", unless you get an off-the-wall GREAT LSA. I've seen that, thou rarely these days. They bring an audio device (against Amtrak employee rules I believe, but .........) with barely perceptible, and acceptable, jazz or other EZ listening, non-confrontational, music, and actually come out from behind the snack bar to take drink orders and clean tables. Like I said, RARE, but happens once in a great while.

In my opinion, the Cardinal has some of, if not THEE, best scenery of any train East of Chi-town, but it also has THEE worst equipment and amenities. (i.e. "none")

That's a shame, The Cardinal was on my interest list. I think that would be a deal breaker. (equipment/amenities)

 

[buddy559]

"AmCan" is one of my new, favorite terms. I'm going to use that from now on.

Not sure I get it, but I like it! :giggle:

 

[SarahZ]

"AmCan" is one of my new, favorite terms. I'm going to use that from now on.

Not sure I get it, but I like it! :giggle:

The cars are called "Amfleet" and have a corrugated, rounded design, hence "Amcan". It has smaller windows, and that, combined with the rounded shape, makes you feel like you're in an airplane instead of a train. It's more comfortable than an airplane, for sure, but definitely not as comfortable as the other types of cars.

Here's a picture:

 

[Ryan]

It has a diner/lounge car. Half of the car is the diner & half is the lounge. If you're in coach, you may not be able to get a seat in the diner. I believe it also has an abbreviated menu (menus can be found on the website).

"Lounge" is being overly generous if you ask me.
It's an AmCan with tables, and the small AmCan windows, IMHO, there is no "lounge experience", unless you get an off-the-wall GREAT LSA. I've seen that, thou rarely these days. They bring an audio device (against Amtrak employee rules I believe, but .........) with barely perceptible, and acceptable, jazz or other EZ listening, non-confrontational, music, and actually come out from behind the snack bar to take drink orders and clean tables. Like I said, RARE, but happens once in a great while.

In my opinion, the Cardinal has some of, if not THEE, best scenery of any train East of Chi-town, but it also has THEE worst equipment and amenities. (i.e. "none")

That's a shame, The Cardinal was on my interest list. I think that would be a deal breaker. (equipment/amenities)

It's a worthwhile train in spite of its limitations.
(Jerry and I violently disagree on that point. )

 

[jebr]

It has a diner/lounge car. Half of the car is the diner & half is the lounge. If you're in coach, you may not be able to get a seat in the diner. I believe it also has an abbreviated menu (menus can be found on the website).

"Lounge" is being overly generous if you ask me.
It's an AmCan with tables, and the small AmCan windows, IMHO, there is no "lounge experience", unless you get an off-the-wall GREAT LSA. I've seen that, thou rarely these days. They bring an audio device (against Amtrak employee rules I believe, but .........) with barely perceptible, and acceptable, jazz or other EZ listening, non-confrontational, music, and actually come out from behind the snack bar to take drink orders and clean tables. Like I said, RARE, but happens once in a great while.

In my opinion, the Cardinal has some of, if not THEE, best scenery of any train East of Chi-town, but it also has THEE worst equipment and amenities. (i.e. "none")

That's a shame, The Cardinal was on my interest list. I think that would be a deal breaker. (equipment/amenities)

It's a worthwhile train in spite of its limitations.
(Jerry and I violently disagree on that point. )

Violently? What do you guys do, wage battle in the cafe car? :blink:

 

[CoachSlumber]

When a took the Cardinal, with a roomette, I was worried about the dining situation. But I found the food reasonably good for what it is. As people said, if you are in coach, there is no guarantee they will seat you.

A viewing lounge would be nice, but in the roomette you can get in the top bunk and get a nice high view out those windows. Just one side, of course.

 

[Ryan]

Violently? What do you guys do, wage battle in the cafe car? :blink:

The terms of our settlement preclude me from sharing any of the details. h34r:

 

[SarahZ]

He'd tell you, but then he'd have to kill you.

 

[penfrydd]

Well, since the scenery is more important to me than the food, we're taking the Cardinal out and the LSL back, as part of a circuit around the country. All in roomettes. We were going to take the CL and Regional back to NYP, but since the EB is notoriously late, Amtrak would likely put us on the LSL, but we'd likely not get a room in the summer, so I changed my reservation to the LSL, with a room, on the way back.

So many decisions...210 days until retirement! Another month and a half after that before our trip begins.

 

[Ryan]

April trip? Pending the flooding, EB timekeeping isn't all that bad during that time.

Having just ridden the Cap eastbound on Monday, I had forgotten how beautiful the scenery is on the morning run from PGH to WAS.

 

[me_little_me]

I looked at the menu and it looked pretty good. Definitely some items I never had (brisket and Italian sausage?) but my question is - will we be served dinner? We get on in Prince, WV (PRC).