Two fellows from work allowed me to arrange their first train trip, in coach from Pittsburgh to Chicago round trip on the Capitol Limited. We spent three great days in Chicago last week.
The Westbound Train 29 was about 75% filled in coach, no Amtrak staff made any mention of a dining car, but at 6:15 am the three of us went to the Lounge car and waited to see if coach passengers would be accepted into the CCC. We were accepted promptly at 6:30 am, and placed in the three tables of the lounge end of the CCC dining car. A fourth table was piled up with Conductor paperwork. The dining end of the CCC car was full of sleeping car passengers that had been brought in at 6:00 am. Breakfast was fine, staff were accommodating, but badly overworked as the Lounge Car attendant was no where to be found and people were told to come to the diner for coffee. It appeared that our three tables were the only coach passengers to eat that morning.
The Eastbound Train 30 was sold out in coach, and again no mention was made of a dining car in the announcements. We had eaten before boarding as I told my companions that dinner is not served to coach passengers. (I didn't want to raise expectations) No reservations were taken in coach, no mention of a dining car, and I don't remember any announcement of the lounge and snack purchases.
My friends thought the train was great, we had good staff interactions, they want to do it again. They did chuckle about the boarding mess in Chicago Union Station, lack of seating and lines of people everywhere. People stood in line for an hour for Train 30 coach seating, and it really made no difference as we were given seat numbers in specific cars depending on our destination. The new Illinois trains, and increased train usage in general, seem to really overload the boarding area of CUS.
I hope the plan to move CCC cars to supplement the Empire Builder takes place, they certainly are poorly used on the CL. Think of the amount of revenue being missed on the CL due to lack of dining space and staff. And, announcements would be nice on Amtrak, both on the trains and in the stations. "Keep 'em guessing" seems to be the motto.
The good news is that the CL was full in May, and even the Pittsburgh Station could use more seating.
The Westbound Train 29 was about 75% filled in coach, no Amtrak staff made any mention of a dining car, but at 6:15 am the three of us went to the Lounge car and waited to see if coach passengers would be accepted into the CCC. We were accepted promptly at 6:30 am, and placed in the three tables of the lounge end of the CCC dining car. A fourth table was piled up with Conductor paperwork. The dining end of the CCC car was full of sleeping car passengers that had been brought in at 6:00 am. Breakfast was fine, staff were accommodating, but badly overworked as the Lounge Car attendant was no where to be found and people were told to come to the diner for coffee. It appeared that our three tables were the only coach passengers to eat that morning.
The Eastbound Train 30 was sold out in coach, and again no mention was made of a dining car in the announcements. We had eaten before boarding as I told my companions that dinner is not served to coach passengers. (I didn't want to raise expectations) No reservations were taken in coach, no mention of a dining car, and I don't remember any announcement of the lounge and snack purchases.
My friends thought the train was great, we had good staff interactions, they want to do it again. They did chuckle about the boarding mess in Chicago Union Station, lack of seating and lines of people everywhere. People stood in line for an hour for Train 30 coach seating, and it really made no difference as we were given seat numbers in specific cars depending on our destination. The new Illinois trains, and increased train usage in general, seem to really overload the boarding area of CUS.
I hope the plan to move CCC cars to supplement the Empire Builder takes place, they certainly are poorly used on the CL. Think of the amount of revenue being missed on the CL due to lack of dining space and staff. And, announcements would be nice on Amtrak, both on the trains and in the stations. "Keep 'em guessing" seems to be the motto.
The good news is that the CL was full in May, and even the Pittsburgh Station could use more seating.
