El Paso Burrito Lady

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MikefromCrete said:
It's not a bad idea to have food vendors at various stops (crew changes, for the most part, because of the extra time allowed for stops) along the routes of western LDs. It would all be subject to local health codes and whoever owns the station could charge a franchise fee. Seems like a win-win for everybody. It probably wouldn't work for the eastern LDs since the trips are shorter and largely at night.
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Oh how much I would love it to have food vendors at stations. One of the highlights of my train travels in India have been the sheer variety of food you can get from official and unofficial food vendors present at every station, big or small. Here's one example-

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Similar food vendors are also present in Russia along the Trans Siberian-

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I had one of the Burrito Lady's Green Chile, Potato and Beef burrito while we stopped in El Paso. The conductor announced to everyone on the train that the burrito lady was out on the platform as part of his anouncement for arriving in El Paso. I shared the burrito three ways. Just wanted a taste and not get too full since we were going to have the "Amtrak Signature Steak" for dinner. The burrito was spicy and tasty.
 
That's quite a queue of folks waiting to buy from her. And if Mr. Red Shirt got the last one, he might have trouble getting it all back onto the train in one piece.
 
Shortline said:
No different than the hot dog guy at the Fort Worth station.
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I haven't seen the hot dog vendor guy for several trips now. Did anyone catch his name and is he still there?

Shortline said:
Just like a food truck, all it takes is a license, and agreement to use the property.
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We have lots of Mexican food trucks here in South Texas but the idea of serving items other than Mexican food is a bit of a new concept around here. For some reason the non-Mexican food trucks seem to have the idea that they're a premium option and charge more than many sit down restaurants.

Shortline said:
I've eaten at food stalls/street vendors literally all over the world. Only time I ever got food poisoning, was at a major name upscale hotel restaraunt in Honduras. Go figure. If it looks good, and smells good, I'm in.
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I'll never forget smelling something akin to roasted nuts and walking up to discover it was roasted bugs in Thailand. Smelled great but looked like it was full of cockroaches.
 
Hot dogs are available at Ft. Worth on a hit and miss situation. It just depends. There more often than not, weather permitting.
 
All those bean burritos in a confined space must make for a rather "musical" journey! ;-)

Sent from my SGH-T999 using Amtrak Forum mobile app
 
Shortline said:
Last 3 trips through FTW in the last 2 months, he was there for 2 of them. The third, was on a very cold and windy day, I assume he was smarter than me and stayed inside.
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tonys96 said:
Hot dogs are available at Ft. Worth on a hit and miss situation. It just depends. There more often than not, weather permitting.
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Good to know.

Seems a little odd that we still call these folks the "burrito lady" and the "hot dog guy" after all these years.

Maybe we should come up with nicknames?
 
:hi: Nice Article! To be picky, the Sunsets only run Three Days a Week in Each Direction but the El Paso Bus System owns the Station and has a Big Transfer Station next door so I'm pretty sure she sells to them also! Most People along the Border are Hard Workers for Low Money but perform Valuable Services! ;)
 
In a recent rail fan magazine, I read about the history of a passenger line that extended from Texas deep into Mexico in the 1940's. The line was a Mexican owned railroad and while it contained coaches and a first class sleeper, it did not have a dining car. The train would stop at stations where there were many food vendors on the platform who sold Tacos, Taquitos, Tamales, Burritos and soft drinks to the passengers. In many cases the sale was made though an open railroad car window. Point is that the Burrito girl vendor idea isn't new, but she sells to people off the rails.
 
I have heard a Burrito Truck use to show up at ABQ during the Chief stops. With the history of that station stop that should be a logical choice for on-platform food offerings unless the station or Amtrak have expressed otherwise.
 
dlagrua said:
In a recent rail fan magazine, I read about the history of a passenger line that extended from Texas deep into Mexico in the 1940's. The line was a Mexican owned railroad and while it contained coaches and a first class sleeper, it did not have a dining car. The train would stop at stations where there were many food vendors on the platform who sold Tacos, Taquitos, Tamales, Burritos and soft drinks to the passengers. In many cases the sale was made though an open railroad car window. Point is that the Burrito girl vendor idea isn't new, but she sells to people off the rails.
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Until Mexico did away with the NdM, National Passenger Rail System (It was called Selling Government Owned Properties but actually was a Sweetheart Political Deal pulled off between the President and his Henchmen and Rich Business Wheeler Dealers @ the Expense of the Rail Workers and the Poor Campesinos who rode the trains), Every stop (Most Trains stopped Often and for Loooooooong Periods of Dwell Time) had Vendors, Singers, Fire Eaters etc. selling their Wares and Services to Passengers and those that Hung around the Stations! They Still Do this on the Extensive Bus Routes in Mexico and I've had Many, Many Meals and Snacks that were Tasty, Filling, Cheap and Didn't get Sick! The Food was better than what the Diners on the LD Trains served! ;)
 

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