Food Options in RR stations along the CZ Route

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Jester

Jester

Train Attendant
Joined
Jun 16, 2007
Messages
15
Location
Lexington, KY
Going to Sacramento from Cleveland and while I've been to Glenwood Springs twice in recent years, I've never hopped off the train in Denver or other spots to at least look inside the larger stations. Just wondering if there are any food court or other food options east or westbound where facilities and schedule might converge to offer an alternative to the snack bar.

I don't want to jump off the train only to discover that hot dogs are the only option and they are equal to what I could buy on board. :blink:

Thanks.

-Jester
 
Denver is the only place where you'll have a long-enough layover to actually leave the station in search of supplies -- don't try it, though, unless the train's on time. There's nothing in the station proper, but I understand there are some coffee places and such not too far away.

There's a little snack shop right on the platform in Grand Junction, and you'll be able to grab some snacks there. They also sell some really wonderful guidebooks to the Zephyr route at that place -- home-published, but full of excellent information.

The only other place with a long timetable layover is Salt Lake City, but the stop is in the middle of the night and the station isn't in the greatest area. I personally wouldn't go wandering, and there's probably not much to find at that hour, anyway.

Have a great trip!
 
Montanan said:
Denver is the only place where you'll have a long-enough layover to actually leave the station in search of supplies -- don't try it, though, unless the train's on time. There's nothing in the station proper, but I understand there are some coffee places and such not too far away.
There's a little snack shop right on the platform in Grand Junction, and you'll be able to grab some snacks there. They also sell some really wonderful guidebooks to the Zephyr route at that place -- home-published, but full of excellent information.

The only other place with a long timetable layover is Salt Lake City, but the stop is in the middle of the night and the station isn't in the greatest area. I personally wouldn't go wandering, and there's probably not much to find at that hour, anyway.

Have a great trip!
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I'm not intending to "head off" anywhere. I'm only talking about the stations like Denver where there might be sufficient time to head down off the train and into the station. The conductors usually make a suggestion to go inside and check out the architecture. Most other stations along the line either don't have the facilities (Glenwood Springs) or might but the stations appear small and/or aren't "smoke stops" with the extra few minutes for a dash.

Thanks for the input and confirmation that my own day pack is probably the best source of cafe alternatives.

-Jester
 
There is one eating option that would be with you all the time - the dining car. That's the best place to eat!
 
Except for CHI, I don't believe there are any stations with a food court or such between CLE and SAC.

As far as the stand at Grand Junction, I heard it was not in operation this year. But I believe the small shop inside the station is open. (However, you could only get small things like cookies or soda.) At many stations, you may find vending machines, and you may find things not available on the train and/or cheaper.
 
Allthough there isn't food, if you are awake, check out the Lincoln Haymarket Station playground and sculptor in Lincoln NE. "Iron Horse" is a brick sculptor by Jay Tschetter. The sculptor is 40' by 14', so its fairly goodsized and an excellent photo op. Its patterned after a train from 1871 if I remember correctly and it is 3-D on the wall that its chiseled in. There's also a small playground and waiting area. Alot of times during the nice summer nights, we prefer (and others) to sit outside of our small, humble but well lit and clean Amtrak station. If you google "Iron Horse" in LNK, I'm sure you will get to see a picture of it. The #5 and #6 come through at odd times, but if the #6 is behind and your awake, its a quick service stop to change out the engineer and you'll have about 6 minutes to either smoke or check out our humble but nice Amtrak station.
 
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MrFSS said:
There is one eating option that would be with you all the time - the dining car. That's the best place to eat!
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In general I do appreciate the dining car option and have, in the main, enjoyed the others I've met at the table. However, in between scheduled sittings or for when the attendent never arrives to take your meal preferences and you get skunked by the system, I was asking about alternatives to the snack car.

My impression from 3 previous trips (2 to Glenwood and 1 to Glacier) not much is available unless you bring it or purchase it in the snack car.

-Jester
 
Hi Jester,

I think you have an accurate picture of station options around food.. Zero!

I guess as most towns have only one long distance train a day each way, and the stations are often a long way from downtown, the

economics dont allow for many options..

I remember a trip on an Indian train many years ago, where the family nearby got out their kerosene stove as the train rolled along and began cooking lunch.. not too welcome on Amtrak, methinks!

Ed B)
 
It seems as though only the very largest stations have more than just vending machines as a food option---although there may be a few exceptions. This has always surprised me. I thin k "busier" railroad stations would be a terrific place to set up a small concession stand or even offer bag lunches.

Pittsburgh is a prime example. How great it would be to have a little place inside the station that served breakfast items to the passengers arriving on the Capitol (#30) OR departing on the Pennsylvanian. Also for the evening crow arriving on the Pennsylvanian and even those arriving to take the Capitol west. Today there is nothing but vending machines. I am certain there are numerous other stations where a small concession stand would be very popular , even if not constantly staffed.

I honestly do not know how one would go about getting permission (and licenses) for such an arrangement. Perhaps in reality the whiole process is just too costly or tedious.

Another option would be to have an individual/s be at the station during busier times to take orders for fast food deliveries directly to the station from places like local McDionald's or Burger Kings or even some donut shop. I really think somelike like this might be profitable. The problem here would be to find a trust-worthy individual to offer the money to who would actually deliver the food and not just keep the money and run. OR, perhaps drivers who would take a passenger or two to a local fast-food place to actually buy and bring back the food----with a small surcharge (of course) to the driver to make it worth his/her time.

When I visited the Martinez station some time ago I was surprised that the small concession stand inside was closed---and this was at about 6 PM. Evidently it is only open from about 7 to 10 AM. The station was packed, yet there were only vending machines available for food/drinks. I am certain an open concession stand would have done a nice business that evening alone.

I am a senior who travels alone. I simply do not care to "stray" from the rail station to search-out places to eat. First of all there is the matter of luggage. Secondly, I never know how safe an area is around a station. Thirdly, I never know just how far I would actually have to walk. So this makes it impossible for me to actually leave the station itself. How nice it would be to have a little place to get a fresh cup of coffee or a sandwich or bagel right inside the station.

Anyone agree ?
 
I think the example used used about PGH is a good one. #30 gets in too early for breakfast and the Pennsylvanian has no food (except a cafe car).

But I disagree about the "driver for McD or BK (or such)". Many "long" stops are 10-20 minutes. A driver would have to take orders from someone AFTER the train arrives, THEN drive to the restaurant, THEN drive back, THEN deliver the orders - ALL WITHIN 10 MINUTES! :blink:
 
You can always take the Conductor and/or Engineer with you and offer to buy them a meal. Then you know your train cannot leave without you :lol:
 
the_traveler said:
Except for CHI, I don't believe there are any stations with a food court or such between CLE and SAC.
As far as the stand at Grand Junction, I heard it was not in operation this year. But I believe the small shop inside the station is open. (However, you could only get small things like cookies or soda.) At many stations, you may find vending machines, and you may find things not available on the train and/or cheaper.
Click to expand...
I can contend that it is in fact open. Just be there fast it fills up fast and the cashiers are slow. Still many waiting to buy when the horn tooted. I bought some great postcards (albeit overpriced, but still better than tose for sale in the sanck car).
 
Traveler:

I presumed everyone would realize that my "driver-delivery" scenario would only work if there was a rather lengthy period of time between one train's arrival and another's departure. Of course 10-20 minutes would not suffice----that is a "given"

But there are numerous situations (I am certain) where there WOULD be sufficient time for such a scenarion to feasibly work.

I am glad that you appreciate how this type of situation might be sensible in Pittsburgh, for example. I am certain there are similar situations like this where the time factor permits such an arrangement. am certain there are both plus and minuses to my idea. I simply wanted to offer it as a suggestion for folks to consider.
 
While I don't think the "driver-delivery" concept would work in this day and age, I should point out that it's an update of a basic concept that was successfully used on many secondary passenger trains in the pre-Amtrak era.

I was a kid in 1968, and my grandparents took me for a ride on Union Pacific train 5, a former mail train that by then had been reduced to just a couple of coaches. Traveling through Utah, the train approached the division point town of Milford right about lunchtime ... and a few miles out of town the conductor came through the train taking sandwich orders. The crew called the orders in to a little cafe in Milford, and when the train arrived the hungry passengers all trooped down to a little cafe down the street from the station, where their sack lunches were waiting. As a kid, I thought the whole procedure was very exotic and cool. :)
 
lrdc9_metroplitan_sub said:
the_traveler said:
Except for CHI, I don't believe there are any stations with a food court or such between CLE and SAC.
As far as the stand at Grand Junction, I heard it was not in operation this year. But I believe the small shop inside the station is open. (However, you could only get small things like cookies or soda.) At many stations, you may find vending machines, and you may find things not available on the train and/or cheaper.
Click to expand...
I can contend that it is in fact open. Just be there fast it fills up fast and the cashiers are slow. Still many waiting to buy when the horn tooted. I bought some great postcards (albeit overpriced, but still better than tose for sale in the sanck car).
Click to expand...
Are you referring to a stand on the platform (mentioned in a post above), or the shop inside the station?

When I was there last week, there did not appear to be anything on the platform, just a shop inside the station.
 
I was referring to the stand on the platform. I know there's a 2nd gift shop inside the station too.

As I understand it, the stand on the platform (which sold things like local fresh fruit) is operated by an elderly couple. Due to high fuel prices, it was not economically possible to operate it this year! :( But I hear that they hope to be able to operate it again next year! :)
 
Has anyone ever tried calling ahead to have a pizza delivered to the train when it arrives at a station? Can this be done?
 
the_traveler said:
I was referring to the stand on the platform. I know there's a 2nd gift shop inside the station too.
Click to expand...
My question was to lrdc9_metroplitan_sub -- I believe he/she was confusing the two (the platform stand vs. the in-station shop).

I did not see any stand on the platform on my way through Grand Junction last week. After two days of dining car food, I would have loved some fresh fruit!
 
the_traveler said:
Guest said:
Has anyone ever tried calling ahead to have a pizza delivered to the train when it arrives at a station? Can this be done?
Click to expand...
I really don't know, but how many pizza drivers would sit at the station for 30 minutes because train ## got put on a siding and had to wait for a freight to pass? :huh: :rolleyes:
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On the Empire Builder the lounge car gets cold chicken dinners on at Havre, Mont. It sounded like a nice change from the lounge car food, but I was in a sleeper and didn't partake. I can't remember this being done on any other long-distance train, but it seemed a great idea.
 
For fear of hijacking my own thread:

Has anyone visited the California State Railway Museum and checked out the Silver Palace Restaurant? Just curious if it is a nice place for either lunch or supper while visiting Old Sacramento.

TIA,

-Jester
 
Jester said:
Has anyone visited the California State Railway Museum and checked out the Silver Palace Restaurant? Just curious if it is a nice place for either lunch or supper while visiting Old Sacramento.
Click to expand...
Thanks - where is it? :huh: Right at the Museum? :huh: I'll let you know next month! :p (Unless someone tells us both sooner! ;) )
 
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