Food suggestions on delayed trains

[87YJ]

Try living with celiac disease, then you will understand how much wheat gluten is used to fill products. I do!

 

[BCL]

While I get the joke there seems to be a strange attitude towards people with food allergies.

In reality it's very easy to have options for the most common food allergies. It just takes a little bit of will and planning.

My MIL has an unusual seafood allergy. Everywhere she goes she asks whether or not something contains squid or cuttlefish since she suffers from anaphylaxis.. She doesn't always carry epinephrine though.

 

[BCL]

The problem with backpacking food is that you have to boil water and reconstitute the stuff. That's the advantage of MREs, they can be eaten as is, even cold, though they do come with a flameless heating pack that allows them to be heated by the eater without kitchens, food preparation staff, etc.

Sure, but I was thinking on a train there will usually be the ability to provide boiled water in the cafe and diner kitchen. This is supposed to be a Viewliner kitchen and I see the red handles for hot water. I'm not sure how fast they could boil enough hot water for 400 passengers.

It's even crazier in China where hot water is a way of life. I know people from China who request hot water even on a hot day. They make dubious claims of hot water being better for health and improving digestion. I heard there's a high incidence of throat cancer due to exposure to hot water. But they have hot water dispensers on their high speed trains.

 

[BCL]

In the other topic that was split up, I was thinking tamales. In general corn allergies are rare, and there could be all sorts of vegetarian (like green chile and cheese) and vegan (mostly bean) options available as well as meat. I've bought frozen tamales at Costco, so that would be something that might be delivered on short notice and reheated in the cafe car and diner kitchen.

 

[crescent-zephyr]

I've bought frozen tamales at Costco, so that would be something that might be delivered on short notice and reheated in the cafe car and diner kitchen.

If Costco and the diner are both on the table you could pretty much stock the dining car.

 

[BCL]

If Costco and the diner are both on the table you could pretty much stock the dining car.

Not sure what the procedures would be though. Does the conductor have access to some emergency funds or an emergency purchase order for this sort of thing?

But there are some restaurant supply stores that might be better. I know Smart & Final is located around the country, but there's another one called Smart Foodservice (used to be called Cash & Carry). Also Restaurant Depot (Jetro), although they theoretically need someone with a resale license or nonprofit status. I've been to one once (it was the only place I could find a block of baking yeast during last year's yeast shortage) and that place could feed tens of thoudanss of people on short notice with stuff that could be reheated or even cooked. They have been selling to the public with "day use" passes because of COVID-19, but I'm not sure if that's been discontinued.

For some reason I'm thinking of a case where there was a hijacked plane that was stuck on the tarmac and had to depart under threats from the hijackers but didn't have enough fuel. The story I heard was that they paid for the fuel with a flight attendant's Shell credit card.

 

[crescent-zephyr]

Not sure what the procedures would be though. Does the conductor have access to some emergency funds or an emergency purchase order for this sort of thing?

There is probably a company credit card that can be used. Or the LSA uses cash and puts in the receipt?

It would be the same way KFC, etc. Is paid when that is done now.

 

[joelkfla]

There is probably a company credit card that can be used. Or the LSA uses cash and puts in the receipt?

It would be the same way KFC, etc. Is paid when that is done now.

I'd thought Amtrak might have some sort of billing arrangement with KFC (just guessing.)

 

[crescent-zephyr]

I'd thought Amtrak might have some sort of billing arrangement with KFC (just guessing.)

It’s certainly possible. I’m also thinking about how I’ve done it on mainline trips... I’d just grab cash and turn in the receipts! Haha.

 

[ehbowen]

The problem with backpacking food is that you have to boil water and reconstitute the stuff. That's the advantage of MREs, they can be eaten as is, even cold, though they do come with a flameless heating pack that allows them to be heated by the eater without kitchens, food preparation staff, etc.

You do know what is printed on the outside of every MRE package, don't you? (I've got one in my hand right now...great hurricane supplies!) "FLAMELESS RATION HEATERS ARE PROHIBITED ON COMMERCIAL AIRLINES UNLESS SEALED IN ORIGINAL MEAL BAG." You know why? It's because they give off flammable hydrogen gas as part of the process of heating your food. Now, if you have a platoon's worth of men heating 'em up in the Sandbox, no problem. Three hundred and fifty hungry Amtrak passengers stuck aboard a No. 5 CZ snowbound inside Tunnel No. 41 because drifts block the exits and snow and ice on the rails keep the locomotive from obtaining traction? Could be a very big problem!

 

[Skyline]

I'm trying to think of what kind of backpacking food I had. I will say that freeze dried stuff isn't that bad, but then again anything that's just meant to be reconstituted with hot water will have its limitations. I'm thinking that many would complain if all that was available was Cup Noodles.

But with backpacking foods it gets a bit interesting. Knorr (formerly Lipton) Sides are a staple. It might not agree with everyone for various dietary or cultural reasons, but dry salami is extremely calorie dense and easy to serve. That and Quaker instant oatmeal.

I prefer Packit Gourmet meals, sides, breakfasts, desserts when backpacking. If unavailable, other decent brands are Peak Refuel, Mountain House. Be careful to make selections that require the least time and complexity to rehydrate and prep. If you have a long enough spoon or spork you can eat right out of the package.

A few are meant to use cold water; most are designed for boiling hot water.

 

[west point]

A few are meant to use cold water; most are designed for boiling hot water.

You just brought up an iportant item. Potable water servicing is needed just before any train goes into possible stall locations.

 

[BCL]

I prefer Packit Gourmet meals, sides, breakfasts, desserts when backpacking. If unavailable, other decent brands are Peak Refuel, Mountain House. Be careful to make selections that require the least time and complexity to rehydrate and prep. If you have a long enough spoon or spork you can eat right out of the package.

A few are meant to use cold water; most are designed for boiling hot water.

Quite familiar with all of that. A couple of years ago the rest of my family was out visiting relatives, and I had the brilliant idea to use my AGR points to take a trip to South Lake Tahoe where I stayed at the Mellow Mountain Hostel, which was primarily used by backpackers on the PCT. Some stay for a week as a break. One guest was using the common areas to arrange his caches and repackage some of the stuff. One guy was using half of a dining room table to sort all his food into boxes to mail out to post offices along his planned route. His preference seemed to be for Backpacker's Pantry. But he was taking it out of the packages and using Ziploc bags because the mylar bags were a bit on the bulky side - especially if he needed to pack into a bear canister.

I had Mountain House a few times just to try it out, but only used it once actually backpacking. And yes I ate the meat lasagna right out of the bag after pouring in hot water. It was my first night and I didn't put in in my bear canister. The other thing I remember was their freeze dried ice cream. I asked someone at an outdoor store what the idea was there, and he said it's just eaten straight up since ice cream can't really be reconstituted with water. Didn't try it, but I have tried Space brand freeze dried ice cream.

One of the weird things I found was when we got a free box of food from our local school district over the summer. It was a free meal program that was supposedly for children in the school district (even if they went to private schools) regardless of income, but I suspect that it was a lot of people without kids since they didn't check and (I was told by a volunteer) that they didn't care. But a few times some of the packaged foods included stuff from Patagonia Provisions. They said it could be boiled, but that it could also be served just by reconstituting with hot water. It's based in the Bay Area although the parent company is based in Southern California.

 

[BCL]

You just brought up an iportant item. Potable water servicing is needed just before any train goes into possible stall locations.

Maybe just load up a tank just in case?

This article says that new, clean tank cars could be used for potable water, but the biggest problem is that water weighs too much (relative to crude oil or finished fuel) and keeping them 2/3 full would create issues with excessive sloshing creating weight distribution issues. A smaller one might work better, but the current tanks are a specific size. Some tanks could also be compartmentalized, so compartments can be kept full as needed and individual compartments being drained are less likely to create as much sloshing.

https://www.railwayage.com/freight/class-i/drought-relief-by-rail/

 

[tgstubbs1]

Quite familiar with all of that. A couple of years ago the rest of my family was out visiting relatives, and I had the brilliant idea to use my AGR points to take a trip to South Lake Tahoe where I stayed at the Mellow Mountain Hostel, which was primarily used by backpackers on the PCT. Some stay for a week as a break. One guest was using the common areas to arrange his caches and repackage some of the stuff. One guy was using half of a dining room table to sort all his food into boxes to mail out to post offices along his planned route. His preference seemed to be for Backpacker's Pantry. But he was taking it out of the packages and using Ziploc bags because the mylar bags were a bit on the bulky side - especially if he needed to pack into a bear canister.

I had Mountain House a few times just to try it out, but only used it once actually backpacking. And yes I ate the meat lasagna right out of the bag after pouring in hot water. It was my first night and I didn't put in in my bear canister. The other thing I remember was their freeze dried ice cream. I asked someone at an outdoor store what the idea was there, and he said it's just eaten straight up since ice cream can't really be reconstituted with water. Didn't try it, but I have tried Space brand freeze dried ice cream.

One of the weird things I found was when we got a free box of food from our local school district over the summer. It was a free meal program that was supposedly for children in the school district (even if they went to private schools) regardless of income, but I suspect that it was a lot of people without kids since they didn't check and (I was told by a volunteer) that they didn't care. But a few times some of the packaged foods included stuff from Patagonia Provisions. They said it could be boiled, but that it could also be served just by reconstituting with hot water. It's based in the Bay Area although the parent company is based in Southern California.

That stuff looks pretty good. I wonder how a typical Amtrak passenger would react if they don't have any camping experience. Maybe they have a chicken and rice casserole?

People like KFC and the restaurants fry large batches of chicken at a time.

Dinty Moore is also convenient. Maybe it reminds some people of what they had at their school cafeteria.

 

[BCL]

That stuff looks pretty good. I wonder how a typical Amtrak passenger would react if they don't have any camping experience. Maybe they have a chicken and rice casserole?

People like KFC and the restaurants fry large batches of chicken at a time.

Dinty Moore is also convenient. Maybe it reminds some people of what they had at their school cafeteria.

I think everyone had had instant noodles at one time or another. At a company I worked at we were told that Korean visitors actually appreciated seeing a serving of instant noodles when they arrived because it's comfort foods.

 

[AFS1970]

The standard catered box should be turkey, cheese, lettuce, tomato.

For those of us with Gout, Turkey is fairly high in purines.

 

[20th Century Rider]

Let's make 2022 Amtrak Customer Appreciation Year! Why not? When the train is stranded on Donner Pass, or forced to take a bus between NOL and ATL, or for other delays, why not festively feed them? Let's take a break from the stew and not even consider this...



Instead of the above, go all out to for the pax... especially the ever faithful AU'ers! Great ideas to express sympathies for delays... below. 'They' say the deliver everywhere and at any time... so this is a perfect answer!




Happy new year everybody!!!

 

[BCL]

When the train is stranded on Donner Pass,

You really went there with Donner Pass? What kind of mystery meat is in that photo?

 

[AmtrakMaineiac]

"Hello Harry and David, I'd like to order 400 gift baskets please".

 

[TheVig]

"Hello Harry and David, I'd like to order 400 gift baskets please".

I'm all for that idea, but given the price points of H&D product, that might eat through most of the money Congress just sent our way.

 

[tgstubbs1]

"Hello Harry and David, I'd like to order 400 gift baskets please".

I think I understand. 20th Century doesn't want people raiding his stash of cheese stix and rum!

 

[BCL]

"Hello Harry and David, I'd like to order 400 gift baskets please".

Where would that come from? There’s a grand total of one Harry & David store left. It might work for a train stuck in southern Oregon.

 

[BCL]

I think I understand. 20th Century doesn't want people raiding his stash of cheese stix and rum!

They actually sell a selection of Oregon wine at their last remaining store in Medford. Been there once and they had beer, wine, and fresh produce.

 

[20th Century Rider]

"Hello Harry and David, I'd like to order 400 gift baskets please".

No problem! They deliver anywhere and at any time... for $$$ !