Is the coffee station back?

Advertise with us
Shop deals on ebay
shop deals on amazon
Amtrak Unlimited Discussion Forum

Help Support Amtrak Unlimited Discussion Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.
dcipjr

dcipjr

Train Attendant
Joined
Mar 8, 2012
Messages
45
Hi all,

With the return to daily service, will the sleeper coffee station will be back?

If it's not back, how does one get their morning coffee? Is it free for sleeping car passengers in the café car?

I'm traveling next week and...well...let's just say I need my morning coffee.
 
Right there with you. Coffee is a requirement! :) There was no coffee station on Trains 48/49 recently, I'm not sure if this is a Covid adjustment, or part of the larger "Flex" structure. (If I did know the reason... forgot). Anyway, you can get unlimited coffee/tea from the dining car, which is exclusive for sleeping car passengers, pretty much during any hours they are open, and they open around 6 or 6:30 I think.
 
This was definitely a Covid adjustment. It was awkward at first when I rode last July on 422 from LAX to DAL, the LAX to SAS attendant filled the coffee the first morning, but then the attendant north of SAS didn’t.
Without coffee in the car, one just has to go to either the diner or lounge and request a cup. Either should serve one to you.
 
Coffee first thing is a habit that is hard to do without for me. The train has always been easy compared to a Cruise Ship where it may take an elevator, and a walk across a cold ass deck before getting to the buffet where after getting a cup for yourself and companion, then have to navigate your way back to the cabin without spilling most of it
Please tell me it’s coming back.
 
I pretty much kicked the coffee habit about 20 years ago for a variety of reasons. But I still like that 'early cup' just down the hall (or up the stairs) when I'm in a roomette.

Unfortunately, what I noticed from my pre-Covid roomette mornings in the past 2 years or so is that 'they' went from coffee all day, to coffee until 30 cup pot ran dry (about 9-10AM) to no coffee after 8AM or so, to no coffee at all. I'm undecided on whether that was a cost cutting measure 'from above' (like TV dinners) or the SCAs being less motivated to serve their passengers.
 
bratkinson said:
I pretty much kicked the coffee habit about 20 years ago for a variety of reasons. But I still like that 'early cup' just down the hall (or up the stairs) when I'm in a roomette.

Unfortunately, what I noticed from my pre-Covid roomette mornings in the past 2 years or so is that 'they' went from coffee all day, to coffee until 30 cup pot ran dry (about 9-10AM) to no coffee after 8AM or so, to no coffee at all. I'm undecided on whether that was a cost cutting measure 'from above' (like TV dinners) or the SCAs being less motivated to serve their passengers.
Click to expand...
Remember when there were several varieties of juice available as well in the sleeping cars in the morning. That fell to cost cutting a few years ago along with discontinuing a number of salad dressing options in the dining cars.
 
anumberone said:
Coffee first thing is a habit that is hard to do without for me. The train has always been easy compared to a Cruise Ship where it may take an elevator, and a walk across a cold ass deck before getting to the buffet where after getting a cup for yourself and companion, then have to navigate your way back to the cabin without spilling most of it
Please tell me it’s coming back.
Click to expand...
When we cruise, we always order room service for our morning coffee. We’re delivered a pot or 2 with what ever else we want. So much easier than getting it yourself, unless you want a specialty coffee.
As far as the coffee station on Amtrak, yes, I’d rather it be there to be able to get it myself as our attendant isn’t always available. Going myself to the dining car is not always easy for me.
Gone are the days when you’re delivered a newspaper to read with your morning coffee. Sigh
 
TEREB said:
When we cruise, we always order room service for our morning coffee. We’re delivered a pot or 2 with what ever else we want. So much easier than getting it yourself, unless you want a specialty coffee.
Click to expand...

We always do the same—order a carafe of coffee for room service. It's hot, it's much better than the in-room coffee, and no balancing act on a windy, slippery deck.

Thanks to everyone that replied. I'm glad I'll have some options coming up for my land cruise (Amtrak), and will report back here if I see the coffee station open.
 
bratkinson said:
I pretty much kicked the coffee habit about 20 years ago for a variety of reasons. But I still like that 'early cup' just down the hall (or up the stairs) when I'm in a roomette.

Unfortunately, what I noticed from my pre-Covid roomette mornings in the past 2 years or so is that 'they' went from coffee all day, to coffee until 30 cup pot ran dry (about 9-10AM) to no coffee after 8AM or so, to no coffee at all. I'm undecided on whether that was a cost cutting measure 'from above' (like TV dinners) or the SCAs being less motivated to serve their passengers.
Click to expand...
So, I’ve really been getting back to riding Amtrak fairly recently, Sept ‘19 to be exact. We did a big trip that month and for the most part coffee in the sleepers was available until 10-11. I can say a few times it was even refilled. We then rode 28 and the coffee stayed filled nearly all morning. Thus, I have high hopes that coffee will return and be as good as ever. Partly because it is cheap and pax love it.
 
dcipjr said:
Hi all, happy to report that the coffee station is back. I rode #29 and #3 this week, and it was available on both legs starting at 6 AM, or a little before.

It was nice and strong. I was not disappointed!
Click to expand...
Is the #3 the Southwest Chief? I hope so, we will be riding on it in Sept. Thanks for a reply.
 

Latest posts

Back
Top