So two of my friends and I are taking the LSL from Chicago to Boston on October 9th. What is the consist of this train? Will we get an Amfleet 1 or 2 (please say 2)? What are the chances of us coach passengers catching a meal in the diner (even though its a diner-lite)? Any chance we'll get electrical outlets? Thanks!
Lake Shore Limited
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ALC Rail Writer
Engineer
Your consist will be:
P42
P42
Heritage Fleet baggage car (Boston)
1 Viewliner Sleeper (Boston)
Amfleet II coach car (Boston)
Amfleet II coach car (Boston)
Horizon Dinette (Boston)
Amfleet II coach car (New York)
Amfleet II coach car (New York)
Amfleet II coach car (New York)
Amfleet II Diner Lite (New York)
Viewliner Sleeper (New York)
Viewliner Sleeper (New York)
Heritage Fleet baggage car (New York)
You'll get outlets in the coaches (last time I checked all AFIIs had outlets, and there is a pretty good chance you'll get meals in the diner.
Of course after ALB you'll only have the dinette for food service.
P42
P42
Heritage Fleet baggage car (Boston)
1 Viewliner Sleeper (Boston)
Amfleet II coach car (Boston)
Amfleet II coach car (Boston)
Horizon Dinette (Boston)
Amfleet II coach car (New York)
Amfleet II coach car (New York)
Amfleet II coach car (New York)
Amfleet II Diner Lite (New York)
Viewliner Sleeper (New York)
Viewliner Sleeper (New York)
Heritage Fleet baggage car (New York)
You'll get outlets in the coaches (last time I checked all AFIIs had outlets, and there is a pretty good chance you'll get meals in the diner.
Of course after ALB you'll only have the dinette for food service.
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the_traveler
Engineer
Certainly an Amfleet II. As far as a meal - excellent. There is no dinner out of Chicago, but breakfast (and many times lunch) is first come, first served. I think you will have at least a 75% chance of getting at seat power. On my last trip, I only saw a few cars that didn't. (And even if you do, walk to another car and if there is, ask the CA if you can move. I did on the CS!)
Unless there's a bad-ordered Amfleet II coach (which is not likely), you will be traveling in an Amfleet II. Dinner is not served out of Chicago (and the complimentary snacks are reserved for sleeper pax), so I believe your meals will be breakfast and lunch. If I remember correctly, breakfast is run on a first come, first serve basis. So assuming that you arrive in the diner-lite in time, you should get breakfast. If you go to the diner a little before lunch, you should be able to get a seating time.
Good, good. This will be my friend's first trip on Amtrak, so I am hoping for a good impression! It will be a long walk to the diner, but we're college kids! How many restrooms are there on an Amfleet? And Is there any way I can see some interior pictures? I've ridden Superliners a lot (mostly between Denver and Omaha, and we'll be on those on the Cap Limited from WAS back to CHI), but have never been on the single level equipment, hence my curiosity. One last question (hopefully). Is there any way you can tell the difference between an Amfleet 1 and 2 from the outside? :huh:Your consist will be42
P42
Heritage Fleet baggage car (Boston)
1 Viewlineir Sleeper (Boston)
Amfleet II coach car (Boston)
Amfleet II coach car (Boston)
Horizon Dinette (Boston)
Amfleet II coach car (New York)
Amfleet II coach car (New York)
Amfleet II coach car (New York)
Amfleet II Diner Lite (New York)
Viewliner Sleeper (New York)
Viewliner Sleeper (New York)
Heritage Fleet baggage car (New York)
You'll get outlets in the coaches (last time I checked all AFIIs had outlets, and there is a pretty good chance you'll get meals in the diner.
Of course after ALB you'll only have the dinette for food service.
ALC Rail Writer
Engineer
There are two bathrooms in an AFII.Good, good. This will be my friend's first trip on Amtrak, so I am hoping for a good impression! It will be a long walk to the diner, but we're college kids! How many restrooms are there on an Amfleet? And Is there any way I can see some interior pictures? I've ridden Superliners a lot (mostly between Denver and Omaha, and we'll be on those on the Cap Limited from WAS back to CHI), but have never been on the single level equipment, hence my curiosity. One last question (hopefully). Is there any way you can tell the difference between an Amfleet 1 and 2 from the outside? :huh:Your consist will be
P42
Heritage Fleet baggage car (Boston)
1 Viewlineir Sleeper (Boston)
Amfleet II coach car (Boston)
Amfleet II coach car (Boston)
Horizon Dinette (Boston)
Amfleet II coach car (New York)
Amfleet II coach car (New York)
Amfleet II coach car (New York)
Amfleet II Diner Lite (New York)
Viewliner Sleeper (New York)
Viewliner Sleeper (New York)
Heritage Fleet baggage car (New York)
You'll get outlets in the coaches (last time I checked all AFIIs had outlets, and there is a pretty good chance you'll get meals in the diner.
Of course after ALB you'll only have the dinette for food service.
The AFI has a lot smaller windows than the AFII. There are only doors on one end of the car on the side and IIRC the trucks are different.
Amfleet I:
Amfleet II:
As for internal shots, the seats are virtually identical to Superliner coach class seating. Blue with foot rests and leg rests and curtains.
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JAChooChoo
Service Attendant
Slmple spotting guide, Amfleet 2 has 1 vestibule, Amfleet 1 has 2.
cpamtfan
OBS Chief
I believe about 95% of the Amfleet IIs have outlets, maybe even more. But watch out for the cars with only one!
jis
Permanent Way Inspector
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On a recent ride on the LSL from Chicago to New York, we were offered a brief dinner seating between Albany and New York.
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printman2000
Engineer
BuzzKillington
Service Attendant
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I think they get cold meals from the lounge car. Maybe a sandwich or something...
the_traveler
Engineer
I too think it is a cold (boxed) dinner service.
I took the LSL sleeper all the way to Boston, and yes you are served a cold pre packaged meal usually like a beef or chicken dish, it wasnt bad, wasnt great either. Hope the LSL gets a real diner back for the boston stub eventually so one could get a hot meal.
frj1983
OBS Chief
There are usually 2 restrooms at the end of the car and if the cars are hooked up as they were last week during my trip on the LSL, the bathroom ends were hooked together and so you had four possibilities to use a bathroom...can't guarantee that this will happen when you ride though, but it was the same both going and coming.Good, good. This will be my friend's first trip on Amtrak, so I am hoping for a good impression! It will be a long walk to the diner, but we're college kids! How many restrooms are there on an Amfleet? And Is there any way I can see some interior pictures? I've ridden Superliners a lot (mostly between Denver and Omaha, and we'll be on those on the Cap Limited from WAS back to CHI), but have never been on the single level equipment, hence my curiosity. One last question (hopefully). Is there any way you can tell the difference between an Amfleet 1 and 2 from the outside? :huh:Your consist will be
P42
Heritage Fleet baggage car (Boston)
1 Viewlineir Sleeper (Boston)
Amfleet II coach car (Boston)
Amfleet II coach car (Boston)
Horizon Dinette (Boston)
Amfleet II coach car (New York)
Amfleet II coach car (New York)
Amfleet II coach car (New York)
Amfleet II Diner Lite (New York)
Viewliner Sleeper (New York)
Viewliner Sleeper (New York)
Heritage Fleet baggage car (New York)
You'll get outlets in the coaches (last time I checked all AFIIs had outlets, and there is a pretty good chance you'll get meals in the diner.
Of course after ALB you'll only have the dinette for food service.
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cpamtfan
OBS Chief
Cold meal serice is avalible to sleeper pax on the LSL Boston Section between ALB and BOS. They feature to different items for dinner (448) and lunch(449) as well as dessert. Other than that theres cafe food, which you still have to buy.
Jack, the best the Boston section is going to get is the "Diner Lite" dining car currently on the NY section. Full service diner will go to NYP. The meals will be hot, but not "fresh from the grill, etc.".
cpamtfan
OBS Chief
Nope, not boxed. Served on Amplates.
cpamtfan
OBS Chief
The attendant will come to your room and you will get two different choices, a beef dish (beef tips I believe) and a chicken dish. The attendant will then bring the cold meal (on a Amplate) to your room. On the return, I think you go to the cafe where they seat you at a booth, and you get to choices, chicken sandwich with chick peas or asparigus salad. Desserts I believe are chocolate cake or strawberry shortcake. Hope that helps to all AUs heading to BOS
:blink: , unfortunitly I can't attend since I have a very busy schedule :angry: !cpamtfan
OBS Chief
JSmith
Service Attendant
Oh, that's promising. I had heard previously that there is no dinner on the eastbound LSL into New York (since the arrival in NYC is at about 6:30 PM). We are traveling from BUF to NYP at the end of September (in two roomettes) and I was only expecting to get lunch on the train, not dinner or breakfast.
Im also riding the LSL from CHI-NY @ the end of the month, from what Ive read here and heard you still will get only breakfast ( if the train is not late into BUF) and lunch, the diner will not be put on until @ least Oct. I think just the cafe car will be available from ALB-NYP for your trip, and mine! * sigh*
jis
Permanent Way Inspector
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There is no Cafe Car Albany to New York. There is only the Diner-Lite car and it may provide some counter service, but then again it might not. On the day I traveled last month it offered a brief dinner seating. between Albany and New York. I don't know if this is a regular thing or it depends on the mood of the LSA. On that trip we even arrived early into New York.Im also riding the LSL from CHI-NY @ the end of the month, from what Ive read here and heard you still will get only breakfast ( if the train is not late into BUF) and lunch, the diner will not be put on until @ least Oct. I think just the cafe car will be available from ALB-NYP for your trip, and mine! * sigh*
It's my understanding that they are supposed to be doing a short dinner into NYP, but many of the crews seem to be revolting against this idea and refusing to do so. In fact on my recent trip the cafe attendant was furious because the LSA from the diner had walked into all the NY coaches telling everyone that if they wanted any food, that they had best run to the cafe car right now before the train arrived in Albany.
This of course created a huge rush to the cafe car. I happened to hear her commenting "where are all these people coming from", so I told her what was going on. Shortly after that, the two LSA's were having words with one another in the cafe car.
This of course created a huge rush to the cafe car. I happened to hear her commenting "where are all these people coming from", so I told her what was going on. Shortly after that, the two LSA's were having words with one another in the cafe car.
Alan: This is surely a problem for Amtrak and the pax, as well as the crew! Is it policy to offer/serve the lite dinner from ALB-NYP. or can the crew just do what they want? What if other crews decide they dont want to serve the last meal before the end of the line, say no breakfast into LAX or no lunch into CHI?
Im sure you can find out/let us know before it becomes a mutiny on the LSL! Lots of members/guests seem to be planning to ride this train soon!Thanks as always, I am confused as to whether its a diner-lite or a cafe car ALB-NYP, last time I rode it was a cafe car but that was awhile back! Jim :unsure:
Im sure you can find out/let us know before it becomes a mutiny on the LSL! Lots of members/guests seem to be planning to ride this train soon!Thanks as always, I am confused as to whether its a diner-lite or a cafe car ALB-NYP, last time I rode it was a cafe car but that was awhile back! Jim :unsure:
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I don't recall having seen an official announcement, but I have heard it mentioned a few times that they are supposed to be serving a meal. It is not supposed to be the crew's choice, but again, it would seem that at least a few of the crews are objecting to doing so.
As for other crews on other trains suddenly deciding to not serve a meal, that's unlikely. They've been serving those meals for quite some time. This is a change for the LSL, which is why the crews are fighting it.
When delivered, the current "Diner-Lite" car was indeed a cafe car designed for single level longer distance trains. It wasn't even really designed for Long Distance trains, even though that's where they've served the bulk of their years. Amtrak has now converted 19 out of 26 of those cars to Diner-Lite cars.
The Diner-Lite car has additional freezer space, as well as a steam table, that was not part of the original design. It's better equiped to serve hot meals than any cafe car, but still quite a ways away from a true dining car that comes with a grill and regular ovens, as well as a dish washer.
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