NYC trip from Chicago 4/2

[John Bredin]

My wife and I are taking the Lake Shore Limited in a bedroom from Chicago to New York.

When we checked in at the Metropolitan Lounge, we were told boarding would be announced at 9p for a 9:30p departure. We asked if we could bring back outside food to eat in the lounge, and the attendant said yes.

The snack bar has chips and snacks, a modest selection of canned sodas and bottled water, and coffee.

Our choices for hot food on a Saturday night (around 7p) without leaving the station were McDonald's and Chick-fil-A. Dunkin and Starbucks, which I've seen open and busy on weekdays even during Covid, weren't open.
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[John Bredin]

Boarding was at 9p but the train wasn't yet in the station. We had to wait a few minutes in the old coach lounge before boarding.

When we boarded, the beds in our bedroom were already made. The Viewliner bedroom in night mode is somewhat more cramped than a Superliner bedroom. Plus: plenty of overhead storage in the niches over the hall and bathroom. Minus: no electric socket in the upper berth space, though there's light switches up there.

Train started moving on time; in fact, a minute before the scheduled 9:30 departure.

Attendant told us about breakfast tomorrow and that the diner is open now for drinks. Wife went to get us drinks & found a bowl of water bottles by the coffee station.

 

[John Bredin]

The bedroom seems bigger in day mode, when the bed is no longer blocking the door.

The coffee machines in the sleepers (ours and the Viewliner I to NY) are still closed, but the bottled water's nearby as stated above.

We ate breakfast in the diner. First time in a Viewliner dining car. It looks nice and well-finished but the tables are a bit small for four people. It was seat-yourself rather than reservations and assigned tables. The utensils are plastic but look metallic.

This was also our first flex meal. We both ordered the French toast, and we both thought it was good but not great. It neither looked nor smelled like garbage, as some have said about the flex meals. My wife commented on the corn "breakfast syrup" instead of maple syrup. To be fair to Amtrak, a lot of restaurants with cooked-to-order breakfasts also go that route.

The sleeper and diner attendants have been nice so far. But a crewman (didn't turn around to look) was rather loudly kvetching to another crewmember in the diner.

 

[joelkfla]

My wife commented on the corn "breakfast syrup" instead of maple syrup. To be fair to Amtrak, a lot of restaurants with cooked-to-order breakfasts also go that route.

Indeed, real maple is nearly impossible to find outside the grocery store. Even self-designated "pancake houses" serve "table syrup" or "breakfast syrup".

 

[John Bredin]

At lunch, after learning we wouldn't get dinner, we took our complimentary dessert and I took my complimentary alcoholic drink.

We both got the vegetarian enchilada, ranch dressing for the salad, the brownie, and diet Coke. I got Bacardi rum to go with my soda.

The salad was chilled and small but not IMHO tiny. The roll and brownie were both heated, and better for it. The enchilada was really good and we didn't miss the meat. And of course any meal is better with rum and diet Coke.

We had the same friendly server as at breakfast. The other server seemed polite enough... except for keeping anyone from taking the booths closest to the kitchen. I can see keeping one booth for crew use, but not more than that. When a couple came in and only the single/accessible table was free beyond the forbidden line a man sitting alone at a full booth graciously moved to the single table so the couple could have a full booth.

 

[jiml]

Indeed, real maple is nearly impossible to find outside the grocery store. Even self-designated "pancake houses" serve "table syrup" or "breakfast syrup".

A totally unacceptable situation for those from Canada or the New England states.

 

[Bob Dylan]

A totally unacceptable situation for those from Canada or the New England states.

Or any where else!

 

[MARC Rider]

Indeed, real maple is nearly impossible to find outside the grocery store. Even self-designated "pancake houses" serve "table syrup" or "breakfast syrup".

I've seen real maple syrup served at some places in Vermont, but even there, sometimes it's an extra charge.

 

[oregon pioneer]

I've seen real maple syrup served at some places in Vermont, but even there, sometimes it's an extra charge.

Ha, ha, I'm a native Vermonter and back in college I got fired from a pancake house for refusing to lie about the syrup. On being asked whether it was real, I told the customer "It's just table syrup, but it's hot and it's good." The customer was satisfied, and used the syrup in their meal, but a co-worker reported me. These days, I'd sue the boss, but I was young and believed that I could be fired for being "stubborn" (i.e. refusing to lie).

Full disclosure: I don't eat the French toast or the pancakes on Amtrak, as I prefer the simple Continental breakfast with hot oatmeal.

 

[John Bredin]

I walked the platform during the long stop at Albany-Rensselaer (we're still here as of this posting) to get fresh air and check out the train.

Our sleeper is Tiffin River, which I never heard of until today. (It's in Michigan and Ohio, says Wikipedia.) Our diner is Dover. We've got five coaches, two ahead of the Boston sleeper and three behind the cafe car -- I presume those are the Boston and NY coaches respectively. Two NY sleepers, as I mentioned earlier.

 

[John Bredin]

Epilog: we arrived in NYP essentially on time. We were about an hour late most of the trip... except for leaving Chicago and arriving in New York. We didn't go to Moynihan Hall because we wanted to get to our hotel. We'll see it on the way home.

 

[John Bredin]

Epilog to the epilog. Amtrak sent me a survey about my trip. I gave generally positive comments because I'm satisfied with the trip overall. That said, I mentioned the absence of an electric socket in the upper berth of our bedroom (a puzzling oversight in a Viewliner II) and the saving of multiple tables in the dining car at lunch.

 

[Old MM]

Love your report and pictures!
You're particularly skilled at capturing the "mood"!

 

[John Bredin]

Thank you kindly! ☺

 

[Brian Battuello]

Good report. Always nice to hear from people that take Amtrak with a sense of humor and/or adventure, depending on the size of the screw up.

BTW, for anyone that has the 45ish minute stop in Albany, there is a very decent newsstand/general purpose shop in the station with good magazines, books and toys for the little ones. Also the mini-cafe has nice snacks and sandwiches. The cafe also sells something quite decent that comes in small bottles, but the moderators won't let me mention it Much appreciation for moderators, having been one myself on another forum.

You are only a couple of minutes from the train and they make copious boarding announcements, so you would have to work hard to miss it. Sometimes they will let you back on by flashing your through ticket, other times you have to wait for general boarding to return to the train.

 

[AmtrakMaineiac]

BTW, for anyone that has the 45ish minute stop in Albany, there is a very decent newsstand/general purpose shop in the station with good magazines, books and toys for the little ones. Also the mini-cafe has nice snacks and sandwiches. The cafe also sells something quite decent that comes in small bottles, but the moderators won't let me mention it Much appreciation for moderators, having been one myself on another forum.

I'll have to check that out, I plan to be through there in September Deo Volente, specifically to find out what this mysterious substance in bottles is that can't be mentioned on AU