Schedule Change and Dinner in ALB

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rmgreenesq

rmgreenesq

Lead Service Attendant
Joined
Aug 5, 2006
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433
Location
Worcester, MA (WOR)
I spoke to Amtrak this afternoon. The agent I spoke with informed me that there are some minor schedule changes to my upcoming trip to Fullerton.

The scheudle for Train #449 from Worcester to Albany remains unchanged. I arrive in Albany at 5:35 pm. Train #49 does not depart Albany for Chicago until 7:05 pm, 30 minutes later than originally planned.

Is it realistic to expect to get a seating for three in the diner of the LSL at 7:30 at night on a Saturday night? Since Train #449 is a stub train, would the diner keep some slots open for passengers off #449? Should I plan to use that extra 1/2 an hour to find food somewhere near the ALB train station?

Any thoughts/opinions/experiences would be appreciated.

Rick
 
Usually Dinner seatings are done at 5, 6:30 and 8, but that can vary by train. I would expect the LSA to hold enough reservations for at least the folks boarding in the sleepers, and possibly a few extra for coach passengers.
 
battalion51 said:
Usually Dinner seatings are done at 5, 6:30 and 8, but that can vary by train. I would expect the LSA to hold enough reservations for at least the folks boarding in the sleepers, and possibly a few extra for coach passengers.
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Those dinner seating are history thanks to SDS. There is no such thing anymore, except on the Auto Train and the Empire Builder, as a mass dinner seating. All dinner seating these days is by reservation at 15 minutes intervals by and large.
 
rmgreenesq said:
I spoke to Amtrak this afternoon. The agent I spoke with informed me that there are some minor schedule changes to my upcoming trip to Fullerton.
The scheudle for Train #449 from Worcester to Albany remains unchanged. I arrive in Albany at 5:35 pm. Train #49 does not depart Albany for Chicago until 7:05 pm, 30 minutes later than originally planned.

Is it realistic to expect to get a seating for three in the diner of the LSL at 7:30 at night on a Saturday night? Since Train #449 is a stub train, would the diner keep some slots open for passengers off #449? Should I plan to use that extra 1/2 an hour to find food somewhere near the ALB train station?

Any thoughts/opinions/experiences would be appreciated.

Rick
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Rick,

I'm sure that the LSA would keep some slots open for Boston passengers, however dibs would go to those Boston passengers who are transferring into a sleeper, since their meals are included. Most likely, assuming no problems or delays, the diner would restart service about 10 to 15 minutes before departure once HEP (Head End Power) is restored. They can't cook without power, so they can't restart service until then.

So if the train is sold out, especially in the sleepers, I wouldn't want to bet on your getting into the dinner at all. I would certainly not want to bet on your getting in there at 7:30. Odds are that if you could get in at all with a party of your size, it would be 8:00 PM or later, IMHO.

On the other hand, Albany's train station isn't exactly a huge destination for diners either. And on a Saturday night, I'm even less sure about the choices that you might find in the station. I will admit that it's been over a year since I've been in the ALB station, so perhaps more places have opened, but when I was last there it only sported two places to even buy food and I wouldn't consider one of those two dinner material.

So you may well be better off hedging your bets on the diner and failing that, settling for something from the cafe car.
 
AlanB said:
Rick,
I'm sure that the LSA would keep some slots open for Boston passengers, however dibs would go to those Boston passengers who are transferring into a sleeper, since their meals are included. Most likely, assuming no problems or delays, the diner would restart service about 10 to 15 minutes before departure once HEP (Head End Power) is restored. They can't cook without power, so they can't restart service until then.

So if the train is sold out, especially in the sleepers, I wouldn't want to bet on your getting into the dinner at all. I would certainly not want to bet on your getting in there at 7:30. Odds are that if you could get in at all with a party of your size, it would be 8:00 PM or later, IMHO.

On the other hand, Albany's train station isn't exactly a huge destination for diners either. And on a Saturday night, I'm even less sure about the choices that you might find in the station. I will admit that it's been over a year since I've been in the ALB station, so perhaps more places have opened, but when I was last there it only sported two places to even buy food and I wouldn't consider one of those two dinner material.

So you may well be better off hedging your bets on the diner and failing that, settling for something from the cafe car.
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I've just run ALB through Google maps and didn't find much along the lines of restrauants. There is one, but it appears to be on the wrong side of the tracks. Also, I think I'll be traveling with a bit more stuff than I normally do, (pillows, blanket, stuff to entertian/feed 4 year old), getting much beyond the train station will be difficult.

I guess I'll try to get a seating in the diner shortly after pulling out of ALB. Second choice is the microwave chow from the Lounge Car.

Rick
 
If you can't get into the diner that night, you might want to see if you can get your car attendant to bring you meals from the dining car. Coach attendants tend to be more reluctant to do that, compared to sleeping car attendants, unless you're elderly or mobility impared. However, since you are traveling with a small child, he/she might also be willing to help out.

If they do, be sure to tip them for the service.
 
On the other hand, Albany's train station isn't exactly a huge destination for diners either. And on a Saturday night, I'm even less sure about the choices that you might find in the station. I will admit that it's been over a year since I've been in the ALB station, so perhaps more places have opened, but when I was last there it only sported two places to even buy food and I wouldn't consider one of those two dinner material.
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I was there in July on the way to Montreal. Nothing new since you've been there last. There is one place that has very light fare, like soup, sandwiches, and coffee. Nothing substantial for dinner. And there's really nothing in the immediate neighborhood either in the way of dining or fast food.

Best bet might be to use the cafe car on the Massachusetts stub train, but get there before they close!
 
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Superliner Diner said:
Best bet might be to use the cafe car on the Massachusetts stub train, but get there before they close!
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Is there a cafe car on #449? Every time I have seen it pass though Westborough, it appears to consist of one Genesis loco and three Amfleet I cars. Albeit it is running at a pretty good clip though Westboro, but I havn't seen a cafe car.

Rick
 
There is a cafe car. When I rode 447 last year we had a P-42, Heritage Baggage, Amfleet I Club Dinette, and 2 Amfleet II Coaches.
 
Ok. Building a dummy booking from WOR to ALB, Amtrak.com says that there is "Snack Car" on train #449. My office is about a 1/2 mile from the CSX viaduct over main street in Westboro, and Amtrak is moving pretty fast through there. Maybe I could slow it down :) CSX freight trains seem to crawl across Westboro, but not Amtrak.

I think I'm going to hold out and try for the dining car on Train #49. Part of the Amtrak experience should include eating in a dining car that is older than my in-laws. Since the microwave food from the Cafe car is available on both #49 and #449, it makes a resonable second option. And although I appreciate all the anecdotal evidnece as to the "fullness" of the dining car, on my recent ride on the Silver Star, I found the dining car to be quite empty. I'll let y'all know about the service.

I think I'll rejigger the budget to include lunch from the Cafe car on #449 shortly after bording (1:03 pm) and dinner on #49 (Diner or Cafe) around 7:30 pm.

Rick
 
You say you see the train with three Amfleet I cars. The cafe car is an Amfleet I car, so your observations don't necessarily rule out the train having the proper consist.
 
It would make sense, to confuse an Amfleet I for an Amfleet II if the train is moving at a good clip, since the only way you can tell is by the doors on the car.
 
Amfleet II windows are larger, but again not exactly simple to see from any distance whether the train is standing still or rolling. Doors are the dead give away from a distance.
 
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