WASHINGTON — U.S. Rep. Steve Cohen (D-Tenn.) has introduced legislation aimed at improving dining on Amtrak trains.
H.R. 265, the Train Furtherance of Outstanding Onboard Dining act (Train FOOD Act) would require the company to report annual on progress toward implementing recommendations from the Food and Beverage Working Group created under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. That group includes representatives from Amtrak, state partners, onboard workers, and passenger advocates. The bill would require Amtrak to justify decisions not to implement the group’s recommendations, including a cost estimate if appropriate. It would also require a Government Accountability Office report on implementation.
H.R. 264, the Train Establishment of Appetizing Table Service Act (Train EATS Act) would require that coach passengers be able to access traditional dining on long-distance trains on a space-available basis; an affordable food option, currently filled by the café/lounge car; and allow passengers to pre-order meals that meet their dietary requirements, as well as healthy meal options based on USDA guidelines.
“Many of us recall the civility and elegance of a meal in a train dining car,” Cohen said in a press release. “For too long, those days have been a thing of the past. But attracting passengers back to passenger train travel requires more than on-time service and a sandwich in a plastic carton. My Train FOOD and Train EATS bills will restore the service the public once expected and still deserves.”
Both bills were introduced and referred to the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure on Jan. 9, 2025. Text for the bills has not yet been recorded to the Congress website.
I get the History Channel’s syndicated reruns known as (Hi)Story Television via free OTA (antenna) HDTV from both El Paso direct and Albuquerque via rural Xlators, where Story TV is broadcast by ABC affiliate KOAT-TV on digital CH7.5. On the Story Channel, they have broadcast a public X-portation series, one of which included electric street transit. On there, they showed a brief video byte of a street car operation, (can’t recall who), or perhaps it was an interurban car, ???, that cooked and served breakfast on board the ‘trolley’ while in motion, for the convenience of the early morning commuters. There was both a cook and servers providing that service. Maybe McD, Taco Bell, BK ,et al could full-fill those voids as contractors. “One trolley burrito with chorizo, cheese, and refried beans with coffee coming up!!!” lol
This legislation if passed and signed could cause a sea of change to Amtrak LD service. Of course, Amtrak will oppose it. Pre ordering meals would mean that the real demand for coach passengers would be evident. A reasonable pre order time before train leaves from last catering station must apply as well. Another item would be to not force some passengers to eat the same meal as much as 6 times on a trip,
Catering will need more intermediate locations to keep stock on diner allowing for more variety. Also, more seatings and maybe even some 24 hour service. “IF” this goes thru Amtrak will need a much larger number of rolling stock cars. IMO Amtrak would not like that because most certainly would require keeping all the passengers cars it wants to prematurely retire. The higher maintenance on the older cars increases operating costs with major revamping of maintenance practices.
What amazed me is that there is a Democrat representing a district in TN that’s the heart of MAGAbilly land!
Definitely not the heart of MAGAbilly land! He represents Memphis and its surrounding area.
Preaching to the choir won’t change anything. Mr. Ashenfelter nailed it.
My wife and I took the CA Zephyr from Denver to Emeryville last May and despite the amazing scenery and the nice crew the experience was less than Steller, The premium priced room which was poorly laid out and small combined with the mediocre dinning experience made it a trip I would not take again or recommend. I would pay for a better food experience but for the cost of those tickets (over 2 grand for two people) it should be a lot better.
railfans have learned to endure the lack of hospitality,just for the privilege of riding at all. Now, if you want my wife to accompany me, Amtrak will have to better than they currently provide. Lawrence is completely right. Increase passenger miles rather than cut service to miniimize loss. Amtrak, please seek to maximize profit! One way may be to increase passenger smiles by more pleasing service.
Correct me if I’m wrong, but execs at Amtrak are paid bonuses on cost cutting, not passenger mile increases. If so, a conflict of interest. Long distance, what would happen if equipment met demand and cost of travel was reasonable.
As proven by their actions, current Amtrak Management DOES NOT WANT long-distance passenger trains to succeed. They are focused only on Corridor and Regional services. They can miraculously operate 4-7 coaches and a cafe car on dozens of Corridor and Regional trains with multiple daily frequencies. Yet, they can only operate 2-3 coaches and 1-2 sleepers on every long-distance train, that only runs once daily. On certain long-distance trains, management either refuses to operate full-service dining cars, forcing all passengers to eat sandwiches and snacks for 1-2 days. Or, management operates a dining car, but will only allow sleeping car passengers to enjoy meals, while coach passengers must survive on a limited cafe menu. By refusing to repair damaged equipment, by refusing to allocate more coach and sleeping cars and by restricting access to restaurant-quality meal service, Amtrak management continues to deliberately prevent ridership growth on long-distance routes, let alone expand the long-distance network. Their actions speak louder than words. Current Amtrak Management is only operating long-distance trains because they are required to do so under law. They have no interest in creating a quality product that would attract the long-haul passenger. That’s why you get when you place former airline executives in top-level Amtrak positions. They don’t even ride their own trains to their own corporate board meeting in Seattle. They flew! The long-distance Amtrak network needs to be taken away from Amtrak control and put under an entirely separate entity that would truly focus on long-distance service!
I’d prefer the NE corridor be taken from Amtrak and operated by a proven RR entity, even if foreign, as that is the main US RR. The long-distance trains can then be franchised out to a private operator or operators. Amtrak or its successor would then be nothing more than a (much, much reduced in size) oversight board that reports to the Feds and exists solely to oversee US long distance passenger rail operations.
I’ve lost count on how many times we’ve done the “improve dining/remove dining” dance.
Amtrak has yet to restore light fluffy pancakes 🥞to the breakfast menu with pure unadulterated maple syrup.
The twin unit diners went from PRR 28-29 to PRR-PC 48-49 then AMTK 40-41. They remained on 40-41 as long as those trains had steam heat and steam remained late due to the difficulties E60’s had West of Overbrook.
I also ate in those cars many times. The food and service were always excellent.
I wonder if Congressman Cohen can “recall the civility” of American life in general?
I think the Congressman would make better use of the government’s time by addressing life in the U.S. and not merely AMTRAK.
Railroad dining cars was a primary benefit of rail travel, even late pre-Amtrak and early Amtrak or VIA. what happened in the 90s and 00s was and abomination. Better than going hungry on coach-only PC trains, but not much when paying premium sleeper fares.
Gotta wonder bow those pathetic Amtrak shills at the NARP/ RPA are going to sugarcoat this.
And explain why it takes congressional legislation to get “Steve”, [Gardner] “Tony”,[ Coscia] , and “Roger”[Harris] to do the right things by their customers?
It’s stunning just how much the Association lives in people’s heads rent free that you immediately have to comment about how terrible Rail Passengers is instead of talking about the progress being made with these bills (because that’s how government works, and Amtrak works for Congress who, in turn, works for us.
So how is the Association going to “sugar coat” this? Maybe by pointing out that the IIJA provision that created the FBWG was written by former Comms Director Ned Butler – who was also the lead author of the recommendations report that these bills are forcing Amtrak to respond to on a yearly basis.
The reason for my putting those last names in brackets is because RPA in their weekly “Hotline” emails ( I haven’t donated for years but apparently remain on their recipient list) frequently refer to those high-ranking people by their first names, I guess to impress their membership they have influence with them.
Mark – No one cares what name is used as long as you know who it being talked about.
It’s very telling that you are stuck on that point, but ignore the response to your “Gotta wonder bow those pathetic Amtrak shills…” comment.
These bills are a direct response to work that was done by the Rail Passengers staff & leadership. Full stop.
Pretty sad that acts of Congress are needed. Also pretty sad that a Congress that can’t run the country rots our brains with acronyms.
Why not waste all our Sunday Afternoon on new acronyms.
Must Order Railroad Offer New Services
Mr. Landey, great point regarding the need for micro-managing acts of Congress needed. I guess this is what we get with a one-size-fits-all federally managed national structure.
Interesting points some have made about late pre-Amtrak Penn Central dining service. Other anti-passenger railroads, I’m thinking of MoPac, actually provided halfway decent meal service in the late pre-Amtrak era. The Mop operated grill-coaches where you could get a freshly-prepared hamburger and sit at a table to eat it, kind of like “fast-casual” in some restaurants nowadays.
dinning/food service will traving a better ride, food service never made money it part of the service.
Phil,
Penn Central actually kept a decent dining service on their version of the “Broadway” for several years. I know because I rode it.
Correct. The April 30, 1971 Broadway had the twin-unit diner and the usual menu, as did the first Amtrak Broadway the next day, with a notation on the menu that the service was being provided by PC for the NRPC.
The apparent necessity for this level of micromanagement bothered me, so I will advocate for the WATER act: “We approved these executives, right?” Or maybe the SLEEP act: “Sleepers lack enough ecru pillows.” Just having fun with acronyms, but it’s really not so funny.
This flies in the face of the Penn Central policy of NY-Chicago with only a Snack Bar Coach.
How about this:
Amtrak must supply passengers with ample and suitable tables and adjacent seating in all food service cars to allow them to sit down and enjoy their meals, snacks and beverages while onboard their trains.