Why Railroads Got Rid of the Dining Car
For most of the 20th century, the railroad dining car was one of the finest dining experiences in America — white tablecloths, full silver service, and cuisine prepared in a rolling kitchen moving at 80 miles per hour. Then Amtrak eliminated full dining service on most long-distance routes, replacing it with Flexible Dining — pre-packaged meals heated in a café car — and passengers who remembered what rail dining once was reacted accordingly. The reason wasn’t culinary preference. It was arithmetic. Full dining car service lost money on every single route it operated, subsidized by ticket revenue in a system that was already losing billions annually. The tablecloths came off because the math never worked.
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They did not get rid of them amtrack still use them
Everything is done on the cheap in the USA.
Nowadays you usually find 2 or 3 people operating a dining car, the meals served are convenience food stored "almost ready" that just needs to be warmed up. I understand the problems: A dining car is another carriage added to the train that doesn't add any more passengers paying, requires additional staff, a whole supply network. Also the needs of passengers are highly diverse. Some might just take the trip for a short distance and take a quick snack or breakfast. Some want to drink with their friends in the evening. Some want to celebrate their travel with a multi-course meal. Some have plenty of time, others want a bite before they get off at the next station and attend a business date shortly thereafter. Still it's much better to have something to eat than to have nothing at all. Sometimes I bring myself something to eat onto the train but I can't always do that. When I travel early in the morning it's most convenient to just take a morning shower, grab my baggage, go to the station and have breakfast in the dining car.
And the video isn't entirely correct about the situation in Europe, which I describe above. With the introduction of the TGV in France from the 1980s came a downgrade in restaurant service, you could either get a small meal at the bar or (in first class) pre-order a meal to be brought to your seat. In contrast the TEE had multi-course meals prepared in onboard kitchens. There was quite a lot of criticism at the time that French dining culture took such a sharp downturn.
The German ICE kept (for the most part) a dining car but switched to a convenience system as described, with a selection of pre-prepared meals that can be warmed up quickly.
My family and I traveled by amtrak from the south to NYC every other year. Eating breakfast in the dining car was the highlight of the trip. We traveled all night. The last time we took the trip was right before covid and we found out that the dining car was limited to sleeper service only. We were very disappointed. If amtrak was loosing money on the meals why didn't they just increase the price? I would have gladly paid more for the experience and if others didn't want to they could get something in the club car. Also meals could be ordered in advance when you buy your tickets and prepared fresh and delivered to the train at a station stop before meal service began. Final touches and plating could be done just before serving. They don't have to be served in heat up trays. It could be handled like a catering job. That would eliminate waste and cut back on staff, hours and union payroll. It would also give jobs to businesses around some stations. Restaurants use advance cooking then fresh plating all the time. If it is good enough for fancy catering jobs at expense functions it could be done for the railroad.
The title is deliberately misleading. It's not about "railroads," it's all about and only about Amtrak. For the most part, railroads (pre-Amtrak) did not operate dining cars. Mostly, the Pullman Company did. On the Santa Fe, Fred Harvey operated dining cars. The question should be why could Pullman and Harvey make money from dining cars when Amtrak couldn't?
I blame the travelling public for all the downgrades of the USA passenger train. I remember back in the 1960's as a child how I loved it when my parents took me on trains trips. My parents seemed to enjoy it too. However, my parents suddenly became brainwashed when the new freeways and interstates were built. Suddenly I was no longer taken on train trips. Speed and convenience suddenly became their gods and train trips were no longer considered. By the time I became 18 years old I saw the last train leave Los Angeles Union Station before Amtrak began operating and it was very very sad. I went home and told my parents that they did this and now I hope they are happy with their new cars and freeways.
They can afford executive bonuses though right?
Amtrak CEO got rid of dining cars to drive down ridership on long distance trains so then they could turn around and moan "ooh, nobody makes them, I guess we should drop the route"
The Dining that the Amtrak Long Distance Train routes in the Western half of the country as well as the Silver Service and Auto Train are way better than the ones that serve flex dining
We should pass Steve Cohens Amtrak train eats act as soon as possible so maybe they can adopt Via Rails model
I am 75 and have been on trains my entire life. Yes, it is extremely sad the dining car as we knew them are gone. My neighbor as a boy was a senior dining car supervisor on the New York Central. That was considered a position of high authority and paid very well. Passenger service was the only interaction most Americans ever had with railroads and prior to Amtrak in 1971 those dining cars were the number one showcase each railroad had to show their best side. Today—65 years later, I can still remember how a meal in the dining car was indeed a special experience. I was glad to be there.
This video, although interesting was definitely using an East Coast biased as far as the dining cars are concerned. Yes, casual dining does exist on the East Coast on a lot of runs from my understanding but as a West Coast guy, I've never had that. I have written the coast starlight several times in the last couple of years and yes, I'm willing to pay extra money for that dining car experience, but in truth, having my own private room where I can get away from other people is a huge selling factor to me, and customarily I usually have my breakfast in my room, not in the dining car, cause I'm not a morning person. One of my closest friends will not go on the train unless he can get a private room so he can get that famous freshly grilled AMTRAK steak, which he loves. Yes, I do understand that it does exclude some folks from enjoying that dining experience because they can't afford a sleeper car room, although every ride that I've been on recently at least one of the meals. There was extra capacity in the dining car and it was opened up to the coach passengers at a nominal fee. I don't remember what the up charge was on it, but I seem to think it wasn't that bad. And I do have to say that the service and the food quality was outstanding. The entire experience was worth the extra cost, and it is true. You do meet people in the dining car that for at least a short period of time become friends.
Before the early '90's, Amtrak charged everyone who ate in their dining cars. The accommodation charge for rooms in sleeper cars was more affordable back then. Many opted to bring their own food or buy what was offered in lounge cafe cars. The fare for sleeper car passengers has increased in order to keep up with inflation, but it's good to know I don't need to worry about the cost price breakfast-$25, lunch-$35, or dinner-$55 for coach passengers since meals still are complimentary for sleeper car passengers.
I miss the joy of being able to smoke in the club car. I miss club cars that were more like a living room ,today they look more like a burger joint on wheels.
What we squander on stupid forever wars could be better spent on upgrading our rail service. Make trains not bombs !