<<Disclaimer: Verify this information before applying it to your situation.>>

Thanks to all to replied to my request for information on getting g.f. food 
aboard Amtrak. I wrote to Amtrak but have not as yet recieved a reply.  
According to their website, passengers are allowed to bring food onboard but Amtrak 
is prohibited from heating or refrigerating it.  (I don't know if there are 
even outlets where you could plug in a small electric cooler???)  

From the responses I recieved, snacks seem to be available on all route, but 
dining cars are not. Meals in dining cars are expensive since I have no idea 
what items are available, so am unable to even speculate if they might be g.f. 
(It would be nice to hear from Amtrak...)  

I advised the visitor that if they were taking the train to "see America", 
half of the ~18 hour trip would probably be in the dark and it might be more 
cost effective to take a non-stop flight from Milwaukee to DC.  If they still 
wanted to experience Amtrak, they could take to train to Chicago for a day trip 
to tour the downtown site.

Again, thanks to everyone for their responses...They are show below...

Bev in Milwaukee


They cook to order on the rain, and it is very expensive, but the meals were 
simple and straightforward. You might be able to request a menu from 
Amtrak, because I am certain the menu doesn't change all that often. I can't speak on 
the availability of GF food, as I was not diagnosed at the time.

We were on Amtrak to Williamsburg, VA a couple of years ago and everything
meat was in a gravy, or breaded like veal cutlet in tomato sauce.  I'd carry
my own food.  On a trip is the last time you want to get sick.

My experience -- we were on a trip to New York where, half-way up, the train 
was stranded by four hours.  I called Amtrak to complain and they gave us a 
first class upgrade on the way back which included a meal.  I asked for a GF 
meal.  They said, "We can do that."  Then three hours later they called back 
to say they couldn't.
       So while we were in NY, we went to the Whole Foods and bought food I 
could 
eat on the way back.  That included bread.  Amtrak will not heat your bread. 
It doesn't matter what class you're riding in, they won't do it.  They claim 
they're forbidden to do it by federal regulations.
       Short answer to your friends: Bring food.  And don't bring sandwiches.

I've been on Amtrak several times, and there's nothing but chips and candy to 
eat.  There was an extremely tiny fruit salad too.  I'd bring a sandwich- 
they aren't going to have anything for you!
 
We traveled from Orlando to NYC on Amtrak roughly a year ago.  Their dining 
car meals were all right, though I had to special order, and they were 
extremely expensive.  They were confused and unsure of themselves (at least the train 
I was on) when it came to what "gluten free" meant.
       The snack bar in the train we were on had potato chips, sandwiches, 
pizza, nachos, and a few other assorted snacks like candy bars.  I survived 
mostly on the nachos.
       I don't know how to describe it, other than to compare it to traveling 
on an airplane.  What they've got is what they will offer, and only too often 
it isn't enough.
Not sure if that helps, but luck to your friend.
 
It's been quite a few years since I traveled on Amtrak and I didn't have 
celiac then, but what I learned was to travel on Amtrak as though I were camping.  
That is, I brought as much food (and pillows and blankets) as I would if I 
were camping out.  I
traveled around the country 2x and up and down both coasts many times and 
discovered that, wonderful as train travel is (or was), Amtrak, as a company, 
cannot
be relied upon to feed or shelter you. You must have everything you need to 
sustain life and for a celiac that means all the food you'll need to keep 
yourself gf for the duration of the trip. 
 
I contacted Amtrak a couple months ago about getting gluten-free food on the 
train, and their answer made it clear they didn't even know what gluten was 
(I 
had contact with 3 different people in the process) and they don't do special 

meals for anybody. I wish you better luck with them!

I was the one doing research, but I didn't save it, so I'll have to work 
from memory.  The advise was to take my own food in some type of cooler. I 
had both yes and no replies about the kitchen for the dining car having an 
available microwave.  Since I was going from Ohio to Oregon, this was 
looking like a major trip, but I have to carry refrigerated medications, so 
some kind of cooler was going with me anyway. 
       I ended up not taking Amtrak.  My ticket, with sleeping arrangements, 
was 
double the Air Fair, so I flew. I was with American or one of their 
subsidiary lines all the way.  The snack they offered nothing I could eat.  I was glad 
I had packed my lunch, after all.  And I was able to find foods in Portland 
for my flight back to Ohio.
Susan, Ohio

I've traveled on Amtrak, but just one time.  The selection was quite sparse 
although you could get a salad for a lot of money and a little lettuce.  We 
brought our food and some drinks with us and I think that's the best way to be 
sure that you have what you need.  There are tables in the cars between four 
seats for eating, card playing, reading, etc.  It was pleasant and sunny.  We had 
a great time.  Just don't depend on the food.
 

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