"The food is what you would expect at a fast food chain - and on long trips gets stale."

the ignorance of a comment like this is stunning, obviously you have never experienced what you speak of. Next time stick to what you know as it certainly isn't Amtrak.

Please - do not presume to tell me what food was available and what condition it was in. I was there - and you were not.

And the food was basically inedible.

Perhaps this is not so on every train - but it was on the trains I have been on.

The Amtrak trains I have been on over the past 11+ years:
Empire Builder both ways several times,
Coast Starlight both ways many times,
California Zephyr both ways
San Joaquin both ways several times (always on time)
Southwest Chief both ways
City of New Orleans northbound
Crescent northbound (great Poboy sandwich)
Lakeshore Limited mostly overnight
Capitol Limited mostly overnight
Three Rivers from Chicago when it still ran
Keystone PHL to HBG
Maple Leaf NYP to Toronto
Northeast Regional WAS to NYP
Silver Star WAS to Florida and return.

You can bring food and drink (non alcoholic) on board if you don't like the food served in the dining car. Some of the food that comes out of the microwave in the lounge car is pretty bad and the booze is overpriced for a good reason.
The latest train that I was ever on was on the ViaRail Canadian (16 hours). That train was delayed by a snowstorm in western Ontario that put out the signals.
Some people's vacation starts when they get off the plane or get out of bed at a hotel far from home. Mine starts when I get on the train.
My next two Amtrak trips are already planned in November and December.

Skip Palm Springs - there's nothing there for a 19-year old. ...except triple digit temperatures during the summer. Ditto for Phoenix (unless this is a brief stopping off spot on the way to the Grand Canyon).

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Vic's travels: http://my.flightmemory.com/vogilvie

OK - folks -- the OP has never returned to the thread since first posting it 2+ months ago (and has no other posts on Fodors)

So carry on w/ your amtrak debate . . . but it surely ain't for the benefit of the OP . . . .

"Please - do not presume to tell me what food was available and what condition it was in. I was there - and you were not."

the idea that everyone has your experience is not borne out by the variety of reviews at various website.

So the food is awful only part of the time?

Or perhaps some people don;t mind eating really awful food (Olive Garden and similar fast food chains are very popular - but I would call the food there awful.)