Long Distance Food Service (Was: Losing Weight On The Ghan)

[PCCSTREETCAR@webtv.net (John Engleman)]

I have always taken issue with the "type" of food service offered on
Australian trains. Not the quality or the food itself, which is almost
always fine (except on Countrylink), but the way it is offered. I
believe that meals should not necessarily be included in fares, but even
if they are they also should be available to all passengers a'la carte
(providing those passengers are, for lack of a better word, decent). And
there should be a good quality snack bar open at all times on long
distance trains serving a variety of sandwiches, snacks, and beverages.
This is one area where all Australian passenger train operators could
take a good lesson from Amtrak, where if anything is consistently good,
it is the food and food service.  Earlier this year I wanted to take the
Ghan from Adelaide to Melbourne, and I wanted to eat at least lunch and
dinner in the dining car.  To be able to do so I would have had to buy a
1st Class ticket at a cost of hundreds of dollars extra. Suffice to say
that Qantas got my money for that trip.