• Meal options aboard Amtrak trains can be hit-or-miss.
• A dessert by a small Delaware bakery quickly became my favorite menu item while traveling.
• Frank & Louie's buttercake has an online cult following among Amtrak travelers.

I've spent thousands of dollars and hundreds of hours traveling on Amtrak, and, like anyone who travels regularly enough by train, I can tell you that the food isn't always particularly showstopping.

But one menu item during a recent long-distance trip wowed me more than some fine-dining desserts.

In fact, it made my nearly $1,000 first-class ticket worth it — and I'm far from the only one obsessed with the unique regional dessert.

I've traveled long-distance on Amtrak many times, and the food isn't always my highlight

Most of the time, I travel by coach, so I eat little else than whatever snacks I pack and maybe Amtrak's $5 hot dog that I find weirdly enjoyable aboard the train — perhaps the only time I would find a microwaved bun at all appetizing.

On the coach café, microwaved burgers and hot dogs offer a sufficient warm meal if you don't care for anything other than survival and perhaps the novelty of train dining.

On the other hand, the first-class dining car offers much better alternatives, though not particularly worth the $1,000 travel upgrade. While some routes offering flex dining allow passengers to buy a breakfast, lunch, or dinner pass for $20, $25, or $45, respectively, the upcharge isn't always worth it depending on travel plans.

The buttercake dessert on a recent trip changed my opinion on the train dining options

During a June trip from Washington, DC, to Chicago, while traveling in a first-class roomette, I enjoyed the better dining options in the first-class dining car.

After my lunch, the server asked whether I'd like to have dessert. The two options were a brownie and a buttercake. Having tried the brownie on a prior trip, I went with the buttercake, although I wasn't too sure what the name exactly described.

What arrived at my table was a warm, rich, gooey, very sweet, and buttery custard-filled shortcake. I was beyond wowed by it.

After a couple of delicious bites, I looked online to see if other riders felt as passionately about the dessert as I had.

They certainly did.

The dessert is only regionally available on certain routes and has an online cult following

As soon as I looked it up, I encountered an online cult following for the dessert, which is only offered on certain train routes and has limited availability off the tracks.

Frank & Louie's, the manufacturer of the buttercake, is a small family-run Italian bakery and retailer in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware. Apart from the train routes and a couple of locations in Delaware, the business also sells the buttercakes online, although they can only be ordered by the case. The minimum order you can place is 60 frozen buttercakes, which comes to $299 after shipping and handling.

In May, Amtrak posted an exciting, all-caps message to all buttercake lovers announcing the dessert would now be available aboard the Northeast Regional route. Online users report that the cake is usually available on routes like the California Zephyr, the Crescent, and the Empire Builder.

Aside from the many grams of sugar in the dessert, the buttercake competes in taste with some of the best fine-dining desserts I've tried.

Next time I travel on Amtrak, I might have to plan my route around finding this regional dessert again — or maybe just plan a trip to Delaware.

• Amtrak rolled out its newest fleet of trains in late September, called Airo.
• The new fleet launched in the Pacific Northwest, and 83 trainsets will roll out nationwide.
• I rode Airo in coach and loved the cleanliness and new luxuries, but it missed one rider must-have.

I've been a regular Amtrak passenger for about four years now, and often ride in the Pacific Northwest where the tracks run past green pastures, blue rivers, and no shortage of trees.

But as much as I love the scenery, the old Amtrak trains that travel it have always left me wanting more.

So when Amtrak announced it would release a new line of trainsets in late September, I booked a ticket immediately to experience the high-end difference it promises.

The new fleet, called Airo, is replacing Amtrak's existing Cascades trains. Amtrak plans to roll out 83 Airo trainsets nationwide, with additional Cascades sets entering service through early 2027.

While the $34 round-trip ticket and over 2 ½-hour travel time between Eugene, Oregon, and Portland were the same as usual, some new amenities stood out to me, but I found one key perk was missing.

Here's what the Amtrak Cascades Airo train was like.

I was stunned by how modern the train felt.

When I stepped aboard, I was taken aback by the modern design throughout the cabins. It's a stark contrast to the older trains previously used on the Cascades route.

There was plenty of light, which reflected off the sleek, gray walls, and the smell of new leather made the ride feel quite luxurious.

Riding in coach, I noticed ample storage and that some racks could be pushed up to make room for bike storage.

Also, the new Airo train had a "cab" car with dedicated storage. This helps keep aisles clear of rogue bags and carry-ons.

The seats were far more comfortable.

The seats on the new Airo trains are ergonomic, making my back feel way more supported during the nearly three-hour ride.

I didn't find myself switching around my sitting positions as much as I normally do, so I was able to get some peaceful shut-eye.

New amenities could be found throughout the cabin.

I did a double take when I saw that Elkay water bottle stations are on board. Compared to Amtrak's older trains, which have tiny water faucets, this was a major upgrade, particularly useful for long journeys.

The doors aboard the Airo train have touchless controls, including the bathroom doors, which helped make the train — and me — feel cleaner.

The food was good and affordable.

Amtrak said the Cascades Cafe menu was updated in June to include locally sourced products from across the Pacific Northwest. I opted for an Italian Grinder sandwich, a Twix chocolate bar, and a Sprite for a total of $14.50.

While I didn't notice much difference in the overall options or the sandwich's quality compared with prior trips, the food was good. I also liked the self-service refrigerators and grab-and-go options, which made the process quick and easy.

"We introduced the menu two months ahead of the Airo fleet launch to ensure operational readiness," an Amtrak spokesperson told Business Insider. "The Airo fleet features the refreshed menu along with self-service displays that make shopping and checkout easier, upgraded food preparation equipment to improve quality, and digital displays that showcase the full range of offerings."

There was no information on the train's location and arrival time.

My biggest source of discontent during my trip was not knowing where the train was en route or whether there were any delays.

While I can get this information from the app — and even that can be inaccurate — I had imagined that the Airo train would display its location and estimated arrival time on its screens, as many modern airplanes do.

This left me and other passengers toward the end of the trip wondering when exactly we would arrive at our final destination. We went old-school and asked a crew member instead.

The Amtrak spokesperson said the onboard screens, as well as audio announcements, tell customers when a train is approaching and arriving at a station, and what progress has been made between stops. They said that live arrival and location updates are an amenity it is exploring, but the trains don't have a real-time data connection needed for the capability.

I'm still happy with the new Amtrak trains.

My round-trip experience on Amtrak's new Airo train was largely pleasant. I felt much more comfortable aboard the Airo train than on Amtrak's older trains, thanks to the new ergonomic seating and cleanliness, but I wish Amtrak could display our arrival time better.

Though that amenity would be great, it's not keeping me from coming back.