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Although it has been rumoured for some time, Via has announced on their website that The Canadian will convert to a four night schedule starting December 1. The website does not give the times, it only says that #1 will depart Toronto in the evenings of Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays so there are no changes on the departure days, but the arrival days are one day later into Vancouver and one day later into Toronto. The departure days from Vancouver remain the same, with an evening departure arriving in Toronto sometime in the morning. With the morning arrival into Toronto, it will probably save passengers from arriving very late such as 3:00 am. and being kicked off the train and finding your own way home after all the transit in Toronto has shut down for the night.
Posts: 524 | From: Toronto Ont. Canada | Registered: Mar 2001
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posted
The Super Continental (whoops Canadian) is dead; long live the Continental Limited.
Posts: 9975 | From: Clarendon Hills, IL USA (BNSF Chicago Sub MP 18.71) | Registered: Apr 2002
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i tried a booking for Dec 18th and it still gives me a departure time of 9:00 out of toronto.
ive always wanted to take the canadian and am seriously thinking of doing so this year. According to the timetable much of the trip in the mtns is in the dark. Wonder why they dont route the train through the mtns during daylight like Amtrak?
Posts: 416 | From: St. Albans, Vermont | Registered: Feb 2003
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That is because VIA turns the train the same day it arrives into Vancouver thus you miss the great Rocky Mountain scenery. You do have the Rocky Mountaineer who gives you a two day trip to either Jaspar or Calgary if you want to see the mountains all in daylight,
Chris
Posts: 711 | From: Santa Ana | Registered: May 2003
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quote:Originally posted by MontanaJim: i tried a booking for Dec 18th and it still gives me a departure time of 9:00 out of toronto.
ive always wanted to take the canadian and am seriously thinking of doing so this year. According to the timetable much of the trip in the mtns is in the dark. Wonder why they dont route the train through the mtns during daylight like Amtrak?
Although it has been announced that The Canadian will be four nights effective Dec 1, Via's reservation system has yet to reflect the change, and still shows the old times.
Posts: 524 | From: Toronto Ont. Canada | Registered: Mar 2001
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so will the train arrive in vancouver in the evening then? maybe it will have more daylight as it passes through the mtns?
Royaltrain or someone, what is the normal consist for this train, and how different is it from summer to winter? Someone said the coach dome car is in the front of the train, behind the engines? Ive also heard that in the summer, coach passengers do not have access to a diner. Is that true? If i travel, i will do coach all the way. im tough, i can handle it. Cant afford sleeper. id spend most of my time in the dome car anyway Posts: 416 | From: St. Albans, Vermont | Registered: Feb 2003
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quote:Originally posted by MontanaJim: Royaltrain or someone, what is the normal consist for this train, and how different is it from summer to winter?
Here is the consist of this mornings #1 departing Toronto as reported on The Can-Pass-Rail list:
posted
thanks for the info. so do you know what the position of the coaches and Dome Observation (is that the one coach passengers can use) is in the train?
Posts: 416 | From: St. Albans, Vermont | Registered: Feb 2003
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quote:Originally posted by MontanaJim: thanks for the info. so do you know what the position of the coaches and Dome Observation (is that the one coach passengers can use) is in the train?
Coach passengers would use Skyline Dome 8507 which is located directly behind the coaches (8101 & 8141)
The Dome Observation is the last car on the train, "Strathcona Park" and it's restricted to sleeping car passengers only.
Posts: 239 | Registered: Feb 2004
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In the consist noted above, car 8605 is the baggage car, 8101 & 8141 are the coaches and 8507 is the coach-class Skyline car. The dining area will be in service when consists are this long. I was just speaking to a retired VIA service manager who is on the Canadian (not the above consist, but the previous run ex-Toronto) and he confirmed that the coach Skyline cafe is in service.
From my experience, there is sometimes room for coach passengers in one of the diners, but this isn't encouraged. You won't go hungry in the Skyline cafe, however. New menus started about a week ago and are not yet on VIA's Website, but you can see the most recent ones here:
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Thanks for the consists! They are great and bring back many fond memories. Do you have a sense for which Park cars are currently actively being used? When they return to the Ocean for summer, I'd be interested in which are active as we will be riding it at the end of June....our first ride in the Renaissance cars but with much time in the Park car.
Posts: 561 | Registered: Jul 2003
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