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Yes, we are back from our 2008 adventure!! I’ll post a complete detailed report on my web site in a week or two, but here are the highlights:
Most trains were “more or less” on time (within 1-2 hours of schedule), except for the Southwest Chief. We rode the first post-flooding SWC from Chicago on Wednesday July 2, which left on time. By the time we got to Kansas City, however, there were additional heavy thunderstorms and rain in the area, which knocked out power to stations and to the railroad. By the time we woke up in the AM, we had only gotten as far as Emporia, and were stopping quite a bit to allow detoured freights to pass through on the main line, and we ended up 8 hours late into Dodge City, so we made a “business decision” to fly the rest of the way to L.A. – the railfan’s NUMBER 1 SIN, I know, but I did it for my wife, since she wanted to spend as much time as possible in L.A. with her 2-year old granddaughter and her son and family on the 4th of July, so we flew from Dodge City to Denver, then on to L.A. As it turned out, the SWC did not lose any more time, and we watched it pull in to L.A. the next day about 5 PM, still only 8 hours late. The next day, the Chief got to L.A. within ½ hour of schedule.
On the “relaunched” Coast Starlight, we were afraid that the fires in California might delay the train, but they didn’t. Passing through Santa Barbara, we did see smoke from the “Gap fire” up in the mountains north of the railroad. We had our first lunch in the Parlour Car on the CS (yes, we actually HAD a Parlour Car on our trip!!) – limited selection of food, but it was good. We had our other meals in the diner. The CS got to Seattle only one hour late or so.
From Seattle to Vancouver, AMTRAK is still running Superliners on that route instead of Talgos; however, the Talgo trains are back, and apparently are again being used on the other Cascade runs, since we saw several of them between Portland and Vancouver.
The VIA trip on the Canadian was, of course, great!! We had a little hassle with our luggage, however, since my wife’s big suitcase didn’t fit into their “airline-style” frame which limits the size of carry-on luggage. I thought that rule only applied to coach class, not to “Silver and Blue” sleeper class, so we had to unpack some things from the “pocket” on her suitcase into one of VIA’s free provided “travel bags.” After that, her bag still didn’t quite fit, but they told us it was OK then. The VIA “silver and blue boarding lounge” in VAC is very well set up. Most passengers sat outside, since it was a nice warm day, where we could watch them load baggage and prepare the train. They had a singer for us, who sang lots of “train songs” as well as other types of songs, yet he couldn’t find all the words to “Canadian Railroad Trilogy,” which I requested. They had a “bar” in the outside lounge, but no alcohol!!! They had complimentary lemonade and little cups of trail mix for us. The trip across Canada was great, except I don’t like the bedrooms on that train – they are much smaller than AMTRAK bedrooms, and have 2 chairs in them, rather than the couch we are used to on Viewliners and Superliners. The chairs fold up and go beneath the bunks at night. We asked if we could pull down the top bunk and store our suitcases there, like we do on AMTRAK, but the car attendant basically said “no can do,” since, in order to pull the top bunk down, you have to unfold the bottom bunk too and stash the chairs, which would have been fine for us, but the attendant then thought we would bump our heads on the upper bunk when we sat up if we used the lower bunk as a “couch” during the day. As it turned out, though, we spent most of our time during the day in the Park car dome anyway. Additionally, the bunks in the Canadian bedrooms are much narrower than the bunks on Viewliners and Superliners, so we couldn’t both share the bottom bunk like we do on AMTRAK, and one of us had to take the top bunk each night.
The food, however, was MUCH better on VIA than on AMTRAK – different selections each meal, not the same menus meal after meal after meal like AMTRAK has.
We overnighted in Toronto, then caught the Maple Leaf to Albany. It was my first time on the Maple Leaf, and that is a nice trip; however, we were delayed at Customs in Niagara Falls for 2 hours, and got to Albany about one hour late. At a couple points on that route, the train came to a screeching halt, since the “automatic braking system” broke, and the conductor had to reset the air – the first time it happened, there was no explanation why it happened, but the second time, it happened a few minutes after the train ran over some kind of debris in the track (probably kids throwing branches or stones onto the track). We then overnighted in Albany, and took Empire Service #234 the next day to New York. This was a 4- or 5-car Amfleet train, but only one coach was used for all the passengers. There weren’t that many passengers, which surprised me, since the train left ALB at 6:55 AM, and I thought there would be lines of commuters using the train to go to NY on business, but that was not the case. In addition, the AMTRAK timetable states that there is supposed to be a café car on this train, but there was no food service car whatsoever.
The last leg of the trip was on the Silver Star – We boarded in NYP and got into Bedroom B in car 9110, like our ticket said, but when the conductor came through, he told us that our room was actually reserved for someone else who was supposed to be getting on in Newark, and that, since we had made our reservations back in February, “things have changed since then,” and AMTRAK “should have called us.” Well, AMTRAK did NOT call us. The conductor then disappeared and came back a few minutes later to say that we were in the wrong car, and that we should be in car 9111, not in 9110 (even though our ticket clearly said car 9110). Then, as we continued on the trip, the bolster on the back of the couch in our room kept falling off each time the train would stop or slow down, but Bianca the car attendant fixed it for us with the old “wadded up roll of toilet paper between the top of the bolster and the frame of the upper bunk” trick, and it held fine. Overnight, there didn’t seem to be a problem when the bunk was unfolded and there was nothing to push up on the bolster to knock it off. Then, on the morning of our arrival, our toilet ceased to flush. I reported it to Bianca, and apparently the entire car had that same problem. We had to use a vacant roomette in the 9110 car if we needed to use the facilities, and the problem never got fixed before our stop. We then got to Winter Park only ½ hour late.
All in all, we had a good trip, and the crews were basically good. On-time performance was certainly reasonable for all trains except the SWC. The AMTRAK food was OK, but I sure got tired of flat iron steak after several meals in the diners! (VIA food was excellent!!) Keep watching this board for an announcement of my complete trip report on my web site.
Posts: 2428 | From: Grayling, MI | Registered: Mar 2002
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quote:Originally posted by RRRICH: The trip across Canada was great, except I don’t like the bedrooms on that train – they are much smaller than AMTRAK bedrooms, and have 2 chairs in them, rather than the couch we are used to on Viewliners and Superliners. The chairs fold up and go beneath the bunks at night. We asked if we could pull down the top bunk and store our suitcases there, like we do on AMTRAK, but the car attendant basically said “no can do,” since, in order to pull the top bunk down, you have to unfold the bottom bunk too and stash the chairs, which would have been fine for us, but the attendant then thought we would bump our heads on the upper bunk when we sat up if we used the lower bunk as a “couch” during the day. As it turned out, though, we spent most of our time during the day in the Park car dome anyway. Additionally, the bunks in the Canadian bedrooms are much narrower than the bunks on Viewliners and Superliners, so we couldn’t both share the bottom bunk like we do on AMTRAK, and one of us had to take the top bunk each night.
Mr. Kimmel, the style of Bedrooms you note in which there are two folding chairs rather than a couch, were common in quite a number of Sleepers built during the mid 50's, which coincidentally is when the Canadian's equipment was built.
The one (and to me only) advantage that style offered is that a passenger could have "forward riding' regardless of how the car was placed in the consist. Beyond that, the couch is one reason passengers pay the "big $$", for the Bedroom over the Roomette.
Car orders coming to mind in which the Bedrooms were so configured include B&M/NH 6-4-6 "--Beach", C&O/NKP 10-6 "City of--", B&O 10-6 "(Indian tribe)", L&N/C&EI 6-4-6 "Pine--", CN 8-6-4 "E--", CN 6-4-6 "G--", and of course as you found out CP/VIA "Chateau--'.
Amtrak wisely chose couches for their "premium" accommodation.
Posts: 9975 | From: Clarendon Hills, IL USA (BNSF Chicago Sub MP 18.71) | Registered: Apr 2002
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It should be pointed out that the mattresses in the VIA sleepers are much thicker and much more comfortable than those in the Amtrakers. They don't have to do double duty as overlays over seat cushions.
Otherwise I concur with RRRich and GBN.
My wife and I found the bedrooms too spartan, too, for just riding in, and spent our waking hours in the Park car as well.
And wasn't that cuisine on The Canadian just terrific?
Posts: 2236 | From: Evanston, Ill. and Ontonagon, Mich. | Registered: Feb 2007
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Gil -- yes you are absolutely right!!! I agree about the only avantage being that the chairs can be rearranged for "forward riding."
And Henry, you are right also. The mattreesses on VIA are thicker and more comfortable than the thin AMTRAK mattresses. I will be commenting on that in my full detailed trip report.
Posts: 2428 | From: Grayling, MI | Registered: Mar 2002
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Quite interesting. I have never ridden on VIA, and it is interesting to read comparisons. It was nice to read that "the crews were basically good"."
Posts: 446 | From: Phoenix, Arizona | Registered: Jul 2000
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RRich, glad to hear about your trip. My lady friend and I were on the Coast Starlight from LAX to PDX on July 2nd, a few days before you. I forgot how comfortable the Pacific Parlour car is, and we had lunch that first day, opting for dining in the regular diner the rest of the time. We didn't go to the sightseer car once that trip. I ll have her spoiled on our next journey, the Zephyr in January all the way to EMY, with only a sightseer car. I wish all the LD trains could have a parlour car.
I rode the Canadian in March of 06 from Toronto to Vancouver. Truly one of the great train rides, and the food is so superior to what they serve on Amtrak. It is almost literally, a cruise on rail. I had an upper berth and it was very confining. I only stayed there to sleep, and I tried to put that off as long as possible.
Looking forward to your complete report.
Posts: 176 | From: Bloomsburg Pa | Registered: Jul 2000
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Sounds like a fun trip overall! I'm leaving for my first train trip (LAP to FLG on the SWC) in two weeks and am very excited!
Your comment about the reservation "glitch" on the Silver Star worries me though! I also made reservations back in February (for a roomette though and on a different route). Does this double/overbooking happen often? Should I call now to double check that I still have reservations?
Posts: 9 | From: Missouri | Registered: Feb 2008
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quote:Originally posted by Caitenji: Sounds like a fun trip overall! I'm leaving for my first train trip (LAP to FLG on the SWC) in two weeks and am very excited!
When are you leaving? I'll be on the Chief from Fullerton, CA to Lamy, NM on August 1-2.
-------------------- Matt Visit gallery for photos of our train layouts Posts: 579 | From: San Bernardino Subdivison | Registered: Dec 2001
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Caitenji -- no that does not happen that often, at least not in my experience. That was the only glitch we had on the whole trip, and the entire trip was reserved in February. However, it wouldn't hurt to check with AMTRAK before you leave, just to make sure..........
I was a little worried about our VIA reservation, since I had made another reservation before the one we made with the Railpass, which I canceled when I rebooked the Railpass reservation we used, and there was "a problem" with our new reservation back in February, but apparently it WAS resolved back then, so we were fine on that train.
Posts: 2428 | From: Grayling, MI | Registered: Mar 2002
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Mr. Rich, you can have a couch on The Canadian if you are able to reserve a drawing room (that Via now calls a triple bedroom). The standard double bedrooms built by the Budd Company for Canadian Pacific in the mid 1950's are cramped for two people, and if you are getting up there in age (as I am at 61) the upper berth simply won't do. If you ask, and if it is available, Bedroom "F" is about 18" wider than the other bedrooms and it costs no more (although it still has an upper and lower berth). I usually take this bedroom just for myself because I like the extra room, however, I do miss the couch which is why this coming December I have reserved the one and only drawing room so I can have the couch. If two are travelling in the drawing room, you will also appreciate the two lower berths--well worth the extra fare.
Two other matters did surprise me: I have never known Via to require your luggage to fit in the device you described, other than for Ren trains in the East. The many times I have travelled in sleeper, no one has ever demanded to check the size of my luggage. As well I see no reason why you could not have had the lower berth down during the day, I know many people who have done that. As for putting your luggage in the upper, that simply is not possible. Unlike Amtrak, you cannot put down the upper without pulling down the lower first, but there is no reason why the chairs could not be folded away and then use the lower as a sort of couch.
Posts: 524 | From: Toronto Ont. Canada | Registered: Mar 2001
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[/QUOTE]When are you leaving? I'll be on the Chief from Fullerton, CA to Lamy, NM on August 1-2. [/QB][/QUOTE]
We leave on Aug 2 from La Plata, MO to Flagstaff, AZ. Returning on Aug 8. It looks like we'll just miss you! Sounds like there are a bunch of Boy Scouts though <g>. I have a couple friends whose sons took the Chief to NM last week to camp. I guess the LAP station had ~40 Boy Scouts waiting to board the day they left! If you're familiar with the LAP station -- that's a pretty good crowd!
Posts: 9 | From: Missouri | Registered: Feb 2008
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It is interesting how the cars I noted were all ordered by roads that had comparatively "short" hauls. Roads with longer hauls, such as the B&O and IC acquired their cars from the C&O (I've long held that the C&O's large car order was a deliberate "over order" on their part - back in the 40's the world still looked at railroads through the windows of passenger trains and a big order translated to a stock price bubble).
However, roads with premier trains such as NYC PRR and any of the East-West roads ordered cars only with couches. Why the CP went against that conventional wisdom escapes me - maybe so that if you wanted a couch, you would be obliged to book the more expensive Compartment or Drawing Room.
CN? well that was the "government operation'; WADDASPECT?
Posts: 9975 | From: Clarendon Hills, IL USA (BNSF Chicago Sub MP 18.71) | Registered: Apr 2002
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Mr. Norman: I believe one reason the CPR went with the bedrooms with no couches, is that when en-suite you get a very large unit of space. If the wall between bedrooms E and F is opened I believe you actually have more space than the Amtrak deluxe bedrooms that are opened en-suite. On the old 10 and 6 cars that CN ran and were used as heritage equipment until recently on Amtrak, the bedroom with the couch (or sometimes referred to as a sofa) was quite cramped. But the next door bedroom was sometimes referred to as a mini bedroom as it had a roomette type bed/seat plus a small moveable chair. More cramped then the next door sofa bedroom. However, when the wall was removed, it had a drawing room like roominess. The down side was that in order to have this sort of "drawing room", you had to pay two sleeping car fares.
Posts: 524 | From: Toronto Ont. Canada | Registered: Mar 2001
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I'm certainly glad for any plausible explanation, Mr. Royal. CPR spent enough $$$ on the Canadian not to leave the Sleeper configurations simply to chance.
The Canadian National? again I note it was the "government operation". I would guess that was how bureaucrats traveling from Ottawa to Winnipeg got about even during the mid-50's. Even though the CN mid 50's passenger car order was delivered with a passably attractive two-tone livery, all too many of their cars were still painted in Olive Drab. Even the Super Continental had heavyweight cars in its consist.
While a comfortable train (I rode it pre- Red White Blue initiative), it would be difficult to imagine anyone with a choice (government, military, passholders, and "overflow' really do not have a choice) riding Super Continental between any city pair served by The Canadian.
Possibly, Mr. Royal, now that you disclosed your age of 61, you had occasion to "see it differently'.
Posts: 9975 | From: Clarendon Hills, IL USA (BNSF Chicago Sub MP 18.71) | Registered: Apr 2002
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In my youth, Mr. Norman, I took all sorts of accommodations. I can even recall in my teens and early twenties riding in coach (oh horrors you will no doubt say). But that is in the distant mists of time. Since about my mid-twenties to the present I have demanded sleeping cars, and I have been in every type of space from a lower berth (in a section) to a drawing room. I prefer lots of room, so I rarely book a roomette anymore except perhaps for a day run. On Amtrak I take a (deluxe) bedroom, and on the Canadian I usually purchase the extra large bedroom F (former CPR extra-fare compartment). When I'm really being eccentric I will sometimes book a drawing room just for myself, as I will be doing come this December to Vancouver.
Back in the days when in Canada we had a choice between CN and CP to (for example) Vancouver or Winnipeg, I would almost always choose CP's Canadian over CN's Super Continental partly because of the superior train and service, and partly because of the more scenic route on the CP.
Posts: 524 | From: Toronto Ont. Canada | Registered: Mar 2001
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Nice report - My only frustration when my wife and I rode the Canadian from Vancouver to Winnipeg in 2004 was this - I spied another passenger having the dish I almost ordered for dinner the first night. I said to my wife "I'm going to have THAT tomorrow night" but by tomorrow night it was a different menu and although it was fine, they no longer were offering THAT that I saw the first night.
Funny thing is that now I can't remember exactly what dish THAT was but I'm sure it would have been the best thing I'd ever eaten on a train!
-------------------- David Pressley
Advocating for passenger trains since 1973!
Climbing toward 5,000 posts like the Southwest Chief ascending Raton Pass. Cautiously, not nearly as fast as in the old days, and hoping to avoid premature reroutes. Posts: 4203 | From: Western North Carolina | Registered: Feb 2004
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Finally read your trip report, RRRich, thank you so much for it. It sounds like a simply splendid train journey.
Re the food: I actually phoned Amtrak to complain about the curtailed dinner menus. Having so few choices is fine for a one-night trip, but doing a three-day cross-country trip, the limited number of selections gets very tiresome very fast. Esp since the only thing I liked was the chicken (or "game hen"). I tried the pasta, but it gave me heartburn, and the fish is often way too fishy. And the flatiron steak is often way too hard for me to attempt to chew.
Posts: 2642 | From: upstate New York | Registered: Mar 2004
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Good report RRrich, thanks. The Canadian is high on our '1000 things to do before you die' list. Sounds like Via still knows how to give good service (and has the resources to do it). I wish Amtrak would take lessons.
I actually like the bedrooms with 2 chairs. Lets you move the chairs around for better visibility which avoids the discussion on who gets to sit next to the window. Even better if you are traveling with another couple so you can open the partition.
Posts: 2397 | From: Camden, SC | Registered: Mar 2006
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