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Is there any chance the Chicago-Toronto joint Amtrak/Via Rail service will ever return? Wasn't it killed after 9/11 for security reasons?
I presume that it's possible to get across the bridge from Port Huron to Sarnia and catch a VIA train there. But what are the connections like?
Seems the only alternative is Chicago-Buffalo and then Buffalo-Toronto, but the connections seem lousy.
Henry
Amtrak207 Member # 1307
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You got it. The connection is going to be in the middle of the night. You can take a cab across the river or you can walk. The train fell victim to repeated C and I "inspections" where they took everyone off the three-car train, put them on a bus, ran them through customs that way, and then allowed them to re-board the train at 3:30 in the morning. Surprisingly enough, people quit riding it. The original Blue Water (and later Amtrak's Niagara Rainbow for a few years) used to run Chicago-Detroit-Buffalo-Albany. Then the Niagara Rainbow was curtailed to New York-Albany-Niagara Falls. Then the Niagara Rainbow gained sleepers (for just under six months), then lost the sleepers and lost its name. Its current equivalent are trains 280/282/284 eastbound (depending on the day of the week) and 283/281 westbound (again, depending on the name) which also lost their names in 1997. Amtrak wanted to revive the train as Chicago-Detroit-Niagara Falls-Albany-Boston as one of their Strategic Whatever Initiative trains of 2000, and CSX and Congress said no. You could book the Lakeshore eastbound to Depew and then take the next westbound train to Niagara Falls when you miss the connection with 63 because the Lakeshore is late, or you can build an overnight in your schedule in Detroit or Windsor. I highly doubt that service will return. Keep in mind, until Amtrak pays off its DOT Bailout Loan (2002), they are prohibited from adding any new services without the express written conent from Major League Ba-- I mean, the federal DOT, who still has no clue what they want to do with Amtrak.
Ira Slotkin Member # 81
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they are prohibited from adding any new services without the express written conent from Major League Ba-- I mean, the federal DOT, who still has no clue what they want to do with Amtrak. [/QB][/QUOTE]
Somewhere in there Amtrak equates to the Cubs. The doormat of the national transportation agenda (Where is Steve Goodman to write a new train song...). But just as hope springs eternal in the heart of us old Brooklyn Dodger fans, so it blossoms in the heart of the foamer with every new budget year. Or, to rob and twist another great saying regarding short sightedness: ... all for the want of a rail...
Henry Kisor Member # 4776
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Thanks for the responses. I'd had hopes, but something in the back of my mind told me it was a wild goose chase.
RRRICH Member # 1418
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Was the customs hassle the reason the Blue Water Ltd (later the International) was cut back from Toronto to Port Huron? I thought that had something to do with the State of Michigan not wanting to continue to finance the service, or VIA Rail not wanting it or something....... I don't believe it was a post-9/11 security precaution, was it?
I rode the International for the last time in 1999, and the customs stop in Sarnia went exceptionally well, and took all of about 10 minutes maximum....
notelvis Member # 3071
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quote:Originally posted by Ira Slotkin: they are prohibited from adding any new services without the express written conent from Major League Ba-- I mean, the federal DOT, who still has no clue what they want to do with Amtrak.
Somewhere in there Amtrak equates to the Cubs. The doormat of the national transportation agenda (Where is Steve Goodman to write a new train song...). But just as hope springs eternal in the heart of us old Brooklyn Dodger fans, so it blossoms in the heart of the foamer with every new budget year. Or, to rob and twist another great saying regarding short sightedness: ... all for the want of a rail... [/QB][/QUOTE]
This reminds me of a political cartoon I saw once....perhaps related to the so far thwarted efforts to bring commuter rail to the Raleigh/Durham area......
Two guys in overalls and pinstriped engineer hats are hustling out of a government office carrying one length of rail. Behind them are your typical government fat cats wearing fancy suits and smoking big cigars. One of them yells through the open door "Come back next year and we'll give you a crosstie!"
royaltrain Member # 622
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I live in Toronto, and at least once a year I travel to Chicago to connect with other trains. If I'm going westbound I take Via's General Brock to Niagara Falls Ont., thence a taxi or limo across the border to Depew station in Buffalo for the midnight Lake Shore to Chicago. It is most inconvenient, but all the other alternatives are worse. I remember up until the early 70's I could take the overnight International with sleepers to Chicago's Dearborn Station with transcontinental connections from there or the other Chicago stations.
rresor Member # 128
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Actually, you should still be able to connect through Detroit without too much trouble. From Chicago, take Amtrak to Detroit and cab over to the tunnel bus terminal. Take the bus through the tunnel to the Windsor terminal, and then take a local bus (or a cab) out to the VIA station in Walkerville. I haven't done this in some years, but from the MC station in Detroit to Walkerville took less than an hour, as I recall.
train lady Member # 3920
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Just remember by next year you will need a passport to cross the border by any means/ I don't think it will make any difference to terrorists. I feel sure they will find a way to cross with false passports or any other way they can figure. It does seem that the innocent people are the ones who suffer and the criminals go free.
RRRICH Member # 1418
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You can also still take the Blue Water to Port Huron, get a taxi over the Blue Water Bridge to Sarnia, and catch VIA -- VIA still has several daily trains from Sarnia to Toronto, which follow the same route that AMTRAK's former International followed.
sojourner Member # 3134
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RRRich, there seems to be only one train to Port Huron, and it gets in at 11PM. That means an overnight there or in Sarnia, right? Do you have any suggestions on hotels where to overnight, and which city might be nicer to stay in?
It does seem that going to Detroit might be easier, since the early morning Wolverine out of Chicago gets to Detroit just after 2PM--would allow much more time to make the crossing. (Assuming the Wolverine isn't terribly late, of course) Although I have no idea what the VIA Rail connections are like.
When we go beyond Montreal, we always have to overnight before catching a VIA Rail train (we've gone to Quebec City and Ottawa). Of course, overnighting in Montreal is NO HARDSHIP WHATSOEVER; other than financial . . . it's a fun city with great food!
CN 6060 Fan Member # 3093
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Here are the connecting VIA schedules at Windsor and Sarnia:
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In fact, the connection I've made a couple of times is from the 1400 Amtrak arrival to the 1730 VIA departure from Walkerville.
The new Amtrak station is on Woodward Avenue in Detroit. That's a major bus artery, so you might be able to get a city bus to the tunnel bus terminal. Check the SEMTA Web site -- or just take a cab.
I don't recall who runs the tunnel buses, but they run quite frequently to a terminal in downtown Windsor from which you can easily get a local bus to the Walkerville rail station (it's a couple of miles, no more).
I managed to work all this out "on the fly" back in the 1980s, way before the Web, so you should have no trouble managing this now. And three and a half hours is plenty of time; customs at the tunnel bus terminals is perfunctory, since lots of people go back and forth across the border.
CN 6060 Fan Member # 3093
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quote:Originally posted by rresor: I don't recall who runs the tunnel buses, but they run quite frequently to a terminal in downtown Windsor from which you can easily get a local bus to the Walkerville rail station (it's a couple of miles, no more)
posted
I am now getting all my ducks in a row for our Toronto-Vancouver trip on the Canadian in October. We were going to fly ($200 each one way) from Chicago to Toronto, but now I'm thinking taking the train would not only be cheaper ($132.92 total train fare for two over-62ers) but OF COURSE more fun. We could arrive via Amtrak in Detroit, transfer to Windsor, and overnight in a nice hotel, then take VIA to Toronto.
A question: I know there's a bus to Windsor, but what does a taxi from Detroit to Windsor cost? Is it something so outrageous it's just not sensible? I ask because I have a bad back and need to keep walking to a minimum as well as schlepping the bags as little as possible.
Another question: Walkerville? It's not in the list of VIA rail stations. Or is that the name of the Windsor station?
Gilbert B Norman Member # 1541
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The Windsor station is well to the East of the city center and near "Johnny's still" - hence Walkerville.
RRRICH Member # 1418
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Henry - I assume you've also checked into the other option, which is to take the Lake Shore Ltd from CHI to Buffalo-Depew, then transfer to the Maple Leaf to Toronto, stay overnight in Toronto (I recommend the Royal York Hotel!! -- right across the street from Toronto Union Station), then catch the Canadian -- it would eliminate having to take a taxicab across the international border...... The only bad side is you would have a 5-hour layover in Buffalo, but if the Lake Shore is late, you'd be covered.
Henry Kisor Member # 4776
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I thought about the Late Shore Ltd to Buffalo-Depew, but dropped that idea partly because the train leaves Chicago at a late hour for me and I'd rather spend the sleeper charge on a real hotel room in Windsor. Also, I've traveled the LSL many times but have never tried the CHI-DET and WIN-TOR route, so that would be something new.
We have reservations in the Royal York in Tronna for the night of the 19th October.
royaltrain Member # 622
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I am sure you will enjoy the Royal York. I think it is the best hotel in Toronto, and it is right across the street from Union station with a direct underground tunnel connection. If you wish the Royal York porters will take your luggage across the street to the station.
MDRR Member # 2992
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Regarding taxi from Detroit to Windsor, Did it several years ago, and was $30 (approx) including tolls. Maybe figure $40 nowadays. It is something you could probably negotiate a fixed price on with the driver.
RRRICH Member # 1418
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I'm a little bit surprised that taxi drivers are even allowed to take fares across an international border..........
royaltrain Member # 622
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quote:Originally posted by RRRICH: I'm a little bit surprised that taxi drivers are even allowed to take fares across an international border..........
I have many times taken a taxi across the Canada U.S. border from Buffalo to Niagara Falls Ontario. Taxis are public transit, why shouldn't they be able to cross an international boundary.
RRRICH Member # 1418
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quote:I have many times taken a taxi across the Canada U.S. border from Buffalo to Niagara Falls Ontario. Taxis are public transit, why shouldn't they be able to cross an international boundary. [/QB]
It might be a licensing issue -- do the taxicabs or the drivers have to be licensed in 2 different countries? In this country, in some cities, certain taxicabs aren't even allowed to pick up fares at certain places at airports. There may be customs issues also.
sojourner Member # 3134
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I don't see why there would be a prohibition of taking a taxicab across the Canadian or Mexican border, though of course you have to assume the customs could take longer (but probably not as long as a train), checking both the cab/driver and the passenger/s. If the cab driver is not allowed to pick up a fare in the place to where you are going, you would probably just be charged double to go there (and the cab would come back empty).
However, not all cabs may want to make the trip. I would try to arrange the taxi in advance, so that everything goes smoothly. If you phone Amtrak and speak to an agent, they can usually give you phone numbers of cab companies at particular stations. If Amtrak doesn't have a good taxi rec, you also might phone a major hotel in Detroit and ask the concierge which cab company they recommend for a border crossing to Windsor. Then phone the cab company and try to book a cab to your destination; also check on the fare. Of course, the tricky thing is that your train can be getting in --you know, on Amtrak time. But, assuming you can get a signal, you can phone the cab company again from a cell phone on the train to give the ETA once you know it.
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