Cross Country Train Trip, Summer 2013

[CHamilton]

Adirondack, SAR-NYP

After the idyllic ride on the Saratoga and North Creek, going back to Amtrak reality was a bit of a jolt. The hour delay leaving SAR was understandable -- we heard from other passengers that the border guards celebrated Canada Day by being even slower than usual. But no one, from the otherwise-friendly ticket in SAR, to the OBS on the train, gave us any updates re ETA, which was a litte nerve-wracking, given that we had a connection to make in NYP.

And why doesn't the Adirondack have business class? Coach meant tight quarters in an Amfleet I, whiny kids and crying babies. That train is not a good introduction to Amtrak -- or America, for that matter -- for international travelers. (I remember the Maple Leaf as even worse, but that was a bunch of years ago, so I can't comment on it now.)

Well, we did make the 9:15 Acela, but after a 9:05 Adirondack arrival, rushing upstairs, and then having a run-in with one of the infamous NYP gate guards, I was pretty unhappy.

Acela, NYP-BAL

It was a good thing that I had decided to use another upgrade coupon to take Acela First on the last leg of this trip. The excellent service, and the nice dinner, definitely helped take the edge off my earlier frustration. Interestingly, both the EB and the Cardinal have better salmon than the version served on the Acela. But I wasn't complaining.

We got to BAL right on time, where I was picked up by the young cousin who, several years ago, I had taken on a cross-country Amtrak trip with no negative effects .

No more trains for a day or two

*****

If anyone from Amtrak is reading this: I believe in Mr. Boardman's vision of a true national system. But Amtrak needs to create a consistent level of customer service. There are some truly wonderful people working for Amtrak: people who understand how to make passengers happy, and bring them back. But if Amtrak wants to survive, it must define and enforce exceptional standards of customer service. No excuses. Any Amtrak staffer that can't provide that level of service needs to be fired on the spot.

Every Amtrak passenger needs to be telling their friends (and their elected representatives) how great Amtrak service is. That doesn't happen now, because it isn't true. But if it were true, Amtrak would be in a lot stronger position when asking for money.

 

[Bob Dylan]

:hi: Charlieirty job riding Trains all over but someone has to do it! Interesting that the Salmon was better on the EB and the Card than in FC Acela!

In re your comment on the Adirondack ( it really does need a Business Class/Cafe Car with 2X1 Seating!) and the Maple Laugh, the Maple Leaf does have Business Class with 2X1 Seating in the Cafe/BC Car, Much More Comfortable and very Reasonable for the Long Trip from NYP-TWO! VIA only charges $1 from Toronto to the Border for their part of the Route even tho technically there is No Business Class on this Train while under VIA Operation! VIA Crews take over in Niagara Falls, Ontario and the Cafe has only "Canadian" Snacks and Drinks for Sale! The worst part of this Route are the Rough Tracks between the VIA Freight yards in Ontario and Buffalo which causes Slow Running and the American Storm Troopers @ the Niagara Falls, NY Station Stop! If you're taking the Canadian home guess you'll be on the Maple Leaf from NYP-TWO??

Looking forward to continuing Episodes of this traveler like Trip, we're envious!

 

[June the Coach Rider]

June, I'm afraid that I won't be taking the EB home. I'll be on the Canadian a few days later.
Acela, BAL-NYP

Ethan Allen, NYP-RUD

After an overnight in Baltimore, I was off on another mini-sightseeing/foaming trip. Plus, I'm getting to use the AGR upgrade coupons that us westerners don't generally find much use for. So I got to do BAL-NYP in Acela First Class, which was very nice indeed. Quiet and not crowded on a Sunday morning, with good food and good service.

Met up with Anderson at the NYP Club Acela, and hung out there for a couple of hours. Then on to business class on the Ethan Allen, a train I'd never ridden before. Pretty crowded until Albany, then emptied out further at Saratoga Springs. Between SAR and Fort Edward, the track for the Ethan Allen branches off from that used by the Adirondack, and it's not in great shape. The 35 miles between Fort Edward and Castleton, VT, takes an hour. But it's very scenic, and the local communities have built or refurbished some nice stations. Arrived in Rutland just at dusk.

It was a quick taxi ride to the hotel -- which I nicknamed the Nixon Memorial Inn because it needed to send in the plumbers. But the refrigerator in the room made a sound like a train whistle in the distance, so it was easy for me to fall asleep, and be rested in time for the morning wake-up call. And back to the station for another train ride.

Oh too bad. So you are in New England, or were. Did you wave as you went thru Mass?

Charlie didn't go through Mass. The Ethan Allen goes through NY, and VT.

Oh yeah, I forgot. Leave it to me to be wrong. LOL Thanks.

 

[pennyk]

I am enjoying your trip report - even though you are not traveling through Florida this cross country trip. :lol:

BTW, last year when I was on the Adirondack from Montreal, we were in Amfleet II's, which was a lot better than my northbound trip in an Amfleet I. I first traveled on the Adirondack about 20 years ago. I remember being so enamored with the scenery that I have no idea whether or not the seats were comfortable back then. I agree with Jim that the Maple Leaf BC is MUCH more comfortable than the Adirondack.

 

[bobnjulie]

Love the pictures! Thank you so much for sharing your adventure! I'm looking forward to the canadian portion!

 

[CHamilton]

Northern Central Railroad, New Freedom, PA - Hanover Jct., PA - New Freedom, PA

My cousins and I spent the day before Independence Day taking a steam excursion through the green hills of southern Pennsylvania. The NCRR has just put into service a newly-built steam engine, which is a replica of a Civil-War-era engine reputed to have carried Abraham Lincoln to Gettysburg before the Gettysburg Address.

Today's NCRR has set itself up in a renovated storefront in downtown New Freedom, housing the ticket office and a gift shoppe. We arrived a few minutes early and picked up the tickets that we had reserved online -- good thing, since the train was almost full on July 3, even though it was raining for much of the trip north to Hanover Junction.

The cars were newly painted, but I understand that they are borrowed, and that new cars are scheduled to be put into service by the end of the month. The ride to Hanover Junction was on a steady downgrade through green valleys, alongside the rail-trail that leads many miles between York, PA and Baltimore. We passed many historic homes and inns, including those in the town of Railroad.

At Hanover Junction, we detrained to watch the addition of a diesel helper that would assist the steam engine on the way back uphill to New Freedom. There are restrooms and a museum at Hanover Junction, but the latter was not open.

The on-board docent did an nice job, although she had to shout since the sound system wasn't working. But all in all, a very nice way to spend an afternoon.

 

[CHamilton]

Let's see, where was I? I actually spent the next few days without getting on a train (!!) but did manage to see a bunch of friends and relatives, including several AUers. I also toured the Hampton Mansion, home of several generations of Ridgelys, one of whom was a co-founder of the B&O.

But finally...

NE Regional, BAL-WAS

Acela, WAS-NYP

Yes, I know that's backwards, but Anderson and his devious mind suggested that it was worth the bonus points for the WAS-NYP city pair. I could totally get spoiled by Acela First Class...but I doubt I'll do it again until next year's coupons show up

Overnight in NYC

Adirondack, NYP-MTR

The Adirondack is a real come-down after Acela First, but at least we got in the Amfleet II car (thanks to a red cap). We took our own food, too, so as not to have to depend on the cafe. The Adirondack is such a pretty ride, it's a shame it's such a second-class train. If you want to go to New England, I'd recommend the Ethan Allen (and the Vermonter) over the Adirondack.

Overnight in MTR

VIA Business Class, MTR-Quebec City-MTR

For a day trip, I made the journey to Quebec City and back. One gets to see lots of different kinds of scenery, from suburbs to farmland to forest, plus a bunch of river crossings. VIA's business class isn't quite as elegant as Acela First, but the food is good, and the service is attentive. The trains weren't too busy on a Wednesday, but I suspect that they can be lots more crowded at the right times.

I didn't have much time to walk around Quebec, but it's a pleasant place. And I was impressed with how the Gare du Palais has been updated (see the pictures in the gallery linked above). Plus, the weather was a lot more comfortable than it had been in BAL!

 

[Anderson]

I've been with Charlie for most of the legs starting with the Adirondack, and therefore don't have much to add. However, today while he went Montreal-Quebec City, I went Montreal-Ottawa and had a blast bungee jumping north of Ottawa. The only downsides were:

-An inept cab company unable to pick me up at the jump site (which they had done no less than three times previously over the last twelve months without major incident) because two cabbies got lost and the third called me about an hour and fifteen minutes asking for a guide-in. By then, one of the employees had agreed (quite graciously) to drop me at the station on their way home, so I simply cancelled the cab call in frustration (and with the blessing of the employee, since I was under the gun to get to the station). How many cabbies does it take to screw in a lightbulb again?

-A mildly late VIA train (the 2030 arrived at about 2105), due to (I believe) weather issues. I'll give credit where it's due...they are burning up the tracks getting us into Montreal. We're a bit late getting into Montreal...but I think they managed to make up about 15 minutes between a truncated Ottawa stop and simply keeping the pedal down as much as they could.

The second is a non-issue, but...man, VIA apologizes for the shortest delays. Even on the NEC, you don't get repeated apologies from multiple staff members about a 30-minute delay. At least on the staff front, VIA is everything Amtrak should aim to be.

 

[CHamilton]

The second is a non-issue, but...man, VIA apologizes for the shortest delays. Even on the NEC, you don't get repeated apologies from multiple staff members about a 30-minute delay. At least on the staff front, VIA is everything Amtrak should aim to be.

Very true. On the return trip from Quebec to MTR, VIA apologized repeatedly for a delay (which turned out to be all of 6 minutes at Drummondville) that was made up before arrival at Montreal. VIA seems to understand that its clientele really counts on its trains to be on time.

 

[CHamilton]

I'm home again, and have been catching up on the real world, but here's what I've written so far. More to come.

VIA Business Class, MTR-TWO

Anderson suggested that we take train 57, since it features the classic -- but nicely-renovated -- Budd cars that I took on my trip to Quebec City. And indeed, these trains are comfortable, and very well maintained. My only complaint is that us fat people don't fit behind the small tray tables that come out of the armrests. But that's a small distraction from a ride that's every bit as nice as Acela First in the US.

VIA Train 1, The Canadian, TWO-VAC

Toronto's Union Station is an elegant pile that is a total mess due to construction at present, both on the inside and the outside. Finding the various tracks is even more of a challenge than at NYP. But the plans look like the finished project will be very nice.

VIA's Panorama Lounge for business class and sleeper passengers is an elegant room with wood trim and furnishings that reminds me of a library. It also has free drinks and snacks, and souvenirs for sale. I spent a few hours there while Anderson got lost trying to figure out the Toronto streetcar system. He did find time to ascend the CN Tower across the way.

Eventually, all the business class passengers caught their trains, and the only people left were those who'd be joining us on train 1. At first, they seemed even more elderly and infirm than the crowd one sometimes sees on Amtrak's long-distance trains, but eventually some families and younger folks joined us.

Annoyingly, we had to leave the lounge and walk across the station to check in at two separate windows -- one to get our tickets scanned, and one to select seatings for lunch and dinner the next day. I would have thought that VIA's Toronto personnel could come up with a friendlier way to do this.

We arranged to get a redcap to take our luggage to the train, which was a good thing, since TWO, like most buildings in Canada, isn't very accessible for those os us who have limited mobility. One forgets what a difference the Americans with Disabilities Act has made in the US. Redcap service costs $3 per bag, in advance.

We boarded shortly before departure time, and made our way to our train's "cabin for two." This accommodation is set up similarly to a bedroom on a Superliner, with several differences. The good news is that the beds are much wider, and the mattress and bedding is much more comfortable, than on Amtrak. And the toilet, while smaller, actually is laid out more conveniently, than the toilet/shower in an Amtrak bedroom. (The shower is down the hall, and it works quite nicely.)

The bad news is that with the beds down, there is zero extra space in the cabin. We had definitely overpacked, thinking that there would be places to put the luggage we had been, er, lugging around on our multi-week journey. That was a mistake. We should have checked everything we could, and brought aboard only what we'd be using during the four nights to Vancouver. We eventually figured out where to stuff everything, thanks to VIA's version of the Superliner Amcloset (Cancloset?), and various cubbyholes, but it was a major challenge. The room is a lot roomier during the day, though.

Having finished our exercise in non-Euclidian geometry, we made our way next door to the dome car -- technically, "Activity Car A," one of the four [!!] dome cars in our 21-car consist -- 2 engines, baggage car, two coaches, a dome for the coach passengers, dining car A, 3 sleepers, dining car B, another dome, more sleepers, and the fabled Park Car. [Totals: 2 3 coaches, diners, skylines,10!!! sleepers, and the Park Car.] And another observation car, not a dome, but with large windows, would be added at Edmonton. Excuse me, Mr. Harper, you say no one rides trains in Canada??

Indeed, over some very nice sparkling wine in the dome, we started meeting our fellow travelers (no political implications, please). We found that a surprising number were, in fact, Canadians who'd never taken train 1 before. And over the next few days, we'd continue to be surprised by the number of passengers who came aboard at flag stops where there was self-evidently no other transportation options at all.

Over breakfast the next morning, the vastness of Canada began to sink in. Trees. Lakes. Rivers, Trees. Rivers. Trees. Lakes. No cell service. No wifi.Trees. Lakes. No roads. A flurry of activity at Hornepayne, Ontario (yes, still in Ontario!) where the station had wifi, and we could communicate with the outside world for ten minutes or so.

Then back on our way. More trees. More lakes… but you get the idea. Mind you, it's very scenic. But there sure is a lot of it.

Meals aboard the Canadian are as excellent as everyone says. The entrees are always wonderful, and even the side dishes are cooked to perfection. And the service staff is attentive, friendly, and very obviously enjoy their jobs. Because the Canadian is such a long-duration train, the whole staff is replaced with another at Winnipeg. This reduces the fatigue that even the best OBS suffers from at the end of a train like the EB.

At Winnipeg, the train stopped for 3+ hours, which gave passengers time to walk around the city, and even to take a bus tour. Many of us spent our time going through the excellent railway museum that takes up several of the old tracks and platforms. The museum includes such gems as CP loco #1, the Countess of Dufferin, as well as livingly-prepared and extensively-detailed exhibits covering pretty much every aspect of Canadian railroading. We also caught up on the world through the station's free wifi. The old station great hall is beautiful, but the downstairs warren where one gets to the train gates is not so pleasant. Nevertheless, they've carved out room for a Panorama Lounge, although there's nothing to see. [We heard from one of the dining staff that the station is due for a renovation.]

The entire on-board staff changes at Winnipeg. They're based there, and go to the endpoints before returning the next day. Given how long the duration of this train is, it makes sense. Such a system might be a good way to go in the US, but somehow, I can't imagine many Amtrak OBS wanting to be based in, say, Fargo.

There has been a musician on board the train, and she serenaded is in the Winnipeg station as well. We chatted with her and found out that VIA encourages Canadian musicians to play on the train, not unlike the US Trails and Rails program. But scenic announcements on board are generally limited to cute little blurbs about the towns we are passing through.

...to be continued...

 

[CHamilton]

VIA Train 1, The Canadian, TWO-VAC (continued)

By now, of course, we had left the Canadian Shield country north of Lake Superior, and were passing through miles and miles of agricultural land -- lots of bright-yellow canola, some cows, and some occasional bison. (BTW, Canadian railroads still use miles, even though the rest of the country has gone metric.)

We had a long stop at Edmonton, where those of us who were trying to get wifi on the train from the station had no luck, but at least we didn't get soaked by the sudden hailstorm that hit as we were waiting. Ten minutes later, it was over, but there were a bunch of people who got wet while on the platform.

There were lots of activities in the activity (dome) car throughout the journey, including films about the train, aimed at both adults and kids. There were also beer and wine tastings, which I skipped, although folks I spoke with praised the microbrews.

Mostly, Anderson and I plotted alternate histories with trains (suppose Eisenhower hadn't signed the Interstate Highway Act in 1957?) and generally had a great old time.

The food was always amazing, and different every day. On day 3, they had a continental breakfast, followed by a brunch, since the extended Jasper stop would come during a normal lunchtime.

We had been running a couple of hours late throughout the trip, so the Jasper stop was shorter than usual. But we had time to wander the station and pick up souvenirs at the "Lattes and Trains" shop. Those folks know how to cater to foamers, with a surprisingly-good train book collection.

Speaking of foamers, we met a family of two generations of railfans from Connecticut. Nice folks! There may have been more, but if so, they kept their foam under control.

At dinner, we heard a couple of tunes from VIA's "singing waiter," who serenaded us with "Ticket to Ride" and a composition of his own.



I slept through Kamloops in the evening, but was awake early, as we followed the Fraser River toward Vancouver on the sunny final morning of our trip. We arrived at Pacific Central Station just about on time.

In my opinion, The Canadian is the best train in North America, with an excellent mix of scenery, food, comfort, service, and friendliness. If you haven't ridden it, check out VIA's website for one of their sales, and take it while you can.

Cascades, VAC-SEA

After a wonderfully sunny day in Vancouver, in which we took the Seabus to North Vancouver, had a very good sushi lunch, and hung out at a local bookstore, it was time to return to the station to pick up our bags. ($6 per bag for day storage).

Customs and Immigration pre-screened us at the station, and ran all the bags through a scanner. Kind of a pain, but business class gets priority handling, and once at the border, the final check goes very quickly -- only ten minutes on this trip.

Sunset over Puget Sound: a wonderful way to end an outstanding trip! (At least for me: Anderson was on his way south the next morning for the next leg of his journey…)

 

[bobnjulie]

Sounds absolutely wonderful! Looks like another drop to my bucket list! The main drawback is that it is so expensive to fly to Toronto. I know VIA has great sales.... I'll just have to think outside the box! Thanks for the inspiration!

 

[CHamilton]

I've posted more pictures here. Anderson plans to add his, too, and they need some organizing and captioning, but I hope you enjoy!

 

[AlanB]

Charlie,

Two points:

1) Amtrak has no trains that run as many days & nights as the Canadian. However, back when the Sunset Limited still did run its entire route from Orland to LA, Amtrak did indeed break things for the crew in New Orleans. One OBS crew worked ORL to NOL, another worked NOL to LAX.

2) The Highway Act was signed in 1956.

 

[CHamilton]

2) The Highway Act was signed in 1956.

Nitpicker We were close, considering that we had no internet at the time... And it makes sense that the SL would have had an OBS change in its transcontinental days.

 

[AlanB]

2) The Highway Act was signed in 1956.

Nitpicker We were close, considering that we had no internet at the time... And it makes sense that the SL would have had an OBS change in its transcontinental days.

Well you put the question mark in your post! I was just answering your question.

 

[bobnjulie]

Amazing pictures! Thank you so much for sharing them!

 

[CHamilton]

Amazing pictures! Thank you so much for sharing them!

You're welcome! Many were from my cell phone camera, and they came out better than expected, but still, a real camera makes a difference.

And for anyone keeping track, the final itinerary was SEA-MSP-CHI-BAL-NFK-NPN-BAL-NYP-RUD-SAR-North Creek-SAR-NYP-BAL-New Freedom PA-Hanover Junction PA-BAL-WAS-NYP-MTR-Quebec City-MTR-TWO-VAC-SEA. Now I have to wait two whole weeks before my next train trip, sheesh.

 

[Bob Dylan]

Why so Short a Trip Charlie? There are lots of Trains and Connections you missed so you could get home to SEA the Long way! Enjoyable as always, see you in CHI unless you decide to come through Austin on the Texas Eagle on one of your frequent "Vacations!" (We're envious!)

 

[CHamilton]

Why so Short a Trip Charlie? There are lots of Trains and Connections you missed so you could get home to SEA the Long way!

Don't I know it! Still figuring out how to add some of the trains I've never been on. Like the Michigan services -- maybe I can do those from CHI And I still need to do the HF -- that might be an excuse to visit Austin one of these days. Ah, me, it's hard work keeping up with some of the rest of you

 

[kmbjbb]

Wow!! Just looked at the WHOLE gallery of pictures. That was fantastic!!

 

[CHamilton]

Wow!! Just looked at the WHOLE gallery of pictures. That was fantastic!!

Glad you enjoyed it. Some pics were better than others, but I was generally pleased with the ones I got. Pretty stunning scenery all around.

 

[CHamilton]

Someone we met on the Canadian has posted a video. Cool!

I finally got this video uploaded. I hope everybody checks it out! From riding VIA 1 "The Canadian" from Toronto to Vancouver. I also met Charlie, Cliff, and many other people I can call friends now.

 

[Bob Dylan]

Really nice Charlie! Thanks for Posting! :hi: