Friday 10/09/09 Maple Leaf/ ROC-OKLAfter a few hours of walking around in downtown ROC, a fine old town that is slowly dying,lunch in a pretty decent deli, caught the Maple Leaf for
Canada, it was about 45 minutes late out of NYP! A cold/wet day in NY! Consist: engine/cafe-biz car (mine), three coaches.Lots of folks getting on,
a holiday weekend in the US and Canada! The coaches were pretty full, biz class about half! Arrived in Buffalo-Depew down 30 minutes,loaded some more pax,then Stopped @ Exchange St. station downtown, picked up a few more pax. One "free" beverage in the cafe, then the cafe closed to prepare for the arrival @ Niagara Falls on the border.Sad to see the old NY Central Station in Buffalo looking so rundown and forlorn,I know theyre trying to save it
but they have their work cut out for sure!
Stopped @ the rather grim looking station in the New York part of Niagara Falls, a few folks got off, there were several cabs waiting, the station was closed! We crossed the bridge into Canada, stopped and the customs and immigration squad boarded, did the coaches firsat. We were told to stay in our seats, couldnt even use the bathroom until they were finished! Several pax were brought to the cafe car, questioned and soon a black suv pulled up and armed security escorted 2 pax off the train, the VIA attendant told us later that they had no passports and were returned to the US!The check was quick for the biz class, a few questions, check the passport, no luggage check and we were cleared to exit the train, purchase Canadian goods, use the bathroom etc. Soon as the OBS collected the tickets we rolled out about 1 hour late, I was the only American in the car, the rest were all Canadians, very friendly folks!
We made stops in St. Catherines, Aldershot (Hamilton) and rolled in to Oakville about 45 minutes down. My brother in law picked me up on a cold,wet night and we headed to their house for a nice salmon and adult beverage supper! A good nights sleep, visits with family and friends, shopping and prep for Sunday Thanksgiving dinner, we went and had a family dinner @ the Outback Steakhouse, typical good chain fare but more pricey than the US versions!(The Canadian dollar is about @ par with the US $!!0A onderful family feast and fest on Sunday, a good nights sleep and it was soon Monday!
Did my laundry,packed, had a late lunch and we motored down the QEWAY (401) to Windsor where I spent the night @ my other brother in laws place.
Bright and early, we hit the road for Detroit, went through the tunnel from Windsor to Detroit, not hardly any traffic, immigration checked our passports, asked us where we were going and we zoomed up a deserted Woodward Avenue to the Amshak arriving early since it was closed until 30 minutes before the train!(info not on the web site!)It was cold and dreary, glad I had a car to wait in, lots of folks waiting with me, some outside in the cold!Finally a Wackenhut guy opened the door @ 6:15AM, no checked luggage, a fairly large crowd waiting to board, the small station was full!
The Wolverine rolled in about 6:45AM, loaded quickly, biz class about half full, the coaches pretty loaded!We would pick up more till we were full in Dearborn,AnnArbor,Jackson and Battle Creek and Kalamazoo. The sun came out, lots of rain had fallen, the streams were full ,water standing, a very pretty countryside as we rolled through Michigan @ a good pace. had my one allowed drink and paper (Detroit Free-Press) and a donut!
Rolled through the grimy and sad cities of Gary and South chicago, the only thing that seemed alive were the Casinos, already loaded with suckers losing their pensions and paychecks in the hopeless pusuit of ez money with no effort!(used to be among the crowd theyre in with!).We got into the Chicago yards on time, backed in slowly forever on na sunny,cool day and hit the stops in CUS on time @ 11:25AM. Headed for the lounge and my plan to kill a few hours in CHI until the CONO left @ 8PM for NOL! More to come in part III!
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