VIA Rail Canadian and the Canadians

[railiner]

Finally using a ticket I bought in February 2000 and will leave Vancouver on Friday and arrive in Toronto on Tuesday.

I told my boss that the wifi and cellular service on that train is spotty and he just wants to know the black holes of coverage. I sent him the timetable and said I expect that I can look at memos at stations along the route but I expect limited coverage for the most part.

I am hoping other members can give me an idea of where service is available.

Sounds like you must be in constant communications with you boss...not my idea of a vacation, but if you do, you might consider renting one of these...
https://www.vzwsatellite.com/products/rental/iridium9555

 

[Bob Dylan]

I know people have jobs that require then to stay in contact with the Job whenever they're away from work. But a Vacation is just that, a chance to get away from Work and Relax and Refresh so you're a more Valuable employee when you return to the every day Grind.

Riding the Canadian is a Classic example of getting away from the everyday routines of life, and I would hope you, and your Boss, will realize this and give you a few days to yourself since NO-ONE is irreplaceable when it comes to work!

Have a ball, sit back and relax for a few days and leave the Driving to VIA! ( as the Old Greyhound Ads used to say!)

Please let us know how the trip goes and as the song said, "..Don't worry,be Happy!.."

 

[Urban Sky]

Sounds like you must be in constant communications with you boss...not my idea of a vacation, but if you do, you might consider renting one of these...
https://www.vzwsatellite.com/products/rental/iridium9555

This might work very reliably when you are outdoor, but having whitnessed how difficult it is to obtain a GPS signal from within the train, I wouldn’t count on your pricey satellite phone to be of any use. And as someone else noted: if you rely on remaining connected with the outside world, then this might not be the right train ride for you…

 

[jiml]

This might work very reliably when you are outdoor, but having whitnessed how difficult it is to obtain a GPS signal from within the train, I wouldn’t count on your pricey satellite phone to be of any use.

Absolutely correct. Satellite reception is very much a line-of-sight technology, with signal strength also affected by the frequency (in GHz). With most satellites positioned over the equator, simply being on the wrong side of the train could render the phone useless. Think of your car's satellite radio in a tunnel or longer underpass. (Radios store a few seconds of signal for shorter ones.) Couple that with the interference from the stainless steel "shield" surrounding the railcar and the expense likely isn't justified.

 

[railiner]

This might work very reliably when you are outdoor, but having whitnessed how difficult it is to obtain a GPS signal from within the train, I wouldn’t count on your pricey satellite phone to be of any use. And as someone else noted: if you rely on remaining connected with the outside world, then this might not be the right train ride for you…

I usually have no problem getting GPS signals if I am near a window on the train...that said, I have not ever tried using a satphone.

 

[railiner]

Absolutely correct. Satellite reception is very much a line-of-sight technology, with signal strength also affected by the frequency (in GHz). With most satellites positioned over the equator, simply being on the wrong side of the train could render the phone useless. Think of your car's satellite radio in a tunnel or longer underpass. (Radios store a few seconds of signal for shorter ones.) Couple that with the interference from the stainless steel "shield" surrounding the railcar and the expense likely isn't justified.

That may be true for some satellite providers, with "dark areas," but Iridium supposedly has full coverage, anywhere on the globe.

 

[Urban Sky]

That may be true for some satellite providers, with "dark areas," but Iridium supposedly has full coverage, anywhere on the globe.

„Anywhere on the globe“, not: „in any vehicle“! And, yes, I always struggled to receive GPS signals in Park or Skyline domes, despite supposedly unobstracted view to the satellites…

 

[Fenway]

Sounds like you must be in constant communications with you boss...not my idea of a vacation, but if you do, you might consider renting one of these...
https://www.vzwsatellite.com/products/rental/iridium9555

I want to stress I have no desire to be in constant contact with the home office but I just wanted a rough idea of how much of the time I will be in a blackout zone.

 

[crescent-zephyr]

I want to stress I have no desire to be in constant contact with the home office but I just wanted a rough idea of how much of the time I will be in a blackout zone.

I don't think you have to worry too much. I just took VIA from Vancouver to Edmonton and had cell service for plenty of the trip. I remember a fellow dome car passenger call a family member to tell them dome cars were back on the Canadian (they were very excited) and he seemed to have fine coverage. Later that night a friend called me and I hung out in the lower level of the dome by myself and we chatted for a good bit. I frequently checked e-mails as well. I do remember one time sitting on a siding for like 3 freights to go by (nothing unusual there) and I didn't have service and I was annoyed that I couldn't use internet while doing nothing for 30 minutes. haha.

Also... maybe a generational thing but I LOVE the fact that I can do work from anywhere. I'd much rather work from VIA Rail, an Amtrak Roomette, or a Cruise ship than in an office somewhere.

 

[jis]

Here is the Rogers cellular coverage map:

https://www.rogers.com/mobility/network-coverage-map
Looks like the only problematic areas are the border region between Alberta and British Columbia and of course part of the sticks of the Canadian Shield in Ontario.

 

[Anderson]

Finally using a ticket I bought in February 2000 and will leave Vancouver on Friday and arrive in Toronto on Tuesday.

...wait, how?

 

[Fenway]

...wait, how?

Typo on my part - the ticket was bought in February 2020...................

 

[PaTrainFan]

With you completely Jim.

The purpose of a vacation is to separate yourself from work not to work in a different location. But it's also understandable that there are unspoken pressures to please the people who help you pay the bills, but maybe not during a trip of a lifetime?

This is not the reality of today's employers, and the once hauled hailed flexibility companies offered in the wake of the pandemic are disappearing. Pressures are boiling once again.

 

[lstone19]

From my own experience, you will have service during the extended stops in the Canadian Shield such as Sioux Lookout and Hornepayne. Also is some of the smaller towns but given the train may not even stop, only for a minute or so.

 

[jis]

From my own experience, you will have service during the extended stops in the Canadian Shield such as Sioux Lookout and Hornepayne. Also is some of the smaller towns but given the train may not even stop, only for a minute or so.

That has been my experience too. But once you are away from towns you are generally out of luck.

 

[Willbridge]

On the Canadian Shield portion in October 1977 we had really good reception of Chicago AM stations and enjoyed watching the Northern Lights from our E-series Bedroom. Our two-year old son stood on the radiator and watched the "special lights in the sky" for miles (how do you explain the Northern Lights to a two-year old?). It didn't occur that anyone should be able to get hold of us.

For today's situation on trains, I encourage the use of text messaging if possible.

 

[Fenway]

Is there any chance we might see another RT added to the 1/2 weekly schedule?

I am looking forward to this trip which I originally booked in February 2020....

I have done 3 nights on a train BUT that was always broken up by connecting in Chicago...... FOUR nights will be an experience. Even the Sunset Limited did Miami/LA in 3 nights.

I will post photos

 

[railiner]

On the Canadian Shield portion in October 1977 we had really good reception of Chicago AM stations and enjoyed watching the Northern Lights from our E-series Bedroom. Our two-year old son stood on the radiator and watched the "special lights in the sky" for miles (how do you explain the Northern Lights to a two-year old?). It didn't occur that anyone should be able to get hold of us.

For today's situation on trains, I encourage the use of text messaging if possible.

Back then, there weren’t cell phones. You might have been able to send a telegram to a downline station…

 

[toddinde]

I don’t think anyone disputes that Amtrak‘s LD routes are easier to use than VIA‘s Canadian, but when you compare the Canadian with Australia‘s Indian Pacific, which operates with very similar equipment over virtually the same distance (2,698 vs. 2775 miles), we should agree that the difference in usability compared to a pure tourist train (operating without anything cheaper than private cabins amd with only one single intermediary stop to join/leave the train) is still orders of magnitudes bigger than that compared to Amtrak:
View attachment 33099
Source: seat61.com
Note: the Canadian and Australian Dollar usually trade almost at par.

Maybe I’m not understanding your comparison to Amtrak, but Amtrak is very affordable and accessible as pure transportation, and quite a nice trip actually. The coaches are comfy and the cafe car food has improved dramatically. The Canadian is tough to use for transportation though many do, I’m sure. I remember the Canadian and Super Continental that I rode in the ‘70s. They provided a needed service for Canadians. It’s too bad the Canadian is mostly a tourist train.

 

[1976steve]

Maybe I’m not understanding your comparison to Amtrak, but Amtrak is very affordable and accessible as pure transportation, and quite a nice trip actually. The coaches are comfy and the cafe car food has improved dramatically. The Canadian is tough to use for transportation though many do, I’m sure. I remember the Canadian and Super Continental that I rode in the ‘70s. They provided a needed service for Canadians. It’s too bad the Canadian is mostly a tourist train.

I don't think the majority of the traveling public would agree with Amtrak being affordable. I thoroughly enjoy riding but it is not feasible to ride from midwest to either coast for purely transportation when the roomette prices are typically way over $1000 per room. A high priced airfare would be in the $650 range no comparison. To be anywhere near realistic Amtrak needs to bring back an economical product similar to the Slumbercoach.

 

[John Bredin]

I don't think the majority of the traveling public would agree with Amtrak being affordable. I thoroughly enjoy riding but it is not feasible to ride from midwest to either coast for purely transportation when the roomette prices are typically way over $1000 per room. A high priced airfare would be in the $650 range no comparison. To be anywhere near realistic Amtrak needs to bring back an economical product similar to the Slumbercoach.

(Italics added.) You may not ride in Amtrak coach overnight, and I may not ride in coach overnight, but somebody rides in coach overnight. (I've ridden in coach overnight, and while I may have said "never again" I also saw lots of people in the other seats.) Someone also takes intercity buses, and Amtrak coach is nicer than that.

 

[MccfamschoolMom]

(Italics added.) You may not ride in Amtrak coach overnight, and I may not ride in coach overnight, but somebody rides in coach overnight. (I've ridden in coach overnight, and while I may have said "never again" I also saw lots of people in the other seats.) Someone also takes intercity buses, and Amtrak coach is nicer than that.

I used to ride in coach overnight on the Empire Builder to get home from college back in the 1970s. I wouldn't want to do it now, but it's doable, especially for riders below retirement age for a single night.

 

[Urban Sky]

Maybe I’m not understanding your comparison to Amtrak, but Amtrak is very affordable and accessible as pure transportation, and quite a nice trip actually. The coaches are comfy and the cafe car food has improved dramatically. The Canadian is tough to use for transportation though many do, I’m sure. I remember the Canadian and Super Continental that I rode in the ‘70s. They provided a needed service for Canadians. It’s too bad the Canadian is mostly a tourist train.

The Canadian still offers non-Sleeper transportation between any of the dozens of stops along its route, which - except for the lack of frequencies - is reasonably comparable to Amtrak, whereas such a transportation utility is virtually absent with its distant cousins in Australia.

Not sure what we are disagreeing on, but the point I was trying to make is that from a traveller’s perspective (as opposed to that of a Tourist), the Canadian is orders of magnitude closer to Amtrak’s LD services than to any Australian land cruise…

 

[crescent-zephyr]

Maybe I’m not understanding your comparison to Amtrak, but Amtrak is very affordable and accessible as pure transportation, and quite a nice trip actually. The coaches are comfy and the cafe car food has improved dramatically.

So is VIA - and the VIA coaches are even more comfy than Amtrak in my opinion.

 

[Bob Dylan]

So is VIA - and the VIA coaches are even more comfy than Amtrak in my opinion.

And VIA still gives Canadian Coach Passengers Blankets and Pillows, and their own Dome Car!