Lots of padding in the Canadians Schedule.
I traveled the first week in December 10+ years ago. It was 15 below in Winnipeg and even with my idea of winter clothing, I did not last too long outdoors until the temperature warmed up to 1 below.
I don’t understand how tourists from virtually every other nationality than the United States seem to grasp and effortlessly adapt to this, but unless you are traveling through a country with rampant inflation or manipulated exchange rates (like Cuba, Egypt or Argentina), the general expectation is that you pay or tip in the local currency rather than a foreign one, which happens to be readily available at any ATM…
I lived in Edmonton for nine years and in many years snow did not stick till after mid-November. It was cold and grey before that. We were on the flight path for the Remembrance Day flyover and could watch it against grey skies.
If it makes you feel any better I once tipped an Amtrak SCA in Canadian. Am I even now? haha.
I picked Edmonton as my stopping point from Vancouver since I didn't want to go 2 nights in Coach and Edmonton was past the good scenery. I LOVED Edmonton - visited the Fort Edmonton Park and got to ride the steam train and ride a carousel hand-carved right there in Edmonton! What a lovely town. I hope to visit again soon the next time I ride the Canadian.
I don't think the tendency to use US$ in Canada is due to any inability to grasp the concept of local currency
but is more due to the fact that with a currently strong dollar people in Canada don't seem to mind receiving payment or tips in US$. I live in a border town where many Canadians come to shop and where residents here go over to Canada to patronize restaurants and tourist sites, so both kinds of money get used freely, although on the US side the CAD is generally discounted 15%. I can remember when I lived in Canada in the 1950s the opposite situation was true where the CAD was worth more than the USD and US money was discounted. It all depends on the exchange rate.
You can charge your devices in the Park Car, there are a couple of outlets that aren't apparent, but the Attendant can show you where they are!( not sure about the Prestige Rooms since the rehab?)
Unless you work for a business which accepts that foreign currency or regularly travel to a country where that foreign currency is a legal tender, dealing with said foreign currency is a hazzle. It is totally fine to pay with your local currency if you are just behind the border for a few hours or travelling on board a mode of transportation which crosses the border (especially if said vehicle/train/ship is operated by an American operator), but most American tourists traveling on board the Canadian spend at least a week on Canadian soil (or for that matter: trains), which is far beyond the point where you should have realized that your beloved greenback is not a legal tender. So if you really want to show your gratitude for the service you received while also showing consideration and respect for the people who warmly welcomed you into their country, you may want to tip the equivalent of whatever you would have tipped in USD in CAD instead…I don't think the tendency to use US$ in Canada is due to any inability to grasp the concept of local currency
I'm figuring that Toronto Union Station has at least one ATM somewhere, so I should have no problem getting Canadian cash. I was just wondering how much I should get, at least for the train. I did an internet search about tipping customs in Canada and found that it's pretty similar to the US. Thus, I'm going to need $5 -$10 (Canadian) a night for the sleeping car attendant and $3-$5 a meal for the dining car staff. Plus, if I want to buy wine of beer, I may need some cash for that, although one respondent here said that VIA takes credit cards, though how they can connect to the network to validate the cards in some of the remote places they're passing through is a mystery to me. Come to think of it, that may also be an issue on the Empire Builder coming home, too. Using a credit card POS system on a train in the east never seems to have this problem, as cell service is pretty continuous along most of the routes.
Glad you got to Fort Edmonton. I was there when some of the big steps were taken, such as opening of the Ukrainian bookstore. It was a thrill when coming out of a night meeting in its upstairs room and seeing a vintage Edmonton streetcar coming around the corner of 1905/1920 Streets.
Edmonton is a real Gem of a City, worth spending a few days exploring it, but it's best in the Summer!
Amtrak's new POS systems will usually work even if you don't have a signal. However, it is always good to have cash in case the card reader doesn't work.
On the route from Vancouver to Edmonton, there were only a few times I didn't have cell service. Plenty of people around me in the dome were using their phones as well. I used my credit card several times in the cafe car.
The stops that are not flag stops in the time table could likely be used as smoke breaks unless the crew specifies otherwise. North Sudberry, Sioux Lookout, Winnipeg, Saskatoon, Edmonton, Jasper, Kamloops come to mind as stops that you can count on for fresh air.
