VIA Winter service in Western Canada

[Brian Battuello]

My Canadian info is almost 10 years old, but perhaps they put up the sign when there is a separate Skyline car for sleepers, when the Park Car is totally reserved for Prestige during the day. I'm thinking of travelling in late January. I'm expecting/hoping that there won't be any Park car restricted times, and if by some chance there are no Prestige customers, they won't bother with the seating limitations.

I'm all in favor of Prestige and VIA making more money to keep things going, but when you can buy a perfectly good cabin for two with ensuite toilet for $1k per person, hard to imagine paying $5k per person for a nicer bed, view, and free drinks.

In the summer it's another story. Plenty of wealthy tourists that don't mind spending the big bucks. Cruise ships have special areas for people with too much money .

 

[zephyr17]

My Canadian info is almost 10 years old, but perhaps they put up the sign when there is a separate Skyline car for sleepers, when the Park Car is totally reserved for Prestige during the day. I'm thinking of travelling in late January. I'm expecting/hoping that there won't be any Park car restricted times, and if by some chance there are no Prestige customers, they won't bother with the seating limitations.

I'm all in favor of Prestige and VIA making more money to keep things going, but when you can buy a perfectly good cabin for two with ensuite toilet for $1k per person, hard to imagine paying $5k per person for a nicer bed, view, and free drinks.

In the summer it's another story. Plenty of wealthy tourists that don't mind spending the big bucks. Cruise ships have special areas for people with too much money .

As I said before, if they have even one Prestige passenger, at the very least the first row will be reserved in the Park's dome.

There will not be any hour restrictions in January. Those should not kick in until April 15th. They really can't restrict it anyway, because the Sleeper Plus Skyline almost certainly will not be staffed, so the only bar service will be in the Park.

 

[user 5784]

thank you for the info. Im fine with everything--dome seat im not worried about getting one, just hoping to snag one in the first row. Looks like the one sleeper skyline will be my one opportunity, unless its 3 am in prestige dome lol. Im hoping to travel in Feb--i dont think is exactly peak season.

 

[Brian Battuello]

Does anyone know for sure that they are running a third dome car in January/February? When I went in February 2008 it was just the Park car and the coach Skyline. Always nice to have more domes. We only had about 40 people on the whole train, and none were Prestige.

Also any updates on the protect car behind the Park car? Not a show stopper, but a mild annoyance.

Is there anyone out there that could railcam a very recent Canadian consist, such as post Jan 1?

 

[Brian Battuello]

I would be happy to keep this conversation here, but also noticed an old thread at

https://www.amtraktrains.com/threads/the-canadian-consists.59747/page-2
Hasn't been updated in many years, but has some nice historical info.

 

[user 5784]

It was that way when I rode a few years ago; in fact, our Artist On Board did some shows in the Park Car just for sleeper passengers, and some in the Economy dome that were open to everyone.

But just this week I watched a YouTube of a trip on the Canadian. When the protagonist tried to get to the cafe car, he came upon a sign on the door of the last coach car:
View attachment 30955There used to be a sign saying "Sleeper Plus passengers only" when heading the other way, but not heading into Economy. I don't think he actually tried the door to see if it was locked.

sign was up in 2019 when this article was posted, the author says she "just walked through" and "nobody checking".

I spent 4 days on the longest train ride in North America, and I wouldn't hesitate to do the entire 96-hour trip again

 

[user 5784]

Does anyone know for sure that they are running a third dome car in January/February? When I went in February 2008 it was just the Park car and the coach Skyline. Always nice to have more domes. We only had about 40 people on the whole train, and none were Prestige.

Also any updates on the protect car behind the Park car? Not a show stopper, but a mild annoyance.

Is there anyone out there that could railcam a very recent Canadian consist, such as post Jan 1?

if they do only run 2 domes hopefully sleeper passengers can use the second dome....otherwise have to stick to park car..where prestige passengers may get first rows...

 

[zephyr17]

Looks like the one sleeper skyline will be my one opportunity, unless its 3 am in prestige dome lol.

More like after dinner in my experience.

 

[zephyr17]

Does anyone know for sure that they are running a third dome car in January/February? When I went in February 2008 it was just the Park car and the coach Skyline. Always nice to have more domes. We only had about 40 people on the whole train, and none were Prestige.

Also any updates on the protect car behind the Park car? Not a show stopper, but a mild annoyance.

Is there anyone out there that could railcam a very recent Canadian consist, such as post Jan 1?

The "buffer" car (AKA "bumper car") will be on it for the immediate future. They have to do the extensive testing they are planning on the suspected center sill problem that caused the introduction of the buffer cars as an interim measure. That includes a compression test that will probably destroy one car. Then they'll decide if the center sill situation needs remediation based on that and other testing and extensive inspections. If it needs to be, and can be, remediated, then the buffer cars can be removed from consists as completely remediated consists come online.

Best case is they decide the cars are fine after testing and inspections and drop the buffer cars. That would probably not be before summer at the earliest.

If there is problem that can be remediated, it'll probably take a couple years, assuming they get funding.

If there is a problem and it cannot be remediated, the buffer cars will remain permanently. And the final countdown clock on retiring the Budd fleet starts.

Since they tore the Chateaus and Parks they converted to Prestige pretty much down to bare metal, I find some reason for optimism that if there was a problem, they would not have sunk tens of millions into Prestige conversions.

Their standard practice since Prestige was introduced is to run a Skyline for Sleeper Plus all year round. It likely will not be staffed, though. Before Prestige was introduced, the Park alone did fine for Silver And Blue/Sleeper Plus in the off season and a third off season dome was unnecessary.

 

[Urban Sky]

Except for exceptional circumstances, there always is a Skyline car next to each diner, i.e. in addition to the Skyline car reserved for Economy Class passengers and the Park car shared with Prestige Class passengers…

 

[fdaley]

When we last rode, in February 2019 as Sleeper Plus passengers, there were indeed three domes -- one for Economy Class near the front of the train, one between the Sleeper Plus sleepers and the diner, and the Park car at the rear (which exactly fits the arrangement Urban Sky describes). There were no restrictions on access to the Park car other than the first couple of rows in the dome being reserved for Prestige passengers.

In other winter trips earlier in the decade, we had only two domes -- the Park car plus one next to the coaches, and I remember spending some time in the forward dome and talking with the mostly younger people who were traveling in coach. But by 2019, the sleeper passengers were strongly discouraged from going up to the coach-class dome, which didn't particularly matter because we had access to two of our own, although for photography that forward dome does give a quite different perspective.

 

[Rasputin]

But by 2019, the sleeper passengers were strongly discouraged from going up to the coach-class dome,

My information is all second-hand so corrections would be welcome but I understand that there have been some disruptive behavior issues in the economy section of the Canadian in recent years (such as the arrest of some economy class passengers for human trafficking in the economy coach as reported by Fred Frailey in one of his columns a few years ago) and as a result, VIA has sought to restrict sleeping car passengers from going to the coach section. Previously coach passengers were prohibited from going to the sleeping car section but sleeping car passengers were not prohibited from going to the coach section.

 

[fdaley]

My information is all second-hand so corrections would be welcome but I understand that there have been some disruptive behavior issues in the economy section of the Canadian in recent years (such as the arrest of some economy class passengers for human trafficking in the economy coach as reported by Fred Frailey in one of his columns a few years ago) and as a result, VIA has sought to restrict sleeping car passengers from going to the coach section. Previously coach passengers were prohibited from going to the sleeping car section but sleeping car passengers were not prohibited from going to the coach section.

Yeah, on our last westbound trip in 2019, the police met the train in Capreol to remove someone from the coach car, though a crew member told me it was more of a mental health issue (or perhaps substance abuse) rather than something criminal. On our 2017 trip, when I spent a fair amount of time in the economy dome, most of the coach travelers I met were just 20-somethings whose budgets couldn't easily cover sleeper travel, but it was definitely a crowd with different boundaries from the folks I met in the Park car.

 

[CaptPete 43]

When I rode this, the diesel blew uncombusted fuel onto the vista dome making it unsuitable for its intent. On a stop, washing it with water did not not work, only making it different, not better. Hopefully this is not currently happening.

 

[zephyr17]

When I rode this, the diesel blew uncombusted fuel onto the vista dome making it unsuitable for its intent. On a stop, washing it with water did not not work, only making it different, not better. Hopefully this is not currently happening.

When I last rode it, someone took a shot at the Park before Melville. Hopefully that won't happen again, either.

 

[user 5784]

thanks everyone for the info, this is an engaging discussion. Ive booked a lower berth for a Feb trip Vancouver-Toronto and hope everything works out. My ticket says im in car 210, unit 02L. Does anyone know if thats a good berth? Not sure if accurate or not but i saw one diagram of a sleeping car online, appears my berth might between the restroom and shower? Should i try switching to another lower berth? (if switching is even possible). ill be spending most of my time in the domes and dining car when not sleeping, but hoping i can get a good sleep when i am sleeping!

 

[zephyr17]

thanks everyone for the info, this is an engaging discussion. Ive booked a lower berth for a Feb trip Vancouver-Toronto and hope everything works out. My ticket says im in car 210, unit 02L. Does anyone know if thats a good berth? Not sure if accurate or not but i saw one diagram of a sleeping car online, appears my berth might between the restroom and shower? Should i try switching to another lower berth? (if switching is even possible). ill be spending most of my time in the domes and dining car when not sleeping, but hoping i can get a good sleep when i am sleeping!

All sections are between the restroom and the shower. The real question is whether or not it is across the aisle from the blank wall of the shower room or across from another section and a window. I don't think it across from the shower, I don't pay much attention to open section accommodation numbers, but I think sections 1 & 2 are across from each other and 3 (or 4) is across from the shower.

There isn't that much traffic late at night, the private room accommodations all have their own facilities (although some roomette passengers may decide to use the restroom on the berth end rather than partly lift the bed). The berth passengers, up to six, will be the only ones passing you to use the shower, the other up to 16 passengers in the private accommodations don't have to pass by the sections to reach the shower.

 

[fdaley]

thanks everyone for the info, this is an engaging discussion. Ive booked a lower berth for a Feb trip Vancouver-Toronto and hope everything works out. My ticket says im in car 210, unit 02L. Does anyone know if thats a good berth? Not sure if accurate or not but i saw one diagram of a sleeping car online, appears my berth might between the restroom and shower? Should i try switching to another lower berth? (if switching is even possible). ill be spending most of my time in the domes and dining car when not sleeping, but hoping i can get a good sleep when i am sleeping!

Section 2 should be on the left-hand side of the train, the only section on that side, opposite Section 1. So by day, you should be able to see out both sides, though as you say, you'll probably want to spend your time in the domes, diner or observation lounge. And yes, Section 2 is between the men's bathroom and the shower on the left-hand side.

Section 3 is on the right-hand side, opposite the shower, so there's no left-hand window opposite it. The showers were added to those cars in the early '90s in the space where Section 4 used to be.

I have had that exact space on a few trips and enjoyed it thoroughly. The VIA mattresses are wonderfully thick, and the duvets are warm. And for a train bed, the old Pullman berth always seems amazingly wide.

 

[Bob Dylan]

Section 2 should be on the left-hand side of the train, the only section on that side, opposite Section 1. So by day, you should be able to see out both sides, though as you say, you'll probably want to spend your time in the domes, diner or observation lounge. And yes, Section 2 is between the men's bathroom and the shower on the left-hand side.

Section 3 is on the right-hand side, opposite the shower, so there's no left-hand window opposite it. The showers were added to those cars in the early '90s in the space where Section 4 used to be.

I have had that exact space on a few trips and enjoyed it thoroughly. The VIA mattresses are wonderfully thick, and the duvets are warm. And for a train bed, the old Pullman berth always seems amazingly wide.

My experiences on the Canadian were exactly the same, most comfortable bed I've ever slept in on a Train in over 75 years of riding!( I've not been in the Prestige Sleeper or on The Rocky Mountaineer)

 

[Brian Battuello]

You'll sleep very well on the Rocky Mountaineer because all their overnights are in nice hotels

 

[user 5784]

Section 2 should be on the left-hand side of the train, the only section on that side, opposite Section 1. So by day, you should be able to see out both sides, though as you say, you'll probably want to spend your time in the domes, diner or observation lounge. And yes, Section 2 is between the men's bathroom and the shower on the left-hand side.

Section 3 is on the right-hand side, opposite the shower, so there's no left-hand window opposite it. The showers were added to those cars in the early '90s in the space where Section 4 used to be.

I have had that exact space on a few trips and enjoyed it thoroughly. The VIA mattresses are wonderfully thick, and the duvets are warm. And for a train bed, the old Pullman berth always seems amazingly wide.

thank you--my comment/question about lower berth 2 being between the toilet and shower was meaning RIGHT between the two, as on same side. Ive often ridden coach on Amtrak and economy on the Canadian before, so simply having a sleeping berth (i have been in a roomette on Amtrak a few times) and meals (ive heard meals on the Canadian are so much better than on Amtrak) should make me feel spoiled. I was however just wondering if being by the restroom and showers if id hear people using those but sounds like at night not much traffic. I plan on spending 99 percent of my time when not sleeping by being in the dome, diner, or park car anyway.

 

[zephyr17]

thank you--my comment/question about lower berth 2 being between the toilet and shower was meaning RIGHT between the two, as on same side. Ive often ridden coach on Amtrak and economy on the Canadian before, so simply having a sleeping berth (i have been in a roomette on Amtrak a few times) and meals (ive heard meals on the Canadian are so much better than on Amtrak) should make me feel spoiled. I was however just wondering if being by the restroom and showers if id hear people using those but sounds like at night not much traffic. I plan on spending 99 percent of my time when not sleeping by being in the dome, diner, or park car anyway.

Well, there are restrooms on both sides, so sections 1 and 2 both are next to restrooms. There should not be much traffic at night, but the shower can get a lot of use early in the morning, I have no idea how noisy it is in the adjoining section. Of course, the restrooms will be busy with your fellow 5 berth passengers in the car in the am, too.

I thought you were worried about aisle traffic, as I can see that could be very disturbing to those sleeping in sections.

Not only are the meals better, but any VIA bed is vastly more comfortable than an Amtrak roomette. Open section berths are reputed to be the most comfortable of them all (I cannot venture an opinion, I always have a roomette on VIA, and those beds are much more comfortable than Amtrak's).

 

[fdaley]

thank you--my comment/question about lower berth 2 being between the toilet and shower was meaning RIGHT between the two, as on same side. Ive often ridden coach on Amtrak and economy on the Canadian before, so simply having a sleeping berth (i have been in a roomette on Amtrak a few times) and meals (ive heard meals on the Canadian are so much better than on Amtrak) should make me feel spoiled. I was however just wondering if being by the restroom and showers if id hear people using those but sounds like at night not much traffic. I plan on spending 99 percent of my time when not sleeping by being in the dome, diner, or park car anyway.

The shower door is around the bend in the corridor, so I don't recall even being aware of whether the shower was in use when I was in Lower 2. And the restrooms are really mainly for the people in the three sections (a maximum of six people) in your car, and often at least some of those spaces are empty, so it's not as though people are standing in the aisle waiting for their turn. The occasional person passing from car to car might duck into one of those restrooms, but figure that all of the roomette and bedroom passengers have their own facilities in their rooms.

The major issue with the sections is just that you have only a heavy curtain between your space and the corridor, and there are ladders to the upper berths that take up some space in the aisle. So if there are a lot of people going back and forth through the train, you hear them passing and perhaps bumping into the ladders as they go by. In my experience the aisle traffic was pretty low throughout the night, but it picks up in the morning as people head to breakfast. And there can be a lot of commotion if you come into a major station late at night, such as Winnipeg, which often winds up being a middle-of-the-night stop on the eastbound run. For me, after a day of riding in the domes followed by a good dinner with a glass of wine or a nightcap in the Park car, I was able to tune out most of the aisle traffic.

 

[joelkfla]

The occasional person passing from car to car might duck into one of those restrooms, but figure that all of the roomette and bedroom passengers have their own facilities in their rooms.

Yeah, but I thought the roomette toilets are not accessible when the bed is down.

 

[OBS]

Yeah, but I thought the roomette toilets are not accessible when the bed is down.

Yes, but the roomette is designed to be able to get out of bed and pop the bed up without leaving the room due to the privacy curtain all roomettes have.