shortliner Posted March 17, 2015 Share Posted March 17, 2015 http://www.railwayage.com/index.php/passenger/intercity/agreement-bodes-well-for-restored-amtrak-montrealer.html?channel=41 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adrian Wintle Posted March 17, 2015 Share Posted March 17, 2015 It still neads legislation to be enacted to allow this to happen. It might also help the Toronto-New York Maple Leaf as well. Probably the biggest issue will be building the facilities at the stations to be able to keep the pre-screened passengers segregated since I can't see on-train clearance happening. I wonder if they thought about this as part of the (currently in progress) rebuild of Toronto Union Station.  There is still the issue that it likely can't happen in the USA->Canada direction due to the multiple station stops in the USA, so you either end up doing the current border checks or you establish clearance facilities at the destination stations and ensure nobody can get off the train before it gets there (airplanes are easier in this regard).  Adrian Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Theakerr Posted March 17, 2015 Share Posted March 17, 2015 Political grandstanding. Â We have an election mandated sometime this year- say no more! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
pH Posted March 17, 2015 Share Posted March 17, 2015 This happens already going south from Vancouver on Amtrak. Passengers pre-clear US customs in Vancouver, but they can do that because there are no stops before the US border. I'm not sure what happens coming north to Canada - maybe some of the RMwebbers who have done that journey can comment? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adrian Wintle Posted March 18, 2015 Share Posted March 18, 2015 This happens already going south from Vancouver on Amtrak. Passengers pre-clear US customs in Vancouver, but they can do that because there are no stops before the US border. I'm not sure what happens coming north to Canada - maybe some of the RMwebbers who have done that journey can comment?  It also happens at a number of airports in Canada, but going in the other direction by air means clearing customs at the Canadian destination. On the Cascades service, presumably the northbound passengers clear customs in Vancouver as there are no other stops in Canada and the schedule doesn't show a border stop. The Maple Leaf service from Toronto to New York does show the border stop, but then it does have an intermediate stop in Niagara Falls.  Cascades: http://www.amtrak.com/ccurl/433/192/Amtrak-Cascades-Schedule-101614-r.pdf Maple Leaf: http://www.amtrak.com/ccurl/937/472/Maple-Leaf-Schedule-011215.pdf  Adrian Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
dibber25 Posted March 18, 2015 Share Posted March 18, 2015 Having used the Maple Leaf last year, the only down side is the absurdly long delay for formalities at Niagara Falls, due it seems to Canadian bureaucracy, as I'm told the southbound train goes through relatively quickly. Nevertheless I plan to do the same journey again in a couple of months time, so I guess it can't have been that bad. The alternative, to get my fix of rail travel, was VIA No. 1, but I really couldn't face the frustration of the endless delays so that trains of tin boxes can have priority over human beings. Until Canada legislates that problem away, I'm unlikely to take VIA for any long journeys. CHRIS LEIGH Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold roundhouse Posted March 18, 2015 RMweb Gold Share Posted March 18, 2015 This happens already going south from Vancouver on Amtrak. Passengers pre-clear US customs in Vancouver, but they can do that because there are no stops before the US border. I'm not sure what happens coming north to Canada - maybe some of the RMwebbers who have done that journey can comment? We used it last Summer from Bellingham to Vancouver and it was reasonably non stop but it isnt fast as it snakes through urban Vancouver then a reversal into the CP depot. They then detrain a caoch at a time to clear customs in the station. Its easier if you are in business class as thats normally at the Vancouver bufferstop end of the platofrm. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
pH Posted March 18, 2015 Share Posted March 18, 2015 We used it last Summer from Bellingham to Vancouver and it was reasonably non stop but it isnt fast as it snakes through urban Vancouver then a reversal into the CP depot. They then detrain a caoch at a time to clear customs in the station. Its easier if you are in business class as thats normally at the Vancouver bufferstop end of the platofrm. Thanks for that. I thought passengers cleared customs in Vancouver in both directions, but wasn't sure. Minor point - Amtrak uses the old CN station. The ex-CP station is on the waterfront. For a city that has less than 100 arrivals and departures per week in total, Vancouver is well-supplied with stations - ex-CN, ex-CP and Rocky Mountaineer. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold roundhouse Posted March 18, 2015 RMweb Gold Share Posted March 18, 2015 Thanks for that. I thought passengers cleared customs in Vancouver in both directions, but wasn't sure. Minor point - Amtrak uses the old CN station. The ex-CP station is on the waterfront. For a city that has less than 100 arrivals and departures per week in total, Vancouver is well-supplied with stations - ex-CN, ex-CP and Rocky Mountaineer. Ah of course it does.slip up there!!! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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