From: CZ94 <CZ94@MUSICA.MCGILL.CA>
Subject: Re: VIA's excellent, Amtrak sticks bigtime
Organization: McGill University
Date: Fri, 14 Aug 1992 15:55:23 GMT

In article <sam.14sq@terapin.com> sam@terapin.com (Sam Lewit) writes:
>In article <5471@transfer.stratus.com>, btarbox@sw.stratus.com (Brian Tarbox)
>writes:
>>I just returned from a circle America trip:
>>VIA rail from Montreal to Vancouver,
>>Amtrak from Vancouver to San Fran. to Boston.
>>
>>I went first class all the way so expect I saw the best of both
>>systems.
>>
>>I would travel VIA again in a flash and would travel Amtrak again
>>if the alternative was walking.  The difference between the two
>>system was amazing.
>>
>>VIA was like train travel in the movies: elegant and with style,
>>a friendly car host bringing afternoon coffee to your room,
>>a beautiful diner car with better meals than most high class resturants,
>>and engineers who could start/stop the train without jerks.
>
>I took almost the same exact routes. San Fran to Seattle, Vancouver to
>Montreal, New York to San Francisco. Here was MY experience compared to yours.
>
>The VIA rail equipment I had was ancient. The dome car was freezing probably in
>the mid 30's (This was wintertime), so nobody was using that car. In my
>roomette, the bed latch was broken, so every time the train started and
>stopped, the bed would slide in and out along its track.

VIA has been refurbishing much of its fleet, including conversion
to HEP.  Most of the work has been done on the ex-CPR Budd stainless
steel cars built for the Canadian in 1954-55.  I haven't travelled
on any of the rebuilt cars, but I've walked through a train made
up of them, and it seems that a very nice job has been done on them.

All runs of the Canadian (Toronto-Vancouver) now use these refurbished
cars (though the real Canadian was killed in 1990 and the current
train follows the route of the Super-Continental).  I've heard that
the Skeena (Jasper-Prince Rupert) was to be the next train to get
the HEPped cars, but I can't confirm this.

A few days ago, I saw a Canadian Press wire service story which seemed
to suggest that the Chaleur (Montreal-Gaspe) had been converted to
the rebuilt cars.  I went to see yesterday's departure from Montreal,
and it was a consist of old cars, so the conversion here is partial
at best.

The Ocean Limited and Atlantic Limited (both Montreal-Halifax) are
still using old equipment, but are slated for conversion by next
year.

I don't know what VIA's plans are for its other overnight services
(Montreal-Senneterre and Winnipeg-Churchill).  These are pulled by
FP9s rather than F40s, which probably aren't equipped to supply
HEP.

The LRC cars used in the Quebec-Windsor corridor are also being
refurbished.  All the club cars have been redone, and work has
started on the coaches.  One of the improvements here is that the
seats can now be rotated, so you don't have to travel backwards.
>
>The restaurant was too expensive for my taste. I think the main course was like
>$18 or so. I can't compare those.

I have a menu from the diner on a Montreal-Halifax train.  It offers

1. Ham & Cheese Sandwich         $ 4.25

2. Cheese Burger                 $ 4.25

3. Hot Sandwich of the Day       $ 7.50

4. Grilled Chicken Breast        $ 8.50

5. Catch o'the Day               $11.95

Prices include all taxes.  A non-alcoholic beverage is included
with all of the above.  Numbers 1 and 2 include potato chips and cole
slaw, while 3, 4, and 5 come with vegetables, potatoes, and your choice
of juice or soup.  Number 5 also includes a salad and a roll.

All these prices are in Canadian dollars, of course, so they'd be
less in US$.

The Canadian is being promoted as a premium service, so dining car
prices may be higher there.  I don't know.
>
>Amtrak's sleeper arrangements are priced                               ed
>astronomically. I believe my VIA sleeper was an additional 40 some odd dollars
>a night. On at least one Amtrak route (SF to Eugene, OR) I was quoted an extra
>$200+ for a roomette. Some routes are cheaper than others.
>
VIA sleeping car prices have gone up a lot recently, especially for
the Canadian.  I can't give you exact figures.

One nice thing about VIA, if you can't sleep sitting up, but can't
afford a roomette, is that they still have open sections (upper
and lower berths) in their sleeping cars.  I usually get an upper
when I travel overnight.

Tom Box
CZ94@MUSICA.MCGILL.CA

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