From: M00209@MBVM.Mitre.Org
Subject: Re: VIA's excellent, Amtrak sticks bigtime
Organization: The MITRE Corporation, Bedford MA 01730
Date: Tue, 18 Aug 1992 19:08:54 GMT

In article <1992Aug15.231018.4889@informix.com>
aland@informix.com (Colonel Panic) writes:
 
>
>Really?  I had heard that they had shut the VIA transcontinental service down
>(sorry if this is an old topic here; I've never followed the newsgroup before).
>The PBS series _Travels_ had a two-part feature called "The Last Train Across
>Canada", where they took one of the last possible ocean-to-ocean rail trips.
>(Good shows, BTW; if you missed it, buy or borrow a tape.)  They said that the
>passenger VIA service was shutting down except for a few lengths that would be
>operated as pricey tourist packages.  A couple of friends from Canada more or
>less confirmed this at the time...
>
I have seen this show several times and each time I see it I get more angry!
It's an excellent show from the point of view of photography and general
interest but they have perpetuated the LIE (albeit probably through just plain
damned ignorance!) that there is no longer any transcontinental train service
in Canada.  Of course, there isn't a SINGLE transcontinental train (I don't
think there ever was - you always had to change in Montreal, now you have to
change in Montreal AND Toronto), but you certainly can still ride from Halifax
to Vancouver by regularly scheduled passenger train.
 
The "Atlantic" runs three days a week between Halifax and Montreal on (mostly)
the CPR route through Maine and Saint John, New Brunswick.  The "Ocean" runs
three days a week between Halifax and Montreal on the CNR (former Intercolonial
Railway) route via Campbellton.
 
Between Montreal and Toronto there are four to six trains a day (depending on
the day of the week) with a train approximately every two hours Monday through
Friday.  Unfortunately there is no overnight service.
 
Between Montreal and Vancouver, contrary to reports of its death, the
"Canadian" still runs three days a week.  What happened in 1990 was that where
previously you had the "Canadian" running daily via the CPR route AND the
"Super Continental" running daily via the CNR route, you now have only the
"Canadian" three days a week and it uses the CNR route.  Confusing, yes, but
it still possible to ride across Canada by train, and in the same CARS as
before, though on a DIFFERENT route that where they formerly ran.  In fact, the
trip has been speeded up by about a half a day, and the cars have been TOTALLY
rebuilt, with showers and head-end power.  VIA is making a very serious effort
within its incredibly constrained budget to make this a REALLY FIRST CLASS
service, and from all that I have heard they have been extremely successful.
My wife and I plan to make it our vacation for next summer.  The best advice I
can give you, though, is to RESERVE SPACE EARLY.  The train's capacity is very
limited - even more so than previously - and its popularity if anything has
increased, so the summertime trips sell out MONTHS in advance.
>
>Do you have an address or phone number for VIA for info?
>
Amtrak (1-800-USA-RAIL) claims to supply information on VIA and (most)
Amtrak ticket agencies and authorized travel agents will book you.
VIA's timetable says to call your travel agent in the USA.  Local phone
numbers listed include 514-871-1331 in Montreal and ???-366-8411 in Toronto.
If your local people can't get you the info you want, I suggest a friend
of mine, Stanley Barriger of Ascutney Travel in Claremont NH.  His number
is 1-800-TRAINS-4.  He specializes in rail travel.
 
 
Len Bachelder        Archives Committee, Boston and Maine RR Historical Society
MITRE Corp.           Secretary, Massachusetts Bay Railroad Enthusiasts
Bedford MA 01730      Member, 470 Railroad Club
<M00209@mbvm.mitre.org>
 
"Amazing love, how can it be that Thou, my God, should'st die for me!"
                                                 - Charles Wesley