I noticed a couple of items, under news, on the VIA website which are interesting:
There will be a schedule change, for the Canadian, on Dec 2nd of this year. Apparently, VIA wants to allow more daylight time for travelling through the Canadian Rockies.
I would like to see the east-bound Empire Builder, out of Seattle, do the same thing. Right now, the EB gets into Spokane around midnight and much of the scenic run, from Spokane to East Glacier Park, is overnight. How about, instead of the 4:45 PM start in Seattle, start out around 10 PM. That would mean it would get into Spokane around 5-6 AM, Whitefish, MT, around Noon, and East Glacier in mid-afternoon. It would help reduce the long wait, now needed, from the time you de-train until the earliest possible check-in time at a hotel/motel.
Also, on the VIA site, they are going to allow special "wildnerness" stops (from Sudbury Junction to Winnipeg) for hikers and adventure seekers. I believe, but not sure, it would also include pickup (with the help of a cell phone or scheduled?).
*** From the VIA website ***** ******************************************** In order to keep the Saguenay train (Montréal-Jonquière) on schedule, we will be making only one special stop in the vicinity of the Summit Club and Summit. If you wish to make a special stop in this area, please ask to be dropped off at Mile 106.6.
Special stops Special stops let you get off and get on the train exactly where you want, even in places where there is no scheduled stop! The ideal solution for outdoor activities - at that little lake deep in the forest, or that wild river you've been dreaming of for so long!
To use this service, you must purchase your ticket at least 48 hours in advance and tell us the exact spot where you want the train to stop by specifying the exact mile marker at which you would like the train to stop.
********************************************
What do you think.....would this work for Amtrak, as well?
Richard
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Posted by Henry Kisor (Member # 4776) on :
Seems to me Amtrak needs to get its trains from the West into Chicago by midafternoon so through passengers can be sure to catch the departing trains to the East in the early evening. Later starts from Seattle would perhaps endanger these connections.
Posted by SilverStar092 (Member # 2652) on :
Regarding the Canadian: The enw schedule is aimed at reducing delays. With increased CN freight traffic the train has run late frequently in recent months which poses a major problem eastbound since it is scheduled into Toronto in late evening. Both directions will go to a 4 night trip instead of 3 nights. The train already has goosd daylight viewing in the Rockies and I believe that remains basically unchanged. As for remote stops..it is amazing on many VIA routes to watch passengers detrain in the middle of the woods and disappear down an overgrown path leading to a fishing cottage or the like. They do have to make arrangements for pickup and had better be there waiting! They typically detrain and walk up to the baggage car where the baggageman helps them with their canoe, fishing gear, ice chests, etc. This alone would doom such a service on Amtrak as union rules, legal issues, and policy seem to prohibit this. Otherwise, Amtrak could handle baggage even to unstaffed stations. Among other problems...what if the passenger is old or doesn't walk up to the baggage car to collect their stuff? Issues then arise regarding who's at fault and is responsible for getting the passenger's stuff to them. VIA's schedules are generally more leisurely and the type people who detrain in the middle of nowhere are used to doing this. The Empire Builder schedule idea is great for scenery but would miss connections at Chicago. This alone keeps it from happening. I do wish I could see that scenic stretch in daylight.
Posted by RRRICH (Member # 1418) on :
I think the current schedule of the Canadian has MUCH more "padding" in it than any AMTRAK schedules. On our trip last month, we had quite a few freight stops along the Canadian route, and some were quite lengthy -- an hour or more. But we got to all major stops within 1/2 hour of schedule or so, and got to Toronto only about 1 hour late
Posted by Henry Kisor (Member # 4776) on :
Perhaps those who love long-distance trains have grown so used to schedule padding that when a train arrives before the advertised, they feel cheated out of the train time they paid for.
Posted by Ham Radio (Member # 6587) on :
For purely selfish reasons (visiting family and vacationing) I'd love to see the Empire Builder get into Spokane region at a more reasonable hour either direction, but I understand about making connections eastbound.
Posted by yukon11 (Member # 2997) on :
Looking at the Empire Builder's schedule, eastbound out of Seattle, it probably would be difficult to change. Leaving 5-6 hrs later out of Seattle would be a problem for connecting to the City of New Orleans, Cardinal, and Capital Limited. However, the Calif Zephyr, Texas Eagle, and SW Chief leave before the Empire Builder now gets into Chicago, so they would not be affected. The alternative would be for the EB to leave 3-5 hrs earlier and it could mean a possible connection with the Zephyr, Texas Eagle, and SW Chief in Chicago, but it, in turn, would mean a long wait to get aboard the City of New Orleans , Cardinal, Capital Limited, and Lake Shore Limited. Also, leaving 3-5 hrs earlier from Seattle would mean it would get into Whitefish and East Glacier extremely early, and probably not be practical, even though it would get into Spokane at a much more reasonable time. So, maybe it is ok the way it is.
Westbound the Builder gets into E. Glacier Park at 6:45PM..so it will be dark in the winter months. Leaving Chicago around 10-11 AM, instead of 2:15 PM would mean daylight for most of the run through Glacier Park and probably not dark until Libby, Mt. In the summertime, the current schedule for the EB, westbound, would allow sunlight even though it gets into E. Glacier at 6:45 PM. I lived near E Glacier Park, at one time, and we could see a sundown at 10:30 PM or even 11:00 PM during the peak summer months.
Anyway, I hate to think people taking the Empire Builder would miss the splendid scenery of Glacier Park...which is probably only rivaled by the Canadian Rockies for sheer beauty.
Richard
Posted by SilverStar092 (Member # 2652) on :
The Rockies are the governing factor for preventing much schedule change as this magnificent secenery would likely then be missed. Connections to the eastern trains and City are most important at Chicago as I doubt there is much market for connections to the CZ or Chief. The Texas Eagle would draw passengers but not everything can work. We also muct remember that it's important to have acceptable hours at Minneapolis-St. paul which rules out an earlier eastbound departure, along with the problem of equipment turns. All of these are problems that are caused by once a day service over most routes as it's either connect or lose lots of riders.
Posted by Gilbert B Norman (Member # 1541) on :
On A-Day, #31 Empire Builder departed Chi 1045A; arrived East Glacier 320P (+1 day); Seattle 740A (+2 Days). However, #49 Broadway Ltd arrived Chi 900A.