A Tale Of Two Corridors: A Comparison

I was in Chicago recently for a conference and by adding on a vacation day it gave me time to return home by rail and compare the corridor routes of Amtrak and VIA between Chicago, Detroit/Windsor and Toronto.

Staying at a hotel near the Airport, I first had to get downtown. A quick taxi ride got me to the O’Hare Transfer Station on the Metra North-Central Line then it was only about 35 minutes to Union Station. This gave me plenty of time for breakfast before my Amtrak train at 8:30.

The last time I did this route, Amtrak #350 the first Wolverine Service of the day left Chicago around 8am which would have given me a little extra time to connect to VIA in Windsor.........But hopefully all will go well and the extra time wouldn’t be needed!

As we boarded I wanted to get a couple of pictures but being a foreigner and not knowing the security situation in CUS, I didn’t want to risk it. I also didn’t want to have pen and paper out to record the consist but noted it included a P42+5 cars. A good size crowd boarded but I was able to get a seat to myself. I would liked to have up-graded to a business class seat but none were available when I made my reservation and still no last minute cancellations when I picked up my ticket.

I wonder why Amtrak doesn’t provide a full First Class product between Chicago and Detroit? Looking at the population of these cities and the intermediate points they should be able to support such a service. Also there are only three trains a day each way (+ the Bluewater on a portion) Considering Detroit/Windsor as one Metro area (a lot of Michigan residents use VIA for trips to Toronto from Windsor especially on weekends) and the large end point cities of Chicago and Toronto respectively, the markets served by each leg of this corridor would be very similar. But VIA has 4 trains a day from Windsor to Toronto and when you reach the mid point city of London there are an additional 4 trains to Toronto. VIA-1 First Class is available on 5 of the 8 trains from London to Toronto. Travel time: Windsor>Toronto: 225 miles is covered in 3hrs/55min to 4hrs/21min. Chicago>Detroit: 280 miles: in about 5hrs/30>40min.

We departed on time and were moving along quite well for the first few miles until we ground to a halt and waited. Then moved forward then waited some more for a couple of NS freights. By the time we reached Amtrak owned trackage at Porter we were 25 minutes late. Stops to meet a couple of westbound Amtrak trains were only momentary. East of Kalamazoo we were back on NS again and another meet with a freight. Total time lost is now 45 minutes.

Just after leaving Battle Creek I made my way to the café for a snack. I was on the DownEaster recently and was impressed by the snack bar selection available but no such luck on the Wolverine. Just the usual snack-bar fare so I settled for a turkey sandwich, chips and coffee. Why not have some specialty items on here too? There was a bit of a line but the attendant was certainly moving things along quickly with a friendly word to everyone. He certainly earned a tip! Not like the fellow between New York and Boston a couple of months ago who literally threw the food at me then made a snarky comment when I didn’t tip! Even the Conductor had time for a quick word with everyone as he collected tickets. (Almost felt like my trip on VIA had already begun!)

If Amtrak #350 is on time, the connection to VIA #78 is quite do-able by public transit. You have 2 hours and 10 minutes to cover the 6 miles between stations. A taxi will take you all the way but there is a surcharge for crossing the border. (taxi fare was about $35 five years ago) Windsor Transit’s Tunnel Bus loops through downtown Detroit then crosses back over to Windsor through the tunnel every 20 minutes. (30 minutes on weekends) So the cheapest way is Detroit Transit (or taxi) from Amtrak to downtown. Change to the Tunnel Bus then connect to another Windsor Transit bus (or taxi) to VIA in Windsor.

(For Information: In the westbound direction a same day trip from Toronto shouldn’t be any problem at all. VIA #71 departs Toronto at 7:50am and arrives in Windsor at 11:45am. You have 6 hours to cross over to Detroit for Amtrak #355 at 5:53pm and into Chicago at 10:38pm. (There is also VIA #73 which gets into Windsor at 4:00pm allowing 1hr 53min to connect )

But we arrive into Detroit 35 minutes late...........Can I still make it!

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

I’m quickly into a taxi and headed to a Windsor Transit stop in downtown Detroit. I have about a 5 minute wait for the Tunnel Bus and then a short lineup going thru Canada Customs. Rush hour has probably added about 25 minutes to my travel time so far so instead of connecting to another Windsor Transit bus I decide to grab a cab that I pass on my way from the Tunnel Plaza to the bus stop. I’m at VIA just as #78 starts to board.

I get a couple of pictures (an LRC consist led by a P-42) and go aboard. I’ve upgraded to VIA-1 First Class and before we are even moving the attendant has passed around a basket of snacks and offered a complementary bar service. Great to just sit back now with a beer and relax (And the Hot Towel to freshen-up was certainly appreciated after the rush of the past hour and a half!)

Five miles out of Windsor we enter VIA owned track for the next 36 miles to Chatham where CN takes over for the remainder of the run into Toronto. Currently there is a proposal that will see VIA take a different route between Chatham and Windsor on tracks that lead directly to the Detroit River Rail Tunnel (and possibly through service to Chicago!!!) Something is probably in the works as VIA’s current station in Windsor is the only major station in the Corridor that hasn’t been substantially upgraded.

Dinner time now and here’s the menu: (I have the Veal which is very good)

Appatizer:
Tomato goat cheese terrine with cucumber.Main course
Grilled Chicken
Wild mushroom sauce, roast fingerling potatoes and PEI vegetables.

or
Almond Crusted Rainbow Trout
Spinach rice, chunky marinara sauce.

or
Veal Parmesan
With linguini Alfredo.

Meals are served with a selection of bread.

Dessert
Blueberry swirl cheesecake.

Cold Plate Selection
Teriyaki Pork Tenderloin
Oriental noodle salad with sesame.
Assorted cheeses and fresh fruit.

An hour and forty-five minutes out of Windsor we are slowing for London. Here a connection is made to #88 arriving from Sarnia in about 30min. It’s also bound for Toronto on the former "International" schedule but running on Rail America’s Goderich-Exeter Railway via Stratford and Kitchener. We pick up quite a few passengers in London. (I actually live here but have to be in Toronto in the morning so will return after work tomorrow evening) The VIA-1 car is about 3\4 full leaving London. The service is excellent and the attendants seam to know a lot of the passengers.

After dinner a Liqueur is served along with one of VIA’s signature Chocolate Truffles. (Attendant says take two!) Wi-Fi is available on most Corridor trains in VIA-1 (and coach) so I log onto internet and check my e-mail. A quick stop in Brantford a couple of minutes early then we start dropping passengers at Aldershot (Hamilton) and Oakville where connections are made with GO Transit bi-levels serving the western suburbs. Approaching Toronto we’re passing everything on the parallel Gardner Expressway then come to a halt in Union Station right on time at 9:21pm.

Thanks for this trip report. It's been a long time since I've used Via's corridor services ... nice to see things are still OK.

Unfortunately what VIA calls its VIA 1 service is only offered on Amtrak on the Northeast Corridor (Washongton to Boston). And it's only offered on Acela Express, which is likely the same or similiar number of frequencies that VIA offers.

However, could Amtrak expand its premium service, similiar to VIA 1 service to perhaps the highly travelled Pacific Surfiner Corridor? Or the top three high performing corridors in Amtrak? I've also stated on the Amtrak forum, that I've seen two cars of VIA 1 service offered, whereas First Class Acela service is offered in only one class - even business class (which does not offer sit down meals etc.) is limited to one car. As a frequent rider of the corridor I believe Amtrak has the equipment and could operate a second business class car and augment the service. And is "business class" the proper terminology - as compared to VIA 1 service, which doesn't really carry the presence that perhaps only "business people use this car etc." Amtrak 1, Amtrak Premiere, or Amtrak Club may be more Appropriate.

And yes, cafe service on many of Amtrak's routes are more to be desired. The Downeaster's food service is managed outside of Amtrak's control, for the most part.

I only wish Amtrak and VIA would have a better relationship to operate its service - be it through service established via Detroit between Chicago and Toronto, or providing a VIA Skyline Dome car on the spectacularly scenic Adirondack route (north of Albany). The Adirondack brings a lot of patronage to/from Canada, even though it is NY state's only state supported train.

Glad some same-day connection is still somewhat doable between Chicago and Toronto. But again, it would help if customs and the rail agencies would work out a through train once again - and via Detroit rather than what is now the Blue Water route. I wouldn't hold my breath on a through passenger train between Chicago and Toronto any time soon I am afraid.

jp1822 wrote: And is "business class" the proper terminology - as compared to VIA 1 service, which doesn't really carry the presence that perhaps only "business people use this car etc." Amtrak 1, Amtrak Premiere, or Amtrak Club may be more Appropriate.

VIA seems to be downplaying the term "first class" for VIA 1 service, although the "1" is still prominent. Recent television commercials refer to "VIA 1 Business Class." The new VIA 1 logo introduced a couple of years ago on the side of the cars does not have the words "first class" beneath it as the old one did. A senior executive, Christine Keon Sirsly, indicated a few years ago that VIA 1 may be renamed Business Class because of a reluctance of some companies to allow their staff to travel in what is called First Class. Canada's largest airline, Air Canada (the only Canadian airline to offer a premium cabin) long ago re-named First Class as Executive Class - and they downgraded the service and food somewhat as well. Fortunately for those of us who love VIA's premium service, the service and food have been maintained at reasonably high levels. In my last 20 VIA 1 trips I only had one meal that was poor, and that's a pretty good ratio.