Official "Maple Leaf" Thread

[jp1822]

Anyone know what caused an unusually late Maple Leaf (train #63) from departing NYP on time this morning? I passed through NYP around 8:30 a.m. and as of 9:00 a.m., it still hadn't left the station.

I figured it was the Adirondack that was being delayed, not the Maple Lead when I first heard announcements. Maple Leaf leaves at 7:15 a.m. for Toronto, Adirondack at 8:15 for Montreal.

Seemed to be a lot of people waiting around for this train......I wonder if people decided to take the train to Toronto, rather than fly. Course Amtrak and its nearly 13 hour schedule to Toronto now, coupled with on-time performance issues this morning isn't coming to the rescue very well.....

[Robert Paniagua]

Don't know what happened to be honest with you, it could have been switching problems.

[AgentSkelly]

Amtrak operates the Maple Leaf from NYP to NFS. After that, it's really a VIA Rail Canada operated train with VIA on-board service crew.

My Question is, does the engine crew also change to VIA people at NFS?

[Noel Weaver]

The train crew on trains 63 and 64 run between Albany and Niagara Falls,
Ontario where they are relieved and stay over in Niagara Falls, New York.
The Engineer on trains 63 and 64 run between Syracuse and Niagara Falls,
Ontario where they also stay over on the New York Side.
In Canada, this train runs under Via rules and agreements, no conductor
but two engineers between Niagara Falls, Ontairo and Toronto.
There are other Amtrak trains out of Niagara Falls so neither the engineer
nor the train crew turn from 63 to 64. The crews that run 63 and 64 are
provided transportation across the border.
Noel Weaver

[jp1822]

To add another detail - the cafe car in Canada gets VIA stock and personnel. There is an onboard VIA service manager (or chief) inlieu of a conductor.

[Ken V]

A similar arrangement was used on the International between Chicago and Toronto while that service was running. Amtrak train and engine crews worked Chicago to Port Huron and VIA crews worked Port Huron to Toronto.

The exception was the Cafe car attendant who worked the full trip between Chicago and Toronto. This job was alternated between Amtrak and VIA employees.

[Gilbert B Norman]

"Canadian Liquor' of course ensures that applicable Canadian Excise and Use Taxes have been paid. "American Liquor" is sealed upon X-ing the Border.

However, new to me is Mr. JP 1822's observation that all supplies are "sealed'.

[Robert Paniagua]

jp1822 is correct. They empty out the Cafe Car of it's US content and replace it with Canadian Content when it enters Canada. They also change engineers as well, since Amtrak engineers are not trained on CN/VIA trackage rules.

[Noel Weaver]

jp1822 is correct. They empty out the Cafe Car of it's US content and replace it with Canadian Content when it enters Canada. They also change engineers as well, since Amtrak engineers are not trained on CN/VIA trackage rules.

This is not necessarily true, the Amtrak engineers out of Albany run the
Adirondack right through to Montreal and are fully qualified on both the
rules and the physical characteristics of the Canadian National Railways
line between Rouses Point, NY and Central Station, Montreal.
If the train is an Amtrak train, it will have Amtrak crews. If the train is a
Via train, it will have Via crews regardless of who owns the equipment.
Noel Weaver

[Robert Paniagua]

This is not necessarily true, the Amtrak engineers out of Albany run the
Adirondack right through to Montreal and are fully qualified on both the
rules and the physical characteristics of the Canadian National Railways
line between Rouses Point, NY and Central Station, Montreal.
If the train is an Amtrak train, it will have Amtrak crews. If the train is a
Via train, it will have Via crews regardless of who owns the equipment.

Sorry, I meant the Maple Leaf. The Adirondack, however, you're right about that, I also rode on it, and they keep the same crew into MTR as you mentioned. Which is nice to have. I wonder why the Maple Leaf gets different treatment, maybe they should retrain our Amtrak Maple Leaf (which I rode a few times) crews so that they don't have to change at the Border.

[Noel Weaver]

The Maple Leaf gets different treatment because it is a joint train, Amtrak
in the US and Via in Canada. This train makes station stops in Canada
and handles local passengers between the various stations in Canada.
The Adirondack does not make local station stops in Canada and only
handles passengers in Canada enroute to or from the US.
Noel Weaver

[jamesbrownontheroad]

The Maple Leaf gets different treatment because it is a joint train, Amtrak in the US and Via in Canada.

Montréal is also much closer to the border than Toronto, so there wouldn't be much point changing crew and stock in the café for the ride into Montréal. I think there's just one station between the border and Montréal (St. Lambert, QC?). The Adirondack stops to entrain southbound and detrain northbound. Without any other passenger service, I imagine it's a pretty depressing station ...

Where do the Amtrak crew overnight in Montréal... is there a hotel that handles all nightstopping rail crews?

*j*

[Robert Paniagua]

The Maple Leaf gets different treatment because it is a joint train, Amtrak
in the US and Via in Canada. This train makes station stops in Canada
and handles local passengers between the various stations in Canada.

Ok, I get it now. Since it's replcaced by VIA crews and VIA Cafe content, tha's because they serve stations in Ontario as well.

The Adirondack does not make local station stops in Canada and only
handles passengers in Canada enroute to or from the US.

That's right, Neither did the old Montrealer, that train never stopped in QC except MTR, so they kept the same crews as in the American Side.

[AgentSkelly]

To add another detail - the cafe car in Canada gets VIA stock and personnel. There is an on-board VIA Service Manager (or chief) in place of a Conductor.

Yeah, that's pretty obivious, because when you go into Cafe Car when the train is VIA 97/98; they, for one thing, stock Coke instead of Pepsi.

[MissisquoiValleyRR]

I think there's just one station between the border and Montréal (St. Lambert, QC?). The Adirondack stops to entrain southbound and detrain northbound. Without any other passenger service, I imagine it's a pretty depressing station ...

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe that some of the Quebec City trains as well as the Ocean (Halifax) also stop in St. Lambert.

There are also a few commuter trains on weekdays.