Article on VIA Canadian and Schedule question

[Westernstar1]

I thought the following interesting.

https://is.gd/Tp9gYB

I can understand how keeping track of time, on the train, can be confusing if you aren't aware of time zones especially if you rely on smart phone times when crossing into a new time zone.

I had a problem with cellphone operation on the Coast Starlight from Eugene to Klamath Falls, so I can imagine such problems on the "Canadian".
For photography and a longer stay in Jasper, I think she should have taken the journey during one of the peak summer months. I was in Banff a few years ago, during the last week of May. It was 33 degrees and snowing.

Overall, I think the article was pretty positive. How do VIA trains serve such good food? Maybe Amtrak should ask this question.

I am thinking, one of these summers, of a Vancouver to Edmonton trip. I tried to determine the schedule from the VIA website:

https://is.gd/5Kfoht

Where is the schedule or timetable? I finally realized you have to click on the "15:00 PT" to get the timetable. This is ridiculous. I think the Amtrak website is much easier to navigate.

WS

[Ken V]

Where is the schedule or timetable? I finally realized you have to click on the "15:00 PT" to get the timetable. This is ridiculous. I think the Amtrak website is much easier to navigate.

The better way to find any schedule / timetable from the VIA website is to select "Plan your trip" and then "Schedules" from the home page (or most other pages) to get https://www.viarail.ca/en/plan-your-tri ... n-schedule. From there you can scroll down and select one of the Printable timetables (PDF format).

[Westernstar1]

Thanks, Ken, for the information. Yes, clicking on "Plan Your Trip" and then "Schedules" is a lot easier.

By the way, speaking of the "Canadian" schedule, there was a short article in "Railfan and Railroad" magazine with regard to the Canadian schedule, The short blurb said that the Canadian was going to return to a 3 times a week schedule, in both directions, from Toronto to Vancouver, this spring. I've not heard further, confirming news but I hope the schedule will return to 3X/week.

WS

[Ken V]

By the way, speaking of the "Canadian" schedule, there was a short article in "Railfan and Railroad" magazine with regard to the Canadian schedule, The short blurb said that the Canadian was going to return to a 3 times a week schedule, in both directions, from Toronto to Vancouver, this spring. I've not heard further, confirming news but I hope the schedule will return to 3X/week.

Unfortunately plans can change. VIA has announced it will be repeating the same pattern as last spring/summer: twice a week Vancouver <-> Toronto plus once a week Vancouver <-> Edmonton.

[Tadman]

I thought the following interesting.

https://is.gd/Tp9gYB

I can understand how keeping track of time, on the train, can be confusing if you aren't aware of time zones especially if you rely on smart phone times when crossing into a new time zone.

I had a problem with cellphone operation on the Coast Starlight from Eugene to Klamath Falls, so I can imagine such problems on the "Canadian".

I do recall there being some dead spots. But oddly enough, almost the entire Alaska Marine Highway was in good service for AT&T, Seattle-Juneau. Go figure...

Where is the schedule or timetable? I finally realized you have to click on the "15:00 PT" to get the timetable. This is ridiculous. I think the Amtrak website is much easier to navigate.

Agreed, Amtrak's site is far better than Via. Amtrak's is one of the best for passenger trains. I like it better than DB and equal with NS (Dutch) International for comprehensiveness.

[NS VIA FAN]

Where is the schedule or timetable? I finally realized you have to click on the "15:00 PT" to get the timetable. This is ridiculous. I think the Amtrak website is much easier to navigate.

Agreed, Amtrak's site is far better than Via. Amtrak's is one of the best for passenger trains. I like it better than DB and equal with NS (Dutch) International for comprehensiveness.

I don't know what Westernstar's problem was but it's all right there: Top of page 'Plan your Trip'.....then 'Schedules' and you can pick a .PDF of the complete timetable or individual routes.

I've had problems finding things on Amtrak's site......where VIA's site is easy-peasy. Guess it's all in what you are used to!!

[Gilbert B Norman]

Here is an Opinion piece appearing in the Toroto based, nationally circulated National Post with a lot of disparaging comments concerning "The Canadian":

https://nationalpost.com/opinion/chris- ... onal-train

Fair Use:

With the Ontario Provincial Police somehow finally roused to action in Tyendinaga, Ont., it seems the CN railway blockade may not last its third week. This outstanding achievement in law enforcement will come as a relief in particular to the nation’s business community, people who enjoy staple foods, and the propane-dependent. The minority of travellers along the Windsor-to-Quebec City corridor who ride VIA Rail were not as imperilled: most essential, tight-budgeted VIA trips can also be made by bus, with only moderate time lost and with money saved as a consolation. But they too will be pleased. As maddening as VIA’s corridor services can be, with their ancient rolling stock, outrageously stale food, mostly theoretical wi-fi, schedules that get slower rather than faster and reliable delays regardless, trains are just genetically superior to buses..

I'm sorry, but if "The Canadian" is gone, there will be no sobbing from me.

I rode during '65 when the Vancouver to Winnipeg, on the far more scenic CP, in a Roomette was about CD$75. My only gripe was in the Dining Car; their "Faresaver" prepaid meals, had only a "Table d'hote" menu, which could not be surcharged to have their specialties like Lamb Chops, steaks and Prime Rib. Today, I would have just scrapped them and ordered what I wanted. Back then, I needed to be "a bit more thrifty".

But I think the columnist is likely correct; since the Eskimos and Indians started airing their grievances against the CN, nobody's missed it. However, according to the VIA site, it has now been returned to scheduled service.

Much of its support has come from travel industry interests. Tourism represents a far greater piece of the GNP up there than here, and surely those interests have "pressed" to have it remain.

But with its timekeeping so erratic, a tour operator must think twice about using it to connect with anything such as a cruise or airplane flight. That can only hurt when high end outfits such as Tauck and Abercrombie & Kent say "bye-bye".

Time for the Adios drumhead; for those compelled to "ride it someday", that someday is now. Mine was 55 years ago.

[NS VIA FAN]

But I think the columnist is likely correct; since the Eskimos and Indians started airing their grievances against the CN...

Eskimos and Indians??......Really?

What Time Capsule have you just emerged from?

https://www.canada.ca/en/crown-indigeno ... fairs.html

[Gilbert B Norman]

Then how should these people be addressed? Apparently, this 79yo needs to be "re-educated".

[Tadman]

I do think the Canadian, along with many of its Amtrak bretheren, could be a horse of a much different color and be a better use of money whilst still keeping the travel/tour lobby happy. I think Via has done the right thing going to 2-3x/week with much longer train. But overall curtailment to Van-Edmonton or sale to RMR is probably the best idea. Might save enough money to implement 3x/day Calgary-Edmonton service that could be genuinely useful. Or perhaps service north of Edmonton into the oil sands 1-2/day.

I had a spectacular ride Vancouver-Edmonton a few years ago. It was the longest train I've been on. 27 cars including 3 deadhead sleepers (mid train no less) and three F40. That was my train length record, with second place the distant 16-car Caledonian.

Which also leads me to an insight - most of the longest trains I've been on were switched out at some point - LSL, Builder, Sunset, Caledonian, Arctic Circle train, but not the Canadian unless you count the departure switching at Vancouver.

[bdawe]

If you string together tourist service over the rockies with some remote areas that VIA must serve for remote service reasons , I think you get an OK reason for the train to exist, thought it's not all y'all yankee tax payers who subsidize it so I don't know what business you've got calling for it's termination.

That said, as someone who used to work in black car service in Vancouver, VIA is the worst for a having a heavily padded schedule where trains are scheduled to arrive at 8 AM, but if they're not late and there's no one to stop for in Abbotsford will roll into town at 5-6 AM before anyone is awake to do anything about it

[Gilbert B Norman]

I think you get an OK reason for the train to exist, thought it's not all y'all yankee tax payers who subsidize it so I don't know what business you've got calling for it's termination.

Mr Dawe, the National Post columnist calling for The Canadian's discontinuance is "one of your own"; and since he presumably "renders unto The Crown what is The Crown's", he has the "right to gripe".

https://nationalpost.com/author/cselley

[Tadman]

it's not all y'all yankee tax payers who subsidize it so I don't know what business you've got calling for it's termination.

By that logic I’ve got no right to call for Kim to quit oppressing his people or harassing other free nations because I’m not a North Korean taxpayer.

Also, I’m a repeat paying customer of Via, so I am very entitled to my opinion. They have my money just like they have yours.

[Backshophoss]

As long as the"First Nations" Rebel blockades Keep VIA locked out by CN, the Canadian is the connecting service that all the "remote service"
trains connect to,this has got to be driving VIA nuts.
This is what that writer doesn't understand at National Post .
Cross country Bus is a poor sub.
Figure that the Rocky Mountaineer is also locked out by CN/CP due to the "First Nations" Rebels.
Why has Ottawa allowed this mess to continue?

[Tadman]

Why has Ottawa allowed this mess to continue?

No idea, and evidently no b***s either. But I'm no fan of PM Trudeau Jr.

the Canadian is the connecting service that all the "remote service"
trains connect to

I'm not sure I agree with that. First, consider that most remote services serve to bring remote residents into the nearest big city for things like Doctor, Lawyer, IT, shopping, etc... as opposed to bringing remote residents in the nearest big city AND THEN connecting with services to national capital. I'm not sure, but I would assume less than 10% of riders connect from remote services to Toronto, Ottawa, New York, Tokyo... etc.

In the cases of those that do connect, it would be a very long ride to Toronto or Ottawa, and most of those connecting likely fly. Keep in mind remote residents are not railfans and are not predisposed to take the train all the way, just for the distance up north where travel is really rough.

To make my point, there are a few remote services that don't connect to anything. This includes the Tshiuten Rail, which ferries people in and out of the Labrador north, and Alaska Railroad, which ferries tourists and off-grid folks into the Alaska north. Neither connects to the rest of the national rail system or even has a convenient ferry connection, which I have investigated.

When the Algoma Central "line" train still ran, the one that went all the way to the end of the line, it didn't really connect with the Canadian or Super, although they crossed paths and a prolific rail writer once wrote about connecting at Franz. It just connected remote communities with the Sault, where they could shop, see a doctor, or fly to Toronto.

I'm a bit of a student of these far off operations. I really enjoy riding far out into the wilderness. I once rode Swedish Railways north of the Arctic Circle on a whim.