Montreal Toronto Trip

[Tadman]

For work, I have to be in Niagara Falls for a day. I am flying to Montreal on Saturday, spending the night, and riding to Toronto on the 2p corridor train. Anything of note on this trip? I'm in business class. Also, I intend on riding the Deux Montagnes line, anything of note on that ride? Anywhere I should have Sunday breakfast in Montral?

I'm staying at the ex-CP Marriot hotel in Montreal and the King Ed in Toronto.

[ExCon90]

In the absence of any responses so far, I can say that based on visits to Montreal some years ago, the Chateau Champlain (which I assume is the present CP-Marriott) served a magnificent, guilt-inducing Sunday brunch, with a splendid view of the whole Montreal area. Don't know about the brunch today, but the view should still be there. On the Deux-Montagnes line, there used to be a single-track branch to Cartierville which diverged to the right (outbound) at I believe Val Royal. Don't know whether any trace of it remains. Overall, a very pleasant, scenic ride.

[TomNelligan]

I don't know how much time you've spent in Toronto, but if your interest extends to streetcars the TTC operates North America's largest system, and any of the routes extending from downtown is worth a ride. The CLRV (single unit) and ACLRV (articulated) cars are being slowly replaced by the new Bombardier Flexiliners, so if you haven't ridden the older cars now is the time to do it.

[Tadman]

Thanks for the suggestions. I'm on 67(16) headed for Toronto as of this post.

The view from the Chateau Champlain was great. The brunch didn't happen. I had breakfast at a crappy cafe in the Central Staion, which is set up a bit like 30th station in Philly but looks and feels like a high school gymnasium. The biz class lounge was also a disappointement, the chairs looked like they were set up for 10-15 stays when I needed an hour of shuteye waiting for the train.

The biz class on the train isn't bad, but the seats are like the Talgo seats. They look cool but in reality are not much better than domestic coach on a Super 80. They could take a page from domestic business class on Delta or even Amtrak A-2 coaches. The big comfy chairs are great.

I also rode the DM line to the burbs and got a few pics of the Z1 stuffed and mounted at Deaux Montagnes. It was in bad shape, which is a shame. It's so old that it's got to be bloody simple inside, meaning it wouldn't be hard to run at a trolley museum. The trains themself aren't bad. It reminds me of a cross between SEPTA equipment and Metra Electric operations. That is, lots of stops and rare to get over 60 mph. Im glad I did it, but not sure I would come back to go again on this train.

That said, I would love to spend a week in Montreal and get to know the city. It was stunning. I happened into a bar called Grumpy's and an Ontario comic named BA Johnston was playing. Wow, what a riot.

Anyway, I'm off to Toronto. I would love to spend the day riding streetcars but I have to hustle to LA on Monday night and eventually I will get to NOLA on Friday where I will ride plenty of streetcars (the green ones, that is - the locals don'te like the red ones and neither do i).

[Dayliner381]

<<had breakfast at a crappy cafe in the Central Station, which is set up a bit like 30th station in Philly but looks and feels like a high school gymnasium.>>

Hmm. I don't know many high school gymnasia offhand that have art deco friezes on the walls, like Central Station's main concourse. And having a meal in a crappy café is a bit of a feat, too, given the choice of food offerings in Les Halles de la Gare.