Amtrak 63 The Maple Leaf

[Bodie]

Hi,

I will be travelling on the Maple Leaf from New York, Penn Station to Niagara Falls, ON in a couple of weeks time.

My first railway trip outside of continental Europe.

I would be happy to hear anyone's advice and tips on what I can expect.

I've looked at a few videos online and the service appears to run as loco hauled with five carriages.
Also am I right in thinking that there is always a loco change at Albany?

From the videos I've seen the locos look the same type.
think it's more my unfamiliarity with US locomotives then anything else.

Thanks

Bodie

 

[williamn]

I took this about a month ago. My top tip is to get to Penn Station early, minimum 30 minutes before the train leaves. Amtrak has a crazy boarding procedure and you have to queue up for ages and then only board specific carriages depending on your destination. A number of seats on the train have no window, so getting there earlier increases your chance of getting a decent seat.

On our trip a loco was changed at Albany and carriages detached.

 

[Bodie]

Thanks for the heads up about the indeed crazy sounding boarding procedure.

Anyone know the types of locomotives used. I know one uses something like 3rd rail at Penn station.

 

[ainsworth74]

There is no third rail at Penn station only OHLE. Your serivce is almost certainly going to be operated by a member of the GE Genesis family of diesel locomotives. There is quite a good wikipedia page on Amtraks rolling stock which can be found here.

 

[Taunton]

There's full 3rd rail at Penn Station, the Long Island trains, the principal user, are third rail only. There's overhead as well for the Amtrak corridor services and the New Jersey commuter services, but the train to Albany and Niagara uses a subgroup of dual-mode Amtrak diesels which use 3rd rail out into the northern suburbs. The overall service is almost run in two halves, north and south of Albany, where there is generally a long wait, locos are often changed, and the consist remarshalled.

Strangely, Penn Station has separate concourses for each main operator, the Amtrak one being separate to the two commuter networks, with separate street entrances, although steps lead down to a common set of platforms. The normal US large station style applies, where the concourse area is quite nicely done whereas platforms and tracks are a real utilitarian stygian gloom.

 

[jamesontheroad]

The unusual boarding procedures are a little annoying, but ensure that passengers are in the right car for each stop, as usually only one or two doors will be opened at low level platforms. On long distance trains, arranging passengers by destination also minimises the disturbance to through passengers in coach during night time stops.

The Maple Leaf is a great trip; a little slow but that's normal for Amtrak. Unlike the Adirondack (NYC - Montreal) which is Amtrak operated throughout, the Maple Leaf is operated by Amtrak south of the border and VIA Rail North of it. You won't see this, as you're alighting at Niagara Falls, but for the rest of the journey VIA Rail swap all the menus and stock of the cafe for their own range.

Alighting in Niagara Falls, ON, you'll have to remain on board for Canadian immigration and border control. Once you've been cleared you can leave the train (and 'domestic' passengers for stations to Toronto can board).

 

[Bodie]

Thanks to you all for such very helpful information.

Two wee little questions:

Would like to get out at Albany and get some photos, as i'm guessing not much chance will be had at Penn Station prior to departure.
Seen a picture online of a dual-mode loco working out of Toronto Union Station. Does the loco always change at Albany?
Is there any kind of onboard announcement from the guard letting passengers know how long the train will be stopping at Albany for?

Will we get a chance to gather our luggage just prior to arrival at Niagara Falls, ON?, or must folk remain seated till they are cleared by customs?

Thanks again

Bodie

 

[richardderby]

This train offers business class, which includes complementary refreshments, newspapers, and a larger seat, in a more relaxing carriage, might be a idea for a long journey...

 

[Searle]

Don't even bother trying to take pictures at Penn station, unless you have a high end camera: it's so dark and dingy on the platforms, it's not worth it.

 

[Taunton]

You will be able to get out at Albany easily to get photos, the stop for longer distance trains (ie those going beyond Albany - which is my usual destination on this line) is always considerable, and there are umpteen announcements on both PA and by the conductor before departure, including with the older gentlemen the classic "Boooooooooard" shout! The tracks at Albany are in the open air. I see in the current timetable the Maple Leaf crosses the early southbound from Niagara in Albany station, so you could get shots of both.

Just beyond Albany station the main loco and rolling stock shops for the route is on the west side of the track, be on the left for photos through the window. The left is the better side to be on, it's the side of the opposite traffic as most of the US runs on the right, you will get the view of the Hudson River which is alongside all the way up to Albany, and very occasionally can see a CSX freight over on the opposite shore. I can't remember more than an odd local freight south of Albany on the passenger line, it almost all runs on the parallel line on the opposite shore (like The Rhine) as the freight facilities for the New York City area are generally over in New Jersey. Beyond Albany you will pass a lot more freight. At Croton there are the large Metro-North commuter train maintenance shops on the left, between the line and the river. Note that a "depot" is actually what we would call a station, and a maintenance depot is "the shops" (generally plural for some reason).

Although there is a considerable extra service between Albany and New York the perception is that Amtrak fares are quite expensive, and many from the Albany area will drive down to Poughkeepsie, the northern end of the Metro-North commuter operation, and get the cheaper and more frequent service from there. Albany is of course the capital of New York State, and to avoid confusion with New York City they generally refer to the latter as Manhattan. This extends to on-board announcements by the Albany-based crew. Not only are locos changed at Albany but the crews do so there as well.

Don't expect precise punctuality of the sort you get in Europe and certainly it's not like you get in Switzerland!

 

[Max]

This train offers business class, which includes complementary refreshments, newspapers, and a larger seat, in a more relaxing carriage, might be a idea for a long journey...

I did Business Class recently on a NE Corridor service. My view is that, unless there is only a minimal price difference from coach, it's not worth it. I got a 'fun size' can of coke and from what I could see, the seats were exactly the same as coach. There was no sign of any newspapers. Also, because it was only one carriage it was busier than coach! I did 4 hours from New York to Boston in coach and found it equally as comfortable as the shorter DC-Philadelphia journey I'd done in Business the previous week.

 

[Minilad]

I did the train from Toronto to Niagara and back in 2009. I found it to be very comfortable in coach with nice big seats. Timekeeping doesn't appear to be high on the list of priorities though. Outbound was OK but on the return we was 90 late
This is the train in Niagara ON station

 

[jamesontheroad]

I did Business Class recently on a NE Corridor service. My view is that, unless there is only a minimal price difference from coach, it's not worth it. I got a 'fun size' can of coke and from what I could see, the seats were exactly the same as coach. There was no sign of any newspapers. Also, because it was only one carriage it was busier than coach! I did 4 hours from New York to Boston in coach and found it equally as comfortable as the shorter DC-Philadelphia journey I'd done in Business the previous week.

Beware, not all business class on the Amfleet cars is the same.

The Maple Leaf is operated using a mix of Amfleet I and Amfleet II carriages. Externally, the difference is that Amfleet I have two vestibules, one at each end, while Amfleet II have only one (designed for longer distance routes, fewer stops, etc).

On the NE Corridor, 2x2 seating Amfleet I or II can be found as either coach or business class (pic). Amfleet II have fewer seats per car, hence more legroom throughout. However on the longer routes with Business Class off the NE Corridor (i.e. the Vermonter, Maple Leaf etc) you'll normally find just half a coach of Business Class, with larger 2x1 seats in half of the Café Car (pic).

If you buy a Business Class ticket on the Maple Leaf, I'm 99% certain you will get one of these wider laz-y-boy style reclining seats in 2x1 configuration in one half of the Café Car. From my perspective, it's not worth the premium, as I prefer being away from the busy café and the noise generated by the train crew who sometimes occupy all the dinette tables on the other side of the café. The Amfleet IIs are also perfectly comfortable in Coach. However, it may be more desirable if you are older or have reduced mobility.

 

[Taunton]

If you buy a Business Class ticket on the Maple Leaf, I'm 99% certain you will get one of these wider laz-y-boy style reclining seats in 2x1 configuration in one half of the Café Car.

Yes, these are the cars. On the trains which run as far as Albany, these vehicles are used for the business class seating, but the café is not operated, so really only half the car is useful, although a few sometimes come and sit at the café tables.

Those seats are reversible, though you might not know it, they turn through 180 degrees, there is a foot pedal underneath that releases them, so if there are two of you on the single seat side you can face one another, UK-style. Some conductors are a bit aghast when they see you've done it, and it's good form to turn them back at the end.

Incidentally, one difference you will notice from European long distance trains is all the seats face forwards, in fact the whole train does, and the entire train, including locomotive, is turned at the end of each journey. All US terminals incorporate either a loop track or a triangle (called a "wye") somewhere nearby to do so. This is how they manage with single locomotives which only have a cab at one end. The wye at Albany is alongside the maintenance shops, on the opposite side of the line. In New York City the whole train after arrival runs forward from Penn Station under the East River and onto the Long Island line to turn on a big loop around the yards in Queens. 10-minute turnrounds, Paddington-style, just don't happen.

 

[jamesontheroad]

Incidentally, one difference you will notice from European long distance trains is all the seats face forwards, in fact the whole train does, and the entire train, including locomotive, is turned at the end of each journey. All US terminals incorporate either a loop track or a triangle (called a "wye") somewhere nearby to do so. This is how they manage with single locomotives which only have a cab at one end. The wye at Albany is alongside the maintenance shops, on the opposite side of the line. In New York City the whole train after arrival runs forward from Penn Station under the East River and onto the Long Island line to turn on a big loop around the yards in Queens. 10-minute turnrounds, Paddington-style, just don't happen.

This is, indeed, an oddity about American trains and American train passengers. As the husband of an American, I've come to the conclusion that Americans just don't like going backwards

As far as I recall, every pair of seats on Amfleet, Horizon and Superliner coaches can be rotated like this (not just in business class). However on those Amfleets with more seats in coach, it isn't really possible to create a comfortable bay of four seats - there is barely any room between the four seats if a pair is rotated.

This is a very hazy memory, but at some remoter stations (possibly St. Alban's, VT, at the northern end of the Vermonter's daily run) there is no wye, so the train crew have to go through the entire train rotating the seats in every car.

As an aside, until the mid-nineties, the Vermonter was known as the Montrealer, and it continued through the border to Montréal as an overnight service to complement the Adirondack on the opposite side of Lake Champlain. In 2004 I rode the Vermonter as far as it's northern terminus, and caught the late night connecting Thruway bus that Amtrak contracted to carry passengers to Montréal. A return left Mtl. early in the morning to catch the AM southbound Vermonter. I was one of only about five or six passengers crossing into Canada that night, IIRC via I-98 / QC Route 133. The bus was discontinued less than a year later.

Edit: my mistake, there is indeed a wye in St. Alban's, so I must be thinking of another train where the conductor has to kick and rotate every seat!

 

[ac6000cw]

Incidentally, one difference you will notice from European long distance trains is all the seats face forwards, in fact the whole train does, and the entire train, including locomotive, is turned at the end of each journey. All US terminals incorporate either a loop track or a triangle (called a "wye") somewhere nearby to do so. This is how they manage with single locomotives which only have a cab at one end. The wye at Albany is alongside the maintenance shops, on the opposite side of the line. In New York City the whole train after arrival runs forward from Penn Station under the East River and onto the Long Island line to turn on a big loop around the yards in Queens. 10-minute turnrounds, Paddington-style, just don't happen.

Yes, and sometimes they will do it with passengers on board e.g. arriving long distance trains at Chicago Union Station quite often 'wye'd' and then reverse into the platforms so the locos are at the 'country' end after arrival.

 

[williamn]

Re the boarding procedures - it does have the effect of cramming everyone for certain destinations into very busy cars while others for other destinations are half empty. There was much panic on my Maple Leaf as Canadian bound passengers scrambled for seats, but later we found tons of room behind us. Of course if Amtrak could implement a seat reservations system all this could be avoided, plus the need to turn up stupidly early...

 

[Royston Vasey]

I did Business Class recently on a NE Corridor service. My view is that, unless there is only a minimal price difference from coach, it's not worth it. I got a 'fun size' can of coke and from what I could see, the seats were exactly the same as coach. There was no sign of any newspapers. Also, because it was only one carriage it was busier than coach! I did 4 hours from New York to Boston in coach and found it equally as comfortable as the shorter DC-Philadelphia journey I'd done in Business the previous week.

I'd probably agree with this on the NE Corridor, not worth it at all, though it varies; a 2 hour afternoon trip on the Pacific Coastliner provided wine and a large pack of snacks, probably worth the small surcharge. The only Amtrak upgrade really worth doing in my opinion for a shortish (say up to 4 hour) trip is on Acela from Business to First, which offers lounge access, wide seat, newspapers, full hot meal, unlimited soft and alcoholic drinks, and a dedicated friendly at seat service far beyond that on any British train.

 

[pjnathanail]

We travelled on this service earlier this year from New York Penn to Niagara Falls NY. The trip was excellent, with some great views. The seating arrangements were interesting, there were some with lots and lots of legroom which were really comfortable but no wifi. Further down the train we discovered halfway through the journey a different style of coach with much less legroom but free wifi. The train wasn't busy so we had plenty of seats to go around.

We were connecting to a flight from Toronto with a shuttle from Niagara, but the train was almost 2.5 hours late due to engineering work and being looped for CSX freight trains. We made our flight but only because we had a large margin of error, and from passengers comments the delay was not unusual.

 

[Taunton]

The seating arrangements were interesting, there were some with lots and lots of legroom which were really comfortable but no wifi. Further down the train we discovered halfway through the journey a different style of coach with much less legroom but free wifi.

North American trains have long been like this, with different standards of coach seating in different cars; the procedure being discussed where passengers are divided among the cars dependent on their destination in some way manages this, where those travelling long distance are not interrupted by short distance travellers in the tighter-pitched coaches. various names have been used for the better coach seats; I think Amtrak used to call them "Leg Rest Coach", which came from one of their constituent roads (possibly Santa Fe), while in Canada they were known as "Dayniters", and actually charged a supplement compared to regular coach.

It's always impressive boarding at Chicago for the West Coast; I've only done it by sleeper but the porters (car attendants) standing and shouting at the coaches "Folks, pass'gers for Illinois, Iowa, Nebraska, Colorado, these cars here, pass'gers for Utah, Nevada, California, them cars fuuuuuurther forward".

Acela from Business to First, which offers ........ a dedicated friendly at seat service far beyond that on any British train.

Hmmmm. I remember my first trip on Acela, from New York Penn to Philadelphia one Saturday morning, a notably quiet (and high-priced) trip. En route I walked back to the first class car to take some photos. This car appeared completely empty, apart from the grossly overweight car attendant sprawled across the front seat. "Where ya goin' " she snapped as I entered. "I've just come down to look at the first class accommodation" here". "Don't ya go one goddam step further without no first class ticket, YA HEAR", was shouted, as she started waddling to her feet with a face of fury. Being the USA, I started to wonder if she was going for a gun.....!

 

[Royston Vasey]

North American trains have long been like this, with different standards of coach seating in different cars; the procedure being discussed where passengers are divided among the cars dependent on their destination in some way manages this, where those travelling long distance are not interrupted by short distance travellers in the tighter-pitched coaches. various names have been used for the better coach seats; I think Amtrak used to call them "Leg Rest Coach", which came from one of their constituent roads (possibly Santa Fe), while in Canada they were known as "Dayniters", and actually charged a supplement compared to regular coach.

It's always impressive boarding at Chicago for the West Coast; I've only done it by sleeper but the porters (car attendants) standing and shouting at the coaches "Folks, pass'gers for Illinois, Iowa, Nebraska, Colorado, these cars here, pass'gers for Utah, Nevada, California, them cars fuuuuuurther forward".


Hmmmm. I remember my first trip on Acela, from New York Penn to Philadelphia one Saturday morning, a notably quiet (and high-priced) trip. En route I walked back to the first class car to take some photos. This car appeared completely empty, apart from the grossly overweight car attendant sprawled across the front seat. "Where ya goin' " she snapped as I entered. "I've just come down to look at the first class accommodation" here". "Don't ya go one goddam step further without no first class ticket, YA HEAR", was shouted, as she started waddling to her feet with a face of fury. Being the USA, I started to wonder if she was going for a gun.....!

Well if you've paid the supplement to be there they are lovely! I guess that's the rub behind most of the legendary American service... It's mostly done for tips!

Interesting though, I suppose at a push she could have been thinking she was protecting the security of the (equally grossly overweight) power car beyond.

You're right though, Acela is expensive across the board and the trip you took offers a bit of extra comfort but barely any time saving at all for it. Further north it does.

 

[Taunton]

As I understand it, regular trains on the NE corridor have Coach and Business Class. Acela, to distinguish it from the regular trains (which still make up a majority of the service) has its vehicles named as Business and First Class. What they are calling Business are effectively the standard vehicles, 2+2 seating, no service, but you are charged the Business Class fare. First is obviously even higher.

On that Philadelphia trip, when I got back to the station to return there was no Acela for a while, the next departure was a regular train (speed is not that different, and they don't overtake), but there was a huge hoopla required at the ticket counter to come back on it with my Acela round trip ticket from the morning, much keying in to the computer, showing of IDs (the USA loves demanding ID at every possible moment nowadays), and I rode back in an Amfleet vehicle, actually not a huge difference.

 

[ac6000cw]

On that Philadelphia trip, when I got back to the station to return there was no Acela for a while, the next departure was a regular train (speed is not that different, and they don't overtake), but there was a huge hoopla required at the ticket counter to come back on it with my Acela round trip ticket from the morning, much keying in to the computer, showing of IDs (the USA loves demanding ID at every possible moment nowadays), and I rode back in an Amfleet vehicle, actually not a huge difference.

I've never really worked out why you need ID to buy/use Amtrak tickets when the various US commuter rail and transit operators (which together carry far more passengers than Amtrak does) don't require it - weird....

Mind you, it's these cultural and operational differences which make visiting other countries interesting, of course (as well as answering the 'why are your freight trains so short' question when over there )

 

[Taunton]

I'm afraid to say the "high speed" Acela really isn't; even an HST would see it off. There seems to be a constant cycle of getting substantial funding for one aspect, then when that's done something else major needs doing which is holding back speed. It's rolled round through rolling stock, track, power supply, the catenary, signalling, you name it. Acela, introduced 2001, is already having bids for its replacement.

The current schedule for Acela is 2 minutes off 3 hours between New York Penn and Washington. In a 1957 timetable I have, nearly 60 years ago, the Afternoon Congressional, with a 1930s GG1 electric loco, took 3 hours 35 minutes on the route (Penn Station 16.30, Washington 20.05). For all the hi-de-hi about the high speed investments along the route, that's not a lot of improvement.

 

[Royston Vasey]

I'm afraid to say the "high speed" Acela really isn't; even an HST would see it off. There seems to be a constant cycle of getting substantial funding for one aspect, then when that's done something else major needs doing which is holding back speed. It's rolled round through rolling stock, track, power supply, the catenary, signalling, you name it. Acela, introduced 2001, is already having bids for its replacement.

The current schedule for Acela is 2 minutes off 3 hours between New York Penn and Washington. In a 1957 timetable I have, nearly 60 years ago, the Afternoon Congressional, with a 1930s GG1 electric loco, took 3 hours 35 minutes on the route (Penn Station 16.30, Washington 20.05). For all the hi-de-hi about the high speed investments along the route, that's not a lot of improvement.

Don't take it then, that's your choice. I use it for added comfort and a modest decrease in journey time/number of stops. The biggest saving is between NY and Boston anyway, where the trip is between 30-50 minutes faster with a top speed of 150mph. On business, that matters.

Like taking Virgin over London Midland to Birmingham, speed is important but not the only factor.

 

[Bodie]

Well, the Maple Leaf was done. Quite an experience, and reading back over the posts in this thread, it seems our run was quite normal-ish.

We picked quite a time to be doing the run. First time I was aware of possible problems was two days before when taking the lift (sorry elevator) down from the Empire State building. A wee TV screen in there had news, sport, weather bulletins.
One said several feet of snow had fallen in the Buffalo area.
A quick double take, and hold on a minute I thought 'Doesn't the Maple Leaf go through Buffalo?!'

Watching the news channels back in the hotel and oh boy, quite a lot of snow in Buffalo.

At the end of another day sightseeing, I make a call at Penn Station, planned anyway so I can get my bearings for the morning and also now to see if the route to Toronto is running.
First big gripe at the American way of (not) doing things.
Nothing, big fat nothing - No signs, information of any kind.
Call at Amtrak customer help desk, nobody in sight.
Give up and go to main help desk. Wow - the least helpful, least interested, rude, sorry excuse for an employee i've ever come across.
Became the norm in America sadly, but this woman topped the lot.

Slumped back on her chair, didn't even sit up. Just kept brushing us off, with 'come back tomorrow, your train tomorrow, not today, tomorrow'

We did come back 'tomorrow' and headed straight for the Amtrak area.
More stupidity i'm afraid.
First all there is, is a small clapped out electronic screen that don't tell you much.
NO clocks anywhere, who heard of a railway station without a clock.

We know this much, that we need to check in first, hence our as advised (thanks to folks on here mainly) early arrival.
Where? - beats me. Sign - ha fat chance.
I know ticket office. This man did a least seem mildly interested, sadly however he gave incorrect information.
Said the piece of paper we had was our ticket and we just board the train.

Across the concourse to the entrance of the Amtrak passenger waiting area.
Looks nice inside. Lady on desk takes look at our ticket and points in direction of check in desk.
Yay!!! Someone interested in our question, and not only that they gave us helpful information!

Hidden away was a small desk with a man and a woman behind. The desk had a Canadian flag on the front.
A small queue was already at the desk.
A passport check, ticket stamped and bizarrely a luggage tag for each of our bags. I say bizzare as they seemed to serve no purpose throughout the journey. If Amtrak want to count bags why not just count them, save on the waste of elastic and cardboard.

Then we are shown to two lines. Seems one is for people going only to places in New York State expect Albany and the other for people going to Albany or Canada.
At least thats what I had deduced after standing in a line for half an hour, till things started moving.
It wasn't at all clear, some places were on both signs.
Countless people were getting confused.
Seemed a silly place for us to be anyway.

At last we are on the move 10 or 15 people at a time. There seems to be no lift down to the platform, nobody is offered one at any rate.
So all and their many suitcases are forced down an esculater.

We mustn't clearly spend more then the time it takes to get off the eculater and onto the train, on the platform. Stand on a platform, how dare you.
Silly system, sadly making it way over here now.
Course we can't as we've been let down to the train with minutes to spare, so its a dash for all on to the thing.
Some how we only leave 3 down! -- First thumbs up to Amtrak.

The train has some plus points. First the overhead storage is massive!, the leg room at least in our carriage was more then ample.
Sadly the sockets didn't work.

Even though the guard came through the train telling people to make room as this would be a busy train, there were a few empty seats in our carriage all the time, and ours was the busiest.

He also made a note of where everyone was heading and stuck it above our seats.
I assume for the crew change at Albany.
Could have just done another ticket check

Albany was fun. I knew we would stop for a while as there was an engine change. Got off and was able to get the numbers, 710 left the train and 131 backed on.
I had seen whilst on the platform a light engine number 166 in the opposite platform. When back on board, an announcement is made that due to the snow in the Buffalo area, we are getting a loco on the back just in case we have to turn back.

This eats up quite a bit of time and we were 15 late arriving into Albany.
All told we leave 40 down.

Along with being informed of the extra loco, we are told the train is going on and will attempt to get through but there's no way if knowing just what the weather will be like when we get there, so be prepared to have to make alterative arrangements.

It's freight and more freight from here on in.
I witness the reverse of the UK, we are a passenger train amongest freights.
Think the only other passenger train I saw was the southbound Toronto - New York Penn.
Which was quite a relief, as they had got through.

Don't know for sure but we did pull up alongside for a good few minutes, maybe the crew were getting the gen on the conditons ahead?

Sadly the lateness grows and grows.
The snow is light at first and then sure enough just south of Buffalo, it really piles up.
Never seen anything like it.
Amazing.

We are one hour and 35 down by the time the heavy stuff is encountered.

The good and the bad.

First the good - We do get through and only lose six minutes on the timetable, which I think was too tight anyway, not just that section either.

The bad - Despite being 1h 35 down we don't have any announcements after Albany, certainly none letting us know why. Yet as we leave Rochester and head into the deep snow we are told, we can expect delays.

Eh! - We lose 1h 35 and we know not why and then we not only make it through bibical snow we only lose a handful of minutes and we're warned of delays!

Once through the worst of the snow I take a look through the train and see something quite unusual. The carriages are not totally enclosed so alot of the snow kicked up by the passage of the train was piled up by the doors!
You could have made snowman!
I made a snowball and took it back to my seat. Nobody wanted an indoor snowball fight sadly

All we got on that front, was a message to mind our step as we passed through the train.
H&S would have had a fit in this country.

We got to the American Niagara Falls and they made us a bit more late by removing the rear loco.
I think they should have removed that once we got to the Canadian Niagara Falls.
As customs had to be done before the train could head on.

Did get to see some loose shunting going on in the yard at the side of the American Niagara Falls however.

One last gripe was the guard we had from Albany to Niagara. I think it was normal in America, just their way. So laid back. His announcements we like he was talking to his mates.
It wouldn't be stood for in this country.
I don't mind it so much, just difficult to get used to, first time in USA.

So in summary:

Massive thumbs up to Amtrak for getting through the snow and with such ease. They'd have shut the line completely in this country at such much as a snowflake.
Caught snippets of a conversation between the guard and a couple of passengers at the end of our carriage. Seems the train the day before didn't get through.

The lateness, 2 hours once we got to Niagara and customs, was sadly I suspect quite normal. Wonders why they even have a timetable
The station dwell times were quite huge. Must have been the freight.
I hope it was the freight.

Does anyone know if the rear loco would have been providing power?
We did have low power lighting only when it did connect.
Might explain some of the lateness if the lead loco had to drag around that extra weight.

I'll stop waffling now.

Thanks

 

[philabos]

Assume you still had electric power after they cut off the rear unit at the Falls? If so, that would appear not to be the reason. They may have wanted a rear unit in the event they had to pull the train back out of a snow bank. The situation in Buffalo was truly epic, even for That area.
As for the rest of your experience, par for the course. I have visited the UK many times and am amazed at how polite employees on the tube are to confused Americans!

 

[306024]

Having travelled on quite a few Amtrak long distance trains, sometimes you just have to accept they do things differently over there. I agree one of the most frustrating things is only being allowed on the platform at the last minute at some stations, but as for the rubber bands on luggage labels, and the tickets they put above your seat, well just let them get on with it.

No excuse for rudeness, but if you encounter any play on your 'Briddish' accent and be overly polite in return, it confuses them

Finally the conductors announcements are very 'individual', it's just part of the experience. In fact Southeastern Highspeed have one over here, in his American drawl yesterday from Ashford to Stratford he told us that if we had tickets just to ignore him "like my wife does"

 

[Taunton]

He also made a note of where everyone was heading and stuck it above our seats.
I assume for the crew change at Albany.
Could have just done another ticket check

This is a longstanding procedure and works well on long-distance multi-stop trains. Way back in student days, travelling in a Dayniter (ie leg rest coach) Vancouver to Toronto, 3 days, I got one on leaving Vancouver with "T.O." written on it and was never asked for my ticket again. The older cars used to have special little slots for them.

I sometimes think of this when the conductor comes through with "Anyone from Darlington" and none of those who just boarded owns up .....

 

[ac6000cw]

They do the 'ticket in slot' thing on some commuter trains too - in fact the regulars put the tickets in when they get on so they don't get disturbed when the conductor wanders through.

Re. the service - Amtrak sometimes seems to mange to combine all the worst features of a nationalised industry - lack of investment, political micro-management, ageing equipment, sometimes unhelpful/jobsworthy staff, hostile host railroads....

Given all that, it's amazing that it's survived for more than 40 years and that generally the service is good (if sparse outside a few corridors) - and the 'trains must run if at all possible' ethos is obviously still alive and well on-the-ground.

(Mind you, an article a few months ago in Trains magazine about how BNSF kept at least some freight trains running in the very severe conditions they had last winter would probably horrify some H&S people over here).

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By the way (talking of trains in the snow), if you need something for the Christmas stocking, the 'Battle for Donner Pass' is probably the best railway video I've ever seen. It's the story of what it takes to keep the mainline over the Sierra Nevada mountains in California open for traffic through the very heavy winter snowfall season. As it was shot about 20 years ago, it's also an interesting historical view (the Southern Pacific railroad is now part of Union Pacific, and the rotary snowploughs have been completely rebuilt and updated). See http://www.spv.co.uk/acatalog/diesel_current_archive_dvds_latest2.html#aD21