Canadian Railroads > VIA Trains 1 - 2

Anyone such as DrawingroomA have an update on how Trains 1 - 2 did over the summer timekeeping wise and numbers of passenger/cars?  And has Prestige continued to do well?

THANKS!

 

I haven't any notes, but I usually see two of the three weekly trains.  This summer there have never been fewer than 10 Manor sleepers plus the two Prestige Château sleepers.  The rest of the train is made up of two diners, three Skyline cars (one with each dining car and the third is for the coach section) two coaches and of course the baggage car and Park car.  There are often one to four non-Prestige Château sleepers in the middle of the train, although some or all of them are usually deadhead east of Jasper.
 
According to my “contacts” at VIA, and confirmed with Reservia, passenger loads are high.  The train is often sold out and when space is available it is usually just two or three “cabins for 2” and one or two Prestige rooms.  According to one of the senior ticket clerks at Toronto Union Station, a woman came up to her wicket one recent afternoon and said she wanted to go to Vancouver that night in the best available sleeper.  The clerk said there was one Prestige room available but it would cost her $8701, including tax.  The woman pulled out her credit card and said: “Sold.”
 
Arrivals in Vancouver are more likely to be on time than in Toronto. Toronto arrivals have generally been doing quite well, usually an hour or two late, although some trains have been on time or even early.  The arrival of #2 in Toronto on Tuesday 23rd Aug. was 11 hours late.  Number 1 departed approximately five hours late at 2:30 or 3:00 a.m., which is not at all convenient for the passengers.  That train has made up time and is expected into Jasper just two hours and 22 minutes late.
 

Thaknks DrawingroomA!  Appears my favorite train is deoing well!  Looking forward to a fall ride.

I hate this latest Canadian schedule where it is "supposed" to arrive into Toronto at 9 am and then depart in the 10 pm hour. I wish CN would cooperate so they could go back to the schedule that WAS in place prior to 2010 whereby the Canadian left at 9 am. Ironically today's schedule and the schedule from 2010 for the westbound train is nearly the same from Edmonton to Jasper, it's just that VIA takes forever to get in and out of Edmonton. And it's not due to the "switching in" of the Panorama Car.