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Passenger Trains > NY to Detroit - Chicago to Toronto ServiceDate: 08/28/16 06:22 NY to Detroit - Chicago to Toronto Service Author: amtrakbill Amtrak discontinued a train that once went from Grand Central NY to Detroit via Buffalo and Windsor Canada and another that went from Chicago to Toronto via Port Huron. Just curious if anyone knows if they wanted to restore this service if all the tracks, tunnels, and connections are still in place?
With the re-route of the Lake Shore from Toledo to Detroit to Chicago in October brings up a lot of possibilities to fortify services in this region. Extending the Pennsylvanian to Cleveland? Extending an Empire service train or splitting the Maple Leaf at Buffalo and send a section to Detroit? Extending a Chicago to Michigan train to Toronto or to New York? I understand all of this is pie in the sky but knowing if there is a still connections from Port Huron to Toronto or Detroit to Buffalo makes these possible if equipment and funding were in place. Date: 08/28/16 06:50 Re: NY to Detroit - Chicago to Toronto Service Author: cabsignaldrop Extending the Pennsylvanian to Cleveland and Toledo would be great. It would not require an extra set of equipment and would add metropolitan Cleveland (2 million) and Toledo (500,000) to the train. However don't look for Ohio to help, and NS would likely rake Amtrak over the coals for the track space. Also it would make train 42 an afternoon departure out of Pittsburgh, Jeopardizing the popular 730am eastbound departure and killing the connection between train 30 an 42. Ideally a second train would help.
Not sure if Running it the extra 55 miles to Detroit could be accomplished with one set or not? NYC ran the Cleveland Mecury Toledo - Detroit in an hour flat, but it took Amtrak in the early 90's 2 hours with the Lake Cities. Posted from Android Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/28/16 06:53 by cabsignaldrop. Date: 08/28/16 07:36 Re: NY to Detroit - Chicago to Toronto Service Author: fatdane The line from Post Huron( Sarnia, ON) still exists and has Via passenger service, with Via planning on someday increasing service. The Niagara Rainbow ran from Detroit to Buffalo on the old NYC ( Canada Southern) and most of that track has been lifted. If a train were to run Detroit-Windsor-London-Hamilton-Niagara Falls-Buffalo some track work would be needed in Windsor, but there have been mutterings about running Via trains on the CP Windsor To Chatham line to a point a bit west of Chatham where it would go back on to CN tracks to London and East.
One problem that the old Toronto- Chicago route was that Homeland Insecurity and Paranoia was not used friendly to Amtrak & Via at Port Huron.. Date: 08/28/16 08:29 Re: NY to Detroit - Chicago to Toronto Service Author: joemvcnj < With the re-route of the Lake Shore from Toledo to Detroit to Chicago in October brings up a lot of possibilities to fortify services in this region. >
It will last a month and hopefully will be done with and forgotten. It's a dumb idea. The only thing that makes an sense without adding much costs or paying ransoms to NS is sending thru coaches on the Pennsylvanian on the Capitol Ltd to Chicago. Unfortunately, all too many advocates get caught up with these connect-the-dots schemes via Michigan and won't focus on doables. NARP is a prime example of that having a fetish for a daily Cardinal that will cost $10 million more a year to subsidize, but has no idea where the money or the extra train set will come from, but won't touch any of the PIPs, like the Pennsy/C-L thru cars, with a 10 foot pole. Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/28/16 08:36 by joemvcnj. Date: 08/28/16 09:42 Re: NY to Detroit - Chicago to Toronto Service Author: jp1822 When the Three Rivers was discontinued......it was suggested that the Pennsylvanian be extended to at least Cleveland. At the same time NY NARP was advocating for one of the Empire trains to be extended and end at Cleveland. That would have been some nice interconnectivity. But that was not to be.
When the International was being discontinued, some had advocated that it be routed via Detroit and over to Toronto. It was seen as more direct and more population centers being served. I can't see any train entering Canada and then going through Canada and out to Detroit or Chicago these days due to custom checks. The Lake Shore via Michigan is best served by an existing Michigan train that gets extended to Toleldo. That's a return to what was. Date: 08/28/16 10:15 Re: NY to Detroit - Chicago to Toronto Service Author: DonNadeau I keep hearing of the experiemental reroute of the LSL via Michigan, but Amtrak still has not bothered to show this online. How can it expect this to be a valid test when people can't even book it? I wonder if the test is even happening.
There seem to be very valid reasons for trying the new route. For example, the University of Michigan alone adds 40,000 students as prospective LSL travelers. amtrakbill Wrote: .... > With the re-route of the Lake Shore from Toledo to > Detroit to Chicago in October Date: 08/28/16 11:59 Re: NY to Detroit - Chicago to Toronto Service Author: joemvcnj < When the International was being discontinued, some had advocated that it be routed via Detroit and over to Toronto. It was seen as more direct and more population centers being served.>
In early 2011, there were real plans agrees to by most stakeholders to extend 350/355 to Toronto and let the International be the Blue Water. Even before 9/11, US Customs at Port Huron was totally obtuse and out of control. But once 9/11 attacks happened, US Customs vetoed the whole plan, and there was nothing Canadian Customs, Amtrak, VIA Rail, nor Michigan DOT could do about it.. < The Lake Shore via Michigan is best served by an existing Michigan train that gets extended to Toledo. That's a return to what was. > I agree 100%. Sending the operationally challenged LSL on a sightseeing tour of Michigan with 2.5 hours more running times is nuts. < There seem to be very valid reasons for trying the new route. For example, the University of Michigan alone adds 40,000 students as prospective LSL travelers. > Good for them, bad for Notre Dame, of no use to MSU in East Lansing. 2.5 hours more time for most to get to between Toledo and Chicago - bad, and there are Universities in Chicago and Evanston with east coast students too. Date: 08/28/16 12:31 Re: NY to Detroit - Chicago to Toronto Service Author: Fred MSU students would just drive the 38 miles south to Jackson to board the train. Also students in Kalamazoo (Western Mich U and Kalamazoo College) could ride the train as well.
Date: 08/28/16 12:55 Re: NY to Detroit - Chicago to Toronto Service Author: joemvcnj I don't see the point of making this already well-patronized, slow, and delay-prone train into Michigan student train. One should not assume that all students have cars. If Michigan wants a LD train, they can fund another one.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/28/16 12:56 by joemvcnj. |