Canadian Railroads > VIA Rail train 2 October 4th

Canada opened up for vaccinated Europeans before the USA did, I had the Canadian on my to do list and a surplus of vacation hours. So I had no choice but book a ticket from Amsterdam to Vancouver and back from Toronto, with VIA Rail taking care of the stretch between Vancouver and Toronto.
We left Vancouver on October 4th with some extra cars, which were exchanged for an engine in Winnipeg.

Here's train 2 in Jasper on October 5th, engines 6453 and 6446 with Chateau Viger, Chateau Rigaud, Tweedsmuir Park and Treblant Park as extra cars.
https://cdn.trainorders.com/attachments/thumbs/1586000/20211005_1_61686e47dc2ac.jpg

Hornepayne on the 7th, with 6453, 6446 and 6453 as engines.
https://cdn.trainorders.com/attachments/thumbs/1586000/20211007_2_61686e51cfa64.jpg

And a view of the end of train 2.
https://cdn.trainorders.com/attachments/thumbs/1586000/20211007_3_61686e5b1c736.jpg

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We had access to both the normal sleeper dome car and the Park car all day. Drinks were only served in the Park car, though.
Three seatings per dine moment. Communal seating was not default, but was allowed.
Units/Roomettes/sleeping compartments could only be occupied by one (couple) during the trip. So, for example, the units that emptied out in Jasper were not re-occupied later on, and units booked from Winnipeg to Toronto could were not occupied before Winnipeg, etc.
I had a pleasant trip, chatted with nice people, and everybody had a mask on, when not eating or drinking.

During the trip delays seemed to stay in the two-to-three hour range. We left Vancouver on time, but before leaving the Vancouver area we had about 2 hours delay already.
We did a few of those "get behind a freight train in a siding, and after the opposing train has passed, back up and race past the waiting freight train in the siding moves" during the trip.
Because of some fat in the schedule, we arrived about an hour early in Toronto.
We were offered a cold lunch in our room on that last day, which was nice; plan for early arrival, so no lunch, but get a delay is bad PR. But so is starting a complete meal service and arriving in Toronto during a meal session, when people want to get of.

https://cdn.trainorders.com/attachments/thumbs/1586000/20211008_4_616872fe9e9eb.jpg

https://cdn.trainorders.com/attachments/thumbs/1586000/20211007_5_616873094732d.jpg

https://cdn.trainorders.com/attachments/thumbs/1586000/20211008_6_61687312f2ce4.jpg



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/14/21 11:44 by petmew.

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Glad to see things are slowly moving back to normal. The communal experience (seeing old friends, making new ones) is a big deal on a long distance trip such as this. Being isolated in a sleeper compartment for 4 days was not attractive.

petmew Wrote:
> Hornepayne on the 7th, with 6453, 6446 and 6453 as
> engines.

Great pictures, thanks for posting.  One question however, you have listed unit 6453 twice, could the third unit have been 6452?   The reason I ask is because I saw it on an Ottawa bound train tonight at Brockville on VIA No.54.   

Gerry Gaugl
Ottawa ON
 

Ow, thanks. It was 6424 as third unit.

Thanks for the report. Because I have a trip booked in a few weeks I have a few questions.

Is soup or salad offered with lunch and dinner? 
Is the menu the same for all days?
Is ice available for drinks? (This may seem to be an odd question, but several months ago VIA said it was unsafe to have ice for drinks and there still isn't any on corridor Business Class.)
Does the shower still have to be reserved?

Thank you.

DrawingroomA Wrote:
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> Thanks for the report. Because I have a trip
> booked in a few weeks I have a few questions.
>
> Is soup or salad offered with lunch and dinner? 

Yes.

> Is the menu the same for all days?

Yes.

> Is ice available for drinks?

Not sure, I drank coffee (pretty sure no ice...), thee (same), juices (same), water (not sure, but I think no ice either)

(This may seem to be
> an odd question, but several months ago VIA said
> it was unsafe to have ice for drinks and there
> still isn't any on corridor Business Class.)
> Does the shower still have to be reserved?

First attendant said, she would unlock the shower door upon request, no reservation needed as there were only about half a dozen guests. So first morning at 0615 I asked and showered. But on the second morning I found the door unlocked and showered.
Second attendant (after Winnipeg) left the door unlocked.
Shower was always tidy.
There was a guy disinfecting seats in the train a couple of times a day.

>
> Thank you.

You're welcome!