Canadian Railroads > Longer off-peak Canadian

The passengers wanting to travel on the off-peak Canadian continue to increase in numbers and VIA has responded to demand.  Last year a fourth Manor sleeper was added to the usual consists and this year a fifth sleeper was added.  The standard off-peak Canadian, both in late CPR operation and early VIA operation had two sleepers. One could say plus one-third of a sleeper to account for the three double bedrooms and drawing room in the Park car.  Of course until Jan. 1990 the train ran daily.
 
After the huge cut to VIA in Jan. 1990 the tri-weekly Canadian continued to have two sleepers.  Extra sleepers would be run if required for large tour groups.  Somewhere around the end of the 1990s a third sleeper became normal, but VIA would take one out of service if the passenger load was low.  This happened to me in early December about 20 years ago when there were only 15 passengers in sleepers.
 
The current off-peak Canadian is actually longer than the peak train was when Silver and Blue service started in 1992.  I had a summer trip that year; there were five Manor sleepers plus the Park car.  There was no crew car, no sleeper class Skyline and, of course, no Prestige.
 
My eastbound trip last week had been sold out in sleepers for several weeks, even in Prestige.  Three sittings for lunch and dinner were necessary.  The dining car crew said there will be three sittings all winter, even if the passenger loads drop to a level where two would be sufficient.  There are some sold out departures in late November and early December, usually a time for low passenger loads.
 
After the pandemic eased, the sleeper Skyline car was restored in the winter season two years ago.  It was not staffed, but this year it is and is called the “activity car” as in the summer.  For those of us who prefer the “inactivity car” i,e, the Park car, this is a good thing.  The activities were very popular.  There was never any difficulty finding seats in the Park car’s rear lounge and under the dome and rarely was the dome full.  Half of the seats were blocked off for Prestige passengers as usual.
 
It is often claimed by railfans and VIA crew that CN always gives priority to freight trains.  My observations in recent years have been that is not always the case.  Several freight trains waited for the meet with #2; there were several rolling meets; and a few times we overtook freight trains.  As for maintaining the schedule, there were times we were an hour and a half and even two hours late.  Arrival in Winnipeg was 1 hour 30 minutes early and Toronto was 2 hours 45 minutes early.
 
On departure from Vancouver the windows were very clean.  There had been rain overnight and in the morning.  The side windows were still mostly clean unlike those of the domes.  Upon arrival in Jasper the windows of the domes and the side windows were washed as usual.  Some passengers commented that Amtrak should do better cleaning its windows, although  I can’t comment on that.  This photo of a dome being cleaned in Jasper is not mine. The person who took it gave me permission to post it.
 



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/23/24 20:07 by DrawingroomA.

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Great trip report! Good to hear that VIA's Canadian is on a growth strategy in off-peak. I found it interesting in a trip this August about how people will sit in their rooms, as opposed to going to sit in the dome cars. Had no problems getting seats in the dome in peak season. Nice to see the windows cleaned. Not sure why it is so hard for Amtrak!

Good news!  Am looking forward to riding westbound out of Toronto beginning February 16.

Dave

Great reporting, DrawingroomA.  From my trip last April I can agree with all the interesting information you provided.  I am glad you posted the image of the dome being washed in Jasper.  Amtrak take note!