Competition For VIA To Niagara Falls

Wonder how VIA will handle the competition in the Toronto <> Niagara Falls market with the new GO summer weekend service. VIA has operated additional summer trains for the past couple of years (which have included the “Glen Fraser” on a number of these runs. The VIA trains are still in the schedule just issued on May 1 but will they actually run now?

Its now one year later (2010) and VIA’s summer weekend trains are no longer in the schedule.....at least they are not available on ReserVIA yet.

But GO Trains are back again for another season between Toronto and Niagara Falls starting the Victoria Day long weekend……May 21 and running until Sept 26. Friday evening service + 3 trains a day each way on Saturday and Sunday.

If GO did start a Daily service between Toronto and Niagara Falls would there still be a need for VIA trains in this short 80 mile market? Wouldn’t the VIA equipment be better utilized on longer corridor runs?

Sure VIA seating is a bit more comfortable but is there really anything wrong with GO on a two hour max run? And perhaps GO could offer a snack service similar to that on the West Coast Express commuter trains in Vancouver.

But what happens to the Maple Leaf? Does VIA continue to operate the Canadian portion? Or does is become a strictly Amtrak train while in Canada and run non-stop between the border and Toronto……and an opportunity for a Pre-Clearance scenario similar to the Cascades in Vancouver?

Or.....would you now be able to buy an Amtrak ticket between two Canadian points……say Grimsby to Oakville? I believe the last time you could buy an Amtrak ticket between two Canadian points was back in the ‘70s when the Detroit <> New York trains operated through St. Thomas, Ontario.

Or.....would there just be GO trains to Niagara Falls ON and Amtrak’s Empire Service to Niagara Falls NY with a coordinated shuttle bus between? With a little tweaking of schedules two services a day could be offered each way between Toronto and New York City.

I don't see why VIA would terminate a through train arrangment with Amtrak just because GO Transit is running commuter trains along the same route. After all, commuter trains often parallel through trains, i.e. the Northeast Corridor, the Pacific Surfliner route between L.A. and San Diego, etc. Each serves its own purposes. I could see why VIA would no longer schedule a Toronto-Niagara Falls short haul, but a Toronto-New York long distance run is another animal.

CHTT1 wrote:I don't see why VIA would terminate a through train arrangment with Amtrak just because GO Transit is running commuter trains along the same route. After all, commuter trains often parallel through trains, i.e. the Northeast Corridor, the Pacific Surfliner route between L.A. and San Diego, etc. Each serves its own purposes. I could see why VIA would no longer schedule a Toronto-Niagara Falls short haul, but a Toronto-New York long distance run is another animal.

If VIA is looking to cut costs, or perhaps transfer the cost it would run the Niagara Falls-Toronto VIA trains, then perhaps VIA should exit this corridor market as long as GO is handling service. VIA could then focus the money on re-instating full service dining on the Montreal-Gaspe train for at LEAST the summer season - be it with the full service dining in the Skyline car or a separate Dining Car altogether, as was common practice during peak season.

It's looking highly unlikely VIA will be offering an extra round trip between Toronto and Niagara Falls this summer. The Bike Train site indicates that GO trains will be providing the service this year. VIA will, however, be participating in this program on other routes.

The GO Niagara Falls weekend service being offered makes use of idle equipment which sees use in other GO services during weekdays. If GO were to begin a weekday Niagara Falls commuter train service (there are already GO buses serving this market), there would have to be new locomotives and rolling stock purchased to accomplish it. Even if this did come to pass, which I think it someday will, I don't believe this would obsolete a demand for VIA's service. In other markets served by GO trains such as Oshawa, Oakville, and Brampton, there are enough customers willing to pay a premium price for VIA comfort over a much shorter distance.

If VIA chose to abandon the Niagara Falls route I don't know if Amtrak would consider stepping in. But, if they did decide to do so, I expect that it would be more like the Adirondack rather than the Cascades and make additional stops in Ontario. If Amtrak terminated the Maple Leaf on the New York State side of the border, I doubt that many passengers would think to take a taxi, or whatever, to connect to a GO train, and Greyhound and Coach USA would pick up much of this business.

looking at GO's timetable, it's very limited service to the Falls. From Toronto, only one morning departure on Saturdays (09:00) and Sunday and Holidays (10:00) and evening departures on Friday, Saturday and Sunday (18:20 Friday, 16:15 & 20:10 Saturday Sunday and Holidays). Find it hard to believe that Exhibition station is a stop.
Apparently GO has decided to charge a premium fare (only three bucks or so one way) over their existing train-bus route (bus connections at Burlington currently for Niagara Falls)
Last season their insistance on running trains with a capacity of 1600 with 400 passengers had me puzzled. I wrote it off to their inability or unwillingness to break down 10 car trains into smaller consists. Now it appears they want folks to fill the lower level with bikes.

apparently there are two coaches which have either had the seats removed or were delivered new without seats in the lower level for bikes that will be used on this service. I guess the late departures are aimed at gamblers heading to the Falls' casinos. Once again GO will be butting heads on this with Coach Canada which runs frequent Casino service from T.O. and runs good bus service to Niagara. No service Monday to Thursday is quisical.