Niagara Falls Station

Skelly:

I am asking about passengers using trains that terminate at either NFL or NFS that would have the opportunity to cross the border and connect
between train services of Amtrak, VIA and GO over and above the two through Maple Leaf trains each day.

More through trains through Niagara Falls would be great -but- either instituting a dedicated van/bus service or allowing connecting passengers
to walk between the two stations (I have used the Whirlpool Bridge walkways in the past before the NEXUS card holder restrictions began) could
allow new rail travel options between carriers offering more flexibility compared to using only #63 and #64 each day.

What I am not familiar with is the status of the pedestrian walkways on the Whirlpool Bridge: Can a NEXUS card holder on foot use them?
If they are closed and unavailable any idea when this change was made?

A dedicated van/bus service would be for documented and/or ticketed passengers if only vehicular crossing is available.
This could even be in the form of a "bridge bus" operated by NFTA or Niagara Transit modeled on the Detroit-Windsor Tunnel Bus...

MACTRAXX

Oh! Well, the Whirlpool Bridge doesn't allow pedestrians; I don't think it has sidewalks even. While I would like a Tunnel Bus type service be setup by NFTA/Niagara Transit in the area, the problem is that the Whirlpool Bridge is setup for NEXUS cardholders with vehicles; there is no bus inspection plaza of any kind of both ends. You would have to run a bus thru the Lewiston-Queenston Bridge, which is a 10 minute ride up NY 104 where there is a full port of entry on both sides.

Well, if the issue is that there's no bus inspection plaza at the bridge, then how about use the station itself to clear passengers?

Ask the Bureau of Customs and Border Protection. Where they resource entry control points is their business.

And Canada Border Services Agency...

Let me clarify. I'm saying that if, as stated upthread, CBP/CBSA will be inspecting train passengers inside the new station building, then why not use that same facility for any theoretical Whirlpool Bridge bus service?

It's still their business where they choose to resource entry control points.

And? Does that mean we aren't allowed to discuss the hypotheticals of it? It is theoretically, physically possible, and a lot more realistic than many ideas that get thrown out there on this board.

There's only X amount employees and other resources to spread around, leave it as is,
Don't add to the problem.
As it is now,Niagara Falls has 2 vehicle crossings to tend to along with the passenger train station.
Buffalo has 1 major vehicle crossing and the airport to deal with.

deathtopumpkins wrote:Let me clarify. I'm saying that if, as stated upthread, CBP/CBSA will be inspecting train passengers inside the new station building, then why not use that same facility for any theoretical Whirlpool Bridge bus service?

That is a valid question!

The Port of Entry facility is all on the 2nd floor of the station, which is track level as it was designed for travelers on that level. Now with that said, here is something that came up: http://www.niagara-gazette.com/news/loc ... 02d01.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

In a letter to officials with the Niagara Falls Bridge Commission, U.S. Customs and Border Protection and Canada Border Services Agency, Higgins encourages development of the pedestrian connection to accommodate Canadian GO Train passengers and better facilitate cross-border tourism. The push follows a June 28 announcement by Ontario's Transportation Minister about expanded GO Transit service between Toronto and Niagara Falls, Ontario.

The easiest and cheapest option for that to work would be actually to use the old Michagan Central Railroad Bridge, which some of connection to the train station could be easily built into the Port of Entry station at the new NFL. Here is a photo: http://i784.photobucket.com/albums/yy12 ... usofdz.jpg" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Whatever is decided on the Maple Leaf, the "check" should be consolidated so it only requires customs to be done once (consolidated). I am all for being secure, but hauling all your stuff off the Amfleets - especially on the Canadian side - is absolutely horrendous. I had to do this for a two week vacation and was given no help trying to get two regular size suitcases odd the train and then back on the train. It was better on the NY side with the high level platforms......

The Adirondack would just skip its one stop in the suburb of Montreal (St. Lambert?)......in order to facilitate customs at
The Montreal station.

Customs on the US/Canada border for mass transportation is done only once upon entry to the other country; unless there was one of those few times that an exit check was conducted under a hot tip....

It's too bad we cannot have a free travel system set up to go with our free trade agreement. Instead of NAFTA it would be like NAFTZ..

After 9/11,the easy crossing of the US/Canadian border went away,for tourist and commerical traffic.
Remember Canada had some terrorist problems from overseas immigration as well.....

GO is expanding 7-day service to Niagara by 2023 and will have "guaranteed" slots at the Welland Canal bridge. To my mind, the simplest approach which provides the most overall service would be to terminate Maple Leaf as a through train and instead start all Niagara Falls Empire Service trains from Niagara Falls, ON (and finish them there) with CBP and CBSA, and push for a fourth timetable connection in one or both directions via the LSL with the truncated Maple Leaf equipment (which has 6 hours timetable and 18 calendar hours in Canada). Even if the advantages of this operationally were agreed and disadvantages overcome however, the glacial progress of Montreal Central's immigration arrangement doesn't make me sanguine that it could be done in seven years...