I'm back from my Canadian trip, and I have to say I am quite impressed with VIA in general, and depressed about the "what-ifs" that Amtrak could have done...
I rode the Ocean from Moncton to Montreal, departing last Wednesday (the 7th). I purposely chose that date in order to ride the last Budd set on the Ocean (if equipment stayed in cycle) and sure enough, my gamble paid off.
The consist was F40PH's 6509, 6420, a baggage car, 3 coaches, the Skyline dome, two Chateau sleepers, the diner, three Manor sleepers, and the Park dome on the rear. As I explored the train, I was quite impressed with the work VID did on the cars in the HEP project, right down to the Acela-type vacuum toilet in my coach. I spent quite a bit of time in the Skyline dome, and a late dinner in the diner was excellent. And if I was impressed by the coach and Chateau accomodations, I can only imagine how the Manor cars would have been.
Operation was on time all the way to Montreal. We did NOT combine with the Chaleur at Matapedia and kept rolling along after the station stop. I awakened overnight briefly twice just in time to see the meet with the eastbound Chaleur (an 8-car Budd consist) and about a half hour later for the meet with the eastbound Ocean with a Renaissance set, approx. 17 cars with a Park car on the rear....that looks SO weird!
I connected in Montreal with Corridor train #57 to Toronto. The consist was an F40PH, a baggage car, an LRC VIA-1 car, and five HEP-2 coaches, of which I was crammed into the rear car with all the Toronto and Windsor passengers. They actually had overbooked the train a tad, as after preboarding a huge group of seniors, they found that they were all heading to Toronto and points west, and upset their coach assignment plan, as they wanted all Toronto and Windsor passengers in the rear coach. Thus, about 30 Toronto passengers had to be accomodated in the coach they were holding for local intermediate stops (had I been at the back of the line, I'd have been one of them). Instead, I ended up squeezing into the last available seat in the rear car, a window seat facing backwards as a set of 4 facing seats. Not a comfortable ride when I can't stretch out. There was nowhere else to move, as the train was fully loaded out of Montreal. But it was still a good ride, and I did plenty of standing at the rear window, looking out the back for most of the trip. Arrival in Toronto was about 12 minutes down, due to getting stabbed by a freight enroute.
Those HEP-2 coaches, and the Budd fleet in general are perfect examples of what Amtrak could have done with their Heritage fleet, if only they had the money and a "can do" attitude, instead of dumping everything and finding themselves in the equipment shortage they now have today. On the other hand, I do wish VIA had a cafe car setup similar to Amtrak on the Corridor trains...at least then I'd have a reason to get up and wander through the train.
Overall, one very satisfied VIA passenger here. Next time, I'll get a sleeping compartment...LOL!!
"CSX Detector. Milepost Six Point Four. No Defects. Repeat: No Defects. Total Axles Seven Four Seven. Detector Out"