Today's Adirondack

Today's southbound Adirondack 68(15) was cancelled on account of a derailment "near Albany". Passengers were bustituted.

I might add that I had arrived in Montreal on board Via's Ocean of the 14th, and while I do not wish to incur anyone's wrath for being "off-topic", I will say that it was refreshing to ride a train that had more than two sleepers (there were nine) and a lounge car with some style, and that arrived within an hour of the advertised.

Sorry to learn, Mr. Pennsy, that you were bustituted so that you could "enjoy' the scenery along I-87 rather than the dramatic views along Lake Champlain.

I will look forward to reviewing any trip report you choose to submi to the VIA Forum regarding your journey up there. However, if you choose to submit a trip report that is essentially a "comparo" between VIA and Amtrak services, site protocol would establish that report should be sumbitted to my Rail Travel & Trip Report forum.

Regarding the other Amtrak related matter you addressed regarding Sleeper availability, the nine cars you noted on the tri-weekly Ocean (presumed still Budd equipped) "roundly" provide only the same berths per week (22 x 9 x 3) as does Amtrak on Trains 3-8, inclusive (40 x 2 x 7).

I'll be looking for more over at VIA Forum.

What derailed?

mattfels wrote:What derailed?

Probably a train.

The people at the Amtrak counter, while apologetic, did not give any further details as to what sort of train had derailed or exactly where the derailment was. I will assume it wasn't a passenger train and that it was north of Albany at least because a south-of-Albany derailment big enough to block both tracks or a passenger one would likely have already come up on this forum or another one. However, one can't be certain.

Mr. Norman, the Ocean only ran tri-weekly until 1995, when its running mate, the Atlantic (which followed the now ex-CPR route through Maine) was pulled. It now runs daily except Tuesday in both directions, thus offering approximately twice as many berths per week as Amtrak's 3-8. Before 1995 a similar number of sleepers were offered between Montreal and Halifax, just over two different routes. The Chaleur on the other hand runs only three times weekly and is attatched to the Ocean between Montreal and Matapedia, increasing the sleeping car total by two or three on the days when it runs. I know that it does not do so on Wednesdays but I'm not sure of the days when it does.

Freight train went on the ground around Howards MP124 on the Canadian freight main line. Both north and south bound passengers were bused. On time section out of ALB to NYP last night after all busses had arrived.

I had best stand corrected Mr. Pennsy.

I havent been "up that way' in some 25 years; not any kind of boycott, just no reason.

I'm glad you enjoyed your trip on the Ocean, PennsyFan. Three years ago I saw the train departing Montreal and nearly drooled when I saw that beautiful matched stainless steel consist.

BTW, there is a train you can ride with "more than two sleepers and a lounge car with some style, and that arrived within an hour of the advertised" that's a lot closer than Montreal. It's the Auto Train. It typically has seven Superliner II sleepers and my mother, who rode it yesterday, called me at 8:45 this morning from Sanford to let me know she the train just arrived.

One caveat: you'll need to bring a car.

[quote="Gilbert B Norman"]

Regarding the other Amtrak related matter you addressed regarding Sleeper availability, the nine cars you noted on the tri-weekly Ocean (presumed still Budd equipped) "roundly" provide only the same berths per week (22 x 9 x 3) as does Amtrak on Trains 3-8, inclusive (40 x 2 x 7).

Sorry to burst your bubble but the Ocean operates 6/days a week. So you can double the Sleeper availability!

There would be a slight adjustment when a Renaissance set is operating but VIA is now adding additional sleepers to those consists also.