Overhauling Amtrak

[Blitz]

Windsor part of proposed Toronto-Chicago passenger train route

Published Nov 10, 2023



Windsor will be at the centre of a new cross-border passenger rail line connecting Toronto and Chicago.

According to VIA Rail Canada and Amtrak, the route will have stops in Windsor and Detroit and the plan will see roughly $44 million invested in rail infrastructure and station improvements in Windsor.

“It’s certainly exciting to see this move forward on both sides of the border,” Windsor Mayor Drew Dilkens told the Star.

“It’s great to create another mode of transportation through Detroit and the United States and Canada.”

After departing Michigan Central Station, trains would continue into Windsor via the Detroit River Rail Tunnel, then follow an Essex Terminal Railway section to VIA Rail’s tracks using a new connection route.

In Windsor, improvements will be made to the Essex Terminal Railway right-of-way, including grade crossing upgrades at nine locations. A new track connection will be added between the Essex Terminal Railway and VIA Rail lines, and modifications to the existing station tracks and platform will allow the seamless integration of Amtrak and VIA Rail passenger train operations.

A new joint border security facility for both Canada Border Service Agency and U.S. Customs and Border Protection screening will be built, likely at Windsor’s existing train station.

Once funded, the route could be up and running by late 2027 with one daily round-trip. Cross-border passengers will be able to utilize both Amtrak and VIA Rail services on a single ticket.

A projected 66,500 passengers could ride the new cross-border connection each year, with 14,000 starting or finishing their trips in Windsor.

From Chicago, passengers can access Amtrak’s national network with connecting services to 35 states, the partnership said.

“For Americans coming here, once you get to Toronto, you can take VIA all the way to Vancouver. It’s exciting,” said Dilkens.

The proposed schedule would see a three-hour layover at Windsor’s train station, a short walk from Walkerville and its host of shops and eateries.

“(Passengers) could leave your luggage (at the train station), go down into Walkerville and check out some of the history and have a drink while they’re waiting,” said Dilkens.

“There’s some interesting tourism opportunities that are presented here.”

https://windsorstar.com/news/local-n...er-train-route

[Randomguy34]

After departing Michigan Central Station

[TowerDude]

That three hour layover in Windsor seems totally pointless. Should make the customs check as brief as possible. Yes offer a stop at Windsor but it shouldn't be any longer than the customs checks take.

They should also let VIA Rail offer their own services from Toronto to Chicago in the deal as well. On the same route once it gets popular enough.

[Busy Bee]

Yes I agree. Because these facts are just sad:

Once funded, the route could be up and running by late 2027 with one daily round-trip. Cross-border passengers will be able to utilize both Amtrak and VIA Rail services on a single ticket.

A projected 66,500 passengers could ride the new cross-border connection each year, with 14,000 starting or finishing their trips in Windsor.

Would be nice to see a zero added to both, but perhaps 4 daily round trips would be a more realistic aspiration. Two Amtrak runs originating in Chicago and two VIA runs out of Toronto.

[TowerDude]

Originally Posted by Busy Bee

Yes I agree. Because these facts are just sad:



Would be nice to see a zero added to both, but perhaps 4 daily round trips would be a more realistic aspiration. Two Amtrak runs originating in Chicago and two VIA runs out of Toronto.

Eventually they'll have to build a new Windsor International Train Station and put a wye bypass at the existing station.

With the existing service having to go to the current Windsor Station that means the Driver will have to switch from the Loco to the Cab Car at Windsor right?

[electricron]

Originally Posted by TowerDude

Eventually they'll have to build a new Windsor International Train Station and put a wye bypass at the existing station.

With the existing service having to go to the current Windsor Station that means the Driver will have to switch from the Loco to the Cab Car at Windsor right?

Amtrak's or VIA's trains? VIA is introducing cab cars in eastern Canada's Quebec-Ontario routes, but the Amtrak Midwest trains do not have cab cars.

[Velvet_Highground]

It’s nice to see another physical and metaphorical connection secured between the American and Canadian sides of the Great Lakes - St Lawrence corridor. A 3 hours layover though, customs is an issue that will need to be sorted out, somehow. Furthering economic connectivity and development by facilitating the smooth transit of people and good between what is single developed geographic region separated only by a border between two of the friendliest allies & biggest trading partners on earth.

[TowerDude]

I assume that this new expanded Amtrak Wolverine service to Toronto will use the Amtrak Airo trainset.

[Innsertnamehere]

It’s really only Amtrak service to Windsor with a transfer after customs to a VIA train. The only Amtrak train pulling into Union Station in Toronto will continue to be the Maple Leaf.

[TowerDude]

Originally Posted by Innsertnamehere

It’s really only Amtrak service to Windsor with a transfer after customs to a VIA train. The only Amtrak train pulling into Union Station in Toronto will continue to be the Maple Leaf.

That's got to be a placeholder for a non stop service in the future.

[Steely Dan]

A three hour layover in Windsor with a train switch?

Well that'll certainly get people off the airplanes......



God, north America just fucking sucks at passenger rail.

[SIGSEGV]

Is this faster than taking the wolverine to Detroit, then the tunnel bus, then via?

[Randomguy34]

I'm looking at the fact sheet and it says the layover would only be an hour, not 3 hours. Westbound trains would be just under 10 hours, while eastbound would be just under 12 hours. So this would certainly faster than taking transferring trains across the border with the tunnel bus


https://www.trains.com/trn/news-revi...vice-revealed/

[202_Cyclist]

All aboard? Amtrak joins push to relocate USPS and expand South Station.


By Jon Chesto
13 November 2023
Boston Globe

"Maybe there's finally light at the end of the tunnel in the state's quest to expand jam-packed South Station.

The reason for newfound optimism? Amtrak is now a full partner in the hunt for a deal that would persuade the US Postal Service to leave its spot next door to Boston's busiest station, so it can get even busier. Governor Maura Healey's administration hopes to pull off what previous administrations could not by securing this valuable site overlooking Fort Point Channel to add more tracks. Without it, there's no space to grow. Having Amtrak fully on board should help, considering the national railroad operator's own ambitions for increasing service in the Northeast.

Top officials at Amtrak, the Massachusetts Department of Transportation, and the MBTA just wrote to the USPS to reopen negotiations for the 14-acre property. The $2 billion-plus South Station expansion, which would add up to 10 tracks to the existing 13, had been sidelined in part because the postal service showed no sign of budging.

The station is essentially at capacity now, putting the brakes on any plans to add more trains..."

https://www.bostonglobe.com/2023/11/...boston-amtrak/

[Blitz]

Originally Posted by TowerDude

That three hour layover in Windsor seems totally pointless. Should make the customs check as brief as possible. Yes offer a stop at Windsor but it shouldn't be any longer than the customs checks take.

They should also let VIA Rail offer their own services from Toronto to Chicago in the deal as well. On the same route once it gets popular enough.

I've taken Amtrak across the border both at Vancouver and Niagara Falls...in both cases it took about an hour just for everyone to get through customs (everyone has to de-train and have luggage inspected). Then in this case you have the train switch which would add more time, then you have to add a bit of buffer time for potential late trains coming in on either side. If Canada and the US could somehow come together and streamline the border crossing process like what they've done in Europe that would be great....

[Kngkyle]

I get that this is just a starting point but holy shit do we aim low in this country.

I'd love to take a train to Toronto but it really needs to be ~8 hours or less (which would translate to 62mph average) and a single seat - no transfer in Windsor.

Most exciting prospect is Michigan Central Station actually being used as a station again.

[Atlurbsandspices]

It's mid November and next week is a major holiday. When are the already very delayed Corridor ID decisions being announced?

[Klippenstein]

Originally Posted by Randomguy34

I'm looking at the fact sheet and it says the layover would only be an hour, not 3 hours. Westbound trains would be just under 10 hours, while eastbound would be just under 12 hours. So this would certainly faster than taking transferring trains across the border with the tunnel bus


https://www.trains.com/trn/news-revi...vice-revealed/

I could be misunderstanding, but factoring in the time change it seems that it would be an 11 hour trip total whether going to Toronto or to Chicago.

[Velvet_Highground]

11 hours isn’t so bad considering it’s approximately 4 hours from Chicago to Detroit then another ~4 to Toronto driving, with no traffic snarls & no delays at the border. That’s awesome to see Michigan Central marked on a new official document as a future stop.

Things are starting pretty modest but there’s definitely room for growth. If the the powers that be are able to bring passenger service back to the northern lower peninsula as has been floated there’s a large number of Ontarian‘s going up north during the summer. There are interesting possibilities including offering alternative transportation up north from the rail head as part of a package or the like.

Either way it’s a step forward Detroit and Windsor are going to be local hubs in their own rights on an important line. This takes commuter rail in the region from the end of the line or non existent to a geographically important link.

[Nexis4Jersey]

The old service was 12hrs end to end...so 11hrs is a slight improvement. The border seems to be the main issue and time eater.