Canadian to Maple Leaf/Buffalo Sights?

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pdxjim

pdxjim

Service Attendant
Joined
Jul 22, 2010
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114
Location
Hillsboro, OR
Hi,

I got a 50% deal on The Canadian for travel next month and will travel Vancouver to Toronto. From there I will take the Maple Leaf to Buffalo, lay over about 10 hours, and then take the LSL to Chicago and then home on the EB via Seattle to Portland.

I need some help figuring out how much luggage I can bring aboard the Canadian.

My bag is 21" X 14" X 9" and I'm wondering if that and my backpack will fit in the "cabin for 1".

I usually leave this bag on the downstairs rack of the Superliner sleepers, but I can't tell from photos of the cabin for 1 if it will fit, or if I should bring a small duffle.

I'm looking for things to do in Buffalo during my layover. Interested in trains of course, history, and museums.

Thanks in advance.

Jim
 
Just this last March me and Mrs. Blackwolf did the Mapleleaf to LSL layover in Buffalo. We rented a car from Enterprise for a small sum of $45, they picked us up at the station, and went to Niagara Falls. I know there are some museums around Buffalo as well, but others may have more insight on them. We dropped the car off at the Enterprise at 10:30 PM and had a taxi take us the mile or so back to the station to catch the LSL.

I do know that VIA is very strict on baggage sizes. Best take a small duffel, pack it with the clothes and toiletries for your time on the Canadian, and have a checked bag you can access in Toronto to then consolidate the duffel into for the rest of your trip.

Have fun!
 
Are you going all the way through on the Canadian on one train? I have ridden the Canadian in coach but always spent two nights in either Winnipeg or Jasper.

My second Amtrak trip ever was on the Maple Leaf from NYP to TWO. I agree with Blackwolf. rent a car and go see Niagara Falls.

Let's hope that the LSL is not many hours late. Last time I rode the LSL out of Cleveland it showed up at dawn, several hours late.

Are you by any chance the PDXJim that is a geocacher that I have met?
 
Thanks for the suggestions. I am going straight through to Toronto. Thanks for the info on the rental.

No, I'm not the geocacher, but that activity has always interested me... Guess I might look into it!

Jim
 
VIA Rail Canada Sleepers have basically no luggage storage, there no luggage racks anywhere in the Sleeping cars. The friendly staff is very strict about making you check luggage for good reason. This is to the extent that they stop the baggage car and load your luggage in it before they pull the train up for you get on (and the converse getting off) if you board at any of the numerous tiny flag stops in a sleeper.

My one Canadian trip was in an Upper Berth (got the lower berth for one of the four nights) last March from Vancouver to Jasper (stopover for skiing) to Toronto. I showed up at Vancouver Central Station many hours before my train planning to day check my backpacking backpack that I had been traveled for a month an a half with, (its fits in the overhead bin on Superliner and other Amtrak coaches, only place with major issues is on the Amtrak California overhead bins that have doors) my only other piece of luggage, a small messenger bag with my computer in it. The agent immediately told me there was absolutely no room for my backpack in my section and she was definitely right the only luggage storage was under the lower birth that was shared with the passeger sleeping beneath me at night, and on my rear facing (since I was in the upper birth) double seat during the day. (Had great, chatty birth mates on both legs). Instead she offered me a nice VIA zip up tote bag, complimentary that I loaded up a change of cloths and a few other things in and checked my backpack to Jasper. The tote bag (otherwise it would have been $3 for me to pick it back up at the ticket office myself) was held and delivered to my section as I borded. During my Jasper layover I repacked the tote bag with three days worth of cloths (and other stuff), checking my relatively empty backpack (mostly cloths and books I was done with) through to Toronto. My computer bag also came on board.

A duffle is probably better than a real suitcase, that you can at least stuff under your bed. Don't think the roomettes have any more luggage storage (didn't spend any time in any).
 
Jim,

I'll pile on with the other's, no way do you want to try to fit that suitcase in a room for one. I wouldn't want to try to fit that suitcase in a room for 2 on the Canadian, unless I was in that room alone! :eek: You'll find it interesting enough to put your computer bag and a small backpack with clothes into your room.

As for Buffalo, first know that Buffalo-Depew is about as far out of downtown Buffalo as you can get, and yet still be in Buffalo. There is basically nothing to do there in that area. If you're already booked, then this may be too late. If you haven't booked, you might wish to consider actually riding further east on the Leaf, to say Rochester. There is more to do there, and you'd have more train time and get to bed an hour earlier too.

Failing that, and assuming that you don't want to rent a car to drive to Niagara. I'd suggest jumping off the Leaf one stop early at Buffalo Exchange Street. This station is more downtown. One can walk just a couple of blocks to reach Buffalo's light rail line. You can have lunch, take a spin on the LRT if you like, walk around town, etc. Then later in the evening, one can catch a city bus out to the train station or if you prefer you could cab it out to Buffalo Depew. You will have to deal with your luggage of course, or try to get a hotel bellman to hold it for a few hours along with a nice tip.
 
pdxjim said:
Hi,

I got a 50% deal on The Canadian for travel next month and will travel Vancouver to Toronto. From there I will take the Maple Leaf to Buffalo, lay over about 10 hours, and then take the LSL to Chicago and then home on the EB via Seattle to Portland.

I need some help figuring out how much luggage I can bring aboard the Canadian.

My bag is 21" X 14" X 9" and I'm wondering if that and my backpack will fit in the "cabin for 1".

I usually leave this bag on the downstairs rack of the Superliner sleepers, but I can't tell from photos of the cabin for 1 if it will fit, or if I should bring a small duffle.

I'm looking for things to do in Buffalo during my layover. Interested in trains of course, history, and museums.

Thanks in advance.

Jim
Click to expand...
Jim, I did a similar trip the reverse of yours. I took the LSL from Chicago to Buffalo/Depew where I waited for the Maple Leaf to Toronto and it was late. I was never so bored as my wait there at that station. It's way out of town in the middle of nowhere. There is absolutely nothing to do there. I checked my bags with the station agent and went to some mall about 2 miles away and passed the time there. I took a city bus back to the station. Even the bus route only runs every 2 hours during the day. Either rent a car and drive to Niagara Falls or something. The airport is not far, if Enterprise is closed take a cab to there and rent it there. Otherwise stay on the train until you meet the LSL coming back. Buffalo just sucks.

I had the single cabin or roomette on the Canadian and I had two carry on bags. The largest is the same deminsion as yours and the small one was a soft tote bag. They fit in the room just fine. There is storage space on an upper shelf I believe in the room. In any case I did carry both into the room and stash them and I had plenty of room so don't worry about that.

Here in this Youtube video you can see this guys bag stashed on the upper shelf. It's the same size as yours and mine.

 
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Alan is correct about getting off @ the Exchange Street Station downtown! Ive done this several times going to/from Toronto on the Maple Leaf! Buffalo is a very interesting place full of historic sights, great old Buildings etc. If you do this, be sure and visit City Hall, the view from the Tower of the Lake and Canada is Outstanding and the Building itself is amazing! Lots of good Food there too, The Anchor Bar is supposedly the sight of the invention of Buffalo Wings and the Beer is Cold too (the Lines form for Lunch about 11:00AM)! Very good Beef Sandwiches also! Ridng the Maple Leaf to Rochester is also a good idea, Iv'e done that also!
 
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Buffalo? And you like trains? You might want to see Buffalo Central Terminal. Most of it is still decrepit, but it's quite impressive. But you have to take a taxi to get there. Well, to see the outside you can also stare out the northside window from your passing train, west of Buffalo-Depew.

Unfortunately you'll need to take a lot of taxis to see anything much in Buffalo from Buffalo Depew. If you stop at Buffalo Exchange St, it's possible to get around downtown from there, and you can also ride Buffalo Metro Rail if you're into urban rail.

But the LSL doesn't stop at Buffalo Exchange Street, so then you'll still have to get a taxi to get to Buffalo-Depew. (I would not try to use city bus service to get to Buffalo-Depew. It is possible, but is only-for-experts travel planning.)

Changing trains in Rochester may make more sense since the Rochester station is within walking distance of absolutely everything in downtown Rochester.
 
Ok, I have modified my schedule thanks to your suggestions. I'm going into Rochester Wednesday Jan 16, will layover there, and catch the LSL to Chicago that evening.

Is the LSL typically about an hour or so behind? Been watching the schedule the last couple of weeks and it seems the train arrives about midnight instead of 11:00pm.

Now, I'd like to know about museums, restaurants, etc. in downtown Rochester.

Thanks to all of you who told me about Buffalo-Depew. I would have been miserable there!

Jim
 
There is a Kodak Museum and the George Eastman Home in Rochester.

I don't think they are in the downtown area.
 
Rochester I know a little more about than Buffalo. Yes the George Eastman house is worth the price of admission.

http://www.eastmanhouse.org/

It is about 4 blocks south of the Amtrak station to the main city bus route. The one time that I got on the LSL from ROC I got back to the station shortly after sunset as I didn't want to be wandering around in the dark and possibly get lost or mugged.

When I got off the eastbound LSL in Rochester, I carried my bag down to the bus line and took the westbound bus out to the airport where I rented a car to go to central PA.

There is also a Children's Museum. Mrs. Strong donated a huge amount of dolls to start that museum.

It is sad to see what became of the Kodak company.

It looks like you may be spending quite a few hours in Toronto. The Canadian is scheduled to arrive about an hour after the Maple Leaf leaves.
 
I've taken the Canadian across Canada several times and there is room for a airline carryon roll a board and handbag or computer case in the "roomette" for one. Actually I like this room on the Canadian better than the Superliner roomette or economy bedroom. Have fun!
 
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