Yeah, I wish. But WashDOT has been very consistent and very firm that they won't restore rail service north of Seattle until the Canadian border opens and Canada seems very reticent, although there is definitely pressure building. The continued closure is getting quite a bit of coverage now, including the NY Times yesterday, and the coverage doesn't have a generally favorable slant towards the closure. I am hoping for July 21st, but pessimistically I am still really not expecting it until September.
Also, on that webinar Wednesday that Cal and I both attended, the All Aboard Washington guy said when it does resume it will only be one train initially.
Yup, I know. I'm going to seem like "the guy who thinks he knows everything". Haha Although I work out of Seattle, I live in Vancouver, Canada. So the border closure is extremely important to me, and I'm always trying to stay in the loop.
30 days after the border opens to leisure travel, is about when the first train north will roll. I know it'll only be one train each way for the time being, and they will supposedly be 517/518.
Not to be a negative Nancy, but the quarantine requirement for Canadian citizens and residents returning from abroad hasn't even been lifted yet, that's coming July 5th. Heck, there are some provinces that even domestic travellers need to quarantine upon entering. Like I'm talking, police checkpoints at the border to ensure even entering is documented. So until the provinces lightened the restrictions, there was really no sense in the federal government relaxing the restrictions. But, both Canadian and American media conveniently left that info out of the news.
Canada is catching up on vaccinations after a slow start. 65% with the first dose and 19% both as of June 19th per the New York Times article on June 29th. Trudeau himself said 75% first dose, 20% second for opening, so they are not that far away and there appears to less vaccine resistance up there. I think they'll be open before year end, there is going to be some political pressure and some probably some pretty heavy diplomatic pressure from the US once they reach goals Trudeau himself set. I think they're probably going to require evidence of vaccination to enter, although the only evidence available to US residents is pretty flimsy and easily forged.
The good news here is, like you've mentioned, there are numbers set, and we are rapidly approaching them. Vaccines have really started becoming more readily available in recent week, but it's still been tough going. I received my first dose on March 26th, and was quoted July 26th for my second. I ended up getting moved up, and was able to go in on June 8th. My husband, who also works in the food industry (on a college campus, mind you), was finally able to get his
first, on May 29th. So it's still slow going, but it's progressing.
Regarding vaccination records, keep in mind how strict Canada is on entry requirements. If someone is caught with forged documents, it would incur a hefty (likely up to $10,000CAD) fine, as well as possible jail time, and being barred entry from Canada for a number of years. I wouldn't be shocked if Canada strikes a way to tie in to US medical records to have access to vaccination records. Canada has already made it clear that it's a fan of a so called "vaccine passport", and knowing that the US (which supplies that vast majority of foreign tourists to Canada) will not be participating in a similar program, will not settle well.
