This is a link to show pictures from my trip.
http://steve4031.smugmug.com/gallery/19450.../7402357/Medium
July 15
With only one light rail line to ride in Buffalo, we had a leisurely start to the day. Harry’s train was close to on time, and he took a cab from the Depew station to the hotel. We all sat around talking trains and having second and third cups of coffee. It was pouring rain outside when we did set out for are ride on the light rail. We rode back towards the downtown areas, and then out to the end of the line. In the “free zone”, the cars operate down the middle of the street in a major business area of Buffalo. Restaurants and one of the more expensive hotel properties line the route in the free zone. One the trains leave the free zone, they enter a subway, and continue in the subway to the end of the line. We had lunch at a subway restaurant at the end of the line, and then rode back downtown so one person could get his bag from the hostel, and then join us at our hotel so that we could ride together to the Amtrak station in the complimentary hotel shuttle. The group was too large to fit in one van, so the driver was going to make two trips because the other driver was making another trip. No problem we thought. The Maple leaf was running a little late. Then we arrived at the station and the ticket agent told us that the train had just arrived Depew. I called Alan so he could tell the driver to step on it, and somebody else called group member who were riding up from New York. The people on the train reported that they were sitting east of the Depew station waiting for a freight train. No worries. Alan’s van arrived, and everyone piled out hurrying, only to find out that the trains was still going to be a little late.
The Maple leaf consisted of several Amfleet cars. We all boarded the same car, and claimed our window seats. I immediately noted that lack of leg room, and remembered the lack of leg room from the previous day’s trip, and then mentally noted that this might be a trip that is a bit too long for a ride in an Amfleet I car.
At the border, the formalities were completed fairly quickly, and then passengers had about 40 minutes to get off and stretch our legs. A hotel that looked like it might serve as a Brothel earned a few one liners as to how to spend time. I found an ATM so I could have Canadian money. We left on time.
Kevin made a trip to the snack car, and came back noting that the VIA staff had their own stock of food with sizes listed in the metric system. Another group member noted that it was impressive that they had opened right away while we still sat in the Niagara Falls station.
The train stayed on time until shortly before Oakville where we crawled along at extremely slow speeds as we joined the line from London, Ontario. Somebody with a scanner noted that the dispatcher had apologized to the crew of our train for forgetting about them. Shortly after that, we were back up to full speed. We pulled into Toronto only a few minutes late. We held court in the main hall of Union Station while determining the meeting point for tomorrow’s Railfest activities. We agreed to meet near the information kiosk the following morning.
http://steve4031.smugmug.com/gallery/19450.../7402357/Medium
July 15
With only one light rail line to ride in Buffalo, we had a leisurely start to the day. Harry’s train was close to on time, and he took a cab from the Depew station to the hotel. We all sat around talking trains and having second and third cups of coffee. It was pouring rain outside when we did set out for are ride on the light rail. We rode back towards the downtown areas, and then out to the end of the line. In the “free zone”, the cars operate down the middle of the street in a major business area of Buffalo. Restaurants and one of the more expensive hotel properties line the route in the free zone. One the trains leave the free zone, they enter a subway, and continue in the subway to the end of the line. We had lunch at a subway restaurant at the end of the line, and then rode back downtown so one person could get his bag from the hostel, and then join us at our hotel so that we could ride together to the Amtrak station in the complimentary hotel shuttle. The group was too large to fit in one van, so the driver was going to make two trips because the other driver was making another trip. No problem we thought. The Maple leaf was running a little late. Then we arrived at the station and the ticket agent told us that the train had just arrived Depew. I called Alan so he could tell the driver to step on it, and somebody else called group member who were riding up from New York. The people on the train reported that they were sitting east of the Depew station waiting for a freight train. No worries. Alan’s van arrived, and everyone piled out hurrying, only to find out that the trains was still going to be a little late.
The Maple leaf consisted of several Amfleet cars. We all boarded the same car, and claimed our window seats. I immediately noted that lack of leg room, and remembered the lack of leg room from the previous day’s trip, and then mentally noted that this might be a trip that is a bit too long for a ride in an Amfleet I car.
At the border, the formalities were completed fairly quickly, and then passengers had about 40 minutes to get off and stretch our legs. A hotel that looked like it might serve as a Brothel earned a few one liners as to how to spend time. I found an ATM so I could have Canadian money. We left on time.
Kevin made a trip to the snack car, and came back noting that the VIA staff had their own stock of food with sizes listed in the metric system. Another group member noted that it was impressive that they had opened right away while we still sat in the Niagara Falls station.
The train stayed on time until shortly before Oakville where we crawled along at extremely slow speeds as we joined the line from London, Ontario. Somebody with a scanner noted that the dispatcher had apologized to the crew of our train for forgetting about them. Shortly after that, we were back up to full speed. We pulled into Toronto only a few minutes late. We held court in the main hall of Union Station while determining the meeting point for tomorrow’s Railfest activities. We agreed to meet near the information kiosk the following morning.
