I took the Canadian all the way from Vancouver to Toronto as part of my month long North America Rail Pass tour in April and May 2006. I blogged about it the entire trip here:
http://jamesbrownontherails.blogspot.com/ (beware, very big page!)
I did the Canadian in three stages, stopping in Edmonton for three days between trains to visit friends and in Winnipeg to take the Hudson Bay to Churchill and back. I traveled in coach the entire way, and for every other train on my trip except for the Hudson Bay. The Hudson Bay, if you're interested, has been using the same stainless steel equipment as the Canadian ever since the ex-Florida Northern Lights stock was retired. The difference is that Hudson Bay sleeper fares don't include meals and there is very rarely a dome or lounge car, so the upgrade to sleeper accommodation for the two night journey to and from Churchill was very reasonably priced.
But I digress....
Coach class on the Canadian is called 'Comfort'. All trains west of Toronto (with the exception of the Victoria Island and Northern Ontario RDC services) use beautifully restored and well maintained fifties stainless steel stock. The interior of a seated coach is similar is dimensions and the number of seats to an Amtrak car. The seats all recline and have foot rests that rise up. The difference with Amtrak is that coach passengers get a blanket and night-time amenity kit as well as a pillow. This includes an eye mask, ear plugs etc. With the blanket, pillow, ear plugs and eye mask, I found sleeping on VIA much more comfortable than on Amtrak.
VIA Rail's website (viarail.ca) will describe all the available sleeper accommodations, but you might find this shot of the sections useful:
There are three pairs of section seats in the carriages that have them. Two pairs across an open aisle at one end of the carriage, adjacent to the toilet and gangway to the next carriage, and then another pair along the aisle. Across the aisle from that pair is a shower shared amongst the rooms in that carriage. At night the two seats slide down to form the widest single bed on the entire train (not including the honeymoon 'Romance by Rail' package, which is basically two rooms with the upper berths and dividing wall removed to create a double bed). The upper section is hinged above the top of the window. folds down, and a mattress which is stored in there during the day is placed on the flattened seats to make a bed. A small step ladder gets you into the upper section. Both are closed with heavy fabric curtains that can be secured shut with little button poppers. The upper berth is cheaper because it has no window. The lower berth is my favourite sleeper accommodation on VIA Rail: you lie in the widest bed on the train parallel to your own full size window... absolute railroading heaven
I believe, but you would need to check, that in the high season when the train is at its longest, seated coach passengers cannot use the restaurant car, but there is always a dome / lounge / café car dedicated for seated passengers. Seated coaches were (and I believe usually are) at the very front of the train behind one or two baggage vans. The dome for seated passengers is immediately behind them. In the low season you can reach the restaurant car by walking back through about three or four sleeper cars to the first restaurant. As MrFSS said, in the high season the train is so long it has as many as three or four restaurants and domes throughout the train. At the very end of the train is the streamlined dome car for the most expensive sleeper compartments.
Seated sleeper passengers do not have access to a shower on the train, but a couple of enterprising backpackers on my trip snuck back to one of the emptier sleeper carriages and enjoyed an illicit shower during the trip. I wouldn't condone this behaviour, but suggest that if you do take a chance, you'll find shower bags with towels, shower gel, shampoo etc in the cupboard with sliding doors above or near to the shower compartment :lol:
So, to sum up... VIA Rail is much more comfortable for seated passengers than Amtrak, mainly because of the amenity kit, blanket etc. You will also get your own dome car on the Canadian, and if you travel in the low season can pay for a meal in the restaurant - where you will find the freshly prepared meals a world away from Amtrak SDS fayre.
Happy traveling
*j* :blink:
