Canadian delayed almost 48 hours - potential new schedule coming.

[Palmetto]

CN is not going to run shorter trains. That would wreck their precious operating ratio, make the Wall St. boys mad and cut down the executives' bonuses.

Are you trying to tell us that it's all about the money? I'm shocked--shocked, I tell you!

 

[Dakota 400]

This gentleman must never have ridden on the Southwest Chief or the California Zephyr in the Plain States of the United States when the trains were trying to make up time.

What would he have thought about my experience of a C&O Cincinnati to Washington trip? Having dinner shortly after departing Cincinnati, when the Steward placed my cup of soup (on a saucer, thankfully) on the table. a large portion of the soup left the bowl and ended up in the saucer because of the rough tracks and, I suppose, our speed.

Did I feel unsafe in either of these scenarios? No. Trains move!

It's a good thing that his wife and he did not take the train in the Winter. Think of his comments about scenery: snow, snow, snow, followed by more snow.

 

[keelhauled]

Came across this tonight... apparently one passenger was angry enough over a 19 hour delay, they created a website to vent their frustration.

http://thecanadiantrain.com/

When I took the train last summer, we were 8-12 hours late. It does reach some fast speeds through the prairies, but I didn't feel unsafe at any point of my 300+ hours on the train last July

Looks like the author of this thread (Trainorders subscription required) is taking his disappointment to extremes I have never before seen...

 

[cpotisch]

Looks like the author of this thread (Trainorders subscription required) is taking his disappointment to extremes I have never before seen...

Sure seems like it...

I plan on posting more than one thread, about our recent ride on VIA Train No. 2

Really? 5 bucks says this guy ends up on AU soon.

I don't consider myself a "Rail Fan." I don't chase trains, nor do I profess to know everything about them, like so many others on this site.

You don't know about trains? Then maybe you shouldn't claim to know what their capabilities are, what is safe operation of them, and what the crew are doing.

Well, the train, scheduled to leave at 8:30pm, did not depart until almost 12:30am--4 hours late--due to the No. 1 arriving very late.

Four hours late? You're already getting riled up about that, despite you literally admitting that that was because the inbound train arrived late.

What I have never seen discussed here before, is WHAT HAPPENS when these trains get late. What do YOU think happens? Well, what actually happens, is that the engineers try to make up time and they do this by really opening the throttle when they have a clear right of way. Unfortunately, they do this pretty much whenever they can, seemingly with absolutely zero regards for the comfort--or safety--of the passengers and crew.

How do you know that the engineers are recklessly flooring it whenever they get the chance? Were you in there talking to them?

Mind you, I have ridden the TGF in France

The TGF? Huh?

We felt like we were riding in a cattle car and that making up time was more important to the crew than the safety, health and comfort of the passengers onboard.

Now you're bringing health into this? And again, by your own admission, you left Vancouver late because the inbound train arrived late. Would you have wished that that train hadn't tried to make up time, even if it meant that you would end up departing even later?

 

[Trogdor]

Interesting as that thread may be (or not), I really don't see the point in bringing that discussion over here, quoting parts of it, then responding to this "you" person who may or may not wind up on this forum. After all, the post on TO is a month and a half old, and they haven't made it over here yet.

 

[cpotisch]

Interesting as that thread may be (or not), I really don't see the point in bringing that discussion over here, quoting parts of it, then responding to this "you" person who may or may not wind up on this forum. After all, the post on TO is a month and a half old, and they haven't made it over here yet.

Point taken. I just get kind of annoyed when people start assuming that the crew is being reckless and unsafe, when they clearly don't care or know much about trains. But yeah, probably doesn't make much sense to go on a rant about it here...

 

[Seaboard92]

If you think you get annoyed by people doing that CP wait till you get people like me involved. Most railfans, advocates, foamers, etc when I'm working will tell me how to do my job. Yet they've never actually done my job in the first place. And someone like Streamliner from that board falls into that category.

If you don't understand why we do something the way we do just ask. Some of us will say just cause, and others that are more like me will explain to you why we do things a certain way. If you have a suggestion on how to do it better. Some of us will listen and see if it makes sense.

I personally am not openly hostile to new ways of doing things as long as they can be done safely, and more efficiently. But I am openly hostile when people tell me and the crafts how to do our jobs when they've never once done our jobs. The thing is on all of my runs I have I like to take someone under my wing and show them the ropes.

But that's because I was taught by a much older generation how to do things. My lineage goes back to (NC&STL, Southern, Savannah and Atlanta, and Chesapeake and Ohio) of course all two generations ago. My mentor was taught by men from each of those lines. And he In turn taught me their lessons.

 

[JRR]

I loved the Canadian! Being 9 hrs late just gave me that much longer to enjoy the ride!

 

[Dakota 400]

JRR,

Surely don't disagree with your post. It's the issues that may arise with connection/hotel issues upon de-training that concerns me.

 

[zephyr17]

I always build in layovers to allow for very late trains. However, that really only allows for trains up to 18 hour late trains. A 24 to 48 late train would mess up my usual allowance.

 

[FreeskierInVT]

The last few runs of the Canadian seemed to be closer to on time than the last month or so. 2(22) even left Edson, AB a few minutes early, but then sat at Edmonton for 5-1/2 hours. It arrived to Toronto just under 10 hours late but its turn for 1(26) is estimated to leave 3 hours late, better than the 12 hour late departures out of Toronto in weeks past.

During my trip last summer I allowed for an extra day in Toronto after coming east. I had lost my first day in Vancouver due to delays from wildfires in BC but wasn't making a connection there. I also had a (forced) overnight in Jasper connecting to the Skeena, though I would've built in that day anyway with the frequent delays.

Many of my fellow Youth 150 passholders weren't expecting delays like we had, with some trying to make connecting bus transfers at Jasper with as few as 10 minutes between the Canadian's scheduled arrival and the bus departure. Needless to say, that connection didn't happen. One person I talked to who tried this was stranded in Jasper overnight, with no available lodging in town.

 

[JRR]

JRR,

Surely don't disagree with your post. It's the issues that may arise with connection/hotel issues upon de-training that concerns me.

I agree with you as it affects those actually depending on connections etc. It seemed to me, everyone I talked to was just taking it for the “ride”!