money_opp

hopefully the laws will be passed to speed up the bottleneck at the border check, and hopefully there will be a second Montreal route to USA via Vermont.

http://www.railwayage.com/index.php/...tml?channel=41

You want to go where?

My recollection is that the Montrealer service was suspended because of the quality of the tracks and the ability of the owner of those tracks to give Amtrak some level of priority so as to maintain schedules. Presumably, those issues have to be worked out (or have been).

Adirondacker

However, many hurdles remain. Most fall to the state – not the federal government – to resolve.
http://nhpr.org/post/step-closer-tra...rmont-montreal

money_opp

Aug 31, 2015

"Speaking at a conference of eastern Canadian premiers and northeastern American state governors, premier Philippe Couillard confirmed negotiations are about to get underway to allow passengers to clear U.S. customs at Montreal's Central Station, rather than at the actual border."

http://www.cjad.com/cjad-news/2015/0...ake-a-comeback

fairviewroad

"Negotiations are about to get underway"

WHOA THERE.

Let's not get too hasty.

First, we'll need a period of time to lay the groundwork for advance talks that will create a framework under which negotiations may occur.

hamiltonc

And what shape the negotiating table will be....

RogerD408

Wasn't that a M*A*S*H episode?

hamiltonc

http://www.history.com/this-day-in-h...he-peace-talks

RogerD408

M*A*S*H Season 7 Episode 2 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0638380/
I knew I've seen it before...

money_opp

Bill to simplify border crossing passes U.S. Congress on December 2016

A bill with potentially sweeping consequences for the Canada-U.S. border has just been adopted by the American Congress, allowing new projects aimed at speeding up travel through the international boundary.

The so-called preclearance bill has now been adopted by both U.S. legislative chambers after being passed by the Senate overnight Saturday and is now expected to become law with President Barack Obama's signature.

The pilot projects will take place at Montreal's train station and on Western Canada's Rocky Mountaineer train line.

The projects will establish U.S. customs offices on the Canadian side of the border allowing travellers, in theory, to get screened more quickly, zip through the actual border, and ease the logjams that slow travel and commerce.

money_opp

Canada signs pre-clearance agreement

December 14, 2017
PLATTSBURGH — A U.S./Canadian pre-clearance agreement has been passed and signed into law by the Canadian government.

The law, which paves the way for expanded U.S. jurisdiction over U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents working in Canada, has been pending passage by that country since former President Barack Obama signed it last year.

It allows for pre-clearance of U.S.-bound Amtrak passengers in Montreal, which could reduce the frequency of lengthy delays at the Rouses Point border crossing.

Canada signs pre-clearance agreement | Local News | pressrepublican.com

jackal

I still don't understand why they can't just do it like I've had it done elsewhere (eastern Europe, etc.) and have customs officers board the train at the last stop before the border and detrain at the first stop after the border, working on processing passengers on the train while it travels between the two. Seems to work 100% fine and is very convenient for passengers (and the railroad).

That said, preclearance at MTR is likely not really a big deal since (based on my view of the platform from the last car in the train) St. Lambert isn't a terribly popular stop (backed up by this and this), so bypassing it likely won't have many adverse effects on ridership.

BobH

Once upon a time, that was done on the train that ran Chicago to Toronto--- but that was a half century before 9/11 and the Canadian staff that worked the train in Michigan knew their regulars.

Bob H

joshwex90

Has there been any movement in terms of clearance on Adirondack?

In the other direction, is entering Canada as bad as entering the US?