Originally Posted by
RogerD408
I don't know about the other trains, but VAC is the one and only stop in Canada. So it may be they are not worried about people jumping off the train before it gets into Vancouver. I'm sure if there is an unscheduled stop once over the border, unless a safety issue, you would not be allowed off the train and expect authorities to be on the spot quickly. Plus, we are talking about Canada where there are many unmanned crossings anyways.
You are correct, the Cascades service is the only Amtrak service that does not make any other stops once over the border. Mind you there would be a few logical stops that it could make if they changed the procedures. But that's unlikely to happen. In fact Canada wants to stop doing onboard inspections entirely.
There are currently plans underway to reroute the Adirondack via a different line in Canada that would both eliminate the one intermediary stop in Canada, but would also see the train moving from Gare Centrale station to Lucien L'Allier station. Lucien has enough room such that a fenced in area similar to what one finds in Vancouver can be created and customs would now be done after detraining. We're probably at least a year or two away from seeing that happen.
As for the Maple Leaf there is simply no way to do the same with that train, since it is actually taken over by VIA Rail at the Niagara Falls, ON station and operated as a local VIA train to Toronto. However, it is my understanding that current SOP upon entering Canada is that all passengers are taken off the train with their luggage and brought into the station to clear customs & immigration. Returning to the US usually does not see everyone being taken off the train, although on certain occasions it does happen. But most times the US officials come on board to do things.