New York-Montreal train route in peril
 

A New York train-passengers group fears it might be the end of the line for Amtrak's Manhattan-Montreal train, one of the most scenic rail trips in the world and a key source of tourists for Montreal.

Since its launch in August 1974, the Albany-Montreal portion of the route has been subsidized by New York State, with current annual funding at about $5 million U.S.

But New York wants to cut that subsidy and there's only enough money to keep the train running until Sept. 30, said Bruce Becker, the Buffalo, N.Y.-based president of the Empire State Passengers Association.

http://www.montrealgazette.com/news/...502/story.html

If it's such a "key source of tourists" for Montreal, why don't the Quebecois kick in a few million loonies?

I agree. Montreal tourist board/department should subsidize the service in conjunction with NY state.

the Quebec sovereign done its best by lowering the minimum drinking age to 18 compares to NYS of 21. And Quebec is at the receiving side of Canada's equalization payments system.

I wonder how many tourists the route brings to Quebec. It takes over 11 hours to go from NYP to MTR. Driving, by comparison, takes about 7 hours. For weekend trips, taking Amtrak is not feasible as the trains run during the day and take a whole day to get to the other end.

We certainly don't want to get into the Canada vs. Quebec debate here :D

What about the tourists that go south to do things like go shopping to take advantage of differences in tax rates?

Bob H

I always think this route is one of the saddest examples of US underinvestment in trains.

NYC-Montreal is 330 miles (or thereabouts).
London-Paris is 306 miles on Eurostar.

Eurostar takes 2h15 to go from London to Paris.
Amtrak takes between 10 and 12 hours to go from NYC to Montreal.

If the US could invest something in the system (and yes, I know about all the stops en route between NYC and Montreal, but leave that aside for a moment and imagine there was a true express train) imagine how this might invigorate cross-border trade and tie the economies of Quebec and NY together?

I just think it's sad. I've taken the train from NYC to Montreal. It was cheap, but very very very slow: delayed for 3hrs on the way back, and the cafe car ran out of (what was, admittedly, bad) food.

Easy fix: Sleeping cars. That, and viable connections to Quebec City and other places.

I would have taken this train long ago if it went overnight (with Viewliners or similar) in at least one direction. 12 hours is fine, if it's 7PM to 7AM. In practice that's as fast (no daytime hours wasted) and economical (save a night's hotel stay) as a 3 hour daytime trip.

Not gonna happen on a route that's touted for its scenery.* Also, I doubt Amtrak would put sleeping cars on a route that's overnight in only one direction, because the demand would be much lower for sleepers for the daylight version of the train.

In a "perfect" world you would have a slow local on this route, for people going to smaller en-route destinations and for those who want to enjoy the scenery. And, you have have a fast, express train on this route for business travelers or other frequent travelers who value speed. In fact, if the service was good enough you could probably have multiple express trains on this route daily. But I just don't see this particular city pair being a high priority over the next 20 years.

*Obviously many western L-D trains are touted for their scenery and run through the night with sleepers. But that's on a route that takes several days from end to end, which is very different than a one-day trip.

To make it appealing to Montreal folks, you'd have to make it comparable to the Express Montreal <-> Toronto on Via. Not the fastest train the world but not bad either.

HTSC

I like the idea of a sleeper. But if, as you say, the route is about scenery and making the journey itself part of the fun, Amtrak's service needs to be *much* better than it currently is.

Ideally I'd like a dining car with white linen tablecloths and a chef (but I know that's unlikely). But what about some improved food? On French TGV trains I've eaten smoked salmon sandwiches on brown bread with a delicious cup of freshly brewed to order coffee made using its own individual filter. That's not a huge investment, and would be hugely better than the horrible, stale-smelling shrink-wrapped hot dogs that they serve.

And it'd be nice if the journey, however long, took the time it was meant to take. On my trip from Montreal to NYP, the 10hr trip actually took 13 (and the cafe car ran out of its, albeit nasty, food).

Very true. Scenery alone does not a good trip make.