Qualifying Runs Being Made on Adirondack Route

Amtrak has been operating qualifying run trains in advance of reinstating service by the Adirondack to Montreal.

The New York-Montreal train has not operated in Canada since the early days of COVID-19 pandemic.

The qualifying trips operated in Canada over Canadian National tracks and went to Montreal’s Central Station.

Amtrak has not given a date for the resumption of service to Montreal. It restored service to Vancouver, British Columbia, in September.

A Trains magazine report said the qualification runs have operated from Montreal to the U.S. border and then returned to Montreal.

These runs have have been operating for the past two weeks.

An Announcement That Didn’t Announce Much About When International Service Would Resume

Amtrak recently announced that it is working to resume serving Canada with its Maple Leaf (New York-Toronto), Adirondack (New York-Montreal) and Cascades Service (Seattle-Vancouver) but didn’t say when those services would be restored.

The service advisory posted at Amtrak’s website only said it hoped the services could resume in early 2022.

The advisory said the passenger carrier said it is working with federal agencies on the matter.

The announcement did say that Thruway bus service provided by Cantrail resumed on Dec. 1 between Seattle and Vancouver with a stop in Richmond, British Columbia.

Inspection Train Examines Route to Montreal

Amtrak ran an inspection train on Tuesday from St. Albans, Vermont, to Montreal as part of a review of the feasibility of extending the Vermonter into Canada.

The inspection train traveled the freight-only Swanton Subdivision of New England Central and Canadian National.

The consist included Amtrak P42DC No. 101, Amcafe 43371 and American View, the Viewliner theater inspection car.

Stops were made to inspect various structures and track.

Amtrak’s former Montrealer served the route north of St. Albans until 1995. That train originated in Washington and operated via New York.

Amtrak continues to serve Montreal with its Adirondack, which operates via Albany-Rensselaer, New York.

Vermont Eyes Extending Vermonter to Montreal

Vermont officials are optimistic that a new law expanding customers operations outside the United States will pave the way for extending the Vermonter to Montreal.

The law, which was signed by President Obama last year, will allow the United States to expand the number of pre-clearance facilities it has in Canada.

One of those new pre-clearance facilities is expected to be established in Montreal Central Station, which is also served by Amtrak’s New York-Montreal Adirondack.

The Vermonter operates between Washington and St. Albans, Vermont. In past years the train operated to Montreal as the Montrealer.

In the pre-clearance program, passengers bound for the United Sates go through customs in Canada. Those who do not pass the inspection are not allowed to board the train.

The program has been used for airline passengers for many years. The U.S. currently has 15 pre-clearance facilities in six countries.

Customs officials say an advantage of preclearance is cost savings. Last year customs turned away more than 10,000 travelers and saved $20 million in detention and repatriation expenses.

The office of U.S. Senator Patrick Leahy of Vermont said it will be at least two years before everything is in place to be able to extend the Vermonter to Montreal.

Some sections of track in Canada need to be rehabilitated, union-related crew issues must be worked out and funding for the track work and construction of the Montreal pre-clearance facility has yet to be approved.

If the Vermonter is extended into Canada, there will be no intermediate stops between Montreal Central Station and St. Albans. U.S. and Canadian customs inspections will be done in Montreal.

“This Act is key to the long-term strategy of the United States and Canada to make cross-border transit more efficient, fostering economic development and improving safety and security of our shared border,” said Amtrak’s senior Vice President of Government Affairs Joe McHugh in a statement. “When implemented, Amtrak passengers can look forward to a more reliable, safer and more efficient cross-border experience.”

It is not clear what effect the incoming Trump administration might have on the preclearance expansion plans.

Trump has vowed to tighten border security although he has not commented specifically about the U.S.-Canadian border.