Maple Leaf (Amtrak/VIA)

Infobox rail line
name = "Maple Leaf"
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image_width = 300px
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type = Inter-city rail
system = Amtrak / VIA Rail
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start = New York City
end = Toronto, Ontario
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open = October 29, 1977
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owner = CN, CSX, Metro-North (track)
operator = Amtrak
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linelength = convert|875|km|mi
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infobox rdt|Amtrak VIA Maple Leaf
map_state = The "Maple Leaf" is a 875-kilometre (544 mi) passenger train route operated jointly by VIA Rail and Amtrak from New York City's Pennsylvania Station to Toronto's Union Station via Albany, Syracuse, Rochester and Buffalo. The train travels during the day and takes approximately 12 hours for the 875-kilometre (544 mi) journey. Around two hours of this is required for border controls at Niagara Falls. Amtrak rolling stock is used exclusively although staffed by VIA while in Canada. A change of locomotive is made at Albany.

East of the border crossing, the line is shared with "Empire Service" trains.

The original "Maple Leaf" passenger train was a Grand Trunk Western Railroad service between Chicago, Illinois and Toronto, Ontario. The trains terminated or originated at Chicago's Dearborn Station and Toronto's Union Station and ran on a route through Stratford, Ontario, Port Huron, Flint, Lansing, and Battle Creek, Michigan and South Bend, Indiana. The route between Chicago and Port Huron is still served by Amtrak trains 365 and 364 now called the "Blue Water" service. "The Maple Leaf" name was later applied to a joint Lehigh Valley Railroad/Canadian National overnight service between New York City and Toronto. The last LV/CN Maple Leaf ran on Feb. 4, 1961.

Route details

The "Empire Service" operates over Canadian National Railway, CSX Transportation, Metro-North Railroad, and Amtrak trackage:
*CN Oakville Subdivision and Grimsby Subdivision, Toronto to Niagara Falls
*CSX Niagara Subdivision, Buffalo Terminal Subdivision, Rochester Subdivision, Mohawk Subdivision, Selkirk Subdivision, and Hudson Subdivision, Niagara Falls to Poughkeepsie (Amtrak-owned between Hoffmans and Schenectady)
*MNRR Hudson Line, Poughkeepsie to Spuyten Duyvil
*Amtrak Empire Connection, Spuyten Duyvil to Penn Station

tation stops

Future

The "Maple Leaf" crosses the Niagara River via the Whirlpool Rapids Bridge, but the owners of the bridge (the Niagara Falls Bridge Commission) are reportedly considering abandonment of its rail deck unless rail users pay for imminently necessary repairs. The "Maple Leaf" is currently the only user of this bridge, as CN funnels its traffic over the International Railway Bridge. There is no viable alternative for the "Maple Leaf" as the Michigan Central Railway Bridge is abandoned and the International Railway Bridge does not easily connect to the Niagara Falls VIA station. Thus, abandonment of the rail deck of the Whirlpool Rapids Bridge will mean an end to the "Maple Leaf".

External links

* [http://www.amtrak.com/servlet/ContentServer?pagename=Amtrak/am2Route/Horizontal_Route_Page&c=am2Route&cid=1081442673791&ssid=134 Amtrak - "Maple Leaf"]
* [http://www.viarail.ca/trains/en_trai_onta_toni.html VIA Rail Canada - Toronto-Niagara Falls train]