WINDSOR, Ontario — The mayor of Windsor, Ontario, released a “fact sheet” to local media last week which outlines a $44 million plan to convert a daily Wolverine Corridor Amtrak round trip and a Southwest Ontario VIA Rail Canada round-trip from Toronto into a Chicago-Toronto train.
First reported in an interview with radio station CKLW and later picked up by other outlets, Windsor Mayor Drew Dilkens told listeners Amtrak and VIA Rail Canada are paying for the project and are hoping to have approvals, track upgrades, and a joint customs facility built at VIA’s Windsor station. The document, labeled “Windsor Fact Sheet-November 2023,” reads, “Once funded, the cross-border could begin as soon as late 2027 with one daily Amtrak round trip.”
However, VIA spokeswoman Jamie Orchard would not confirm those details.
In an email to Trains News Wire, she writes, “VIA did not release this document and we believe it is premature to be holding this discussion in the public sphere. We can confirm that we are in private discussions with different partners, including Amtrak, to evaluate the possibility and estimate the potential costs of a project of this kind.”
Orchard adds, “No funding requests have been made and VIA has not committed to financing this project. Of course, we will be communicating with the community in due course if any decision is made regarding this project.”
Amtrak, in a Nov. 15 statement, said it is “in conversations with local, state, and provincial officials about a proposed service,” and that the document in question “is conceptional and drawn up to assist the parties in our discussions for a possible future service.”
The plan
Instead of serving Amtrak’s current Detroit station on Canadian National rails in the New Center area at Woodward Avenue and continuing on to Pontiac, Mich., the fact sheet says trains from Chicago would serve a new platform constructed adjacent to Michigan Central Station. The massive former office complex is undergoing a $740 million rehabilitation a “Global Innovation Hub” largely bankrolled by the Ford Motor Co.
Detroit’s Michigan Central once hosted New York Central’s Chicago-New York Wolverine and an Amtrak New York-Buffalo-Detroit daytime round-trip from Oct. 31, 1974, to Jan. 31, 1979. The station is situated next to tracks leading directly to CPKC’s tunnel under the Detroit River. Many trains once also stopped at Canadian Pacific Windsor station just east of the tunnel, but that was eliminated after Amtrak service ceased. Because VIA acquired Canadian National’s former route into the area that had been abandoned, trains from Toronto terminate about 3 miles north at Walkerville, named for the nearby Johnny Walker distillery.
Linking the two routes is the Essex Terminal Railway, an unsignaled industrial short line. The $44 million — unconfirmed is whether this amount is in U.S. or Canadian dollars — would presumably be spent on substantial track upgrades, signaling, and powered switches to facilitate a faster trip for the passenger train. Even so, Amtrak trains from the U.S. would essentially be backtracking to serve the VIA Windsor station.
The fact sheet says trackage modifications and a joint border security facility housing both U.S. and Canadian customs personnel will be constructed at the Windsor station. Presumably this would take the place of hour-long onboard inspections that currently plague the Toronto-bound Maple Leaf at Niagara Falls and the New York City-Montreal Adirondack at Rouses Point, N.Y.
Extensive delays contributed to the demise of Amtrak’s Chicago-Toronto International. It ran between 1982 and 2004 on the current route of the Blue Water between Chicago and Port Huron, Mich., then continued through CN’s Port Huron-Sarnia tunnel. VIA has since discontinued what had been the old daytime schedule’s second Sarnia-Toronto round-trip.
Establishing a joint facility at Windsor/Walkerville means that Amtrak and VIA would not necessarily have to share equipment; the Amtrak train from Chicago could simply reverse at Windsor for the late afternoon return to the Windy City as it does now at Pontiac, Mich. In that case, passengers would transfer.
On the other hand, serving both the current Detroit station without a new platform at Michigan Central would involve a convoluted back-up move; two Detroit stations for three Wolverine round-trips would be confusing and spread the additional station expense over the same number of trains.
Current Amtrak and VIA schedules make a taxi transfer between Walkerville and Amtrak’s Detroit station possible, but not convenient. Eastbound train No. 350 is scheduled to arrive at 1:25 p.m., not enough time to connect with the departure of VIA No. 76 at 1:46 p.m. from Walkerville; the next Toronto-bound train doesn’t leave until 5:41 p.m. Westbound, VIA No. 73 is scheduled to arrive Walkerville at 3:45 p.m. and Amtrak 355 leaves Detroit at 6:11 p.m.
Trains News Wire has made the connection in both directions with virtually no highway border delay, but doing so involves uncertainty a coordinated service would eliminate.
A host of challengers clearly need to be solved before through Chicago-Toronto trains via Detroit and Windsor can commence.
— Updated Nov. 15 at 8 p.m. CST with Amtrak statement.
The regional transportation authority should take back operation of Detroit to Royal Oak service, and move back to Michigan Central Station, along with all Amtrak trains. Close the current Amtrak station.
Interesting discussion. So much easier to use CPKC to Chatham. Build “new” Windsor station on CPKC line.
Migrate all Amtrak trains to former Michigan Central Terminal. In the end, less cost, more efficient, and makes sense.
The article’s headline is misleading.
As the article clearly states, this turkey of a proposal isn’t from either VIA or from Amtrak, it’s from the City of Windsor.
Probably more specifically from the Windsor – Walkerville neighborhood. Drank too much Canadian Club, eh?
Return it to Sarnia/Port Huron…CN already allows Amtrak trains #364/#365 to run on it’s tracks daily from Port Huron to Battle Creek where it changes over to Amtrak trackage. Getting thru the tunnel before 6 a.m. shouldn’t be an issue. Train leaves west around 6:15 a.m. now anyway. Still called the “Blue Water”.
Good luck. It’ll be needed.
Definitely.
Dr. Güntürk Üstün
My guess is that they’re looking at the Detroit route instead of Sarnia for two reasons. One, it serves a larger metro area. Two, CPKC expressed a willingness to allow passenger service through the tunnel at Detroit as part of the merger deal. CN may not be so willing to play ball up in Sarnia these days. That is a pretty awkward way to get to the current VIA station, though. Having two stations in Detroit could also cause some headaches.
This makes no sense. Time for VIA to go to MC. A wide 2 track platform can allow for border facilities for both RRs. Single train is a bogus statement. All thru persons need to get off trains anyway. Security is much tighter when Amtrak and VIA trains do no go into other country, A high level cross platform connection to others train after going thru customs. Suspect VIA station would be low level.
Not sure why you think all persons need to get off trains, at present the Amtrak Cascade runs straight through to Vancouver BC
It’s not Johnny Walker, it’s Hiram Walker.
Not really a fan of this idea. Switch to the CP tracks near Chatham and go straight to the tunnel. Whatever is still needed on the Walkerville trackage can be turned over to Essex Terminal and CN can abandon the rest. The folks in Belle River will be happy; kind of a tight squeeze on that part of the route.
Another midwest missing link that needs to be reestablished along with the National Lmtd route & the Floridian although the latter’s route probably isn’t possible any longer.
I would say the Floridian’s route is probably more ready than the National Limited’s. The Floridian in Indiana kept degrading, because of poor Penn Central trackage on both former PRR and NYC tracks. After Conrail was established, the Pan Handle east of Indianapolis was basically cut up, parts sold off and other parts torn up. That’s a shame because I enjoyed the ride from St. Louis to Pennsylvania many times from 1973-1975.
When it comes to politicians, there is no sense of confidentiality unless its something bad about them. Even if Amtrak/VIA marked the fact sheet “proprietary, not for public release” it would still get leaked.
Very much welcomed before 2027, folks! Three times in Summer 2023 I trekked from CHI to TOR by Amtrak-ride share/taxi-VIA Rail Canada … once through Sarnia and twice through Windsor. Required overnight stay both locations, both directions. I’ll say this… Business Class varies GREATLY between the two rail services, so I’d welcome the change in trains (Thanks for doing it right, VIA); also would dearly appreciate a “Night Owl” overnight service here – depart CHI pm, arrive TOR am… a guy can dream, eh?!
The related proposal from Amtrak and VIA Rail Canada would also connect Toronto and Detroit by rail for the first time since 1967, despite the cities being just 230 miles apart.
Dr. Güntürk Üstün
I would ride this service and believe a through train to Toronto from Chicago would be popular.
The former train on the logical route via Lansing, Flint, and Blue Water had lots of riders and never should have been discontinued.
This proposal via the Essex Terminal sounds like it’s looking for trouble.
I actually find it absolutely daft Charles and the talk of still switching trains not being ruled out! Is this a City of Windsor pipe dream?
There is only one logical route for Chicago to Toronto and that is via Port Huron / Sarnia without changing trains.
With travel times of just under 10 hours.
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