According to Apple Maps, it says the Adirondack Amtrak train is returning September 12th. This likely means the first train from NYC will be the day before
Looking at tickets, the first day I can book a train is September 12th, so it seems accurate
This is great news.
Pendant ce temps, rien ne semble s’ébruiter sur la possibilité d’une douane à la Gare Centrale ou l’amélioration des infrastructures ferroviaires… Ce serait chouette d’avoir un train capable de rouler l’été et prenant moins du double du temps de parcours d’une voiture! Et on ne parlera même pas de réintroduire le Vermonter…
Il y aurait certainement le potentiel de développer un TGF entre Montréal et New York, mais la frontière internationale entre les deux rend la coopération pour le moins limitée. On pourrait dire de même d’un TGF Montréal-Sherbrooke-Boston. Le potentiel est là, mais l’appétit politique ne semble pas au rendez-vous.
Et un train de nuit SVP 
He took the midnight train going anywhere.
Is that a song?
Oui, c’est la chanson « Dont Stop Believin’ » du groupe Journey. Un classique des années 80.
LOL maintenant que tu me le dis je vais avoir la tune dans la tête pour le reste de la journée 
Un bel article du Washington Post concernant les expansions proposés de Amtrak. On y voit d’ailleurs Montréal.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/transportation/2023/08/30/amtrak-brightline-high-speed-rail/
Un retour du Vermonter à Montréal? Si le dossier des douanes américaines à la Gare Centrale peut débloquer dans la prochaine année, les chances de voir ce retour se concrétiser seraient améliorées.
Aussi, pendant qu’Amtrak est en mesure de proposer de nombreuses expansions grâce à un budget bonifié par l’administration Biden, VIA Rail doit se contenter du retour de la ligne Montréal-Gaspé. Le gouvernement fédéral doit améliorer la connectivité entre les diverses régions du pays et pas seulement le corridor Toronto-Québec.
Le train Montréal-New York, qui est à l’arrêt depuis la fin du mois de juin en raison de restrictions liées à la chaleur, devrait finalement reprendre du service à compter de lundi prochain. Son responsable, Amtrak, dit toutefois devoir encore fignoler « plusieurs détails opérationnels » pour y arriver.
Publié à 10h13
Henri Ouellette-Vézina
LA PRESSE
« Nous espérons relancer le service le 11 septembre, mais nous devons encore peaufiner plusieurs détails opérationnels pour que cette date soit respectée. Cela dit, nous avons ouvert les ventes, car nous croyons que ces problèmes seront résolus avant le redémarrage », explique par courriel une porte-parole de l’entreprise ferroviaire, Jen Flanagan.
Il est en effet possible depuis peu de se procurer des billets pour la liaison entre les deux villes après le 11 septembre. En avril, Amtrak avait annoncé en grande pompe le retour de sa liaison Montréal-New York, l’Adirondack, qui avait été mise sur pause en raison de la pandémie. En 2019, le train avait transporté 117 490 passagers.
Depuis la fin du mois de juin, le train était toutefois de nouveau à l’arrêt. C’est que le Canadien National (CN), qui possède les rails sur lesquels circulent les trains d’Amtrak, a imposé des « restrictions de chaleur » qui limitent les vitesses à une fourchette de 10 à 40 milles par heure pendant la saison estivale, l’équivalent de 16 à 64 km/h. Résultat : le trajet était jugé trop long, avec des retards potentiels de plus de quatre heures.
« Nous avons été contraints de suspendre le service jusqu’à ce que des températures plus fraîches arrivent pour réduire le risque de ces opérations excessivement lentes », souligne d’ailleurs Mme Flanagan.
Le tout découlait d’une réglementation adoptée l’an dernier par Transports Canada, qui impose aux organisations ferroviaires « d’établir des seuils de température qui, lorsqu’ils sont atteints, entraînent l’application de limitations de vitesse et d’exigences d’inspection de la voie supplémentaires ».
On ignore encore comment et si les parties prenantes comptent éviter une nouvelle fermeture l’été prochain. Officiellement, Amtrak se dit « encore en communication avec le CN et le NYSDOT [Département du Transport de l’État de New York] pour [identifier] une solution à long terme », mais refuse de s’avancer davantage.
Le CN, lui, n’avait pas répondu à nos questions à ce sujet au moment d’écrire ces lignes.
Cet été, Amtrak avait soutenu avoir « exploré différentes solutions », avec le CN et le NYSDOT, mais en vain. Cet été, l’Adirondack n’a donc fonctionné qu’entre New York et Albany, puis New York et Saratoga Springs.
En juillet, le CN avait tenu Amtrak responsable de cette situation, jugeant que l’entreprise refuse de débourser les frais nécessaires qui permettraient une réouverture. « Amtrak est responsable et n’a pas payé l’entretien nécessaire pour maintenir la voie à un niveau permettant d’assurer la fluidité de son service », avait martelé son porte-parole, Mathieu Gaudreault.
Pas certain que c’est le cas aujourd’hui! 
Hâte de voir si les chaleurs des prochains jours vont affecter le service, mais bon le 11 septembre ça devrait pas être trop pire.
Wed, 09/20/2023 - 13:10 – tim
Instead of the “Vermonter” terminating in St Albans, the congressional delegation, and many Vermonters, want it to proceed all the way to Montreal. Amtrak photo.
And Improve Preclearance and Construct New Preclearance Facility
Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Congressional Delegation, led by Senate Commerce Committee member Senator Peter Welch (D-VT), this week called on Amtrak to provide an update on the establishment of interim preclearance operations to support rail travel between Vermont and Quebec and the federal actions needed for the full implementation of a preclearance program. Senators Welch and Bernie Sanders (I-VT), and Representative Becca Balint (D-VT) asked Amtrak Board of Directors Chair Anthony Coscia to work with the delegation to expand rail service in Vermont.
“Expanding Amtrak’s existing service to connect Vermont and Quebec—already Vermont’s largest international trading partner—would improve economic opportunity in our state. For many Vermont businesses and residents, Montreal is the closest out-of-state metropolitan area—closer even than Boston or New York City. However, despite this centuries-long relationship encompassing cross-border communities, friends, families, and businesses, Amtrak’s Vermonter line has not travelled to Montreal since 1995,” the Vermont Delegation wrote in the letter.
“As you know, a key challenge to expanding rail service to Quebec is the lack of preclearance operations in Canada that would allow passengers to undergo customs checks prior to boarding their train. Preclearance would reduce delays associated with international travel, improve safety and security along our northern border, and strengthen the cultural and commercial ties between the United States and Canada,” the Delegation concluded.
The Vermont Delegation requested Amtrak detail the interim steps Amtrak is taking to establish a preclearance program at Montreal Central Station before the permanent facility can be constructed, and how Amtrak is working with U.S. Customs and Border Protection on those steps. The Delegation also asked how soon Amtrak anticipates a preclearance program could begin between Vermont and Montreal, and the additional federal actions needed to expedite the completion of that process—including the staffing, equipment, access agreements, and funding and timeline for the construction of a preclearance facility.
Congress authorized Amtrak to expand preclearance operations to allow rail activities in Canada in 2016 through the Promoting Travel, Commerce, and National Security Act. Logistical and operational obstacles have hindered the full implementation of preclearance activities between the United States and Canada, and a preclearance facility in Montreal Central Station has not been finished to-date.
As outlined in the letter, the resumption of the Ethan Allen Express line between New York and Vermont, which included newly reopened stations in Burlington, Middlebury, and Vergennes, has been a popular and economically impactful improvement for Vermont’s local communities. Expanding rail service between Vermont and Quebec would build on this progress for the state’s small businesses, workers, and tourism industry.
Read and download the full letter here.
Taking the train currently from NY back to Montréal, the rail quality past the border is quite bad. The train became super shaky, and not all the crossings worked properly so we had to stop several times at streets. I really think people should contact representatives here in Québec about this issue, in upstate there is a lot of talk and discussions, but nothing from what I heard here.
North Country Chamber echoes importance of bi-national corridor line
WASHINGTON, D.C. | On Sept. 25, Congresswoman Elise Stefanik sent a letter demanding that Amtrak and the Canadian National Railway (CN) provide a plan of action to avoid a future summer stoppage of service of the Amtrak Adirondack Line.
In June, CN implemented safety restrictions of 10mph, which shut down service when the temperature reached 86 degrees Fahrenheit or higher, citing concerns about the condition of the track. As a result, Amtrak suspended service north of Saratoga Springs for 79 days. Currently, Amtrak and CN have no plan to make the needed fixes to the tracks to avoid a future summer stoppage of service.
“In light of the recent resumption of full passenger service along the Amtrak Adirondack Line, I write to you today to urge Amtrak and Canadian National Railway (CN) to work together to identify the requirements for track improvements along the 43 miles of track owned by CN in order to avoid any further service disruptions due to air temperature. Amtrak and CN must ensure that the Adirondack Line is fully operational by next summer. Without a plan of action, the closure of this past summer will repeat itself, hampering tourism and economic development and further damaging the close relationship between Upstate New York residents and our Canadian neighbors. This is unacceptable,” Stefanik said.
“Both Amtrak and CN had over three years of stopped service time to address any concerns they may have had with the railroad infrastructure. Going forward, Amtrak and CN must work together to outline a plan on the track improvements needed, ensure track conditions are safe for all passengers, and end this continued ambiguity on the availability of service of the Adirondack Line,” Stefanik continued.
“Our small businesses rely on the Adirondack Line to connect tourists and our Canadian neighbors to our region, as well as provide New York families with a critical transportation service. Our communities in Upstate New York and the North Country deserve the certainty of service, which is why shutting down the Adirondack Line during times of hot air temperature is not an acceptable solution. I implore Amtrak and CN to ensure that this service disruption does not happen again and to commit to a detailed timeline to provide certainty for tourists and families throughout Upstate New York and the North Country."
North Country Chamber of Commerce President Garry Douglas said “It’s crucial that the much-welcomed resumption of Amtrak service in our bi-national corridor is quickly followed with a clear plan from Amtrak and CN Rail to make the necessary upgrades in tracks north of the border so we don’t face annual summer service stoppages. Congresswoman Stefanik’s letter is a welcome act in shifting our collective advocacy squarely onto fixing the problem that disrupted service in the first place this year. We’re not fully back on track until we have a clear action plan and that falls squarely on CN and Amtrak. Let the push for answers continue!”
CN rail is a slumlord essentially. But even worse, these companies have a borderline monopoly on the routes they serve. No one is going to build tracks for passenger service to the border
Ok so there’s now another problem, but this time in NYC. The info isn’t in this article, but the train between Montréal and NYC ends in Albany. And there aren’t any trains now from Albany to the Metro-North (commuter train for upstate NY).
Published Nov. 13, 2023Updated Nov. 14, 2023, 12:19 a.m. ET
Amtrak service into New York City remained disrupted Monday morning because of structural issues with a garage above the train tracks.Daniel Slim/Getty Images
Amtrak train service on the line between New York City and Albany remained disrupted for a second day on Monday after structural issues were discovered in a parking garage above the train tracks in Midtown Manhattan.
Service was suspended between Pennsylvania Station in New York and the Croton-Harmon stop in Westchester because of problems with the garage, which is on 51st Street between 10th and 11th Avenues, Amtrak said. On Sunday, when the suspension first began, service was halted between New York City and Albany.
Engineers found structural issues throughout the garage and above the tracks, including exposed rebar, cracks and holes in concrete, according to the city’s Department of Buildings. The garage is attached to a 38-story apartment building on 10th Avenue known as the Hudsonview Terrace.
A spokesman for Amtrak said Monday that he did not know when service would be restored and that it would depend on the status of the garage, which is privately owned. The Department of Buildings has issued a partial vacate order for the garage. No structural problems have been found at surrounding buildings, the city said.
On Monday morning, there was yellow caution tape blocking the entrance to the garage. A sign said it had been closed for repairs since Friday. There was no response at a phone number for its owners.
The problems were first uncovered on Friday, when an engineer hired by the property owner called 911 to report structural issues, a Department of Buildings spokesman said. Engineers from the city and Amtrak responded and found two holes in ramps at the garage, and Amtrak determined that trains could continue to run if overhead protection was installed above the tracks, the spokesman said.
But on Sunday morning, Amtrak workers discovered additional structural issues beneath the garage while they were installing the overhead protection. City engineers inspected the garage again on Sunday and found more problems, the spokesman said.
Metro-North trains continued to run on Monday between Grand Central Terminal and Croton-Harmon, and Amtrak tickets were being honored on that line.
At Grand Central on Monday, trains were running on time and commuters boarded trains to and from Croton-Harmon in orderly fashion. Nothing appeared out of the ordinary on the main concourse.
There are hundreds of parking garages throughout New York City, including many that were built before World War II. Dozens of aging structures have been cited for hazardous conditions that have lingered unresolved. One person was killed in April when a portion of a four-story garage in Lower Manhattan collapsed.
A new city law requires parking garage operators to hire professional engineers to inspect their structures and file reports to the Buildings Department. The operators of the garage on 51st Street have not filed their report yet, which is due before the end of the year.
Is acela suspended too? Im not sure i understand which segment of tunnel is affected. Only the line heading north out of manhattan on the west side?
Yes that’s exactly it, it’s over the tracks towards the west side line. Acela and the Northeast Corridor lines are unaffected.
Thankfully it seems like the issue will be mostly resolved soon.
Daneil Slim / AFP via Getty Images
By Catalina Gonella
Published Nov 14, 2023
Modified Nov 14, 2023
Amtrak service between New York City and Croton-on-Hudson in Westchester County is expected to be partially restored by Thursday morning and possibly fully restored by Friday night, the rail company said Tuesday — a welcome relief for commuters who rely on the service to get to and from Albany.
Trains have not been running between Moynihan Train Hall at Penn Station and the Croton-Harmon station since Sunday, after a parking garage in Hell’s Kitchen that sits above the railroad tracks was deemed structurally unsafe. Amtrak has been directing passengers to take Metro-North at Grand Central Terminal and Croton-Harmon as an alternative, and Metro-North is honoring their Amtrak tickets.
An engineer for the owner of the parking garage, located on W. 51st Street between 10th and 11th avenues, called 911 last Friday to report the issues there. NYC Department of Buildings and Amtrak engineers later found two holes in the garage’s ramps and cracks and deterioration in steel beams, leading Amtrak to suspend service on the affected portion of the Empire Line but without a timeline for restoration. One of the holes looked directly down onto the tracks, pictures shared with Gothamist by the DOB showed.
The department had issued a vacate order at the garage on Friday, and engineers had begun installing “overhead protection” above the tracks while the garage owners started repairs above the train tunnel’s roof, according to a DOB spokesperson. The additional issues, including the cracked beams, were discovered Sunday morning, and officials awaited a repair plan from the property owner, Lineage Properties. (A person at the company who identified themselves as “management” declined to comment on Monday.)
On Tuesday, the DOB spokesperson said the department had received shoring and repair plans from the property owner’s engineers on Monday afternoon and approved them that evening. The work then started at the site on Tuesday morning, he said.
According to the DOB, enough of the work will be completed to safely open one of the two Amtrak tracks by Wednesday evening, allowing trains to run on the line by early Thursday morning. The second line could open by Friday evening, the DOB said.
Just wanted to share, a night train along the Adirondack would be perfect, as you’d be able to sleep the entire time comfortably and arrive when it becomes day time. I think they could even charge $15 more than the current ticket just for that option, so many more people would take that over the day train, because of how long it takes currently.
Amtrak has two sets of service, one that’s funded by the federal government, and the other funded by the states. The Adirondack train is funded by NY State, so the issue of track maintenance and service is way more local and could be fixed way more easily. I might write a letter to the governor and local representatives along the line about adding the night service, as well as of course repairing the track in Quebec
