Syracuse trip:

 

Prologue:

 

            After the Canada-U.S. border reopened following the COVID 19 pandemic and the Maple Leaf returned to Toronto, I began contemplating going back to the United States to “test the waters” to see how easy crossing the border will be prior to planning additional trips to the States. I eventually settled on taking the Maple Leaf to Syracuse and staying two days there before returning home. The times I’ve been to Syracuse, I never had the time to explore it proper.

 

            I decided to wait until early/mid March 2023 for this trip once I had three days off in a row from work. Unfortunately for this trip, my job gave me multiple shifts in a row and no more than two days off constantly pushing the trip back.

 

            In the first full week of June, I initially had Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday off. After looking around, I eventually swapped shifts with a coworker to allow this trip to finally happen. I was now going from Tuesday to Thursday. The trip unfolded as follows.

 

June 6, 2023:

 

            I got a ride to Finch. I noticed a woman ranting about stuff including homosexuals. I watched for a few seconds before boarding a subway train.

 

            When the subway got to Davisville, we waited as a work train crossed in front of us. I saw it was RT-38 and RT-39. RT-38 is a former H-4 passenger car. I attempted to photograph it.

 

 

            The subway departed and we soon got to Union. I got off and soon joined the line for VIA #97. Eventually, it was time to board. I was seated in Amfleet 1 coach #82671. I noticed that the Maple Leaf’s consist had changed since the Niagara Falls Orion 7 charter last summer. It now consisted of a diesel, three Amfleet 1 coaches, a single Amfleet 2 coach, and an Amfleet 1 café car with Business Class seats at one end. I turned on my laptop expecting to work on this report and found the screen was broken and the laptop wasn’t working! Bummer! I would not get to use it for the duration of the trip.

 

            I saw VIA trains 62 and 52 boarding a few tracks over. Train #52 has HEP2 coaches. I saw passengers boarding the last car of the train.

 

            Prior to this trip, VIA found potential problems with the stainless steel Budd built coaches resulting in VIA running buffer cars in the event of a collision. This even affected the Canadian with the Park cars observation end being blocked by a coach ruining the view out back. However, things were starting to look up. Plus with passengers boarding the rear coach of #52 gave hope unless the HEP2 coaches weren’t part of this.

 

            The train left on time. I filmed VIA’s Toronto Maintenance Center. My ticket was taken. A little while later, the café car opened and I bought a Kit-Kat chocolate bar. Kit-Kats were only being sold on the Canadian portion of the Maple Leaf.

 

            The train stopped at Oakville and Aldershot. As we passed through Hamilton, I photographed some CN locomotives in the yard.

 

 

            A few minutes later, I photographed CN switcher #7304.

 

 

            The train didn’t stop at Grimsby and St. Catherines. The bridge over the Welland Canal was down. I was given a form to fill out prior to customs. I filled it out prior to Niagara Falls.

 

            We stopped at Niagara Falls after a double stop. At Niagara Falls, Ontario, the VIA crew got off and the Amtrak crew got on. The train departed and crossed into the U.S. This would be the first time I would have passed through the new Niagara Falls NY station heading into the U.S.

 

            We were made to get off the train and get processed in the station. I put my bags through an X-ray scanner. My inspection went okay though as I was leaving, I was called back because they forgot to ask me a few questions. After they asked me what they forgot the first time, I was allowed to go. I went up to the waiting room to wait reboarding of my train.

 

            I bought a Pepsi from the vending machine in the station. It was eventually time to get on the train. I was now seated in Amfleet 1 coach #82642. I logged onto Amtrak’s Wi-Fi on my Ipod as it has limited internet capabilities. I was hoping I could find somewhere in Syracuse to fix my laptop. However it wasn’t to be. The train left on time.

 

            Soon, we were approaching downtown Buffalo. We stopped at Buffalo Exchange Street station. We stopped at Buffalo Depew a few minutes later.

 

            After leaving Depew, we passed some CSX freight trains. I checked a tracker for Amtrak trains to see where train #63 was. I could tell we would pass it east of Rochester.

 

            I used my Ipod to listen to a podcast on the 1999 crash of Eygptair flight #990. The train stopped at Rochester.

 

            East of Rochester, train #63 passed, but I caught the last couple coaches.

 

            A little while later, we were approaching Syracuse. I filmed the equipment at the New York fair grounds. I readied my stuff in preparation to get off.

 

            Train #64 arrived into Syracuse two minutes late. I got off and photographed the train.

 

 

 

            When train #64 departed, I filmed it pulling out. I took one last photo.

 

 

            I noticed the sky looked a sickly shade of orange. This was the result of forest fires in Ontario. However things were actually better closer to home!

 

            I went to catch a bus to my hotel. I waited as five buses came by; all heading away from my hotel! I attempted to photograph some CSX freights as I waited.

 

 

 

 

 

 

            I eventually took a taxi to my hotel. I was staying at the hotel I stayed at on my 2008 Boston trip and my 2013 Washington DC trip. I checked in and went to my room. I phoned home and let my mom know I was in Syracuse.

 

            After awhile, I decided to go to Destiny USA; formerly the Carousel Center. I headed out and went to catch a bus. The Centro buses ran infrequently. I actually walked several stops. I saw a bus heading in the opposite direction and photographed it.

 

 

            I eventually waited at a stop. At one point I saw a newer Dodge Charger done up like the General Lee from the Dukes of Hazzard.

 

            The bus came and I rode to Destiny USA. I had previously explored the mall, but I would do so in great detail this time. When I entered, I saw a sign that said ALL minors had to be accompanied by an adult; even 17 year olds.  

 

            I had a massage in a coin operated massage chair. I ate dinner before I looked around the mall.

 

            I went by the west end of the mall and found they had many things of interest including an elevated obstacle course, a trampoline park, a go-kart track, and a Dave and Busters. I never knew all these were here. I eventually went to the Dave and Busters where I got a card as the card I have from Canadian locations doesn’t work in American locations. I had previously decided after my trips to Albany and El Paso to get a card the next time I was in an American Dave and Busters.

 

            I played the arcade games and won a jackpot on one. I eventually left and photographed the storefront.

 

 

            I then decided to make my way back to my hotel. As luck would have it, a bus arrived that was heading my way. I got on and rode back to my hotel.

 

            A few minutes later I went out to a gas station across the street and bought some milk. I saw the charging pumps were lit up and would go to photograph them the next day. I returned to my room and set the alarm on my phone and called it a night.

 

June 7, 2023:

 

            I got up and got dressed. I went downstairs for breakfast. I saw that instead of the continental breakfast the hotel served in years past, they only had muffins! Nowhere near good enough for me!

 

            I ended up having breakfast at a Denny’s nearby my hotel. After breakfast, I went to catch a bus. I was planning on going by the New York fairgrounds.

 

            The fair was not happening at the time of this trip, but I’ve seen railway equipment on display at the fair from various Amtrak trains. I knew there was a GG1 electric locomotive but couldn’t see it from the Amtrak because it was on the far track.

 

            I had two buses to pick to get me downtown. Either way I would have to transfer. I photographed a bus on its outbound trip then moved to get to catch it on its way back downtown.

 

 

            The sky was again a sickly shade as a result of forest fires burning in Ontario. The bus eventually came and I got on. On my way downtown, we stopped by the Amtrak station. I saw train #284 was in the station. I attempted to photograph it.

 

 

            Train #284 departed while the bus was at the station. The bus arrived at the downtown Hub. I had passed through the hub when I was returning home from Streamliners at Spencer back in 2014; the last time I was in Syracuse proper.

 

            I saw my connecting bus was nearby so I got on. I noticed at least Centro’s Gillig buses have Wi-Fi which I connected to.

 

            The bus made several turns and at one point went past a zoo. At one point, we stopped at a stop sign. Below the stop sign was another sign that read “Stop means stop”!

 

            I ended up riding past where I wanted to get off and rode to the end of the route. I rode back to my intended stop. I got off and photographed an ex Conrail locomotive belonging to the Finger Lakes RR.

 

 

            I then walked to an overpass near the fairgrounds. I stopped to photograph the GG1 which has been painted into its Amtrak livery.

 

 

 

            I have now photographed seven of the 16 surviving GG1 locomotives. The GG1 was originally #4933 for the PRR. When it was acquired by Amtrak, it was renumbered first to #926 then to #4926 as to leave #926 for the new (at the time) AEM7 electric locomotives which replaced them.

 

            Only a handful of GG1s were painted in that livery. Other GG1s Amtrak acquired were simply left in Penn Central black and lettered for Amtrak. I had read an article in a magazine that showed that Amtrak had considered a different livery for the GG1s but none were ever painted.

 

            One other GG1 that did receive the Amtrak livery survives; #4903 which I saw on my 2009 Dallas trip. However that GG1 was restored to its PRR livery.

 

            I was unable to get closer to the equipment due to a fence and I didn’t feel like taking a long walk. I walked back to the bus stop and photographed other equipment on display.

 

 

 

            At one point a CSX freight reversed into the area. I chose not to photograph it.

 

            I figured the best time to get a closer shot would be when the New York State Fair is open. Amtrak actually has a stop at the fairgrounds when the State Fair is operating. However the state fair occurs when the Canadian National Exhibition is open back in Toronto.

 

            I then walked to the bus stop to wait for a bus back into Syracuse. The Finger Lakes RR locomotive left and I photographed it.

 

 

 

            My bus eventually came and I rode downtown to the hub. I then transferred to route #68. This bus passed by the old New York Central station. Amtrak began serving the current station in Syracuse in the 90s. I eventually got off and went to a hobby store. I looked around the hobby store but didn’t buy anything.

 

            I had lunch a block away. I saw former Vice President Mike Pence was announcing running for president in 2024. I saw that the next bus to downtown was leaving a several blocks away instead of across the main street. I went there and just missed it. A couple express buses passed. It took more than two hours for the next bus to come. If I had known, I probably would have simply waited across the street from the McDonald’s I had lunch at.

 

            I rode this bus to the Hub and transferred to a bus going to Destiny USA. The bus I transferred to was Orion 7 #1202 which I believe is one of the oldest buses in service. I rode to Destiny USA and got off. I photographed the bus as it pulled away.

 

 

 

            I went to the west end of the mall. The first thing I did was a rope course which went above the main shopping area. I slipped on one obstacle but the safety rope did its job. I later went back over the same obstacle without incident. Once I was done, I photographed where I had been.

 

 

            Another thing in this mall was a trampoline park! This was the third trip in three years I had been to one! I paid for one hour and made use of it. This park was bigger than the one in Gander but smaller than the one I went to in Sudbury. Once I was done, I took a photo.

 

 

            After the trampoline park, I went to an indoor Go-Kart track called “RPM Racing” and did a race. I took a photo of the track after.

 

 

            Destiny USA was like a combination of Woodbine Center Mall, Vaughan Mills Mall when it first opened, plus Dave and Buster’s.

 

            By now most of the stores had closed. I was able to get dinner at the food court. After dinner I went out front to the former Commuter Rail station. It had used RDCs and had been abandoned for 15+ years as of the time of this trip. However it was still there.

 

            A little while later, I photographed an eastbound CSX freight with a mid-train helper locomotive.

 

 

You can make out the old commuter rail station a few freight cars behind the locomotives.

 

 

 

            I eventually caught a bus back to my hotel. When I got off the bus, I didn’t go straight to my hotel, but I photographed the charging stations behind the gas station across the street that I thought looked cool lit up at night.

 

 

            I then went back up to my room, but found my room key wasn’t working. I then went back to the lobby and got it fixed. I then returned to my room.

 

            I used my Ipod to go online before I packed up. I set the alarm on my phone and called it a night.

 

June 8, 2023:

 

            I got up and got dressed. I finished packing and went downstairs. I checked out of my hotel and walked over to the Denny’s for breakfast.

 

            After breakfast I walked to the bus stop near my hotel. The bus eventually came. I got on and rode to the Amtrak station.

 

            Just like the day before, Amtrak #284 was in the station but departed. I got off and photographed the bus.

 

 

            I then went inside the station to wait. I had hours before my train was to depart. I had come because I was hoping to see Amtrak train #48, the eastbound Lakeshore Limited.

 

            I went online and found train #48 was running 30-40 minutes late. I also noticed a Centro departure board that I hadn’t seen when I arrived two days ago. I’m not sure what I would have done if I had seen it then.

 

            I was planning to go to Subway for lunch at the time, but the employees were on break. I decided to try after #48 departed Syracuse.

 

            I made my way up to the platform to wait for train #48. It had been raining earlier, but the rain had stopped. I could see train #48 in the distance and got myself ready to film it. When the train pulled in, I filmed it.

 

 

            I saw train #48/448 had three locomotives. The third unit was Connecticut Department of Transportation P40 #6702. The unit was originally an Amtrak unit on long term lease. Presumably the unit had been refurbished at Beech Grove shops and was deadheading home. I took some photos.

 

 

 

 

 

            The crew wondered if I was getting on the train. I told them I wasn’t I filmed the train departing and noticed an Amfleet 2 coach deadheading on the rear of the train. I took one last photo.

 

 

            I then went back into the station and had lunch at Subway. I made my way back onto the platform to wait for train #63.

 

            I had missed the head end power of an eastbound CSX Intermodel. I did photograph the train as it had a mid-train unit.

 

 

 

 

            Train #63 arrived 10 minutes late. I filmed the train pulling in.

 

 

            I was seated in Amfleet 2 coach #25094. The train left 14 minutes late.

 

            Shortly after leaving, I filmed the equipment at the New York fairgrounds.  I went online with my Ipod Touch and could tell we would meet train #64 between here and Rochester; the next stop.

 

            I listened to a podcast from Black Box Down’s Youtube Channel about the crash of Lionair flight #610 which was the first of two Boeing 737 MAX flights to crash which led to all such planes being grounded worldwide.

 

            Train #64 passed, but I was unable to film it. South of Rochester, I saw a former Conrail bay window caboose next to the tracks.

 

            The train stopped at Rochester. I spent the time between my coach seat and the café car as the Wi-Fi in the coach was spotty at times.

 

            The train stopped at Buffalo Depew station. Shortly after leaving Depew, I photographed the Buffalo Central station which Amtrak stopped at before Depew opened up as well as a LORAM rail grinder.

 

 

 

 

            The train stopped at Buffalo Exchange Street. After we departed, I was given a form to fill out for Canadian customs. We passed a CSX local freight.

 

            We passed by the Niagara Falls NY airport. We were at the far end of the CSX yard in Niagara Falls New York. I photographed cars on a freight of fallen flag railroads.

 

 

 

 

            I photographed the old Niagara Falls New York station as we passed.

 

 

 

            I believe that Amtrak stores the two trainsets of Empire Service trains that terminal at Niagara Falls New York after they discharge their passengers at the current station since there’s two sidings and there aren’t any at the current station.

 

            We stopped at the current Niagara Falls New York station a few minutes later. It turned out to be an extended stop. I stepped off the train and took some photos.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

            My dad called me and I let him know I was just across the border. I got back on the train. The train soon departed. I photographed the bridge that until the early 21^st century was used by CP freights to cross into the United States. This bridge has since had its tracks removed and is partially severed to prevent people from illegally crossing the border.

 

 

            The train stopped at Niagara Falls, Ontario. We were made to get off and go through customs. I got through without any major problems. As when I crossed into the United States, it was pretty much like COVID had not happened.

 

            After I was done at customs, I walked up to the front of the train and photographed it.

 

 

            I then went back into the station to wait to get back on the train. There was a piano in the station for people to play. At one point some kids started playing it badly.

 

            We were soon allowed to get back on the train. I was now seated in Amfleet 1 coach #82709. The train left Niagara Falls Ontario on time.

 

            I phoned home and let my parents know I was back in Canada. My ticket was soon taken.

 

            The bridge over the Welland Canal was down. We stopped at St. Catherines. After we departed St. Catherines I went to the café car for dinner. I ate it at my seat. The train passed through Grimsby non stop.

 

            As we passed through Hamilton, I saw two vintage aircraft flying. There is a vintage airplane museum in Hamilton; though I’ve never been. There is also an airport that is served by Westjet and charter airlines. Presumably those are museum planes kept at the airport. I attempted to photograph them from the train.

 

 

            As we passed through the CN yard in Hamilton, I photographed various freight locomotives including a Geep from BNSF still in Burlington Northern green and a freight train with a locomotive still painted in Grand Trunk Western colours.

 

 

 

 

 

            I saw the vintage planes again and attempted to photograph them.

 

 

            The train stopped at Aldershot. East of Aldershot we passed a GO train. The crew made one last call for the café car. I went for a Coke. The train stopped at Oakville.

 

            As we passed VIA’s Toronto Maintenance Center, I filmed the equipment in the yard.

 

            We were soon getting close to Toronto Union Station. I readied my stuff in preparation to get off.

 

            VIA #98 arrived four minutes late. I got off and walked to the front of the train and photographed it.

 

 

 

            I then went downstairs. I phoned home and let my parents know I was back in Toronto. I then went to the subway where I just missed a Finch bound train. I waited for the next train which came a few minutes later. I then rode to Finch where I met up with my dad and headed home.

 

Conclusions:

 

            My laptop screen breaking was an unfortunate problem for my trip. Despite that I am pleased to get back into the United States. Crossing the border both ways was not much different than it was prior to COVID. Once I get my laptop fixed, this trip paves the way for future U.S. trips.

 

            I have a few trips planned into the United States with one hopefully coming in the fall. Where I’ll go I haven’t decided, but I’ve got a few ideas. Until next time…