GTW/CN - Mixed Passenger Car Trains

[richhotrain]

When trains such as the Inter-City Limited and the International Limited came through to Chicago and then made the return trip from Dearborn Station in Chicago to Michigan and Canada, was there a particular order to the CN and GTW cars?

In other words, which cars were first and which cars were last, the CN or the GTW?

Thanks.

Rich

[daveklepper]

No attempt at that kind of order.   Just the usual, head-end cars first, combine, coaches, diner, mid-train lounge, sleepers, and an obs when there was one.   Otherewise, CN and GTW cars were in a pool in the service.    The same held true for the CP-NYC (MC) through trains that competed in Toronto - Chicago service, although this soon evolved just to through sleepers with coach passengers changing in Detroit.

There was an attempt to exclusively use GTW equipment for the Chicago - Detroit via Durand trains, and not use CN equipment, but that rule got violated on occasion.

 

There was a

[richhotrain]

Dave, thanks for that info.  I really appreciate it.

Rich

[Andrew Falconer]

What years did CN cars get mixed into passenger trains over the Grand Trunk Western?

Were there still international trains with CN passenger cars in the years 1971 when Amtrak formed and 1977 when VIA RAIL was formed?

Andrew Falconer

[daveklepper]

I am unsure when GTW passenger service quit.   If it continued until Amtrak, then certainly it must have  included a through train to Toronto, and this would have had a mixture of CN and GTW cars.  I do know that Amtrak did have a through train to Toronto from Chicago at one time but only using Amfleet equipment and Amtrak power all the way, including on CN trackage.   Currently, Amtrak runs a train from NY to Toronto, the Maple Leaf, and from NY to Montreal, teh Adorondack, but neither uses any Canadian equipment.

[CSSHEGEWISCH]

The "International" was discontinued as a through train prior to May 1971 but continued as a Chicago-Port Huron run until Amtrak.  I believe that the "Maple Leaf" continued as a through Chicago-Toronto train until April 30, 1971.

The through Chicago-Toronto service during the late 70's and the 80's was a joint Amtrak-VIA operation with each operator contributing a set of equipment which ran through.  The Amtrak set was usually an F40PH with Amfleet cars.  VIA started with Tempo cars and LRC locomotives (MLW built!) and later went to LRC cars with either LRC locomotives or F40PH-2's.