VIA Rail THE OCEAN - 20 Hours on Canada's Eastern Sleeper Train!

thank you to MOA for sponsoring today's video hello and welcome to Monon New Brunswick today we're climbing aboard the ocean the Eastern sleeper train will take us from here down to Montreal while riding on board one of via European style Renaissance sleeper Cars located on the southwest side of town monton station is a small Inner City passenger rail facility serving V rails the ocean sleeper between Montreal and Halifax and maritime bus's inner city bus lines the station consists of a small waiting area a few Vil ticketing desks a baggage claim and information stalls for Maritime Bus monton was not my original choice for the starting point of this journey my eastbound ticket on the ocean was booked through to Halifax but it turns out that at the same time Nova Scotia was receiving some of the heaviest rainfall The Province had seen in decades in 24 hours it rained over 10 in in some places washing away roads and flooding houses just south of Truro the only train line connecting Halifax to the rest of Canada was washed away the immense amount of rain and debris caused the Earth beneath the railway to give out leaving the tracks dangling over a river with no path to Halifax the crew announced that our train would be terminating in monton with buses driving passengers the rest of the way I wasn't interested in the 3-hour drive from monton to Hal facts and thus decided to book a hotel here in monton waiting out on Mon's only track is our train VIA Rail number 15 the ocean the ocean operates a fleet of via rails Renaissance sleeper cars the Renaissance coaches are a fleet of cars built by Metro camel in the 1990s for the proposed nightstar service the nightstar was to be an overnight train between the UK and Continental Europe operating via the channel tunnel the coaches were based on the British markv coach and built to fit the British loading gauge with car body construction strong enough to meet European standards as a result of their British and European design their internal layout is much the same as a traditional European sleeper as we'll see once on board we'll be staying in car 37 room 9 on today's adventure it's just our luck that car 37 is easily visible from the side of the station so we know where to go well before boarding begins in addition to the Renaissance cars the ocean occasionally operates a couple of Bud stainless steel coaches the chat sleepers seen here were manufactured in the 1950s and have seen service with both Canadian Pacific and vrl we actually rode on one of these 1950 sleepers in our ride out to Monon and if you missed that video I recommend checking it out links will be in the top right or in the description below while we wait for boarding to begin let's take a look at our route down to Montreal our adventure begins heading Northwest out of monton our train crossing through mamishi and BST as nightfalls we cross into Quebec as the clock hits midnight about an hour behind schedule the ocean reaching its northernmost point of Moni around 3:00 a.m. the tracks then hug the St Lawrence River South the Waterway our guide to our stop in SFA just after sunrise and 2 hours late we then Meander through the Canadian Farmland until our second and final crossing of the St lawence River the ocean pulling into Montreal's gar Central at the end of the line we'll cover a total of 653 M on our ride today with a travel time of 19 hours and 36 minutes while a 2d map of our route is cool what's even cooler is a full Globe which is why I'm pleased to introduce today's sponsor MOA MOA Globes are Globes powered by light using first ofit kind lowlight solar cells MOA Globes turn automatically when exposed to ambient light their ultra low Friction Motor design is at least in order of magnitude lower friction than current consumer motors which allows MOA Globes to rotate in complete silence with extremely low power draw magnets hidden within the globe power the rotation without the need for messy cords or batteries this means you can pick them up and admire their beauty in the palm of your hand choose from over 40 designs including Maps outer space famous artworks and more there's always a globe for everyone moa's stunning outer space collection features Graphics provided by NASA and JPL which includes planets moons asteroids and constellations get yours today at moag globes.co.il and 8 and 1/2 in cloes thank you to MOA for sponsoring today's video the unforeseen circumstances of today's departure mean that boarding for train 15 begins at 5:41 p.m. 9 minutes after our train scheduled departure with only one door and almost six stations worth of people it's quite the crunch to get out to the platform fortunately we scouted our car out ahead of time so all we have to do is head up the train once through the doors making our way past the diner service car and first sleeper we reach the open door for car 37 and can climb AB board just down the hall from the entrance we find room 9 our home for the next 19 1/2 [Music] hours boarding wraps up relatively quickly and our train begins to roll out of the station at 6:04 p.m. 30 minutes behind schedule a few minutes after departing monton our wonderful car attendant comes through to introduce herself and to give us a rundown of the car a Canadian Safety requirement for all trains is to have a passenger briefed on the operation of the exit in the event of an emergency it just so happens that our car attendant requested me to be the one briefed on the emergency exit so let's do that briefing together and yes I did ask for permission to film this so all doors here open this same way okay if you forget what I say the explanations here okay so you use this lever you bring it up um it releases the air from the door you're going to hear a hissing sound releases the air from the door it's going to pop open a little bit so you push it out with your hands and slide it back we don't deal with the steps in emergency for you to get down there'll be two little metal steps on the side on the side so you just climb down on those and then just stand by the door while we gather the people and then when they come just assist help now that comfortable with that yes ma'am returning to our room it's time to take a tour of via's European sleepers each Renaissance sleeper is configured with 10 twers cabins and a single long hallway along one side of the Train the single Isle double occupancy room layout is more akin to sleeper trains found in Europe which makes sense given these cars European history our room number nine is the penultimate room of each car access to each room is granted through a hotel Style key card the door locking automatically once closed every room comes with two key cards the two found on the center table upon entry first impressions are everything and I have to say our cabin looks smart and cozy the interior layout is again akin to that of their European counterparts for example here's one of night Jet's Deluxe sleeper cabins in both its day and night night configurations in their daytime configuration Renaissance bedrooms include a couch with room for two people annoyingly there's no way to change the seating Direction which means we'll be facing backwards for the entire Journey the couch includes two wide armchairs with folding armrests a pillow and a headrest integrated into the wall above the seats are a little on the thin side having been worn down over many years of use though virtually identical the window seat includes a small mesh pocket for personal belongings between the two seats upon entry passengers will find the two room keys two bottles of water a couple napkins and French and English guys to the ocean the guide includes landmarks and notable scenery throughout our journey with a map at the top to show each place's approximate location the central table can be folded away into the couch beneath the couch is storage space for at least three suitcases the couch bottom can also be raised slightly to help fit oversized items just inside the door are the master light controls the switch is controlling the various overhead [Music] lights above the lights is an emergency attendant call Button below is the temperature control dial which works super well especially for a train the dial notches into place with each adjustment and the temperature change is felt within minutes which is great on the wall opposite the couch is the room center console and storage space the wood veneered cabinet provides a welcome warm color contrast to the whites and blues of the Renaissance Fleet inside the right cabinet are two or three cuph holders and what I think is a napkin despenser not entirely sure behind the complimentary box of tissues are the room's two main Outlets below which is the trash can the left cabinet is entirely open for storage though there's a cable routing hole in the shelf so I can only assume that some sort of entertainment device was housed here at some point The Tall Central cabinet opens to reveal a deep but narrow coat rack alternatively permanent clothes hangers are found on the wall to the side of the center console two curtains extend to cover the window on the far wall of the cabin they don't really do much besides provide privacy when closed they're thin mesh letting in tons of light during the day beneath the window is the room's only table it's quite small and doesn't extend far enough out to cover my legs let alone provide enough space to work or dine one of the biggest amenities offered with Renaissance bedrooms is their onsuite bathroom pushing open the door we enter the small personal facility each bathroom comes equipped with a sink vanity and toilet because the door opens inward it's a little cumbersome getting inside but there's enough space once the door is [Music] closed the sink works well with both hot and cold Taps two bars of soap and plenty of hand and face towels inside the lower mirror compartment are the second pair of outlets with more toilet paper and a bar of soap found in the upper storage area though a small facility it works great for a personal bathroom the only thing missing from our bathroom though is a shower via's Renaissance cabins come in two types those with and without showers the latter sold out by the time I booked our ticket from what I can tell though we aren't missing out on much the shower is integrated into the main bathroom much like those on Amtrak's bedrooms so I'm okay without it for one night when day turns to night each Renaissance cabin converts into two bunks pulling up on the latch besides the couch unlocks the lower bunk which folds down across the seats a similar action is required to release the upper bunk the top bed rotating out from the wall and here's what the room looks like with both bunks in place each bunk includes upper and lower sheets and a thick comforter for those cold Canadian winners that top bunk is awfully high up and some of you may be wondering how to get up there well I'll show you hidden away beneath the upper bunk is a ladder undoing the rubber latch reveals the ladder which hooks onto the top bunk ascending the ladder we can swing up into the top bed both beds are 72 1/2 in long and 27 1/2 in wide or 184 cm x 70 CM while these would be plenty long for most passengers they leave my feet hanging well off the end of the bed the top bunk is also quite close to the ceiling so be careful when sitting up up top we find a small folding table for a drink maybe I wouldn't trust myself not to knock it over while asleep and the AC vent a small reading light is found near the head of each bed with one for the upper and lower bunks speaking of the lower bunk is much the same as the upper it's still 72 1/2 in Long 2 and 1/2 too short for me and 27 1/2 in wide the same folding table is found beside the bed with a small pocket for personal belongings we won't need the beds for another couple of hours and can fold them back away after enjoying the ride for a bit our dinner reservation is called over the PA system the dining car in the ocean is located towards the center of the Train the dining car is almost exclusively for tables with a small service space in the middle for the weight staff food prep has been moved to the ends of the service cars on either end with a small kitchen for each half of the coach each car includes a total of seven tables of four and seven of two allowing for a maximum capacity of 42 passengers the tables are set for dinner when we arrive the car attendant seating us at a table of two the seat across from is filled by another solo passenger dinner on the ocean is a three course meal dining starts with a super salad appetizer followed by a main course and a dessert for dinner today are Beef borgol Pork chasu filet of so and a penet pasta from the selection I chose the maple roasted squash salad to start in the pork Chu as a main what's wonderful about via's dining options is that each menu changes every day for example this trip was filmed the day after our ride up to Monon and the dining selection is entirely different I absolutely love this about via sleeper trains as it means repeat passengers can try something new each time they're on board the salad is first up the plate of mixed greens topped with Maple roasted squash walnuts and radishes it's a small but tasty appetizer the light dressing pairing well with the rich sweet flavor of the squash while waiting for our main course the ocean crosses the Southwest mamishi River and Oxford Brook the two Bridges totaling half a mile in length our main Cor is soon served it may look fine as far as appetizing goes but it tastes great and that's all that matters the pork chassa is Juicy Savory and tender paired with the wonderful sweetness and Tang of the hoisen sauce the fried rice is fine the scallion cutting through the otherwise salty side the chili green beans add a nice fresh note to the meal though I would have liked a little more kick from the chili separately the sides would have been okay at best but together with the pork they create a delicious and filling meal as delicious as our main course was it's worth noting that the meals on Via are catered not freshly cooked everything is cooked before departure where it's then reheated and plated for dining the food is delicious regardless of how it was made but it's definitely worth noting dessert this evening is a little slice of lemon cake with cream cheese frosting dinner as a whole comes in at a 7 and 1/2 out of 10 it's a little below our previous dinner experience on the ocean but definitely not bad by the time we finish dining the sun has reached its final descent towards the horizon the glowing orange ball Peaks through the trees as we slowly work our way through the Canadian wilderness the sky a light with Hues of Pinks blues and oranges daylight Fades as the sun slips below the tree line our crossing of the nisit river the last thing we'll see as night sets in on day one and with that we can climb under the covers for a good night's rest the morning of day two begins with sunlight streaming in through the window it's about 7:30 a.m. a.m. eastern time our train having crossed time zones overnight pulling back the curtains reveals the lush green Canadian Countryside heading back to the dining car we can get seated for breakfast breakfast on the ocean is offered on the first come first Ser basis the options for breakfast today include a smoked meat omelette lemon orotta pancakes or a continental selection breakfast is always starts with a freshly brewed cup of coffee and a glass of orange juice the two of which quickly followed by a plate of pre-butter toast as we wait for our food the Ocean passes Canadian Nationals Duffer yard before breaking away onto the very sharp curve towards Charney and eventually [Music] svoa as we begin our crossing of the St Lawrence River via Canadian Nationals Quebec Bridge breakfast is served for breakfast I decided on the lemon ricotta pancakes topped with a blueberry compost and served to the side of pork sausages the pancakes are wonderful they're not too sweet the flavor cut nicely by the sour lemon and the tart blueberry compost ties everything together the pork sausage is a little on the tough side but it's salty and savory the flavor contrast a welcome addition and unlike on Amtrak we get actual Canadian maple syrup instead of the usual corn syrup a nice bonus on top of what is already a great breakfast I'd have to say this is a solid 7 and 1/2 out of 10 it's definitely tasty but not nearly as good as our creps from the journey East while We Dine we crossed the Canadian national Quebec Bridge the 3,230 8 ft or 9987 M long structure supports three Highway Lanes one rail line and a pedestrian walkway the ocean then makes a sharp left turn before arriving in SFA by this point our train is almost 2 hours late reduced speeds on the lines North and Freight traffic has meant our hour delay has now doubled sentha is the only fresh air break on today's train and it's just our luck that we're seated at breakfast right as it happens not wanting to abandon our breakfast I opted to foro our fresh air opportunity 13 minutes after arriving in SFA the ocean begins to move again but this time we're moving backwards when pulling into senth flaw the ocean arrives engines first but in order to get back on track it must retrace its steps all the way back to the spur at Canadian Nationals jofer yard back in our room the couch is finally facing the direction of travel at least for these few minutes if you're enjoying our adventure on the ocean why not hit that subscribe button it's totally free and it really helps support the channel I also want to give a huge shout out and thank you to my patrons and channel members y'all are amazing and I cannot thank you enough for your incredible support if you two want your name in the video or just want to support the channel channel in more ways than one then head on over to the links in the description below with a bit of time before our arrival in Montreal let's take a quick tour of our train the first car on the ocean is a baggage transition coach Renaissance coaches include a European style coupling system which is not compatible with North American Rolling Stock the transition cards as the name implies transition the coupling from European to North American allowing the Renaissance cars to operate with vs locomotives at the front and Bud cars at the rear the second car on today's train is the first of three coach cars for passengers still wanting to travel on the overnight train without paying the Hefty charge for a room coach class is a great way to travel coach class is operated in a 2x1 all of the seats in the Renaissance coaches are elevated above the floor separating passengers from the aisle and providing a sense of privacy when seated this elevation allows bags to be stored beneath one's seat allowing for increased security when asleep above both sides of the train are mid-range storage bins accessible only from the side of each designated row each coach seat offers around 9 in of leg room with a small foot rest on the bottom of each seat back the small seat back pocket is located on the lower half of the seat the large tray table stowed away in its holster the table slides up and out before folding out across the seat other at seat amenities include two power outlets in a trash bag on the wall an LED reading light in the same thin curtains as in our cabin for when it's time to relax or get some shy each seat can recline quite far pulling up on the latch integrated into the armrest allows the bottom to slide forward and the back to recline though I find that my feet end up crammed under the seat in front Which is less than ideal while these seats may be comfortable for a couple hours I definitely wouldn't want to stay here overnight I can already see the cushioning giving out after hour 6 only to leave you with 18 more to go that being said it is significantly cheaper than a sleeper ticket so if you're willing to put up with some mild discomfort then Coach is a great option the next three car on the ocean are sleepers followed by a service car the service car serves as a cafe and lounge area for all passengers on the ocean as mentioned earlier the service car also houses the kitchen for the dining car the service cars are the only cars on the ocean with Wi-Fi and with limited cell service throughout the journey it's often the only way to stay online while in transit the next car is the diner followed by another service car a single Renaissance coach car and then yet another transition car this transition car is entirely empty empty serving only to transition from European to North American couplers via has turned the car into a bit of a museum with the flags of Canada and her provinces on the walls there's also an old map of via's routes which show quite a few lines that haven't run in a long time it also shows two American destinations that haven't been served in many years Chicago and Detroit Amtrak's 2035 plan shows service restored between Chicago and Toronto with one round trip of the Wolverine extended into Canada behind the second transition coach is a single Bud coach car and three Bud chatau sleepers the third of which is the crew car if you're interested in seeing what travel is like in one of those chatau sleepers then check out our previous ride up to Monon at the link in the top right or in the description below returning to our room the scenery outside has slowly begun its transition from rural to Suburban the ocean saking away behind us EXO stations fly past the window the Montreal Metropolitan Airport marking the beginning of the end of our adventure much as we crossed it to get to SFA we must once again cross the St Lawrence River before arriving in Montreal Through the Trees of ilram we can briefly spot the turn three bleachers and pit straight of the circuit jov the track is home to the Formula 1 Canadian Grand Prix and is actually open to the public when not in use as a racetrack the skyline of Montreal grows ever taller as we cross the Victoria Bridge as we reach Solid Ground on the other side the tracks of Montreal's REM fly overhead the REM or reso Express Metropolitan currently serves five stations between Montreal Central and the suburb of brussard plans are in place to construct a total of 26 stations three branch lines and cover an impressive 42 Mi of track behind us our train makes the final turn north towards Montreal's gar Central we Traverse the viaduct through downtown our train pulling to a stop in Montreal 19 hours and 36 minutes after the journey began grabbing our belongings we can head down the corridor and out on to the platform where we'll bring today's video to a close thank you have a good one next week we'll be back in New York City for a quick Northeast Regional ride from New York Penn Station to New Haven Connecticut if you're new around here I would really appreciate if you hit that subscribe button down below it's totally free and it really helps support the channel another huge thank you to my loyal patrons and members y'all are amazing and your incredible generosity is greatly appreciated if you two want your name in the video or just want to support the channel in more ways than one then head on over to the links in the description below but anyways that's all I have for today thanks for riding with me and I'll see you in the next one

Channel: Lonestar Trip Reports

Views: 61,926

Keywords: VIA Rail The Ocean, Sleeper train journey, Canadian rail adventure, VIA Rail sleeper experience, Renaissance sleeper, Train trip Canada, Canadian railway travel, Moncton to Montreal train ride, VIA Rail journey, Long distance train, VIA Rail first class, Montreal to Halifax train, The Ocean, Overnight train, Sleeper train Canada, VIA Rail Montreal, sleeper train, sleeper train canada, canada sleeper train, via rail, the ocean, moncton station, amtrak, montreal station

Id: q3ikJI4DQQY

Length: 29min 43sec (1783 seconds)

Published: Sun Feb 25 2024