I do not recall the date either–but in 1997 my wife and I rode from Toronto to Chicago in Superliner equipment. When the customs inspectors came through in Port Huron, we were asked one question: “You two hitched?” This ease was matched when we arrived in Vacouver from Seattle twelve years later–we were at the head of the line, and I do not recall what we were asked, but we did little more than pause before we were allowed to proceed. Two years later, when we stopped on our way from Montreal to Rennselaer, the inspector did not even ask for the list of what we had bought and were carrying into the U.S. Had we been profiled?
As I recall, the train was discontinued over difficulties with the inspections.
I remember a comment in “Trains” that a man (US citizen) felt harassed by a US Customs Inspector when he re-entered the US. That man brought a “Trains” magazine with him to tell the inspector that he enjoyed train travel.
Ed Burns
The International was discontinued in 2004…took this from London Ontario to Chicago that late spring. It had Superliner equipment arriving from Toronto when I got on in London. . The train discontinuance notices were posted on the ends of the cars inside and on some doors. End of that month. I think it was April.
It sort of still exists, but not really. 2 seperate trains. VIA goes to Sarnia and Amtrak leaves from Port Huron…you have to get across the border yourself.
The border agents, at and from the bridge crossing, had to drive in from there to meet the train. Do not know what they did the previous 100 years but somehow it suddenly became a problem. I heard they were worried about terrorists and the tunnel. Things got kinda weird after 911. I quit bringing my N-Trak modules across the border around the same time. All those capacitor discharges, relays and myriad of wiring for track and accessories would freak out the border guys real bad. Terrorist threats and countermeasures, preventative actions, screwed everything up and still do.
They hauled an Asian gal, in her 20’s, off the train that day. Saw her lead away outside, from my window, in cuffs.