Caption: I had plans to upload this shot a while back, but with the Amtrak Maple Leaf's sudden fame with a P32-8BWH leading it for what likely was the first time ever, I kind of forgot about this.

The P32AC-DM's once held a fairly common presence on the Maple Leaf, but that has changed. An appearance of 705 in the summer of 2017 and then 700 in March 2018 is all I can recall in more recent years, despite regularly seeing this train. Essentially, they've become rare. It's no BWH of course, but 700 does carry the distinct Empire Service scheme. At the time, it was one of just a few Amtrak units carrying this slightly modified Phase III livery. The word that 700 was on the Maple Leaf the night before was out there, but unlike Amtrak 514, which got basically drowned in foam, I have yet to see a photo of 700 leading the Maple Leaf. I get it, it's a Genesis at the end of the day.

The location of choice to stand was where I shot the Amtrak double header two months earlier, being the Michigan Central overpass. With the Amtrak crew marking its departure with two short blasts as they normally do, getting into position in time is no big deal. Despite still being on the Canadian side, the departure code is a norm. With the various loud noises (especially horns) that cross the border on a regular basis, local residents probably don't even notice.

The timing of the upload is more related to the Whirlpool Rapids bridge closure, which will last until the beginning of November for bridge work. The Maple Leaf will be absent from Canadian trackage until then. I'm unaware of past extended down time for the Maple Leaf, but this will probably be the longest one since its inception in 1981. For a train that's already struggling for ridership, this certainly won't help. Amtrak seems to have made clear its commitment to international rail service however.

With GO train service now 7 days a week to Niagara Falls, the tracks rusting over between over Niagara Falls and Clifton won't be an issue.