Caption: The first inaugural run of the new VIA-Amtrak "Maple Leaf" cross-border train service ran on April 26th 1981 with Amtrak F40PH 344, a baggage and six Amfleet cars. But, the next day on April 27th was a ceremonial run with Amtrak F40PH's 343 & 348, a baggage, 9 (!) Amfleets and a private car on the tail end. Here, the train is shown on Track 12 at Toronto's Union Station at sunrise, with a ceremonial Maple Leaf banner being put up on the lead unit (for photo-ops? another photo of the train taken passing through Hamilton that day shows it removed from the lead unit). Also note the dual US-Canadian flags. The short baggage car behind the lead units is one of Amtrak's conversions from a former US Army ambulance kitchen car build in the 1950's. Amtrak apparently picked up a bunch of these hardly used cars in the mid-70's and converted some into small baggage cars.

Replacing the old CP/VIA (nee-TH&B) Toronto-Buffalo Budd cars (their final run was April 25th), the joint Maple Leaf continues to run to this day, albeit with Amtrak P42's pulling the Amfleets instead of F40's.

Photographer unknown, Dan Dell'Unto collection slide.