RichiH, 24 days ago

The #train from Toronto to the airport not only has a diesel engine, it also has a gearbox and shifts gears. A train!

Not constant speed with generator and electric motors for higher efficiency, lower weight, lower cost, and less complexity.

Don't think I ever was in one of those -- or if I was, I certainly didn't hear and feel the engine.

RichiH, 24 days ago

Interesting.. you can go through US customs in Toronto. I should land "domestic" in SFO and hopefully shave some time off of falling into bed at after midnight.

RichiH, 24 days ago

Yep, no customs. Exited directly into the normal gate area in SFO and could walk out.

Only two non-home time zones on my phone left.

azonenberg, 24 days ago

@RichiH Yeah there's preclearance available in Montreal as well. The list is short, but IIRC they're slowly rolling out to more major foreign airports.

RichiH, 24 days ago

@azonenberg I've paid for, and not seen movement on since, two years ago so I'll take whatever I can get. The amount of time wasted standing in line for a quick "oh, you" while they scroll through my past itineraries is deeply frustrating.

azonenberg, 24 days ago

@RichiH Just to clarify, when I say "preclearance" I mean clearing customs at the departure airport via overseas-deployed CBP agents, rather than at the arrival airport.

This is unrelated to whether you get expedited clearance (e.g. Global Entry) at the customs checkpoint or not.

RichiH, 24 days ago

@azonenberg yes, I know.

My point was that preclearance is even better for me than for e.g. you as I have nothing, not even global entry because... They just took the money and are sitting on endless backlog.

RichiH, 22 days ago

Only one bed that's not mine and one extra time zone in my immediate future... Back home after three work weeks soon and really looking forward to it.