The ''Maple Leaf'' was a

passenger train A passenger train is a train used to transport people along a railroad line. These trains may consist of unpowered passenger railroad cars (also known as coaches or carriages) hauled by one or more locomotives, or may be self-propelled; self pr ...

pool operated by the

Canadian National The Canadian National Railway Company (french: Compagnie des chemins de fer nationaux du Canada) is a Canadian Class I railroad, Class I freight railway headquartered in Montreal, Quebec, which serves Canada and the Midwestern United States, M ...

and the

Grand Trunk Western Railroad The Grand Trunk Western Railroad Company is an American subsidiary of the Canadian National Railway operating in Michigan, Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio. Since a corporate restructuring in 1971, the railroad has been under CN's subsidiary holding ...

("Grand Trunk") between

Chicago (''City in a Garden''); I Will , image_map = , map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago , coordinates = , coordinates_footnotes = , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name ...

Illinois Illinois ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern United States. Its largest metropolitan areas include the Chicago metropolitan area, and the Metro East section, of Greater St. Louis. Other smaller metropolita ...

and

Toronto Toronto ( ; or ) is the capital city of the Canadian province of Ontario. With a recorded population of 2,794,356 in 2021, it is the most populous city in Canada and the fourth most populous city in North America. The city is the ancho ...

Ontario Ontario ( ; ) is one of the thirteen provinces and territories of Canada.Ontario is located in the geographic eastern half of Canada, but it has historically and politically been considered to be part of Central Canada. Located in Central Ca ...

. It operated from 1927 to 1971. The train took its name from the

maple leaf The maple leaf is the characteristic leaf of the maple tree. It is the most widely recognized national symbol of Canada. History of use in Canada By the early 1700s, the maple leaf had been adopted as an emblem by the French Canadians along the ...

, the

national symbol of Canada Over the course of centuries, a multitude of national symbols and material items have arisen as uniquely Canadian or possessing uniquely Canadian characteristics. These symbols and items represent the culture of Canada— protectionism of that cul ...

. The ''Maple Leaf'' was one of many trains discontinued when

Amtrak The National Railroad Passenger Corporation, Trade name, doing business as Amtrak () , is the national Passenger train, passenger railroad company of the United States. It operates inter-city rail service in 46 of the 48 contiguous United Stat ...

began operations in 1971, and is unrelated to the ''

Maple Leaf The maple leaf is the characteristic leaf of the maple tree. It is the most widely recognized national symbol of Canada. History of use in Canada By the early 1700s, the maple leaf had been adopted as an emblem by the French Canadians along the ...

'' which Amtrak now operates between Toronto and

New York City New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the List of United States cities by population, most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the L ...

. The train operated on Canadian National railroad territory through Ontario, but west of Lake Huron it operated via Grand Trunk Railroad.

History

Maple Leaf at Port Huron station, June 21, 1970

The Grand Trunk introduced the ''Maple Leaf'' on May 15, 1927. The train operated on an overnight schedule between Chicago and

Montreal Montreal ( ; officially Montréal, ) is the List of the largest municipalities in Canada by population, second-most populous city in Canada and List of towns in Quebec, most populous city in the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian ...

Quebec Quebec ( ; )According to the Canadian government, ''Québec'' (with the acute accent) is the official name in Canadian French and ''Quebec'' (without the accent) is the province's official name in Canadian English is one of the thirtee ...

. In 1932 it began carrying a through sleeper for New York. In May 1937 the Grand Trunk renamed the westbound ''Maple Leaf'' the ''La Salle''. The eastbound ''Maple Leaf'' was known as the ''New York Maple Leaf'' between 1938 and 1939. The name ''Toronto Maple Leaf'' was briefly applied to a Chicago–

Port Huron, Michigan Port Huron is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan and the county seat of St. Clair County. The population was 30,184 at the 2010 census. The city is adjacent to Port Huron Township but is administered separately. Located along the St. Clair ...

train in 1938. In 1938 the ''New York Maple Leaf'' was one of several Grand Trunk trains to receive Class U-4-b

4-8-4 Under the Whyte notation for the classification of steam locomotives, represents the wheel arrangement of four leading wheels on two axles, eight powered and coupled driving wheels on four axles and four trailing wheels on two axles. The type w ...

steam locomotive A steam locomotive is a locomotive that provides the force to move itself and other vehicles by means of the expansion of steam. It is fuelled by burning combustible material (usually coal, oil or, rarely, wood) to heat water in the locomot ...

s built by the

Lima Locomotive Works Lima Locomotive Works was an American firm that manufactured railroad locomotives from the 1870s through the 1950s. The company took the most distinctive part of its name from its main shop's location in Lima, Ohio. The shops were located between ...

. The ''Maple Leaf'' operated on a daytime schedule between Chicago and Toronto in the 1950s. It carried a Chicago–Montreal through sleeper, a Chicago–Detroit through coach, a Port Huron–Toronto cafe/parlor car, parlor cars, and coaches. A

dining car A dining car (American English) or a restaurant car (British English), also a diner, is a railroad passenger car that serves meals in the manner of a full-service, sit-down restaurant. It is distinct from other railroad food service cars that ...

operated between Chicago and

Lansing, Michigan Lansing () is the capital of the U.S. state of Michigan. It is mostly in Ingham County, although portions of the city extend west into Eaton County and north into Clinton County. The 2020 census placed the city's population at 112,644, making ...

. The Montreal sleeper ended in 1958. Beginning in 1961, the ''Maple Leaf'' went via the more populous cities of Kitchener and Guelph, whereas it had previously taken a route via Brantford and Hamilton for the trip between London and Toronto. By October 1963 the similar itinerary train, the ''Inter-City Limited'' had followed suit for its westbound trip. In 1966 the Grand Trunk renamed the westbound ''Inter-City Limited'' the ''Maple Leaf'', thus making the ''Maple Leaf'' a daytime round-trip between Chicago and Toronto. After the truncation of the ''

International Limited International is an adjective (also used as a noun) meaning "between nations". International may also refer to: Music Albums * ''International'' (Kevin Michael album), 2011 * ''International'' (New Order album), 2002 * ''International'' (The T ...

'' to Port Huron on June 23, 1970, the ''Maple Leaf'' was the Grand Trunk train on the Chicago–Toronto route.

discontinued all remaining Grand Trunk trains when it began operations in 1971. Service over the Grand Trunk resumed on September 15, 1974, with the introduction of the '' Blue Water Limited''.

Major station stops

(** for cities served beginning in 1961) *Chicago, Illinois

Dearborn Station Dearborn Station (also referred to as Polk Street Depot) was, beginning in the late 1800s, one of six intercity train stations serving downtown Chicago, Illinois. It remained in operation until May 1, 1971. Built in 1883, it is located at ...

''Official Guide,'' June 1968, Grand Trunk section *South Bend, Indiana

Union Station A union station (also known as a union terminal, a joint station in Europe, and a joint-use station in Japan) is a railway station at which the tracks and facilities are shared by two or more separate railway companies, allowing passengers to ...

*Battle Creek, Michigan *Lansing, Michigan *Durand, Michigan

*Port Huron, Michigan *London, Ontario London Station *Kitchener, Ontario

Kitchener station Kitchener station is a railway station located in Kitchener, Ontario, Canada, slightly to the northeast of downtown Kitchener, at 126 Weber Street West, near the corner of Victoria Street. It is a heritage building containing a waiting room and t ...

** *Guelph, Ontario

Guelph Central Station Guelph Central Station (also known as Guelph Central GO Station) is the main inter-modal transportation terminal in Guelph, Ontario, Canada. It is used by VIA Rail and GO Transit trains, as well as Guelph Transit local buses, GO Transit regional ...

** *Toronto, Ontario

References

External links

1971 schedule of the GTW's ''Maple Leaf,'' with consists, at 'Streamliner Schedules'
{{GTW named trains Canadian National Railway Grand Trunk Western Railroad International named passenger trains Named passenger trains of Canada Named passenger trains of Ontario Named passenger trains of the United States Passenger rail transportation in Illinois Passenger rail transportation in Indiana Passenger rail transportation in Michigan Railway services introduced in 1927