It’s a cold day in late December as Amtrak 824 leads the eastbound Toronto to New York City train the “Maple Leaf” over the unique double decked Whirlpool bridge a few miles down river of Niagara Falls. Completed in 1897, the bridge spans 1080 feet and stands 246 feet above the Niagara River Gorge. All though traffic on the upper deck sees only two trains a day, the bridge remains active all day with two lanes of vehicle traffic on the lower deck.