Canadian Railroads > Saturday in the Yard

Hello TO'ers...

Happy long weekend!

A little action in a busy Kamloops yard today...

1. CP5875 is making it's way to the westend signal at Kamloops Yard. CP8735 west will head out once the crew is on board.

2. CP6250 is the second unit, as the engines reverse direction into the yard and their train.

3. Once the power is on the train, and brake tests done, the transfer will head west on the Thompson sub for work towards Ashcroft.

A bright, sunny, warm day out here.

Take care,

611

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Is this "yard" where Rocky Mountaineer unloads its passenger - I notice a "passenger style" cement low level type platform next to the far track.

Likewise is Sandman Signature hotel an Armstrong property - or where Rocky puts up its Gold Leaf passengers?

Those ex-SOO SD60's do get around.

KG

I like that pair of cabooses.

jp1822 Wrote:
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> Is this "yard" where Rocky Mountaineer unloads its
> passenger - I notice a "passenger style" cement
> low level type platform next to the far track.
>
> Likewise is Sandman Signature hotel an Armstrong
> property - or where Rocky puts up its Gold Leaf
> passengers?

The CP station in Kamloops has not seen passenger service since 1990 when the Via "Canadian" was rerouted over the CN which is 5 miles or so north of downtown Kamloops. The current CP station was built around the shell of a 1940's station.  The shopping mall behind the station was built by CP's real estate subsidiary Marathon Realty in the late 1960's on the site of the roundhouse.   After passenger service was discontinued , the long platform and car and locomotive watering facilities were removed east of the station. A narrow platform between the two mains was removed.

CN Lorne Street station, where "Rocky Mountaineer" boards and detrains is behind the condos on the left of the picture. This brick station building is currently a "Keg" steakhouse.

This 1923 built heritage building is on the CN Okanagan spur which is a busy interchange track between the CP and CN main lines in Kamloops. The second image shows the station building as it is today. It formerly housed administrative and dispatching offices for the CN.Note the many wheelchair lifts. RMR strives to serve persons with mobility issues.

The third image shows "Rocky Mountaineer" passengers detraing directly onto a fleet of shuttle buses which will carry them to nearby hotels.

The new "Sandman Signature" hotel is owned by Northland Properties, in turn owned by Vancouver entrepreneur Tom Gagliardi.  The Gagliardi family have a long association with Kamloops. The late Phil Gagliardi was a cabinet minister in the Provincial Government of W.A.C.Bennett in the 1960's.  This was a period of highway construction in BC, and the Gagliardi family established the Sandman chain of hotels and motels at many locations along the new highways. The statue is of the late Phil Gagliardi, who was also an evangelical church minister. He served as Kamloops mayor later in life.

The Armstrong Hospitality Group, which operates the "Rocky Mountaineer" owns 30%+ of the National Hospitality Group Inc, which owns Hotel 540 and the Thompson Hotel in Kamloops.
The "Gold Leaf" RMR passengers stay at the Sandman Signature, Hotel 540, Coast Hotel and Hilton Doubletree Hotels, 'Silverleaf" passengers stay to the Thompson Hotel.


 



Edited 4 time(s). Last edit at 05/17/15 10:51 by eminence_grise.

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