Canadian Railroads > VIA 1-2, the Canadian, Still the Best - Trip Report

My apologies for the delay in posting this trip report.  Arrived home from the trip to find many chores waiting for me!  Was now time to keep wife happy!

On Monday, May 2, Train 1, the Canadian arrived at Winnipeg reasonably close to on time.  Excited I boarded into Room E in the 111 car.  Being that it was getting dark outside, the room looked so nice in subdued lighting with only the light over the sink and by the bed on.  The bed was all made up and I advised the great porter by the name of Angela that she could leave the bed down for the whole trip for a bit of daytime napping.  I moved to the next car, the Sleeper plus Skyline, to celebrate my departure with a glass of wine.  Our departure was delayed by what seemed like a never ending parade of CN freights moving in both directions on the main line next to the station.

Up early the next morning I headed to the diner for a wonderful breakfast of cranberry pancakes.  Then it was off to the Skyline dome for viewing  until lunch.  Dining car manager Danny and his crew did a wonderful job.  Lunch was shrimp/scallops and dinner prime rib done medium rare, just how I like it.  Of course, could not pass on the desserts, different at each meal!  This is no place to be concerned about the diet!

The wonderful trip west continued on the rattle free Budd built cars.  Of course after 4 PM each day I headed for the Park car open at that time to Sleeper Plus passengers.  Being that no Prestige passengers were using the reserved seats for them in the dome, the attendant told me to take a front seat.  I was grateful for that and indicated I would move if a Prestige passenger wanted the seat.  No one did.

The next morning west of Jasper I became aware of something I never realized even after many trips on this train.  And that is that we were on the westbound main quite removed from the eastbound main above us.  Goes to show, learn something new every trip!

Rather than describe every meal in detail - all wonderful - I will write a bit about what I feel makes this train great.  New cloth table clothes on table after each sitting, six place settings of silverware at dinner, crews that seemed to enjoy what they were doing, a train with a coach Skyline, a Sleeper Plus Skyline lounge with dome, and Park car with bar, lounge and dome!  That is three lounge type cars on one train and on my return east, four as there were two Sleeper Plus Skyline lounges with domes in addition to the above mentioned, and two diners!!  And different menu each day!  A real streamliner like the CZ of the past.

I awoke upon arrival in Vancouver at 5:27 AM.  Yikes!  Gotta get dressed and off the train!!  Oh wait!  This is not the Sunset Ltd at Los Angles where passengers must be off the train upon arrival no matter how early.  This is the Canadian at Vancouver where even with early arrivals passengers are invited into the dining car for full cooked on board breakfast while train is parked by the platform.  Now that is classy!  And when I finally left the train at 7:50 AM, there was an employee outside with a luggage cart to assist me to the baggage room to get my checked bag and get me out to the cab stand.  Now that is classy!

My day in Vancouver was poor with rain and wind all day so I did not venture out in my usual manner there.

Departure the next day, May 6, was on time with a huge 23 car train referenced above and on a previous thread.  Three locomotives on the westbound train and only two on this huge eastbound.  Never found out the reason for that.

Departure on time with usual champagne and assorted snacks.  Very cool is watching this huge train from the rear Sleeper Plus Skyline dome on the bridge crossing the Fraser River  and again south of Mission. Have never understood why this train takes the long way around to Mission instead of the CP out of Vancouver.  After all, at Mission we join the CP to go east to Kamloops.

Eastbound all was as good as the westbound trip.  Especially good was what I was told is a new item on the dinner menu:  beef tenderloin.  This was my best dinner of the trip, just wonderful.  Instead of prime rib again the second night (my RN wife would be pleased) I had the chicken which was fine.

In the usual CN manner we went from on time to delayed to on time, but what's this?  Arrival at Winnipeg a half hour early!!  Just right to get me to a hotel and in bed by 11 PM.  I had concerns about what I would do if arrival had been say 3:00 AM as can happen.

One super guy in   both directions was SM Dan Forbes.  He was so glad to be back at work now with the second train being in operation and he showed it.    His service to me and others just great, never missing a beat.  So Dan, if you read this, great job!

In fact, no cranky staff on this train!

Finally, those of you who might read my stuff on TO would know I am not an Amtrak complainer.  In fact during Covid when I could not get in to Canada, I did two Empire Builder trips.  They were fine especially after traditional dining returned.  But believe me, this train the Canadian is a cut above.  If it were not I would not have driven 450 miles one way each year for many years to ride this train.

I salute all those who make it happen!

Eliot



 



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/17/22 12:03 by viatrainrider.

Great report.  What he wrote could well express my sentiments after riding this fine train.  If one likes the classic American streamliner, this is probably the very last one standing.  I'll ride 'em while I can....that is, when I can, and I can't wait!

AA

Stanford White
Carmel Valley, CA



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/17/22 13:00 by agentatascadero.

It would be money well spent for Amtrak to have all of their middle & upper management types ride this train early in their career. At least they'd then know how to do it correctly even if Amtrak can't come within a country mile of the Canadian. 

  It truly is THE last first class passenger train on the No. American continent and we're lucky it's still here.

   Ross Rowland 

Thanks for the detailed report. I'm pleased you had Danny as the dining car manager. He is one of the best.

Viatrainrider, your trip is exactly like my trip in March of this year with the full breakfast in the station as we arrived at 05:30 to.
The only thing that was wrong with my trip is I had to stay in Vancouver 4 nights till # 2 went east again. I still had a great trip!!!
I will be doing a round trip in November or December on # 1 & # 2...:):):)

viatrainrider Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> My apologies for the delay in posting this trip
> report.  Arrived home from the trip to find many
> chores waiting for me!  Was now time to keep wife
> happy!
>
> On Monday, May 2, Train 1, the Canadian arrived
> at Winnipeg reasonably close to on time.  Excited
> I boarded into Room E in the 111 car.  Being that
> it was getting dark outside, the room looked so
> nice in subdued lighting with only the light over
> the sink and by the bed on.  The bed was all made
> up and I advised the great porter by the name of
> Angela that she could leave the bed down for the
> whole trip for a bit of daytime napping.  I moved
> to the next car, the Sleeper plus Skyline, to
> celebrate my departure with a glass of wine.  Our
> departure was delayed by what seemed like a never
> ending parade of CN freights moving in both
> directions on the main line next to the station.
>
> Up early the next morning I headed to the diner
> for a wonderful breakfast of cranberry pancakes. 
> Then it was off to the Skyline dome for viewing 
> until lunch.  Dining car manager Danny and his
> crew did a wonderful job.  Lunch was
> shrimp/scallops and dinner prime rib done medium
> rare, just how I like it.  Of course, could not
> pass on the desserts, different at each meal! 
> This is no place to be concerned about the diet!
>
> The wonderful trip west continued on the rattle
> free Budd built cars.  Of course after 4 PM each
> day I headed for the Park car open at that time to
> Sleeper Plus passengers.  Being that no Prestige
> passengers were using the reserved seats for them
> in the dome, the attendant told me to take a front
> seat.  I was grateful for that and indicated I
> would move if a Prestige passenger wanted the
> seat.  No one did.
>
> The next morning west of Jasper I became aware of
> something I never realized even after many trips
> on this train.  And that is that we were on the
> westbound main quite removed from the eastbound
> main above us.  Goes to show, learn something new
> every trip!
>
> Rather than describe every meal in detail - all
> wonderful - I will write a bit about what I feel
> makes this train great.  New cloth table clothes
> on table after each sitting, six place settings of
> silverware at dinner, crews that seemed to enjoy
> what they were doing, a train with a coach
> Skyline, a Sleeper Plus Skyline lounge with dome,
> and Park car with bar, lounge and dome!  That is
> three lounge type cars on one train and on my
> return east, four as there were two Sleeper Plus
> Skyline lounges with domes in addition to the
> above mentioned, and two diners!!  And different
> menu each day!  A real streamliner like the CZ of
> the past.
>
> I awoke upon arrival in Vancouver at 5:27 AM. 
> Yikes!  Gotta get dressed and off the train!! 
> Oh wait!  This is not the Sunset Ltd at Los
> Angles where passengers must be off the train upon
> arrival no matter how early.  This is
> the Canadian at Vancouver where even with early
> arrivals passengers are invited into the dining
> car for full cooked on board breakfast while train
> is parked by the platform.  Now that is classy! 
> And when I finally left the train at 7:50 AM,
> there was an employee outside with a luggage cart
> to assist me to the baggage room to get my checked
> bag and get me out to the cab stand.  Now that is
> classy!
>
> My day in Vancouver was poor with rain and wind
> all day so I did not venture out in my usual
> manner there.
>
> Departure the next day, May 6, was on time with a
> huge 23 car train referenced above and on a
> previous thread.  Three locomotives on the
> westbound train and only two on this huge
> eastbound.  Never found out the reason for that.
>
> Departure on time with usual champagne and
> assorted snacks.  Very cool is watching this huge
> train from the rear Sleeper Plus Skyline dome on
> the bridge crossing the Fraser River  and again
> south of Mission. Have never understood why this
> train takes the long way around to Mission instead
> of the CP out of Vancouver.  After all, at
> Mission we join the CP to go east to Kamloops.
>
> Eastbound all was as good as the westbound trip. 
> Especially good was what I was told is a new item
> on the dinner menu:  beef tenderloin.  This was
> my best dinner of the trip, just wonderful. 
> Instead of prime rib again the second night (my RN
> wife would be pleased) I had the chicken which was
> fine.
>
> In the usual CN manner we went from on time to
> delayed to on time, but what's this?  Arrival at
> Winnipeg a half hour early!!  Just right to get
> me to a hotel and in bed by 11 PM.  I had
> concerns about what I would do if arrival had been
> say 3:00 AM as can happen.
>
> One super guy in   both directions was SM Dan
> Forbes.  He was so glad to be back at work now
> with the second train being in operation and he
> showed it.    His service to me and others just
> great, never missing a beat.  So Dan, if you read
> this, great job!
>
> In fact, no cranky staff on this train!
>
> Finally, those of you who might read my stuff on
> TO would know I am not an Amtrak complainer.  In
> fact during Covid when I could not get in to
> Canada, I did two Empire Builder trips.  They
> were fine especially after traditional dining
> returned.  But believe me, this train
> the Canadian is a cut above.  If it were not I
> would not have driven 450 miles one way each year
> for many years to ride this train.
>
> I salute all those who make it happen!
>
> Eliot
>
>
>
>  

Hello Viatrainrider,
I enjoyed reading your latest trip report. When you indicated that your eastbound trip departed on May 6, I thought...wait a minute I was out shooting after work on May 6 and that is a VIA #2 day.
Here are a couple of shots of VIA #2 approaching mp 100 on the Yale Sub.  Your train has just passed through Fort Langley and SNS Hydro, where the line to Robert's Bank and Deltaport diverges to the southwest.  It was a reasonably overcast day so my photography partner and I decided to shoot on the 'dark side' for some variety.

Hope you enjoy!
Cheers, Dave

 

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Great pictures!!! Are they having to split the train for its length at the station in Vancouver???

What a sight that train is!

Posted from Android

gaspeamtrak Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Great pictures!!! Are they having to split the
> train for its length at the station in
> Vancouver???

They split the train in Vancouver when my wife and I rode in an upper and lower birth one way from Wnnipeg to Vancover as her birthday prsent to me in October 2019.  And when the lowers were not all occupied on the final night into Vancouver, the SCA had me sleep in a lower instead of my assigned upper..   A great ride all around.