Canadian Railroads > Recent Ride on Via Trains 5 & 6

One of my longstanding goals has been to ride between Jasper and Prince Rupert. There are three main reasons I wanted to do this. The first, to get one more ride on a Park car. It's been 51 years since my first. The second being to get a first hand look at this line that has seen significant increase  in traffic over the last 50 years. Finally my grandfather worked for at least one summer as laborer during the construction of the line. Last week my goal was accomplished. On 4/10 I departed Jasper for a round trip to Prince Rupert. 

This route certainly is a hidden gem, and I would think has to be considered one of top routes in North America. It combines great scenery along with very interesting and intense freight operations. Listed below is quick recap of the trip.

4/10 Departed Jasper at 1300, 15" late account  an issue with getting the switch unlocked on the siding where the train was stored.The consist was engine 6457, baggage car 8608, coach 8108, and Evangeline Park-Dome Observation car. There were a total of 6 passengers on the train.
        Arrived  Prince George at 1933- 25" late
        Along the way we passed 6 freight trains.
       There were 2 meets, which averaged 21" wait time. The other meets were running or overtakes with no loss of time
4/11 Departed Prince George on time at 0800. There were about 20 passengers on board.
        Arrived Prince Rupert at 2031 7" late. There were 7 passengers on board. 
        Along the way we passed 11 freight trains, with 3 meets averaging 21 minutes dwell time. We had one three train meet and number of running meets and overtakes.
4/12 Departed Prince Rupert at 0800 on time. There 12 passengers on board.
        Arrived Prince George 2100, 21" late.
       Along the way we passed 13 freight trains. Six of these were in the area just west of Smithers. The RTC did a very good job of weaving us through a very congested situation. 
       There were 3 meets where we stopped and the average wait time was 19". We had another 3 train meet and several overtakes.
4/13 #5 Departed Prince George on time at 0800 with 19 passengers
        #6 Departed Prince George on time, with 11 passengers on board
        #6 Arrived Jasper 1941 2'41" late, with 11 passengers on board.
       This delay was caused by 2 unfortunate events. The first being just east of McBride, where a MofW gang could not get the Hi-Rail vehicle off the track, they had to get the assistance of another gang. The second was track issue at mp.27 on single track section of the Albreda Sub
       Division. I understand that this single track section is memorial to the Hunter Harrison cost cutting program. We also had 15" delay at Red Pass Jct. account our engine crew needed to be re-crewed. 
       Along the way we passed  6 freight trains between Prince George and Harvey,and 8 between Red Pass Jct. and Jasper.
      We got a bonus east of Harvey by operating via the Robson Sub. to Lubin and then back east via Spicer on the Albreda Sub.

Besides the outstanding scenery three items made this trip exceptional. The first being the Dome Observation car. There are alot of trees close to the line and the elevation the dome provides is very big help in observing the scenery. Also my other favorite advantage the dome brings  is the ability to observe the signal indications and a better view of the passing trains. The second  items was the VIA Service Manager. He
 was very professional and friendly. He also had extensive knowledge of the local history along the route as well as the railroad history and current operations.
Finally it was pleasure to have big and clean windows on the cars. This is a feature that trains in my area of the US do not have. All widows are washed in Jasper before each trip.

 Considering the amount of freight that moves on this line  the effort by the RTC to keep us on time was impressive.

This trip is a must for anyone who likes passenger trains, fantastic scenery and railroad operations. The best time to ride is early April and late September. Last year from June through early September the train was sold out.
Hope you enjoyed this trip report and feel free to ask questions. I would also appreciate any information on the number of freight trains that operate daily west of Jasper on the Rupert line and Kamloops line

 Finally listed below are the hotels I stayed at, I would use they all again. In Jasper: the Whistler Inn. its across the street of the VIA station. The VIA station also serves as the car rental location.
                                                                                                                    In Prince George: the  Travelodge and the Hyatt Place. Both are about a 15" walk from the train station
                                                                                                                    In Prince Rupert:   the Prestige. Its about a 10 minute cab ride from the station. The cab company is called Skeena Taxi, and is cash only.  There are no hotels close to the station.
All except the Whistler have continental breakfast include in the room price. The Hyatt's is very good. There is limited food service available on the train

Regards,

Bill
  




  

Thanks for the good report and hotel info for Prince George and Jasper..  Trains 5 and 6 are my only missing route miles on VIA except for the trains that go north in the far east.  I regret that as I have heard others speak well of 5 - 6 and the great scenery.  I guess the number of hotel nights on a round trip from Jasper kept me from 5 - 6.  Maybe I will get a chance yet.

Excellent trip report! This is truly a HIDDEN gem of a route! I used to take annual trips on this train after VIA launched the Totem and then Totem Deluxe class (now called Touring Class - when operational) for this train. It's a magnificent day trip through the Rockies and then the coastal plain of the Skeena River. The highlight was when VIA put the Panorama Cars on the Skeena (Train #5 and 6) and operated it as the Totem Deluxe class (now Touring Class). You used to get hot meals - breakfast, lunch and dinner, plus snacks, appetizers, and drinks in the early years when this "class" was first launched. It was even running four days a week from like June to September to try to capture extra patronage etc. This was before the Rocky Mountaineer began operating its Whistler to Jasper train via Prince George. The Totem Deluxe Class, with the Panorama Cars, meals, and scenery, plus day-time scenery was nearly identical to the Rocky Mountaineer's service it was providing. Slowly though over the years, and likely with competition from Rocky Mountaineer, the Totem Deluxe and Touring Class on this train kinda went down hill, but it is STILL VERY MUCH WORTHWHILE overall. I would LOVE to take a ride on this train again if they bring back Touring Class ever again. It's absolutely a remarkable journey. It was featured as one of the "great rail journey trips" in the world. 

I'm hoping to take this train this year, combining it with the Rocky Mountaineer Rainforest to Goldrush for maximum daylight travel.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/18/24 05:09 by TomPittsfieldMA.

What a wonderful trip!

I’ve thought a lot about doing it one way in either direction and either starting or finishing with an inland passage ferry from or to Vancouver and points south. I don’t know if schedules would line up sensibly at all but I can dream! I also don’t know if can afford the alimony if I ever DO take this trip!

Posted from iPhone

I thought I asked this question before, but maybe i fell asleep and it didnt get pasted, LOL.

If u book a sleeping room from Jasper to Prince Rupert, to u get to use the room for the overnight layover in prince george?
Also do they add cars in  the summer, especially if the train is booked up a lot?

There are no sleeper cars on this train.

pdt Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I thought I asked this question before, but maybe
> i fell asleep and it didn't get pasted, LOL.
>
> If u book a sleeping room from Jasper to Prince
> Rupert, to u get to use the room for the overnight
> layover in prince george?
> Also do they add cars in  the summer, especially
> if the train is booked up a lot?

Maximum length I've ever seen this train at:

- F40
- Baggage
- Coach
- VIA 1 Coach (for Totem Class passengers)
- Panorama Car (for Totem Deluxe Class passengers)
- Park/Dome Car

That consist wasn't filled though. I was on the train a couple of times where the coach was filled, and they allowed people to sit in the VIA1 coach (overflow), as many passengers upgraded from Totem Class to Totem Deluxe class. There was perhaps one VIA 1 spare car in the Jasper Yard for this train, but likely more of a substitute than anything else. VIA really marketed the heck out of this train when they purchased and deployed the Panorama Cars to be part of this train in c. 2002. The first two years or so it even operated four days a week, and not just tri-weekly. I felt, VIA was really trying to compete with the Rocky Mountaineer's daylight trains, which at that time did not include the Vancouver to Whistler, or Vancouver/Whistler to Jasper via Prince George. In matter of fact the first year the Panorama Cars operated on the Skeena (as it was then called) you could still catch the BC Budd cars tri-weekly from Prince George to North Vancouver.

VIA also pushed hard to get the Skeena (train #5/6) restored or re-extended from Jasper to Edmonton. They almost had it negotiated and ready to go too..... Additional train attendants had even been secured. This was also when VIA was also pushing for six day a week operation between Vancouver and Jasper. Got that first hand from a few VIA personnel, industry folks, and most importantly, a VIA Marketing Exec that was travelling on the Canadian I was also on. She was a marketing director for the "western trains" but was being sent east to ride and experience the Ocean with its newly re-launched maritime/easterly class experience. The Renaissance coaches, Park Car, and Touring class were in its infancy. Marketing dept wanted the Skeena (train #5/6) to originate/terminate in Edmonton to hopefully attract a wider market of travellers.

It was a well established marketing plan and branding that was tried, but it just didn't work out to its full potential for a number of reasons. And eventually the train was pulled back to tri-weekly in peak/summer season. Even the Panorama cars were pulled over to the Canadian to operate between Edmonton and Vancouver, with occasional "Touring Class" with the Panorama cars on the Skeena - now called trains #5/6 to Prince Rupert. But no Touring class on this train since COVID. 

Having the train extended to Edmonton would sure open up the route to many more travelers. Both the residents of that very large city as well as people that wanted to fly in to take the Skeena. As it stands, it is somewhat inefficient to try and travel to Jasper in order to ride this train. Of course, the train is not meant for tourists, but tourists certainly would add to the bottom line.

Posted from Android

P Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Having the train extended to Edmonton would sure
> open up the route to many more travelers. Both
> the residents of that very large city as well as
> people that wanted to fly in to take the Skeena.
> As it stands, it is somewhat inefficient to try
> and travel to Jasper in order to ride this train.
> Of course, the train is not meant for tourists,
> but tourists certainly would add to the bottom
> line.
>
> Posted from Android

VIA doesn't really have an issue with tourists riding the train. Different mind set than say with Amtrak, and I think they've learned over the years that the tourists are going to help to offset the losses (e.g. Prestige Class) and add people to this "essential service" train. Just an FYI, not meant to be criticism in any way.