Canadian Railroads > Via Rail #5 Picture and video

I had to travel last week for work from Prince George, BC to Prince Rupert  BC The cheapest and I my opinion the best way was to take the train. Number 5 leaves Prince George at 8:00 Am and arrive in Prince 20:25 hrs The video was taken near New Hazelton, the river is the Buckley River and the pictures was taken just outside of Smithers BC
The train over nights in Prince George after arriving from Jasper the night before The was only 3 passengers boarding (including myself) in Prince George although we did have a grand total of 15 passengers at one point on the train. It was a very short train engine was F40 6421, ex CP baggage 8600, ex CP coach 8117, and the park car was the Revelstoke Park. The fare was $126 cdn and did not have to fight for room in the dome. All in all a great time!!

cvrrr



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/05/25 23:35 by cvrrr.

---

You must be a registered subscriber to watch videos. Join Today!

Thanks for posting! This is really a spectacular route. I know I have said this over and over, but I LOVED this route when it operated with the VIA Panorama coaches (single level wrap-around windows). Meal service too at your seats and drinks. Clearly, I know they can't do this in winter with just 15 or less passengers, but it's great to see that this train is still operating and allowing passengers to take in some really stunning scenery. In the off-peak season, I have to wonder if this train should revert to just "running through" with a sleeper car, coach, and Park Car from Jasper to Prince Rupert.......Peak season - I get it. Daylight in the Rockies!

I should have said there is very limited meal service on the train. I had a choice of three types of sandwiches, a couple of choices of chocolate bars, Pringles and a couple choices of pop Diet Coke, etc. two sandwiches two things of Pringles two chocolate bars and two pops came out to about $34 Canadian a little pricey, but there’s food if you want to stop ahead of time at the corner store convenience store, and get some more food that you can bring along, I would suggest doing that

Posted from iPhone

We made the Skena trip during the summer from Prince Rupert to Jasper ten years ago.  Beautiful scenery and since we overnighted in Prince George, we got to see the scenery all the way.  There were more passengers back then than the few you had aboard.  As I recall, it was a four car train with two coaches, a lounge/food car and a dome obs on the rear.  

Gerry

SPB Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> We made the Skena trip during the summer from
> Prince Rupert to Jasper ten years ago.  Beautiful
> scenery and since we overnighted in Prince George,
> we got to see the scenery all the way.  There
> were more passengers back then than the few you
> had aboard.  As I recall, it was a four car train
> with two coaches, a lounge/food car and a dome obs
> on the rear.  
>
> Gerry

Was it a "lounge/food car" or the VIA Panorama Car operating its "Tourist" class option for riders at a premium (formerly called Totem or Totem Deluxe Class). When I rode the Skeena in the 2000's just after the ex-BC Panorama cars were introduced as a premium class - that was the largest consist in peal period that I ever saw for the Skeena. Consist as follows:

1) F40 Locomotive
2) Baggage Car
3) Coach - Economy Class
4) Panorama Car - for Totem Deluxe passengers (single level with at seat-food service and the wrap around windows for GREAT viewing. 
5) VIA 1 Coach - for Totem Class passengers (a class VIA created that was in between Economy and the Panorama Car experience). Offered upgraded food service, but not as good as the Totem Deluxe, but hence why they had a VIA 1 car as it had a "galley" for food prep. 
6) Park Lounge/Dome car - could be accessed by Totem Deluxe and Totem class passengers. 

VIA ended up putting the ex-BC Panorama cars on the Canadian from Edmonton and Vancouver, and relegated only one Panorama Car to the Skeena - re-branded as "Touring Class" where it only operated on certain Skeena train sets, not all when the Panorama Cars were exclusive to the Skeena. LOVED when the Panorama cars were dedicated to the Skeena exclusively during peak season. The Panorama cars are now sidelined in the Montreal Maintenance Complex as reported last year. Too bad, as these were REALLY nice cars. But VIA seems to want to put them in on its new LD order though. Hopefully a few will make it to the "Adventure Routes!" 

Just info. Perhaps there was a "group" that warranted a second coach car when you travelled! Was rare to see two economy class coaches on the Skeena post-1997.