Passenger Trains > "The Canadian" in Saskatchewan on December 6, 2012

On December 6, 2012, eastbound VIA Rail Train 2, "The Canadian," was photographed at Fenwood, Saskatchewan. The temperature was around -20° C / -4° F.

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NICE !!!!

Now that's what a passenger train should look like. Typical off season consist...two coaches and four sleepers. Its a shame we have to go to our good neighbors to the north (or in my case south)to ride such a gret train.

Is the consist any bigger than it was at this time last year when it ran 3 times per week ?

I rode it last year in early January and consist was exactly the same. With a very light load (although it was only to Winnipeg and return, missing the normally better patronized segment from Jasper west).

Gorgeous>

Beautiful pictures. As one who worked many years in the Yukon
and Northwest Territories, -4F is positively balmy.

The problem I always had up there in the North was that if you
wore longjohns, when you went into the buildings, they used
to run them at about 80F, and you would positively cook.

You haven't lived until you have felt that wind coming off Great Slave
Lake at Yellowknife.

I am booked on the Canadian for february Vancr. to Toronto.
Sid.

And that is the issue, this train's frequency (and schedule for that matter) between Jasper and Vancouver.

On the old schedule, when this train would arrive into Jasper from Vancouver in late morning, it was PACKED with tourists (folks from Canada and tourists from other countries) who came up to partake in the winter sporting events in the area. The schedule seemed to work well and sleepers would be added/dropped in Jasper as needed to handle the loads. Travelling westbound, again on the old schedule, this train sould depart Jasper around 15:00 and allow for a good day's worth of sporting or other things before heading back to Vancouver for an early morning arrival. Train was PACKED out of Jasper to Vancouver, after being a very "quiet" train east of Jasper.

The new schedule eastbound (implemented around 2008 I believe) is not ideal. And now the 2 days per week is even more less ideal. VIA's marketing department in Western Canada has pushed to get a six day a week train for the Canadian operating between Vancouver and Jasper, but this never transpired. It actually alost came to be for the summer months, as opposed to the winter or year-round. I thought it would make more sense in the winter from what I observed on my Canadian trips. And considering the Skeena travels 3 days per week out of Jasper, I never would have dreamed that the Canadian would have less frequencies out of Jasper than the Skeena - any time of the season for that matter.

It should definitely be interesting over the next year or so if the Canadian gets piecemealed out and is even privatized for that matter. With that said though, it's just too bad that all the equipment (or most if it) operating on the Canadian was just overhauled and the "deluxo cars" that were created from Chateau and Park Cars were also done. The later were not needed in the current operating plan for the Canadian if you were to ask me.