From the Pacific to the Atlantic - Crossing Canada by Train
2 October - 5 November 2024

Canada 2024
4 October 2024: Day 3

The "Canadian Train"

Introduction

Today was the start of our train adventure, but had the morning to fill in. A cold wind and rain curtailed our city exploration. We then foudn the skytrain to go the 5 stops to the Pacific Central Station where our train awaited. We checked in, boarded and were soon off, but after 200m we waited 20 minutes for an express freight train. But that delay over we headed up the Fraser River valley towards the Rockies. Then as the Man In Seat 61 says - "Nighty-night".

Morning in Vancouver

After another good breakfast at the St Regis hotel we had intended to walk around this part of Vancouver and look at the book shops, but the weather had changed and it was soon cold and raining. We did find one of the good second-hand bookshops but nothing leapt out to be bought so we returned to the St Regis and tested out their coffee and baked delights in the shop next door. Then a quick visit to the adjacent Hudson Bay Company shop and across the road to the CF Centre - an enormous shopping mall. Nothing bought there either so it was time to return to the hotel, recover our luggage and head off on the skytrain to the Pacific Science Centre Station. From that station it was 2 minutes to walk to the Pacific Central Station where the VIA train "The Canadian" bound for Toronto awaited. We checked in our larger luggage then joined the long, snaking line to check in for the train. It was now 1235 and although the desk opened at 1300 we were one of the last in the queue. Tickets checked we moved to the next desk to book our dinner sitting - 1930hr we chose, after dark so we would not miss the scenery.

Pacific Central Station

Looking back to the Skytrain station

and a skytrain

The grand hall inside the station with the VIA rail queue at 1244.

The baggage checkin

The queue at 1300

almost our turn.

The waiting area beside the platforms.

"The Canadian" train in two parts

The rear "Park" observation car

What a clever ATM

Ready to go...

"Now how do I change the date and time zone?"

"ALL ABOARRRRRRRRD...!!!"

("You are getting good at that shouting" commented one of the other train staff.) At 1445 we were able to board. The train was in two sections, so after the cheaper seats in the front section had boarded that part of the train disappeared, then backed in again to join the rest. At precisely 1500 the train moved out of the station and we were off! That was the only time in 4 days that the train was on time - we progressively slipped further into delays as we waited for numerous freight trains to have right-of-way. After only 200 metres down the line we had our first stop for 20 minutes. Pity about the view - just mindless grafitti.

So out of Vancouver we crept, across and then alongside the Fraser River. Finallly we picked up speed and headed for The Rockies. Soon there were spectacular views of the mountians, clad in the dark green of the cedar trees and with caps of snow. Before dusk we had climbed into the mist and cloud.

Before dinner the train staff offered "Mimosas and cocktails" in the lounge car. We were allowed 2 drinks and 4 we snacks, but it was soon our dinner time. Each meal was 3 courses - soup OR salad (yet a few people managed to extract both from the restaurant staff), then a choice of 4 mains (meat, chicken, fish or vegetarian) and a dessert (most often chocolate cake or a cheesecake).

While we were at dinner the cabin porter made up our room for the night. The two lounge chairs were folded down, the lower bunkwas folded out of the wall and the top bunk dropped from the ceiling. Made up with sheets and a duvet they looked inviting on our return from dinner. The cabins are small and there is very little space but with the bunks down there is overnight storage at the head of each bed.

Then as the Man In Seat 61 says - "Nighty-night".

As an experiment I had decided to set up a camera on a tripod in our cabin and set it to take a photo every 30 seconds during the day. This might produce a lot of blurred images, or it might capture unexpected views. In fact it did both. But what to do with the 6,000 images I captured. Read on...