It's pouring down rain today, so although my hotel is less than a mile from the train station, I end up taking a cab. The rain also keeps me from taking a picture of the station from the outside. The lounge has a heated outdoor patio right next to the tracks:
Note the "Park" cars facing the patio, which are the final cars on the train. Each car is named after a national park, and has a section of Prestige Class sleeper cabins, a bar, a dome, and a bullet lounge at the very end. All of the cars on this train are 1950s vintage, restored and refurbished for modern travel. It's like riding a museum.
Although I'd booked a cabin for one, similar to a roomette on Amtrak, I was upgraded to a cabin for two! Much more space, and the toilet is in a separate compartment. The seats may be moved around, but the one disadvantage is that they don't recline. Also, the window faces south for this trip, which is not conducive to taking good pictures. Nonetheless, I feel myself in the lap of luxury, and this more than makes up for the late night flight yesterday.
I wasn't sure what to expect for luggage space. Normally, I travel on Amtrak with a single medium-size suitcase, but the reservation calls for two smaller cases per cabin, which is more awkward for me. It turns out there are several travellers with a single medium case, and I would have been fine with my usual arrangement. Unlike Amtrak, however, there's no luggage rack on the car for a larger suitcase.
Departure is delayed, waiting for an Amtrak connection to arrive. The rain also prevents any view of the mountains as we depart. I take this picture from the dining car:
In the Park car, the bartender says that this train has the smallest number of passengers he's seen in a long time. Here's the bullet lounge (the glass of dark ale is mine):
Rain, fog, and clouds limit visibility today:
At night, the seats collapse and the bed folds down from the closet side. A special tool is required to lower the beds, so I can't do it myself. I eat the chocolate on the pillow before I realize that I should have included it in the picture.
Jasper [11:00 AM (3 hours late), -20° C (-4° F)]
Although delayed a couple of times while working on frozen switches, we finally arrive at Jasper. This is a service stop, so once I get off the train, I have to stay off until servicing is done. I'm fine with that, except I forget my wallet, so I can't wander to a shop to buy anything. I do enjoy walking around the area, taking pictures. The temperature is pleasant enough in a sheltered spot, but the wind chill is fierce. I take shelter frequently and change hands taking pictures.
I mention the eyes to the station manager, and she just shakes her head and walks away.
Further east, the clouds finally start to lift, and I am able to get some good shots of the Rocky Mountains, despite blowing snow that obscures the view much of the time.
More and more delays, and we don't reach Edmonton until well after dark. I don't even get a glimpse of the station.
The toilet won't flush this morning, and the cold water tap won't work. I check out the men's room, however, and it works fine. It's still early, and this is "brunch day" (no early breakfast unless you want to go continental), so I choose not to bother the attendant quite yet. I take my shower, relax, write some notes, and do some reading until it's time for brunch. As I'd suspected, the problem turns out to be a frozen water pipe, and is cleared before we get to Saskatoon.
So far, parts of the train are warmer than others. The shower and men's room are very warm. My cabin is cooler, but not uncomfortable. I keep the vent running, which may contribute to the lower temperature, but the trade-off for fresher air is worth it. Nonetheless, despite washing alternate underwear each day, I find myself already resorting to the Febreze that I'd thought to bring with me (remembering the Trans-Siberian trip).
Saskatoon [9:30 AM (5 hours late), -25° C (-13° F)]
This is my first opportunity to walk along the entire train. I already saw the front part of the train in Jasper, and focus this time on the rear. There's no wind, so even though it's colder, it's quite pleasant out.
The train has three engines, followed by (in order):
Engines, baggage car, coach car, dome car, and sleepers 1-2:
Activity dome car, where I take most of my dome photos:
Park car:
Dining car:
We've been spending a surprising amount of time stationary, waiting for freight trains to pass. While I've experienced some unscheduled stops on Amtrak, it hasn't been nearly this frequency or length of time. At this rate, I'll get into Toronto as late as I arrived in Vancouver (if not later).
View from the Park car dome:
Entering Winnipeg:
Winnipeg [11:00 AM (16 hours late), -29° C (-20° F)]
The upside is that we arrive during daylight, so I can get out and take pictures.
There's a small railroad museum at the station, but so little time is allowed before reboarding that I don't take the time to see it. Then, after boarding, we sit at the station for another two hours anyway to let freight trains go by. Crazy!
Right across from the station is the Canadian Museum for Human Rights, which is featured on the back of the $10 bill:
A number of coach passengers board at Winnipeg. At one point, I hear that there are more passengers in the single coach car than in all the other sleepers combined.
Departing from the station:
Capreol [2:30 PM (11 hours late), -15° C (5° F)]
Last station stop before Toronto.
Front dome car, just behind the coach car:
Toronto [10:30 PM (8.5 hours late), -5° C (23° F)]
Because we're so late, I don't stick around to take pictures, but head straight for the hotel. During the trip, I found out that there's a UP (Union-Pearson) Express train from Union Station to the airport. I take that, then the hotel courtesy shuttle. I reach the hotel at 12 AM, and plan get back to the airport by 9 AM.