umors of Via demise greatly exaggerated

Via Rail’s passenger service makes three runs between Toronto and Vancouver weekly

TRAVEL TIPS

VIA RAIL. and Robert
Stanfield have something in
common: bad press.
Remember the picture of
Stanfield dropping the
football?

- The truth is that he had caught
the ball several times, but the pic-
ture of the one time he dropped it
made front pages across the coun-
try, and that helped end his polit-
ical career.

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Three years ago Via Rail cut
passenger rail services in half, and
in so doing convinced many peo-
ple that it was going ow of
business altogether. Hence the
lament by Via Rail president Ron
Lawless about it being an uphill
battle to convince people the
railway still exists.

He said things were not helped
by the PBS film Last Train Trip
Across Canada,

There was also the book Last
Train to Toronto. The author,
Terry Pindell, is a wonderful
story-teller, and the book is. an
enjoyable romp across the coun-
try. But the title is totally mislead-
ing.

The fact is that there are three
irains a week from Vancouver to
Toronto, year-round, and since
the introduction of an upgraded
service last year business has in-
creased 20%. You could say it’s
booming. There’s even talk of ex-
tra trains this summer.

You can also ride the train from
Montreal to the Maritimes, and
between Toronto and Montreal
there is a fast commuter service.

So where’s the last train?

In his introduction, Pindell, an
American, does not refer to the
railway going out of business, cn-

E

ge proper.

681-6710

ly to “drastic cuts,’' leading him
to ride our rails ‘‘while 1 still
could,” Some people might think
the titles refer to the demise of a
train that ran from coast to coast,
but there has ‘never been a train
from Vancouver to Halifax.
You've always had !o change at
Toronto or Montreal.

Train names like the Super
Continental were misleading. That
train never went coast to coast.

But, as we were saying, there is
service between Vancouver and
Toronto: It is known as The Ca-
nadian; not a new name, but at
least it’s not inaccurate.

The Canadian uses handsome,
refurbished 1950s rolling stock,
there are showers on board (more
than you'll get on the Orient Ex-
press), and there are dome cars,
good food and a bar — not to
mention lots of characters on
board,

When was the last time you had
a good conversation on a plane?

You mean you don’t enjoy sitting
in the dark watching movies made
for 10-year-olds? Even if you
have left Vancouver on a dismal,
wet day and you are now flying,
in briffiant sunshine, across the
snow-capped Rockies.

Back to the train. The Canadian
calls at Sudbury, Winnipeg,
Saskatoon, Edmonton, Jasper and
Kamloops. Transit of the Rockies
is made during daylight in both
directions.

Fares start at $266 plus tax one
way for the three-day, three-night
trip. There are also shoulder and
summer rates. Sleeping accom-
modation is extra, starting at $318
for two people.

A CanRail pass offers travel on
any of 12 days within a 30-day
period. Rates start at $329,

Passengers who want to do the
Rockies can board Via Rail at
Jasper or Vancouver. The service
goes three times a week, leaving
Vancouver at 8 p.m. and arriving

in Kamloops at 4:35 a.m. The
train then goes, through the
Rockies, arriving in Jasper at 1:45
p.m.

Eastbound it teaves Jasper at
3:30 p.m., arrives in Kamloops at
10:30 p.m. and gets to Vancouver
at 8:30 a.m. the next day. One-
way fare starts at $76. Sleepers
range from $174 for two. But
wait. Guess what came in the mail
this week? Yes, a review copy of
the paperback edition of Last
Train to Toronto (Douglas &
MclIntyre, $16.95), along with the
summary saying that Terry Pindell
writes about ‘“‘the final run of the
eastbound Canadian from Van-
couver to Toronto.”

This is a good read for anyone
who loves trains, Canada, people,
humor, history and travel. I’d buy
it and take it on the train to
Toronto.

The title should be a good con-
versation piece.

Nikki Bartsch, pctvertising Consultant, with Chib Zz ‘Favel District Manager Michael Coates :
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