_ C8- Wednesday, December 1, 1982 - North Shore News the six:Budd cars’B:C. ‘Railway was going to have completely renovated | to showroom condition. ~ : Newly refurbished. from top to bottom, : ‘with an*in- terior which is ‘comfortable... and functional without being extravagant, | ; fefitted. with: two new dicsel ‘engines, the self-propelled rail car.is back ~ on track’ for. passenger service Vancouver George. _ . Only now itis an oddity - a solitary example of what. the rail company _ would: have done to its*complete Budd - car fleet if its plans had not been overtaken by the recession and’ the restraints - . that go with it. a The $1.4 million invested in BC-33,. estimated to add 15 years: ‘to: thi Budd: “car's the budget to refurbish the fleet had‘ been cut while the 18-month rebuilding job was being carried out, there was only enough. left i ini the kitty to overhall and put new engines in four other Budd cars, totalling a further $1 million. -But for anyone out there who still has what it takes to | go. through life at better than economy class and who is comtemplating going to Prince George or en-route, then BC-33 is the only way to go. ‘What makes this Budd car ‘so exclusive-«is the meals . service. It’s not that the food ’ is especially’ incredible, it’s the fact:that you can't even travel n the 33 unless you're having full meal service. en: travelling” ‘on: “just” old Bags car; which. ‘ss. ‘added. “ee. $44: rail |” fare. For,those; only going to Lillooet; the fare jumps from $15 to $26, since the charge _ ‘for the two vo meals ; on that trip is $11.05 ° However, when you advance book your journey and ask for the meal service, better check you'll be on the 33: The 46-seater BC-31 also has meal service, at the same price, and is used. at any times the 33 is not of service, although it hasn’t been through the rebuilding which makes BC-33 a showpiece. I experienced the’ delight of BC-33 recently on its first run upon being placed back in service, courtesy of B.C. Rail, who invited the press along. It was worth getting up and arriving in the icy cold at Looking for a Lampshade wee All sizes wh ure Bring your. Lamp to , Park Royal South lower level 925-1511 ' Lanedowne Mall 270-2118 between _North. “and Prince. . the unearthly: hour required for the .7:30 a:m. departure ‘the. passenger station. For :mé,. evén. travelling that route by: train was a new experience. from- “We.:settled down in the. comfortably upholstered seats and began enjoying the kind of. waterfront views which are not visible from the road, while the steward mormnccsocineg orcas Renn oN ae EAST eETIE Leather Classics Ladies’ quality crafted leather pumps in black, grey, Navy OF taupe, Canadian made for Canada’s 5-172 to 10. Regular Kinney Price $46.99 North Van , : rays which fold down from - the seatbacks. in front. Scrambled eggs, sausages and ‘toast: | As, the train wound its way up the coast: towards Squamish and beyond we found coffee and tea were served.,.from, seemingly bottomless pots, " “ being: ..a: pampered traveller, ; A*stroll.‘up-. front™to_ the operator's ‘cab-and “I found engineer. Ed Patenaude., just as happy with the Budd car. Passenger trains in themselves are a delight to this. ‘Lynn... falley: resi¢el ladies in sizes _ Iwas: quickly getting used ~ you can be gone for: two to ae failures: ~ a . veo 33 years - 20 of them on freight trains. — He ended up on: the Budd car by virtue of seniority. and says: “It's a good job.: You're home every night.on this job and in your.own bed. great. This is a ‘14-hour day for us on this job. “On those freight trains three days.” ‘ Patenaude talks of the frustrations at © making -an average’ speed of 17: mph‘on~ the same line: on freight trains and of sitting around in Lillooet for 15 hours because of mechanical SOLED Ma AI RV AL REPPIN a . ay - averages 35-40 mph but that speed is dictated -by the tightly - winding: track rather - than * the* capability | of the ‘new’ Cummins: “engines, “which ‘he’ finds-a gtéat im- provement. | ‘His best’ speed on ‘straight stretches is around 55 mph.. . We continue:on; through some’of the most Spectacular - scenery on God's ‘earth, to — ‘Whistler. sind beyond. We receive'a cool stare “from a‘bald eagle-as we pass at eye level by the broken tree he is perched on. A few miles further we encounter two more of the magnificent birds, fighting ¢ over a fish by b % % 4 ° cael 4 me PRL P PRIOR OAR in a great flurry of their huge wings so close they: appear to almost brush the trains'as we. go by. As' we near Saeton Portage we find” thé river crimson with sockeye salmon on their annualrun. - - At Marne we have lunch - steak and kidney pie, sliced beans; side salad, froll