October 27, 2019
ViaRail Sleeper Plus Class ~ Lower Berth ~ The Canadian
Toronto, ON to Vancouver, BC ~ 945a – 800a

I took my first ride aboard ViaRail’s famous streamliner “The Canadian” back in 2004, between Edmonton and Vancouver. I’ve been looking forward to riding this train over its entire route from Toronto to Vancouver ever since. That opportunity presented itself earlier this summer when I discovered attractively priced sale fares for Sleeper Plus accommodations that were being offered on a variety of ViaRail routes including the Toronto to Vancouver corridor. While pausing to consider the possibility, I missed my chance to book a private single room by just a few hours. It was of little consequence however as there were plenty of comfortable lower berths available for about $300.00 USD less than the cost of a single bedroom. We’ll talk about the difference in accommodations later. For now, let’s preface this part of the report with a bit of history about The Canadian itself.


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After World War II had ended, most American railroads chose to invest heavily in new, lightweight streamlined railroad cars. One of the nation’s foremost builders of railroad cars, the Budd Company out of Philadelphia, was offering all-stainless steel train sets, some of which featured domed observation cars. The inspiration for the dome car came to an ALCO railroad executive while riding through the colorful strata of Colorado’s famous Glenwood Canyon. The high rock walls could not be thoroughly appreciated through normal railroad car windows, but if there were the ability to see up above the seats * ding! * an idea was formed.



Dome Car Seating


The newly designed cars featured an upstairs dome with seating for 24 people under the glass. With glass above and all around, the viewing of landscapes such as canyons or mountain valleys was spectacularly improved. Needless to say, dome car equipped trains were an instant hit with passengers and before long, nearly every railroad operating long distance passenger trains from the Midwest to the west coast offered dome cars on some if not all of their named trains.

Perhaps the most famous train ever to be outfitted with dome cars was the California Zephyr. From its inception in 1949, it was a train as beautiful and storied as the land it traveled through. One of the California Zephyr’s most notable features was the five dome cars that made up its consist. Four were dome coaches and one was a beautiful rounded end or “teardrop” observation car that brought up the rear of the train.



The California Zephyr


Up north in Canada, another railroad was taking notice.

In 1953, the Canadian Pacific Railroad placed an order for 155 stainless steel cars with the Budd Company that included 18 rounded end dome observation cars, 18 mid-train dome lounge cars, 30 coaches, 18 dining cars and 71 sleeping cars. A subsequent order for 18 baggage-crew dormitory cars brought the final tally to 173 cars, sufficient for establishing an entirely new daily transcontinental service. The cars ordered were virtually identical to the 1949 consists ordered for the ( California Zephyr, but with slightly different interior modifications.

The Canadian Pacific christened its new flagship train The Canadian and commenced operations between Montreal and Vancouver in April of 1955. Matching its streamlined appearance, The Canadian's 71-hour westbound schedule was 16 hours faster than that of the premier train it supplanted, The Dominion.

Although initially successful, passenger train ridership began to decline in Canada during the 1960s. Facing competition from airlines and increased automobile usage following construction of the Trans-Canada Highway, the Canadian Pacific cancelled The Dominion in 1966, and petitioned the government to discontinue The Canadian in 1970. Although this petition was denied, during the 1970s the Canadian Pacific attempted to diminish the passenger service market by operating The Canadian at reduced levels, with the government subsidizing 80 percent of its losses.

In response to ever mounting losses by the country’s two main railroads (Canadian Pacific and Canadian National), Via Rail, a federal crown corporation, was formed in October of 1978 to handle the passenger services of the Canadian Pacific and Canadian National. Following the takeover by Via, The Canadian became the company's premier transcontinental train, and initially operated over its old CP route. It was supplemented by the Canadian National’s former Super Continental, which operated over the parallel, but more northerly, CN route.

The Super Continental was discontinued in 1981 and in early 1990, The Canadian was moved from CP tracks onto the CN route plied by the Super Continental for its first quarter-century. Additionally, service to Montreal was dropped. The new longer route bypassed Regina and Calgary in favor of Saskatoon and Edmonton. Here’s a view of the 2770 mile long route:



Route of ViaRail’s Canadian
The Canadian’s route is in red
I have ridden almost all of these routes except the dark blue ones back east


In 2018 the schedule was lengthened to four days and four nights in each direction due to continuing schedule reliability problems on the host railway. That’s a nice way of saying that since freight is where the money’s at, freight trains take preference over passenger trains, so passenger trains need to get out of the way, schedule notwithstanding.

As of this year, The Canadian operates twice per week, departing Toronto on Wednesdays and Sundays and Vancouver on Mondays and Fridays. The total journey takes about four days. An additional train operates once-weekly between Vancouver and Edmonton in the summer months.

With its refurbished 1955 built consist, The Canadian remains the only North American streamliner to survive essentially intact into the twenty-first century. So then, that about covers the history. Let’s find out what a ride on The Canadian is all about and head on down to Toronto’s Union Station!


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My alarm went off at 6:30am and by 7:30 I was showered, shaved and ready to go. The hotel shuttle dropped me off at Toronto Pearson International’s Terminal One where I simply followed the signs and made my way to the UP Express train into the city. This train’s terminus is Toronto’s Union Station where I alit and followed more signs over to the Great Hall from whence ViaRail operates its long distance passenger trains.



Great Hall of Toronto’s Union Station


Since I’d already printed out my ticket in advance, it was time for a bit of pre-trip lounging. Sleeper Plus passengers have access to ViaRail’s Business Class Lounges, which are available in most major train stations such as Toronto, Montreal, Vancouver and Winnipeg. While lounge access is a seemingly nice perk, the lounge in Toronto is nothing to write home about. It provides comfy couches and chairs, coffee and a small selection of juices and water. No food was available, nor were any newspapers.



Business Class Lounge at Toronto’s Union Station


More information on ViaRail’s Business Class lounges can be found HERE

After checking in at the reception desk, I was directed to a table at the back of the room where the Dining Car Manager was taking reservations for tonight and tomorrow night’s dinner. Although I arrived in the lounge about 45 minutes before departure time, the only time slot left for tonight’s dinner was the last seating at 8:45pm. However, the manager went on to explain that since I got the last seating tonight, I’d be eligible for first choice on tomorrow night’s dinner. Fair enough. I couldn’t help but wonder however if and how those who’d checked in earlier were thusly given possibly the last choice for tomorrow night’s dinner. Were they called back to make their choice later on? Some things aren’t worth pondering for long though, so I poured myself a coffee, pulled out my copy of The Week magazine and awaited the call to board.

When that call came, we were escorted down to Track 17, following obediently behind our ViaRail rep like ducklings off to the pond. As we descended down the long ramp to the trackside platform, our train came into view – fifteen stainless steel Budd-built coaches, sleepers, dome lounges and a dining car, all gleaming beautifully in the bright lights of the station underground. I was assigned Lower Berth 3 in car 113, named Fraser Manor. Car attendant Cal was waiting at the stairway into the train and provided a friendly welcome aboard along with an assist for my roll-a-bord.



All Aboard


THE ACCOMMODATIONS

Once onboard, VIA Rail has a number of different accommodation options to suit varied budgets. Those range from economy seats to a variety of Sleeper Plus accommodations which include berths as well as cabins for 1, 2 or 3 people. The top of the line option is called Prestige Class with includes a much larger cabin with wood paneled walls, a large plush sofa, an ensuite bathroom with bath, a television and free drinks – including alcohol - for the duration of the journey. Prestige Class cabins were on sale for just $6500 CAD one way whereas my lower berth went for $833.00 CAD one way. Let’s take a closer look at some of the accommodations…

Economy Class

I once rode in ViaRail’s Economy Class for the 38 hour ride from Winnipeg up to Churchill. I thought the seats were quite comfortable and spacious with plenty of legroom. The seats came with a blanket and pillow set including a polar fleece cover while electrical outlets were available at every seat. Neck pillows, eyeshades and earplugs were also available for purchase. As long distance Economy Class travel goes, it really doesn’t get any better.

On the down side, Economy Class passengers on The Canadian do not have access to the dining car. They do have access to their own Skyline dome lounge where light meals, hot drinks, refreshments and alcoholic drinks are offered at “reasonable prices”. Additionally, there is no access to showers and there are no showers in the stations, so you’d probably want to pack a washcloth along for sponge bathing along the way.

Sleeper Plus Class

Unless you’re traveling on a short day trip, Sleeper Plus is definitely worth the added cost. This is especially true on ViaRail given the restrictions imposed upon those traveling in coach (no dining car, only a basic dome lounge onboard). The 1955 Budd built sleeper cars on ViaRail’s overnight trains are designated either “Manor” or Chateau” series cars. They’re fairly similar, so I won’t split hairs over the differences. Each car offers three sections (or berths as they’re more commonly known), four roomettes (or single cabins in ViaRail parlance) and six bedrooms (or double cabins). Below is a picture of a Manor car layout. It shows three of the bedrooms with beds down but in their daytime configuration all of the bedrooms are furnished with two free standing chairs.



ViaRail Manor Car Layout 174
Photo courtesy Seat61.com


The most affordable of the Sleeper Plus accommodations are the berths. At $833.00 CAD my lower berth was $300 less expensive than the cheapest private cabin. As mentioned above, it included all meals as well as access to showers, the Skyline Dome Lounge and the domed Prestige Park Car. During the day the berths offer bench style seating (two couchettes facing each other) while at night they convert to comfortable beds that are about three feet wide. Heavy curtains are draped over both the upper and lower berths at night and when closed and buttoned up, the berths are quite cozy and private. Showers and toilets are located at the end of each car.

It should be noted that lower berths come with a large window at your bedside while the upper berths have no windows at all. Some feel it can seem quite dark and claustrophobic up there (there is a reading light) so perhaps for that reason upper berths sell for a couple hundred dollars less than lower berths.



My lower berth by day


My lower berth in nighttime configuration


Essentially, berths offer all the benefits of First Class service without the privacy of a cabin or an ensuite toilet. I think they’re the best travel deal on this train.

The next level up would be a single cabin, or what most railroads call a roomette. These single “cabins” are little more than a tiny compartment with the same kind of seat you get in a berth during the day. The cabin does come with an ensuite toilet with the toilet lid serving as an ottoman during the day should you wish. The bed folds down from the wall and ends up covering the toilet, so if you need to go in the middle of the night, you’ll have to go down the hall where the shower is also located.



Single Cabin
Photo courtesy Seat61.com


Cabins for two provide two chairs during the day, in addition to an ensuite toilet. An upper and lower bunk fold out from the wall for nighttime use. A couple of these cabins have a connecting door between them, so a larger group or family could book them both as a suite.

A sink with drinking water is available in both the single and double cabin and all accommodations including berths receive a personal shower kit (towels and toiletries) as well as a turndown service each night if desired.



Double Cabin
Photo courtesy Seat61.com


When it comes to daytime seating in any of the accommodations described above, I don’t think any of them are particularly good. None of the seats recline and the two chairs that are found in the double cabins are just that – chairs. They are nowhere near as comfortable as a reclining coach seat for sitting and reading. Honestly, if you want to spend a bit of private time each day sitting and reading or just taking in the passing scenery, the best seats are up in Economy Class. Not only do they recline, but they also have an electrical outlet, something unavailable to those traveling in berths. As I discovered on my very first day however, Sleeper Plus passengers are not allowed in the Economy section of the train, so if I wanted to put in a bit of work on this report, I had to go find a table in one of the lounges.

Finally, I should note that as a point of comparison for those of you who’ve ridden Amtrak, Amtrak’s accommodations are in my mind much nicer. This is especially true of Amtrak’s roomettes compared to ViaRail’s Single Cabins. Amtrak’s roomettes are larger, much more nicely decorated and have better storage options. The seats recline and they all have electricity. Amtrak does not however offer berths. Below are some photos of Amtrak’s accommodations for purposes of comparison.



Amtrak Roomette
Comparable to a single cabin on ViaRail


Amtrak Roomette in nighttime configuration


Amtrak Deluxe Bedroom
Comparable to a double cabin or bedroom on ViaRail


Amtrak Deluxe Bedroom


Each sleeper car has a dedicated attendant who will convert the berths from their daytime to nighttime configurations each day. However, if like me you want to leave your lower bunk down all day, you can if no upper berth-mate is booked to be boarding that day. I took advantage of this option for the entire trip as nobody was ever booked above me. It was nice to be able to come back to my car at any time of day and lie down to read a book or just enjoy the landscape passing by while comfortably stretched out. On those occasions where I desired a regular seat or an electrical outlet, I just headed back to one of the two lounges available to Sleeper Plus passengers.


LIFE ON THE TRAIN

Once we were all onboard, car attendant Cal stopped by to introduce himself and explain the workings and locations of things on the train. Cal had spent 27 years working on the railroad and it showed. In a good way. He was very genial and forthcoming throughout the trip and could not have done a better job of insuring that our car was clean and tidy throughout the journey.

Departure time out of Toronto was 9:45am and, much like the proverbial Swiss train, that’s exactly what time we pulled out of the station. Toronto is a city of about 2.8 million people, and as such has a sizeable suburb to be cleared before breaking out into the vast Ontario countryside.

Leaving the station in downtown Toronto, we passed through the usual urban landscape of buildings, warehouses, graffiti covered freight cars and wrong-side-of-the-tracks neighborhoods. After about forty-five minutes we transitioned from urban to rural – the concrete and brick having been replaced by fields, forests, rivers, ponds, lakes and rocks of the Canadian Shield. This would be our landscape for the next two days. It was certainly not the dramatic scenery of the western provinces but still, in its way every bit as pretty in a calming kind of way.


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So then, with another ninety-six hours to go until Vancouver - what to do?

For many people, this is the single biggest issue facing them during extended length journeys - be it a five hour flight or a four day train journey. To be sure, train travel is not for everyone. Beautiful scenery is all well and good but for some, it gets old after about an hour or so. No problem – just grab a book, right? For some of us – yes. Still, I’ve known of a lot of people who don’t read. We’re talking adults here. It’s really quite amazing – at least to me. That’s not to say these people don’t know how to read but rather that outside of stuff on their smart phone or laptop, reading books is not part of their daily regimen. It astonishes me how many people are seemingly lost without their phones or an internet connection. Wi-Fi is not available aboard The Canadian, so for those who fall into this category, they would be better suited to fly.

When I was growing up we didn’t have any of the gadgetry that kids have available to them today. I remember when we got our first radio. We used to spend hours sitting around that radio every night. Later, after we finally got electricity and plugged it in, it was even better!!

Having grown up in the sixties and seventies when there was no Wi-Fi, digital entertainment systems or mp3 players on board planes, trains and buses, we just did what came naturally. That usually meant meeting and talking with our seatmate or reading a book or magazine. On long distance trains it often meant heading up to the lounge car. This in particular is where train travel really differentiates from air travel in that you’re not limited to just your seat. A train is like an entire place that’s going somewhere. Aside from your seat or sleeping accommodation, there is usually a lounge and either a dining car or café. These are areas that naturally encourage socializing and this is especially true in the dining car where on most trains, because of space limitations, seating is communal. The lounges and domes are equally sociable. For most of us, a simple comment on the scenery or a question such as “Where are you headed to?” is enough to kindle the flame of conversation after which shared experiences, travel stories, laughter and good times naturally follow. Meeting and conversing with fellow travelers has always been one of the best parts of travel, regardless of mode.

That said, it’s also nice to have a bit of quiet time to oneself now and then. Maybe that’s as simple as sitting in the dome and enjoying the scenery passing by. Other times a good book is my best friend. Regardless, I can always find ways to entertain myself. Give me a pen and paper and I’ll never be bored - be it writing, art, solving or creating puzzles, whatever. And of course I’ve got my laptop which has Office and Excel installed, not to mention thousands of songs worth of great music. So then, no Wi-Fi? No problem. And thanks to Microsoft Word, I can always put in a bit of work on say, a trip report.

I spent the first 45 minutes or so seated in my berth – which again should be noted is by day two couchettes facing each other. Had someone booked the upper berth (which is less expensive), that person would have been occupying the couchette opposite me. Today however, that was not the case and so I had both couchettes to myself. Unfortunately, neither the berth couchettes nor the seats in the roomettes or bedrooms recline. In the old days the porter could have set up a table in these facilities, but so far as I know that is no longer the case. In terms of seating comfort you’re better off in Economy Class where the seats have a nice recline along with a decent sized fold down table (off the seat in front of you) and an electrical outlet conveniently located at each seat. On a positive note, I do believe the roomettes and bedrooms are equipped with electrical outlets.

For many people the dining car is a great way to address the ennui of long distance train travel. I was sorely tempted but I was also faced with a bit of a problem. Some of you may recall that back when I checked into the Via Rail Lounge in Toronto, I was assigned the very last seating for dinner – at 8:45 this evening. Unfortunately, ViaRail no longer offers a separate breakfast and lunch anymore. In its place they now offer a continental breakfast (Pastries, yogurt, granola and fruit) from 6:30to 8:30 and then a brunch from 9:30 to 1:30. The problem is that most of the brunch entrees are actually better suited to breakfast, so as a result we lose out on a proper lunch. Here’s the brunch menu from my first day:



Brunch Menu


See what I mean? Four out of five mains are breakfast items. Breakfast is less expensive to prepare than lunch, so this is clearly a cost cutting measure by ViaRail being presented with nice sounding adjectives like new “streamlined” dining. Pffft! Yeah, right.

Anyway, since I wouldn’t be eating dinner until 8:45 tonight, I decided to put off brunch until the last possible moment. As such, I figured now might be a good time to put in some work on this trip report, but with no electrical outlet or table available in the berths and a battery that’s only good for about an hour and a half these days, I decided to wander up to the Skyline Dome Lounge, three cars up in the Economy Class section. There I figured a cup of coffee, a sweet roll and an electrical outlet would tide me over until about 1:00pm.

The first sign of trouble was evidenced by a sign on the door to the lounge car expressly stating that only Economy Class passengers were allowed beyond this point. Whoa, Nellie! I’ve seen a lot of signs restricting entry to the higher or more expensive classes, but never one restricting entrance into the less expensive classes. Imagine sitting in First Class on a Cathay Pacific 777 and not being allowed to stroll to the back of the airplane. Oh what the heck, I figured. Let’s give it a try anyway.

Well, it didn’t go well. For starters I got a rather frosty reception from the woman working the lounge car. Her “Can I help you, Sir?” was more of a challenge than a warm welcome.

“Uh, yeah,” I replied. “I was just looking to get a cup of coffee and use a plug at one of these tables”
“Well, you’ll have to go back to the other lounge for that, Sir”
“Really? We’re not allowed to use this lounge at all?”
“Did you see the sign on the door?
“I did.” I replied. “Well, can I buy a cup of coffee to take back with me?
“You’re in the sleepers” she said. “We’ll give you a cup of coffee.”
“But we’re not supposed to” she added in a hushed tone.

And so ended my visit to the Economy Class section of The Canadian With coffee in hand, I trudged back through three cars and six doors to my berth where I finished off my coffee while putting in some time on this trip report.

As I’m sure any of you know who’ve taken the time to put together a fairly comprehensive trip report, it’s a real commitment. First and foremost, it’s important to go out and enjoy yourself during your travels. If you’re going to commit to a written trip report of the length and style of mine however, it’s equally important to take some time – indeed, make some time if you have to – to keep at it – if only to take notes now and then. Once you start getting too far behind, it’s waaaay more difficult to get back into it at a later date. Witness my First Class to and around Australia report from two years ago. Some people are still waiting for it. Ah well. Life goes on. Autumn comes. Kids go back to school. A frog is dissected. Pinkerton does not return… And that trip report still remains unfinished.

As mentioned earlier, there are no electrical outlets in the berths. Nor are there any tables. It’s not a good place to tap out a report. As my battery ran ever lower, I eventually shut down and took a stroll up to the Skyline Dome Lounge – this time the one designated for Sleeper Plus passengers.

Well let me tell you, it’s a long walk from my car up to the Skyline Lounge. Four cars doesn’t sound like much, but with my ever eroding back, butt and leg and feet muscles it felt like a long trek. By the end of the first day I had all the car names along my transit memorized. Fraser Manor, Hearne Manor, Christie Manor and Stuart Manor.

The Sleeper Plus Skyline Dome Lounge was very nicely laid out with booth and buffet style seating on one side and tables and chair seating on the other side. Underneath the dome – located up above in the middle of the car – was a service area with a small kitchen, refrigerator and storage cabinets for food, alcohol and souvenirs. Complimentary coffee, tea, cookies and crackers were available throughout the day. Breakfast pastries and fresh fruit were set out in the morning and canapés were offered in the afternoon. A variety of beer, wine and spirits were available for a fee – and a fairly expensive one at that. The two less expensive beers – priced at $7.50 CAD – were Molson Canadian and Coors Light. Coors Light?! Coors Light??!!! What an abomination – imagine water with beer powder added. And, it’s an American beer at that. I know Molson and Coors are now one, but Canada has a fine selection of its own lower end lagers. If ViaRail must offer an American beer, at least make it something better than Coors Light! I should note here that better beers such as Guinness and a couple of tasty Winnipeg brewed craft ales were also available for $9.00 CAD.



ViaRail’s Skyline Lounge – Side A


ViaRail’s Skyline Lounge – Side B


Let’s check out the dome!


ViaRail’s Skyline Lounge Dome
This was probably the most popular spot on the train


The Skyline Lounge was very capably attended to by the lovely and charming Claire. Ever a pretty smile and a cheerful word, Claire was the perfect host for a car that was not only a gathering point for passengers but also the activity center for the train. A dry erase bulletin board listed the occasional movies and talks that would be offered there each day. Additionally, a roving guitarist would stop by each day for an hour or so of music. Sometimes he played in the afternoon, other times he played in the evening. I can’t remember his name but he was pretty good and was even about to release his first CD. Puzzles and games were available in the tables and chairs side of the lounge, while electrical outlets were available on both ends of the car. Three different 500 piece jigsaw puzzles were solved over the four day journey, and I watched with amusement one afternoon as a couple of Canadian ladies played scrabble with very loose rules as to the “words” used.

A point of contention for some might be that no Wi-Fi is available at any point during the four day journey. Then again, through much of our journey we were a long way from anywhere. Short of an expensive satellite option, I don’t see how it could’ve been offered. I didn’t mind the lack of internet though. In terms of mental stimulation, the scenery and my fellow passengers provided plenty. This was especially true of each other as after four days most of us were on a first name basis.

Not surprisingly, most of the passengers on this train were Canadians, but I also met a few Americans and even the odd Brit or two. The lounges were always great places for social interaction, but perhaps the best was the dining car. Speaking of which, they’re only serving brunch until 1:30 and here it is almost 1:00pm already. All I’d had to eat thus far was a breakfast bar and a package of cookies from the lounge. It was well past time to head up to the dining car for a proper meal.

The dining car was located just one car back from the Skyline Lounge. A host was on hand to greet arriving diners and direct them to open tables. At sixty-five years old, these cars are old fashioned but still very impressive. I loved the soft lighting and the tall glass panels accenting each end of the car. Upon each panel was etched a bird species common to Canada – or at least the route of The Canadian. The examples in our diner were a Kingfisher and a Magpie.



Dining Car Kingfisher


Dining Car Magpie


The tables are draped in white linens for all meals. Fresh cut flowers adorned each table and unlike Amtrak, nice looking porcelain plates, bowls and cups were used. The silverware was also of good quality, heavyweight and sparkling clean.



ViaRail’s Dining Car
Photo courtesy of Seat61.com


Dining is a communal affair if only because there are not enough tables to allow for separate seating. On a positive note however, this mixed seating represents an excellent opportunity to meet and get to know your fellow travelers.

One major difference between Amtrak and ViaRail’s Canadian is that Amtrak’s dining car is open to all passengers, regardless of class traveled. On ViaRail’s Canadian, only Sleeper Plus passengers have access to the diner, perhaps because all meals are included as part of the considerably more expensive Sleeper Plus fare. Economy Class travelers aboard The Canadian must make do with light meals and sandwiches available for purchase in their dedicated Skyline Lounge.

The mixing of classes on Amtrak means that you’ll sometimes end up with a diverse and occasionally colorful collection of tablemates. Social elites who’d strolled up from the sleepers could very easily be sat across from some occasionally rough customers who’d lurched up from Coach. Most of the time it made for an entertaining mix of people and conversation. Very rarely was it ever awkward.

For today’s brunch I was joined by two ladies from Ladysmith, a suburb of Victoria on Vancouver Island. They’d known each other since school days and although both were married, they were doing this trip without their husbands. I got the sense this was kind of a “girl’s only trip” for them. Tammy ran the payroll office for her company while Val was a nurse. They were a lively, outgoing pair and I had occasion to enjoy their company throughout the trip.

As for brunch, as I mention a bit earlier, the menu offers primarily breakfast selections. The only non-breakfast item was lobster ravioli. I’m more of a lasagna fan than a ravioli fan, so I played it safe and went for the chef’s omelet. Today’s offering was a Western Omelet featuring ham, green peppers, onions and cheese. Hash browns with that omelet? Yes, please!



First meal on The Canadian – a Western Omelet


The dining car staff was friendly and energetic, taking orders and delivering food with smiles and aplomb. With the exception of the dining car manager, everyone appeared to be in their twenties. I contrast this with Amtrak where a job as a server in the diner is a much cherished position with the result being that most people don’t acquire enough seniority to attain such a position until they’re in their mid to late thirties.

By now we were well past any urban sprawl related to the Toronto area. Out our window passed the forests, bogs, lakes and large rock masses of the Canadian Shield. For those of you unfamiliar with the geological terminology, the Canadian Shield is a large area of exposed Precambrian igneous and metamorphic rock that forms the ancient geological core of the North American continent. It stretches north from the Great Lakes to the Arctic Ocean, covering over half of Canada; it also extends south into the northern reaches of the United States. It has over 150 ancient volcanic belts (now long extinct and eroded down to nearly flat plains) whose bedrock ranges from 600 million to 1.2 billion years old. While I find the geological details fascinating, I suspect most of us were simply happy to sit back and take in the splendor of the varied landscape.

Although it was a cloudy day, the beauty of the land still shone through. I was particularly impressed by the many lakes and streams we passed. If Minnesota is the “Land of 10000 Lakes”, I wonder how many Ontario must have? Many, many more, no doubt. Fishing camps and cabins dotted the lake shores and it was ever so easy to picture myself enjoying a nice afternoon and a cold beer on the porch of any of those cabins.



Brunch views on Day One


After lunch, I took a stroll four cars back to The Canadian’s famous Park Car. This is the beautiful rounded end dome observation lounge that graces the rear of the train. It harkens back to a time when railroads took great pride in the beauty of their trains both outside as well the quality of their service inside. The rounded end is a stylish and beautiful finale to the fifteen car streamliner that is The Canadian.



ViaRail’s Park Car “Kootenay Park”


According to one of the wait staff in the diner, our load out of Toronto was slightly over 50%. During the summer months The Canadian has a much higher rate of occupancy, and with it more cars. I was thankful that I had only a four car journey back to the Park Car. It would have been a much more arduous trek for a gimpy old goat like me just a month or two earlier.

Perhaps because of the light load, the Park Car was not particularly busy when I arrived. From a photography standpoint, that’s a good thing as I’m able to give you all a clearer sense of what the interior and furnishings are like, not to mention inadvertently including people in pictures who may not want to be included.

As you enter the Park Car, you pass by three Prestige Class compartments. These represent the very finest accommodations available on this train and include a modular leather L-shaped couch by day and a Murphy bed for two by night. Of course the compartments come with a private washroom complete with shower; a flat-screen TV with video selection (No network or satellite television); and a minibar stocked with a selection of beverages, including complimentary alcohol throughout the trip. Also, the windows are larger than those in other room categories. Although there are much finer accommodations to be had on other famous trains around the world, these Prestige Class compartments represent the best you’ll find on a scheduled train trip in North America.



ViaRail Prestige Cabin
Photo courtesy of ViaRail


I should note here that The Canadian has a couple other flattop cars with dedicated Prestige Class compartments, but the ones located in the Park Car, by virtue of location alone, are far and away the most desirable.

Continuing on into the car, I came upon the bar/café located beneath the upstairs dome. In attendance at the bar was a lovely young lady named Amanda. Happy, vivacious, eager to serve and knowledgeable about the train, the route and some of the scenery enroute, she was the perfect host for ViaRail’s most prestigious car. I ordered a tasty IPA from a Winnipeg based brewery and we chatted for a bit until a big group of passengers arrived, all of them excited and thirsty. Thankfully I’d managed a shot of the bar before things got crazy!



ViaRail’s Park Car Bar


I have ridden aboard ViaRail’s Park Cars a number of times previously. In years past ViaRail had maintained their original 1950s style interior which, while exciting to the purists, was really quite drab and dated by today’s standards. With the addition of the stylish new Prestige Class compartments, the Park Cars were totally refurbished and given a smart and stylish new interior.



Bullet Lounge in ViaRail’s Park Car


Bullet Lounge in ViaRail’s Park Car


Passing Scenery from the Bullet Lounge in ViaRail’s Park Car


As the afternoon wore on, more people began to make their way into the Park Car. I met a lot of interesting folks, most of them Canadian but with a few Americans, a couple Australians and some Brits also in the mix. Once again, herein lies one of the most enjoyable aspects of rail travel – meeting and engaging with your fellow passengers. That you’re doing so while ensconced in a stylish lounge sipping overpriced beer and cocktails made it all that much more compelling.