Trip Report: May 3 - 18, 2001
by Ted & Sylvia Blishak
Through the Pacific Northwest and Canada
by Amtrak, BC Rail and VIA Rail Canada
DAY 3 ON THE CANADIAN
Friday, May 11, 2001
In the wee hours this morning, I awake to observe out of our window a forest with a fresh covering of snow. I do not even look at my watch, the sun is not up, so I go back to sleep.
We are getting into the leisure mode on this train and sleep in this morning until the 2nd call to breakfast. A few minutes later, as I am getting ready for a shower, the 3rd and final announcement is made. We have decided to get into the last sitting to avoid the crowds and the rushing. This morning I have the pancakes with genuine Canadian Maple Syrup, a treat not available from Aunt Jemima.
Although it is Friday, a business day, we are in Ontario, and cellular phone calls are impossible with a analog phone from the United States. It is not the remoteness, we often have a strong signal, but whatever number you dial, you get an interrupt from Bell Mobility, ordering you to phone their number from a land line for more information. Of course, if I had a land line, I would not need a cell phone. Each of the two Skyline cars have a pay satellite telephone, but they don't work. One of our Canadian colleagues is able to place a cell-phone call, so I conclude that Canadian phones are not excluded from placing calls in Bell Mobility territory.
When we arrive at our hotel that evening, we use the "land line", i.e., the hotel room phone, to call Bell Mobility, but find they are only open during business hours, 9 to 5 Monday through Friday. However I do find that although my Sprint PCS Phone is also blocked by Bell Mobility in the analog mode, it does have the capability of receiving a Sprint digital signal in Toronto, so Sprint has in this way outflanked Bell Mobility. Not in the most remote corners of the USA have I ever been blocked from using my cell phone, at worst I was required to give a credit card number in order to place a call.
At lunch today, still rolling through the Shield country (we learn from the guidebook in our room that 50% of Canada is Shield country), we order for the third time the smoked salmon Caesar salad, we are still not tired of it. Later in the afternoon, we enjoy a walk on the platform at Capreol, where we have a 20 minute service stop. Capreol was once the junction point where the transcontinental train would split off into Toronto and Montreal segments. Now we all go to Toronto, and either take the overnight Enterprise to Montreal or stay overnight in Toronto and take a Corridor train to Montreal.
During cocktail hour and dinner, we have the opportunity to sit with Joseph Volk, Marketing Director of Western Services for Via Rail. Joe is very excited about the future of Via Rail passenger services. April 29 was the planned start date for the upgraded Silver & Blue First Class service on the Canadian, and the only reason that all the changes have not been made yet have been delivery problems by the suppliers of such mundane items as new uniforms, sheets, duvets, and tablecloths. He felt that by the beginning of the summer season, all of these items would be on board all of the cars. Some of the new amenities that passengers will experience this summer will be a Bon Voyage party in the Vancouver station, games and Karaoke in the Activities cars, updated table settings, menus, and staff uniforms for the candlelight dinners, and blue/green duvets and linen in the sleepers.
Joe is the first to admit that dome windows and car interiors are in need of refurbishment, and that will now be possible with the beginning of the operation of the newly purchased European sleepers, coaches, dining cars, and lounges. These cars had been constructed for the overnight Channel Tunnel service that never materialized. The availability of these cars for the Corridor and Maritime Services will free up all of the 1955 Budd stainless steel equipment for use on the Canadian and the Skeena. With this surplus of equipment, the Budds can be taken out of service for renovations without having to turn passengers away due to equipment shortages
When I asked Joe if Via ever considered reequiping the Canadian with contemporary rolling stock, he replied that in his opinion, as well as that of focus groups, one of the biggest draws of the Canadian is the vintage equipment. People want to ride the "real" streamliner of the past. This was determined several years ago at the time that Via Rail decided to rebuild the Budd equipment rather than purchase Superliners, and nothing has occurred to change their thinking on this subject. So we can look forward to many more years of well maintained vintage streamliners on Via's premier train.
We are now into our third day on the Canadian, and as we approach Toronto, we realize that with all the comforts and amenities on this long distance cruise train, we are not anxious to get off -- and we are actually looking forward to reboarding tomorrow morning to begin our return trip to the West.
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