Via # 1 – The Canadian – Trip Report – 5/3 – 5/5/2005 Part One
Toronto to Jasper
This trip was part of a tour group program that includes the Via from Toronto to Jasper and Rocky Mountaineer from Banff to Vancouver. As of this writing I haven’t made the second part, yet.
I will post pictures as I can get them processed and uploaded.
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On 5/1 we flew to Toronto and checked in at the Sheraton Centre Hotel on Queen Street in Toronto. The next day was sight seeing around the area.
On 5/3 we arrived at Toronto Union Station at 8:00 AM and waited a few minutes in the Blue & Silver Lounge area. The call for our group of 39 folks came at 8:30 and it only took about 5 minutes to get to the platform and find our sleeping car. Our car attendant, Mark, met us at the steps to the car and assisted with our luggage. We were in car 111, bedroom E. This was the 8th car from the engines on the 28 car train. We passed through 112 to the dome car and the diner was the next car after the dome, toward the rear of the train.
My wife remained in the room and I went to the dome as quickly as I could to see about getting pictures when we left Toronto. I was the first one there, but it soon filled up.
The dome windows were very dirty, looking as if they hadn’t been washed since the last trip the car had made across Canada.
The dining car LSA, Laura, came to the room and took our lunch and diner reservation. Whatever call you select for lunch you get that call for diner. Three calls and we took number two. Lunch would be at 12:30 and diner at 7:00. Breakfast each day was first come first served starting at 6:30 AM. You then chose which service you wanted for lunch and diner at breakfast.
The initial service crew we had who were with us until Winnipeg were fantastic. Our every need was taken care of and the food service was perfect. Mark had our room made up when we wanted it for the evening and laid out plenty of towels, soap, mints and water.
I’ll tell you about the second crew later in the report.
We left Toronto 10 minutes late and ran late all the way to Winnipeg.
About 45 minutes out of Toronto the train came to a stop and then backed up into a “Y” spur. Then we pulled forward and proceeded on another track. I never figured out what that was all about.
The first day we spent a goodly amount of time in the dome car, the lounges in the dome car and I also learned that sitting in one of the berth section seats was a comfortable place to be. None of the berths in our car were ever occupied. Better than sitting in the little bedroom.
About 11:00 the dome/lounge car attendant brought complimentary champaign around for everyone to toast the start of the trip. Nice touch.
The dome car windows got progressively worse as we left Toronto as it rained, sleeted and snowed. I checked out all four dome cars on the train and they were all bad.
We heard our call for lunch right at 12:30. A dining car attendant would walk the sleepers assigned to the car (there were three diners on the train) and call out, “Second Call for Lunch”, in English and French. Very classy.
Our group was one of three tour groups on the train, two from the states and one from England. We had several meals and time in the lounges with the English folks and also some from Germany, Japan, and China. Everyone was so friendly and the English thought our American accents were hard to understand. I had the same problem with some of them. But what camaraderie there was. We all conversed as if we had known each other for years. If only the world diplomats could get along this well.
I had a nice brochette and some of the best cottage cheese I have ever had along with tomato bisque and a very tasty vanilla yogurt and cookies for lunch. The decaf coffee was superb.
We spent the afternoon watching Ontario speed by. One of the people in our group had a GPS that would tell us our speed, topped out about 73 mph at this point. Track was not too rough, but we did have to stop for a number of freights. I guess they have the right of way everywhere in North America.
By diner time we were about an hour late on the schedule.
Evening diner at 7:00 for me was prime rib, baby peas and rice after delicious fish chowder and topped off with a chocolate tort with raspberry syrup for dessert. Very good food.
We finished diner about 9:00 and were ready for bed. Returning to the room, Mark had it ready to go for us. Nice light blue sheets that were smooth as silk and a comforter that turned out to be too much for me during the night. It was warm (I’m always hot) and the top sheet was fine. I fell asleep about 10:00 I guess after reading the book they provided to us about all the cities we would pass through on the trip.
I looked out one last time before pulling the blind and there was snow on the ground in many places.
Unlike my Empire Builder trip last fall, I was able to get a good 7 hours sleep, only briefly waking when we would stop to wait for a freight to pass us. Very good road bed with little side to side motion.
We would be in Ontario, still, after waking in the morning.
I will continue this report soon as I can get it prepared and tell you about the second and third days on the train.
Questions, comments, please let me know.
Again, I will have pictures, soon, too.
Tom
Toronto to Jasper
This trip was part of a tour group program that includes the Via from Toronto to Jasper and Rocky Mountaineer from Banff to Vancouver. As of this writing I haven’t made the second part, yet.
I will post pictures as I can get them processed and uploaded.
------------------------------------------
On 5/1 we flew to Toronto and checked in at the Sheraton Centre Hotel on Queen Street in Toronto. The next day was sight seeing around the area.
On 5/3 we arrived at Toronto Union Station at 8:00 AM and waited a few minutes in the Blue & Silver Lounge area. The call for our group of 39 folks came at 8:30 and it only took about 5 minutes to get to the platform and find our sleeping car. Our car attendant, Mark, met us at the steps to the car and assisted with our luggage. We were in car 111, bedroom E. This was the 8th car from the engines on the 28 car train. We passed through 112 to the dome car and the diner was the next car after the dome, toward the rear of the train.
My wife remained in the room and I went to the dome as quickly as I could to see about getting pictures when we left Toronto. I was the first one there, but it soon filled up.
The dome windows were very dirty, looking as if they hadn’t been washed since the last trip the car had made across Canada.
The dining car LSA, Laura, came to the room and took our lunch and diner reservation. Whatever call you select for lunch you get that call for diner. Three calls and we took number two. Lunch would be at 12:30 and diner at 7:00. Breakfast each day was first come first served starting at 6:30 AM. You then chose which service you wanted for lunch and diner at breakfast.
The initial service crew we had who were with us until Winnipeg were fantastic. Our every need was taken care of and the food service was perfect. Mark had our room made up when we wanted it for the evening and laid out plenty of towels, soap, mints and water.
I’ll tell you about the second crew later in the report.
We left Toronto 10 minutes late and ran late all the way to Winnipeg.
About 45 minutes out of Toronto the train came to a stop and then backed up into a “Y” spur. Then we pulled forward and proceeded on another track. I never figured out what that was all about.
The first day we spent a goodly amount of time in the dome car, the lounges in the dome car and I also learned that sitting in one of the berth section seats was a comfortable place to be. None of the berths in our car were ever occupied. Better than sitting in the little bedroom.
About 11:00 the dome/lounge car attendant brought complimentary champaign around for everyone to toast the start of the trip. Nice touch.
The dome car windows got progressively worse as we left Toronto as it rained, sleeted and snowed. I checked out all four dome cars on the train and they were all bad.
We heard our call for lunch right at 12:30. A dining car attendant would walk the sleepers assigned to the car (there were three diners on the train) and call out, “Second Call for Lunch”, in English and French. Very classy.
Our group was one of three tour groups on the train, two from the states and one from England. We had several meals and time in the lounges with the English folks and also some from Germany, Japan, and China. Everyone was so friendly and the English thought our American accents were hard to understand. I had the same problem with some of them. But what camaraderie there was. We all conversed as if we had known each other for years. If only the world diplomats could get along this well.
I had a nice brochette and some of the best cottage cheese I have ever had along with tomato bisque and a very tasty vanilla yogurt and cookies for lunch. The decaf coffee was superb.
We spent the afternoon watching Ontario speed by. One of the people in our group had a GPS that would tell us our speed, topped out about 73 mph at this point. Track was not too rough, but we did have to stop for a number of freights. I guess they have the right of way everywhere in North America.
By diner time we were about an hour late on the schedule.
Evening diner at 7:00 for me was prime rib, baby peas and rice after delicious fish chowder and topped off with a chocolate tort with raspberry syrup for dessert. Very good food.
We finished diner about 9:00 and were ready for bed. Returning to the room, Mark had it ready to go for us. Nice light blue sheets that were smooth as silk and a comforter that turned out to be too much for me during the night. It was warm (I’m always hot) and the top sheet was fine. I fell asleep about 10:00 I guess after reading the book they provided to us about all the cities we would pass through on the trip.
I looked out one last time before pulling the blind and there was snow on the ground in many places.
Unlike my Empire Builder trip last fall, I was able to get a good 7 hours sleep, only briefly waking when we would stop to wait for a freight to pass us. Very good road bed with little side to side motion.
We would be in Ontario, still, after waking in the morning.
I will continue this report soon as I can get it prepared and tell you about the second and third days on the train.
Questions, comments, please let me know.
Again, I will have pictures, soon, too.
Tom
I'm eagerly awaiting the next installment. Just don't forget to have a good time on the rest of your vacation. Somehow I'll manage to wait until you get home for the rest, if you have no time. :lol:
