Rocky Mountaineer
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| Reporting mark | RMRX |
|---|---|
| Locale | British Columbia and Alberta |
| Dates of operation | 1990– |
| Track gauge | 4 ft 8 1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) |
| Headquarters | Vancouver, British Columbia |
| Website |
www |
Rocky Mountaineer is a Canadian tour company offering Western Canadian vacation packages that operates trains on four rail routes through British Columbia and Alberta.
History
The company was founded by the Armstrong Group in 1990, and is based in Vancouver, British Columbia. It ran its first train on May 27, 1990.[1] It is the busiest privately owned passenger rail service in North America, having transported over one million passengers since 1990.
Awards
Rocky Mountaineer has been awarded the "World's Leading Travel Experience by Train" at the World Travel Awards seven times[2] for its GoldLeaf service and was recognized by National Geographic Magazine as one of the "World’s Best Journeys" in 2007. The Society of American Travel Writers, the world’s largest organization of professional travel journalists and photographers, rated the Rocky Mountaineer as the world's top train ride in 2009.[3]
Equipment
Rocky Mountaineer operates over 75 railcars in its fleet:
- GP40-2L locomotives, ex-Canadian National Railway, rebuilt by GEC - Alstom
- 32 "RedLeaf" Canada Car and Foundry single deck coaches, ex-Canadian National Railway.[4]
- 6 "SilverLeaf" single-level dome coaches, rebuilt from RedLeaf coaches.[4]
- 16 "GoldLeaf" Colorado Railcar bi-level Ultra Dome coaches, with wrap-over view windows on the top level.[4]
Previous equipment: GE B36-7 locomotives leased from BC Rail.
Routes
Rocky Mountaineer operates trains over four principal routes:
- Over the Canadian Pacific Railway (CP) on the First Passage to the West route from Vancouver, British Columbia via Kamloops to Banff or Calgary, Alberta.
- Over the Canadian National Railway (CN) on the Journey through the Clouds route from Vancouver via Kamloops to Jasper, Alberta
- The Rainforest to Gold Rush route over the CN operated portion from North Vancouver via Whistler and Quesnel through Prince George to Jasper
The First Passage to the West and Journey through the Clouds route trains depart from Rocky Mountaineer's station at 1755 Cottrell Street just off Terminal Avenue in Vancouver. The defunct Whistler Sea to Sky Climb route trains depart from a platform at the corner of Philip Avenue and West 1st Street in North Vancouver. The Whistler Sea to Sky Climb has been absorbed into and now comprises the beginning of the Rainforest to Gold Rush route, which departs from Rocky Mountaineer's platform at the Nita Lake Lodge in the Creekside area of Whistler.
New Route and Changes
Rocky Mountaineer announced a new route for 2013, called the Coastal Passage, which connects Seattle, WA on a 3 day trip through the Rockies to Jasper and Banff, AB. This is the first international route for Rocky Mountaineer. Rocky Mountaineer also opened a new station stop on the route's Coastal Passage and First Passage to the West. Currently, the stations on the line that are used by the Rocky Mountaineer are Banff railway station and Tower Centre in Calgary. The new station stop is Lake Louise railway station, which opened in 2013 for Rocky Mountaineer service. The Coastal Passage, according to Rocky Mountaineer's website, operates to and from the Pacific Central Station. This only applies to the route section between Vancouver and Seattle, while the rest of the route, like other Rocky Mountaineer domestic routes, operate out of the Rocky Mountaineer Station. The Coastal Passage does not operate out of a unique station in Seattle, as it does in Vancouver, but operates out of King Street Station.
Trip structure
To allow for the best views, trains operate exclusively during the day. On the Calgary/Banff-Vancouver and on the Jasper-Vancouver routes an overnight stop is made in Kamloops, whilst on the Jasper to Whistler route, an overnight stop is made in Quesnel. The services do not operate during the winter months of November to March.
Connecting services
The nearest international airports to the Rocky Mountaineer are Calgary International Airport and Vancouver International Airport.
In Vancouver, Rocky Mountaineer trains depart from the Rocky Mountaineer Station while other rail services operate out of either Pacific Central Station (Amtrak and Via Rail) or Waterfront Station (WestCoast Express).
At the Jasper railway station passengers can transfer directly to Via Rail's Canadian and Jasper – Prince Rupert train service.
Notes
- ↑ Johnston 2016, p. 50
- ↑ "Rocky Mountaineer GoldLeaf Service". 2012. Retrieved 9 February 2014.
- ↑ "Travel writers select the world's top 10 train rides". Travel Industry Today. 16 July 2009. Retrieved 9 February 2014.
- 1 2 3 "Fact Sheet" (PDF). Rocky Mountaineer. October 2013. Retrieved 14 February 2015.
References
- Johnston, Bob (February 2016). "It takes more than scenery". Trains 76 (2).
External links
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to Rocky Mountaineer. |
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