A Trip on The Rocky Mountaineer
Last edited Mon Jun 22, 2020, 10:07 PM - Edit history (4)
Since my very first 'Canada by Train' post documenting our journey on VIA Rail seemed well received, I thought I might post some pics from a different train route through Western Canada.
Canada has two major Class 1 transcontinental railroads - Canadian National (CN) & Canadian Pacific (CP). CP was the first to be built through Canada and was a major factor in the creation of Canada as a country, as completion of a transcontinental railway was a condition of British Columbia joining the new Confederation of Canada.
Of the two railroads, only the CN line still has transcontinental passenger service in the form of VIA Rail Canada's 'Canadian' which traverses the country and the Canadian Rockies on the northern route through Jasper, Alberta.
The CP route, which runs through the Rockies further south through Banff, Alberta has no transcontinental passenger service. However there is a seasonal, regional tour train named the 'Rocky Mountaineer' which runs through the Canadian Rockies from Calgary, Alberta to Vancouver, British Columbia over the tracks of the Canadian Pacific and is the only way for tourists to travel on the CP line through southern Alberta and British Columbia.
A few years back, my wife & I decided to book a trip on the Rocky Mountaineer and thought we might share some pics.
So without further ado, for those interested in taking another scenic land cruise, here are a few pics from our website, https://northamericabyrail.info/
Hope you enjoy!
FIRST, A PIC OF THE ROCKY MOUNTAINEER RUNNING ALONG THE KICKING HORSE RIVER, NAMED FOR THE PACKHORSE THAT KICKED & KNOCKED UNCONSCIOUS JAMES HECTOR OF THE PALLISER EXPEDITION WHILE SEARCHING FOR A ROUTE THROUGH THE CANADIAN ROCKIES
NOW FROM EAST TO WEST: CALGARY, AB, STARTING POINT FOR THE ROCKY MOUNTAINEER TOUR TRAIN
CANADIAN PACIFIC 2-10-4 'SELKIRK' TYPE STEAM LOCOMOTIVE #5931 ON DISPLAY IN CALGARY, AB
ONBOARD THE ROCKY MOUNTAINEER, PASSING THE THREE SISTERS AT CANMORE, AB. AS SEEN FROM THE OPEN-AIR OBSERVATION PLATFORM OF THE DOME CAR
TRAVELING ALONG THE BOW RIVER WEST OF BANFF, AB
ROCKY MOUNTAINS EAST OF LAKE LOUISE
CANADIAN PACIFIC STATION AT LAKE LOUISE, AB
VINTAGE HEAVYWEIGHT PASSENGER CARS AT LAKE LOUISE STATION
ROCKY MOUNTAINEER NEAR STEPHEN, BC
PASSING THROUGH THE YOHO VALLEY
TRAVELLING THROUGH THE KICKING HORSE PASS ON THE ROCKY MOUNTAINEER
MOUNT STEPHEN TO THE LEFT
PASSING DEMOLISHED ROAD BRIDGE, KICKING HORSE CANYON
CANADIAN ROCKIES AT LEANCHOIL, BC
THE ROCKY MOUNTAINEER IN THE KICKING HORSE CANYON
PASSING THROUGH THE SELKIRK RANGE AT GLACIER, BC
MEET WITH A CP FREIGHT LED BY CEFX AC4400CW #1057, REVELSTOKE, BC
MEET WITH THE CANADIAN PACIFIC EXECUTIVE TRAIN LED BY CP FP9 #4107, REVELSTOKE, BC
CP CABOOSE AT REVELSTOKE, BC
CROSSING THE COLUMBIA RIVER LEAVING REVELSTOKE
BAR AREA IN THE FRONT OF THE DOME CAR. NEAR SHUSWAP LAKE, BC.
BACK ONBOARD THE ROCKY MOUNTAINEER LEAVING KAMLOOPS, BC, AFTER AN OVERNIGHT STAY
PASSING THROUGH THE ARID THOMPSON RIVER CANYON NEAR ASHCROFT, BC
BIGHORN SHEEP
COYOTE, LEFT OF CENTRE IN PHOTO
BALD EAGLE
VIEW FROM BACK OF TRAIN AT A ROCK SLIDE DETECTOR FENCE IN THE THOMPSON RIVER CANYON.
ROCKY MOUNTAINEER IN THE THOMPSON RIVER CANYON
VIEW FROM REAR OF TRAIN PASSING THROUGH A TUNNEL AT LASHA, BC
PAINTED CANYON REGION OF THE THOMPSON RIVER CANYON
CISCO, BC, IS WHERE THE CANADIAN PACIFIC & CANADIAN NATIONAL LINES CROSS EACH OTHER
IN THE ROCKY MOUNTAINEER DOME CAR, TRAVELLING THROUGH THE COAST MOUNTAINS NEAR BOSTON BAR, BC
CROSSING THE FRASER RIVER AT VANCOUVER, BC
ROCKY MOUNTAINEER PULLING INTO THE STATION AT VANCOUVER, BC
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Thanks for sharing! 
Thanks for visiting my post
We enjoyed it too, especially the Banff springs hotel
The Rocky Mountaineer runs during the daylight hours only so you can take in all the scenery, we took it westbound from Calgary to Vancouver, a 2 day trip with an overnight stop in Kamloops with the hotel and transfer included in the price of the tour.
You certainly could do the trip you are suggesting to see both lines, the Rockies scenery on both CN [VIA Rail] & CP [Rocky Mountaineer] is breathtaking.
Our trip on the Rocky Mountaineer was part of a much larger journey where we took VIA Rail's Canadian from Toronto to Edmonton, then Red Arrow Motorcoach Edmonton to Calgary, the Rocky Mountaineer Calgary to Vancouver, and after a few days stopover to explore Vancouver Island by ferry and rental car took VIA Rail's Canadian all the way back from Vancouver to Toronto.
So we basically did the same trip you describe except instead of flying we took ground transportation for the first leg to Calgary.
You can see the complete photo set plus a trip description with links to Rocky Mountaineer, VIA, connecting transportation and hotels on our web page at:
https://northamericabyrail.info/canada-west/the-rocky-mountaineer/
Be aware that Rocky Mountaineer is a seasonal train, and this year's travel season has been postponed due to Covid19.
If someday you get a chance to go, I hope you'll share some pics here on DU if you can, I also like to travel vicariously...
That's great that you got a chance to see it.
If it's something that you are planning on doing again, I certainly hope that you get the chance, in better times [post pandemic] of course.
...and for checking out my post!
Cheers,
Pete
I always enjoy your photos. The scenery is just so good, and all those rivers too! Wow.
Thanks so much.
My pleasure as always. We really enjoyed this trip and how it follows the river routes.
Thanks for checking out my post.
It's my pleasure to share and have an audience! And maybe inspire others to do the same someday, after the pandemic situation improves of course.
my late mom and my late grandmother and i wanted to take this train in 1970, but grandma had high altitude sickness, ( lips turn blue from lack of 02.) so we didnt go, i wish amtrak would have kept some of the dome cars on their trains like the r.m does . i cant do the trip as i am medicly banned from altitudes above 5000 feet . heart issues . looks like a lovely trip. thanks for sharing. hope u had a grand time !! 
My wife and I certainly did have a good time, though the trip is over we will always have it's memory.
Sorry to hear about you and your grandmother's medical conditions. You must do what you can to stay safe.
And for checking out my pics
