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Discover the best of Canada,
coast to coast, by rail
 In
1885, the Canadian Pacific Railway (CPR) tied
Canada together "like a ribbon of steel from coast
to coast," said Pierre Berton, author of The
National Dream and The Last Spike. "Our cities and
towns popped up along it like beads on a string. We
became the nation we are because of the
railroad."
The construction of
the transcontinental railway was not only a public
building venture; it was nation-building venture.
These railways continue to provide us with great
rail excursions today along some of the most
historic routes in Canadian history. As well,
staying in one of the great Canadian railway hotels
is part of the journey. They were built with all
the opulence and services available at the time and
many were constructed in very out-of-the-way
places, surrounded by spectacular scenery. These
hotels have become very much a part of Canada's
national heritage and identity.
Two of Canada's
great railway companies, the CPR and the Canadian
National Railway were responsible for the hotels
which are located in some of the most stunning
surroundings in Canada. That was part of the reason
some of them were built; to attract travellers to
undiscovered areas. From Victoria BC's Empress to
New Brunswick's Algonquin in St. Andrews, each
hotel is a tourist attraction in itself.
Initially they were
necessary because transcontinental train service in
the 1890's offered a lavish dining experience in
elaborate cars and problems arose when the trains
travelled on very steep grades; table settings and
food left the tables and adorned passengers' laps!
The guests needed to be fed so William Cornelius
Van Horne, the CPR's first president, came up with
an answer that marked the beginning of the CPR's
entry into the hospitality industry and dining
stations were constructed. Van Horne, realizing
that there was also a need for lodging along the
CPR route, had plans to create luxurious hotels in
resort areas and Canadian cities; thus began the
history of many of the railway hotels, many of
which continue to serve a purpose that goes beyond
food and lodging.
John Steel Rail
Tours continues the great tradition of rail travel
and Canada's trains present one of the world's
great rail journeys from sea to sea across this
vast, amazing country. Train travel offers superb
service, delightful meals and cozy accommodations
on board VIA Rail; the Canadian, the Corridor and
the Ocean. From Vancouver on the west coast,
through the Canadian Rockies and the wide-open
Prairies to the heart of central Canada and on
through the Maritimes, it is difficult to find a
more elegant and romantic way to see country than
by rail. "If you want to be wowed by the great
expanse of the land, then fly," declares a seasoned
traveller. "You want to see the country for what it
is? Ride the train."
Our Classic Canada
Coast to Coast travels from Vancouver, BC to
Toronto, Ontario and features a stop in the
magnificent Rocky Mountains. Enjoy a trip aboard
VIA Rail's flagship, the Canadian and a stay in the
charming resorts of Banff, Lake Louise and Jasper
in the Alberta Rockies. Maple Leaf Magic - Canada
Coast to Coast is a fully independent tour
departing Vancouver, BC which travels to Halifax on
Canada's eastern coast, and features stops in
Jasper, Toronto, Montréal and Halifax. The
Canadian Capitals Discovery, departing Vancouver
year-round, offers a tour of some of Canada's
attractive provincial capital cities focusing on
the heritage government buildings&endash;and all
their pomp and pageantry! The tour visits Victoria,
BC, Edmonton, Alberta, Toronto, Ontario and
Canada's capital, Ottawa, Ontario.
Now's the time to
plan your memorable cross-country rail tour with
John Steel Rail Tours. Visit our website at
www.johnsteel.com for more information and then
contact us at 1-800-988-5778 or info@johnsteel.com.
Contact:
Karen Davy, Vice
President
Phone:
800-988-5778
E-mail:
karen@johnsteel.com
Railways of the
World: Building a Great
Tradition
For
"Railways of the World," in 1989, I contacted every
known railroad operation worldwide, and spread the
word to selected media in the USA and Canada, .
Advertising support and a gallery of great photos
came from every source - South
Africa's
Blue Train, Rovos Rail, Venice-Simplon-Orient
Express, Trans Siberian, Malaysian Rail, Australian
Rail, Spanish Rail and India's Palace on Wheels, to
Colorado's Durango & Silverton.
Canada's
railways were totally onside. Every passenger
railway and rail tour operator in existence, was on
my editorial agenda, and still is ten years later.
Experts
like
Don Primi, of
Gold Coast Royal Rail, a organizer of executive
rail charters across North America, lent sage
advice. Few escaped my scrutiny, including many
short lines, with strange names that most so called
travel experts have never heard of. Did it work?
The railway features I wrote for a Seattle
newspaper, filled our mailbox in Point Roberts,
Wa., whenever they ran.
Virtually
overnight, came a flood of of requests and
anecdotes from readers in Seattle, King County,
Portland, and far beyond. Results were similar in
Canadian media that carried my 'Railways of the
World' features. But now being our own publishers,
there are absolutely no holds barred, as we lay
plans for a bigger and better edition, serving a
far larger market.
Question:
What about a
return to Historic Street Cars as a year-round
tourist attraction and revenue generator? See our
new series Streetcars
& Street
Sense.
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