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Articles Footlose
in
Vancouver The
Mighty
Yellowhead Rocky
Mountain
Romance THIS
EDITION IS IN PROGRESS. MORE TO
COME Museums Africa
Travel Series |
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Len
Brown, one of our readers attended a "Last
Spike" ceremony on July 29, 2000. Here is an
excerpt: " Al York and I do contract work for
the Yukon Government, and I was up there working
and took in the celebration. It was fantastic -
up to an estimated 5000 people were there during
the day - steam rides some 5 miles alongside
Lake Bennett and back .. and a Steam Meet of 73
and 40. I am a steam nut (co-owner of 30053 - an
M7 tank engine that runs on the Swanage Railway
in Dor. - I even appeared in a video White Pass
& Yukon Let's
Hope How
Peter Armstrong's Rocky Mountaineer sparked
Canada's Rail Travel Renaissance Many
of our readers who've lived in Canada for
several decades will know about the love-hate
relationship that existed between previous
generations and the Canadian Pacific Railway
(CPR). To a train fanatic like myself, riding
the train has always been a positive, fun
experience. After all, it was that same vast
system that brought and a vast army of free
spirits to Western Canada - to work hard, dream
big and sink their roots. Among them were my
great-grandfather Henry Morgan, who was one of
Vancouver's first blacksmiths, and my
grandfather Walter Bird, who left Guernsey for
Alberta, and eventually to Palos Verdes Estates,
Los Angeles, CA. His brother Frank Bird became a
dominant force in the BC Auto Association for
decades. Yet, when I launched the series
"Railways of the World," in 1989, several so
called travel experts scoffed at my idea of
promoting rail travel in Canada, or anywhere
else. A chorus of doubting Thomas's
kept singing
the same tiresome tune, until I turned the
tables, and they saw the color of
money. About the same
time as I was attempting to revive rail travel
in the public's mind, Peter
Armstrong
(the bellhop with a dream), launched the Rocky
Mountaineer. It operated from Vancouver's (art
deco) Pacific Station on Main Street,
via
Banff
and Jasper
National Parks, to Calgary
and
Edmonton.
His Great Canadian Rail tour Company Ltd. became
our first railway advertiser, taking the outside
back cover. The nonbelievers and scoffers were
out in full force on Peter's idea too - but look
who has the last laugh. Great
Canadian Rail tours has earned
a prominent role on the Western Canada scene,
and is packaging its exciting railway experience
with cruises and motor coach combinations. There
is no limit to the multimode travel options,
offered by the geography of Alberta, British
Columbia and the US Pacific Northwest. All it
takes is a good idea and people to take up the
challenge. Rail Travel in North
America's National Parks
is an ideal way to enjoy the complete view in a
laid back setting. Sample
Canadian Rockies Escape Rail tour DAY
I Vancouver DAY
2 Vancouver to Kamloops DAY
3 Kamloops to Jasper DAY
4 Jasper to Banff DAY
5 Banff to Kamloops DAY
6 Kamloops to Vancouver DAY
7 Vancouver Package
Includes 4 day Rocky Mountaineer Red
Leaf Service; 4 breakfasts, 4 lunches;
6 nights accommodation; Ice fields
Parkway Tour & Snowcoach ride; Rail
Station transfers in Vancouver,
Kamloops, Jasper and Banff.
..... Continued from above 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.
Combine
Your Alaska Flight with a Rail Tour In
our newest "Rails to Adventure" feature,
Muguette
Goufrani
describes her Alaska experience, part of which
included a scenic trip from Fairbanks in the
interior, to Anchorage on the Pacific Coast,
aboard the Alaska Railroad. She told us about
the service, and how the scenery and grandeur
left her breathless. To give you a quick
introduction to the Alaska Railroad, here is a
welcoming message to our readers and viewers
from former Gov. Bill Shellield, President and
CEO, Alaska Railroad Corporation . "Welcome
Aboard Alaska Railroad, the last full-service
railroad in the United States. We owe our
success of the past 77 years to the hard work
and dedication of our employees and the loyalty
of our customers. From tidewater at Whittier and
Seward to the heart of Interior Alaska, our
route covers more than 500 miles."
(continued)
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.......
White
Pass & Yukon Railroad : A Colorful
History
Route
- the Railway Built of Gold.
The
rather lukewarm response to my flash of
inspiration was not unusual; few other travel
magazines in North America bothered to find
space for railway-related items. Such topics
usually appeared no larger than a quarter
column, tucked away in the nether regions, or
drowning in a sea of ads. After months of
research and a mountain of faxes sent to various
railway contacts, I managed to bring rail travel
front and center for the first
time
in decades. To everyone's surprise, "Railways of
the World" quickly became
the hottest at the magazine. That's why we are
proud to bring you "Adventure Rails." Watch for
it on this web site - and at
newsstands.