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FOCUS-FEBRUARY201231ALLABOARDTheconductoryelledx1cAllaboardx1dandthetrainslowlybegantochugawayfromtheVancouverStation.FormanyyearsIhadwonderedwhattravelonCanadax19sfamousRockyMountaineerwouldbelikeandnallylastfallIhadanopportunitytoexperienceit.TheMountaineerisonlyatwodayjourneybutIcombineditwithViax19sx18TheCanadianx19andspenttwoweeksexploringasideofCanadaIhadneverexperienced.MyadventurebeganwithathreedaystayinVancouverandofcourseaonedaytrektoVictoria.IhavebeentoB.C.x19scapitalnumer-oustimesbutamstillinawebythesceneryfromtheferry.InVancou-verIspentadaytrekkingupGrouseMountainandstrugglingtocrosstheCapilanosuspensionbridge.ItwasanearlymorningstarttoboardtheMountaineer.Transporta-tionfromthehotelwasontimeandbreakfastwasservedonboard.ItisimportanttonotetherearetwodistinctlevelsofserviceRedLeafandGoldLeafandalthoughtheviewoutsidethetrainisthesamethelevelofserviceisquitedifferent...asistheprice.ThetwodayjourneytoJasperperpersonisabout800forRedLeafand1500forGold.Itisafairamountofmoneybutasmallpricetopayforbeingpamperedbeyondyourwildestdreamsfortwosoliddays.MostpeopleIspoketoweresurprisedtolearnyoudonotsleeponboardthetrain.InsteadyouarewhiskedtooneoftwosuperiorhotelsinKamloopsdependingonyourclassofservice.Breakfastonboardwasexcellent.Eggscookedanystyleseveraltypesofmeatcrisplycookedpotatoesandofcourseachilledglassofmimosa.Allofthiswhilesittingincomfortableseatsinadomecarlookingatviewsineverydirection.TheRedLeafserviceoffersprepackagedmealsandnodomedviewingcarbutthefoodisacceptableandtheserviceissecondtonone.AsaphotographerIpreferredthewindowsintheRedLeafcarsastheywereatandclean.MostofthephotosItookfromtheGoldcoachwerehinderedbythereectionfromthecurvedglassIspentmuchofthetimeonplatformsbetweencars.Anotherbigdifferencebetweenthelevelsofserviceistheluggagerestric-tions.InRedLeafyouareallowedonlyonecarry-onwhichyoumusttaketoyourhoteltheremainderofyourlug-gagestaysonaseparatecar.TheGoldLeafpassengershavealltheirsuitcasesdeliveredtotheirhotel.ManypeoplehaveseentheRockiesalbeitinmostcasesfromautomobilesandRVx19s.Ifoundadistinctdifferencebe-tweentheviewsfromthetrainandthoseIhaveseenmanytimesfromtheroad.Thepristineremotenessisevident.Therearefewroadsevenfewerbuildingsandseldomdoyouseepeople.Everyturnof-fersanunimaginablepostcardview.AfterafewdaysinJasperIcontin-uedmyjourneyaboardViaRailx19sx18TheCanadianx19.ExpectingalesserlevelofservicethanIexperiencedontheRockyMountaineerIwaspleasantlysurprisedatwhatIconsideredtobeequaltotheMountaineerx19sGoldservicealthoughalcoholwasextra.Theonlythingmissingweretheviews.OnceyouleaveEdmon-tonthecountrysidebecomesfairlyatandasspectacularasthePrairiesaretheyarenottheRockyMountains.IfyouhavetheopportunitytotakeNomatterwhatwayyoulookspectacularmountainsandlakesareeverywhere.Pleaseturntopage32