Adding sleeping cars to the Skeena

With the surplus of Heritage sleepers that VIA has I was hoping that perhaps the Skeena would be outfitted with a few sleepers, and people could sleep onboard at Prince George, rather than heading off to hotels. They could still wander the streets of Prince George (if you wanted to etc.). But a VIA marketing rep told me, it was considered, but security, paying extra costs to CN to operate additional cars over the tracks, storage fees at Prince George, and then of course the idea that the overnight passengers bring business to the Prince George area, scrapped such an idea. The same VIA marketing rep was disappointed that VIA didn't get the contract to run passenger service on the old BC Rail line. I also know VIA was trying for six days a week seasonal service between Vancouver and Jasper as well as an extension of the Skeena from Japer to Edmonton (to be closer to more population and airport facilities). Great plans, just no money to do it!

Not just money -- there are always rumours of the private sector's political clout getting in the way, too.

How much clout does the Rocky Mountaineer have? I wonder, do they see Amtrak Cascades as a threat? I noticed the latter is rare, as it is the only daily run in Western Canada(except for the Malahat).