Rocky Mountaineer

As in subject, Rocky Mountaineer has been given the green light to run tourist trains on the BC Rail line.

This is somewhat unfortunate, as there will now never be "real" passenger service on this line again. Once RMR gets ahold of a route, they will block any attempts by anyone to run a regular, transportation oriented service, this being the biggest reason Via cannot get back on the CP route. The decision should come as no surprise, as RMR has done its homework in the political influence area....Via's bid never had a chance....One can also expect Via's Skeena operation to come under fire, as RMR also appears to have plans for the CN north line as well, and will not want Via "competing" with them, regardless of who was there first.


Perhaps now we will get some give and take, and they will drop their fierce opposition to Via on the CP route, now that they have the virtual monopoly they have desired. I wouldn't hold my breath though.

Rhetorical question...

Why can't politicians tell the difference between basic transportation and luxury travel?

The answer is... transportation loses public money and land cruises make private money. The real question is who benefits from each?

Or, better yet, why can't there be both?

EXACTLY......answer: because RMR will not allow it.

If you go to the Rocky Mountaineer web site:

http://www.rockymountaineer.com/

and click on "New Rail Journeys for 2006"..then, on the next page, click on the "Whistler Mountaineer"..you get nothing.
I am interested in this new route for 2006..from Vancouver, to Whistler, Prince George, and finally to Jasper, Alb.
Does anyone have information one whether this new route is a certainty? I would especially be interested if they plan on a connecting with the (regular) Rocky Mountaineer from Jasper to Kamloops back to Vancouver. It would be fun to complete the whole loop.

I am sure it wouldn't be cheap..but I might like to do it 1X in 2006. If you have more information on the new Whistler Mountaineer, I would appreciate what you can tell me.
Richard

You can only get on at Banff if you are returning to Vancouver but you can't use it to continue on to Calgary. The Rocky Mountaineer is a cruise train and does not allow stopovers except for the scheduled overnight in Kamloops.

MassTransitMag.com: Two more Rocky Mountaineer rail cars to be rebuilt by Alstom

Rocky Mountaineer has awarded a contract to Alstom Transport to rebuild two additional SilverLeaf cars for Canadian tourist railroad. This represents the 11th and 12th SilverLeaf cars Alstom will rebuild for the railroad with the delivery of cars 9 and 10 to be delivered in March 2019.

Alstom explains that the rebuilding requires the cars to be stripped to their frame and trucks and entirely re-engineered; producing newly refurbished train cars for the Rocky Mountaineer fleet. The modernization work includes installation of oversized dome windows, spacious seats and a new interior, which extends the car’s lifetime by at least 10 years. Alstom also notes that the work also includes a thorough engineering design and review to deliver a quality product that assures a vastly improved customer experience thanks to new systems (heating, ventilation, air conditioning) to increase guest comfort, as well as new flat and curved windows that give guests a 167 percent larger viewing area than before.
...

I am travelling on the Rocky Mountaineer in June next year from Banff to Kamloops & Vancouver, I have the basic depart Banff arrive/depart Kamloops arrive Vancouver times provided for my booking. Does anyone know where a full schedule for these trains can be obtained? ie passing times arr/dep times for locations on route etc. is this info in the public domain?

There are no intermediate or service stops. So why would there be a timetable?

Kamloops-Vancouver, you can go extrapolate that using the VIA schedule. But usually the RM is treated fairly well, and the directional running corridor through the Fraser Canyon usually isn't too delay prone.

https://www.rockymountaineer.com/media- ... y-usa-2021

Rocky Mountaineer plans to bring its luxury train journeys to a new route in the Southwest United States in 2021. The Rockies to the Red Rocks route will be a two-day rail journey between Denver, Colorado, and Moab, Utah, with an overnight stay in Glenwood Springs, Colorado.

Rocky Mountaineer operates multi-day, daytime train journeys that feature incredible scenery, regional cuisine, and attentive service in its spacious, glass-domed train coaches. The company has long had the goal of expanding its routes to bring its train travel experience to showcase new destinations. This new route will be in addition to the three rail routes that run in Western Canada, between Vancouver and the Canadian Rockies towns of Banff, Lake Louise and Jasper.

“Rocky Mountaineer will bring a new luxury train tour to explore the historic rail route between Denver and Moab. Over the past 30 years, Rocky Mountaineer has become renowned for our world-class train travel experiences, and now we are opening our newest train experience in the region where train travel history began,” said Peter Armstrong, founder of Rocky Mountaineer. “This region, with its magnificent scenery, national parks, vast opportunities to explore, will delight millions.”

Rocky Mountaineer will launch the route with a preview season of 40 departures across 10 weeks from August 15 to October 23, 2021. The company is working with local tourism organizations, hotels and tour operators to curate custom vacation packages that feature tours, activities, and stays in Denver and Moab, so guests can experience even more of the region.
...

Sounds like another attempt at LuxoTrain.

What will the fare be ?
What will the space be?
What will the food and libation be?

There’s a cheap segment of the tourist market (think Carnival) and an expensive, quality end (Paul Gauguin, Seabourne, WindStar). What does this want to be?

There also tentatively going to be tacking on a PV trip:

https://www.aaprco.com/travel-opportuni ... adventure/

Deep River Rail Ventures, LLC is pleased to announce a nine day, one-of-a-kind private rail excursion with railcars FRANK THOMSON & BERLIN. In addition to visits to numerous tourist rail excursions & museums, our trip includes the very first Inaugural Run of Rocky Mountaineer’s Rockies To The Red Rocks two day excursion from Denver, CO to Moab, UT via Grand Junction, CO. We will be enjoying the (now sold out) enhanced Silver Leaf Plus Class accommodations which include exclusive access to their newly renovated lounge car. Featuring signature cocktails, the lounge car offers additional space indoors to to relax and soak in the scenery as it passes you by, as well as a small outdoor viewing area.

The first day of this inaugural run includes spectacular scenery of the the Front Range, Moffat Tunnel, and the Byers, Gore, Red & Glenwood Canyons.

The second day scenic highlights include the Colorado River, Mount Lincoln, and traversing the 25 mile long Ruby Canyon, which can only be accessed by rail or water. The final miles of the Cane Creek Branch to Moab will be “Rare Mileage”, having never before seen a passenger train. You can be the first to experience one of the major rail passenger events in 2021.

This nine day excursion also includes admission to the Colorado Railroad Museum, Georgetown Loop Railroad, The Broadmoor Pikes Peak Railroad, Pueblo Railroad Museum, Royal Gorge Scenic Railroad Dinner Train, and the Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad.

Be a part of history by being “All Aboard” this unique trip! This trip may sell out quickly.

and: http://www.sleeponatrain.com/trip-itinerary.html has a detailed itinerary. Looks phenomenal.

Must not be just tacking on the PV cars since RM has no sleepers or else the RM guest sleep in a hotel while the PV passengers sleep on the train at overnight stops? Just wondering. Haven't really studied the itinerary yet.

"Hey buddy, can you spare seven Grover's?"

Too many "Unk, Unks" on that one, starting with the Pikes Peak Ry and of course the Rocky Mountain Denver-Moab junket.

Would the sponsors simply "take the loot and busteetoot"?

BLET opposes exemption: https://dcms-external.s3.amazonaws.com/ ... 301750.pdf

Good find, Mr. Smith.

Soooooo………………...; they plan to operate this "Desert Mountaineer" with NON-AGREEMENT, presumably Rules Qualified, Train and Engine employees.

I can't believe they have "tried to pull that stuff" up on the CP.

Good luck; yes I spent my eleven year railroad career holding non-Agreement positions, but three of those years were in Labor Relations. There is where I learned there were two sides of every story.