Three Nights Aboard the Canadian, from Vancouver to Toronto

The Canadian Rockies from the dome car of Via Rail’s Canadian. Photo by Vincent Gragnani.

The Canadian is Via Rail’s 3-day, 3-night (now 4-night) journey across the continent. I made the eastbound journey in December of 2000, starting in Vancouver and traveling to Toronto via Jasper, Edmonton, Saskatoon and Winnipeg.

I kept a journal along the way, and below are my entries, as written by my much younger (and sadly, less observant!) 21-year-old self, and images from my Canon (non-digital) SLR. 

Tuesday, Dec 12, 2000, 8:45 pm, between Vancouver and Kamloops, British Columbia

Ah, Via Rail at last. First class at last. 

I said to my mom today that if the trip went downhill from here, it would still be a great trip. I do miss Vancouver, my friends in the Harbor Tower, the Purple Onion, Gastown, all of it. More so than I missed Seattle upon leaving it. 

Pacific Central Station in Vancouver, British Columbia. Photo by Vincent Gragnani

But to be lying in my own bed, looking out my own window at mountains, small towns and an overcast sky that covers all but the glow of a full moon is amazing. 

We’re moving along water, the Fraser River, I believe, and just coming upon a small town. 

It’s about 9:05 now. I had to shut off my light and look out the window. It’s so beautiful, even at night. I can see the rushing water of the river, the mountains partially covered with snow, and our own train as we make turns, enabling me to see the front of it. 

I seriously cannot believe that I am here right now. 

Because this car is so empty, there’s plenty of room to spread out. The lady sitting across from me and I are the only two occupants out of six berth spaces. So I have my own lower berth with no one above me. She has her own, and the third pair of berths remain as couches for us to sit on at any hour. Hope it’s this spread out for the rest of the trip. Four to five hours before we hit Kamloops. Wonder if I’ll be awake. 

The Park Car on Via Rail’s Canadian. Photo by Vincent Gragnani.

Wednesday, Dec. 13, 2000, 10:10 pm, between Edmonton, Alberta, and Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. 

Sitting in the observation car listening to Paul Van Dyk’s “Out There and Back” album. I’m definitely “out there” right now, in the middle of the Alberta/Saskatchewan prairie. There’s a beautiful not-quite-full moon above us. I can barely see what I’m writing—it’s pitch black in here. Looks like we’re coming upon some small city. Lots of smoky oil refineries in this province. Edmonton was a good-size city, larger than I thought. I guess because of oil and other stuff, this is a very rich province. 

The Canadian, parked in Jasper for a layover. Photo by Vincent Gragnani.

We stopped in Jasper today for over an hour. Beautiful scenery all morning and early afternoon. We cut right through the Rockies. Lots of snow and ice. I walked all over Jasper, ventured up a hill, saw two churches, went up and down the main road, even ventured across the train tracks (kinda scary). Hope I got some good pictures. 

The town of Jasper, photographed during a short layover in December, 2000. Photo by Vincent Gragnani.

Afterward, I spent most of my time up here in the dome car. Saw some deer and bighorn sheep. Lots of snow and ice on the ground. Funny how the sun never gets very high in the sky. It kind of lingers close to the horizon all day. Corey at the Harbour Centre pointed out that the sun sets in a different part of the sky depending on the season—it’s not always due west. 

We’ve now left that town. It’s so amazing that people live out here in the middle of nowhere. Now we just passed three houses—all normal with garage, Christmas lights, etc., except each house is a half mile from the next. Ugh, isolated. 

Via Rail’s Canadian in the Canadian Rockies. Photo by Vincent Gragnani.

Thursday, Dec. 14, 10:45 am, between Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, and Winnipeg, Manitoba

Everything is so flat here. Flat and white, covered with snow. Some clusters of trees, most of which are bare sticks, others must be evergreens. It must be cold out. There’s plenty of snow and ice and wind between the train cars. We should be in Winnipeg within the next hour or so. I hope we can make up some time. 

I can’t get over how white everything is. And the sun is so low, it has an orange tinge as if it were close to sunrise or sunset. This morning’s sunrise was beautiful. I caught it as I was waking up around 8 or so. 

The massive prairies of Saskatchewan, from the dome car of Via Rail’s Canadian. Photo by Vincent Gragnani.

I met a Canadian couple last night from Melville, Saskatchewan. They got off around 7 this morning. Nice people. They live in a town of 4,500 people. I don’t know how people live so isolated. I need contact with more people. 

It’s also interesting how Canadians know so much about the U.S. while we know nothing about them. I guess we have such a dominating culture. They watch our TV, follow our politics, etc. Whereas I had forgotten the name of their Prime Minister, I had no idea how their government worked, etc. 

The land is now getting slightly hilly. We’re kicking up a lot of snow. Hopefully arriving in Winnipeg soon—no luck—we just slowed down. Going around a curve. 

Via Rail’s Canadian through Manitoba. Photo by Vincent Gragnani.

Thursday, Dec. 14, 2000, 5:20 pm, between Winnipeg, Manitoba, and Sioux Lookout, Ontario. 

Starting to get bored—but that doesn’t mean I’m ready to get off. I could stay here another week. I’m gonna miss sleeping on the train. Nice to have my own bed and window. 

The land here has definitely changed. Lots of forest. All covered in snow. Trees all like sticks—and lots of lakes. Not full of water or ice but full of snow. Many of them have cottages on the shores. I totally missed the town of Elma. I think I was eating at the time. We had just left Winnipeg, and I was eating with a couple, and either his or her mother. Nice people, from Victoria. I miss the West Coast, namely Vancouver (and Seattle). San Francisco will be fun too. Looking forward to that. Another hostel experience, more time to explore, etc. I think I’ll have from noon on the 30th until the morning of the 2nd (or 3rd). 

An attempt to capture an image of wildlife from aboard the Canadian. Photo by Vincent Gragnani.

We just got an all-new crew this morning in Winnipeg. I like the dining crew much better, friendlier. The dining car server on the last leg of the trip didn’t communicate well, didn’t seem to know what was going on. These people are nicer. Our car attendant is also very nice—although she wouldn’t give us two lower berths. Other than that, she’s always saying hello, asking if she can get me anything, calling me by name, etc. 

As I said before, I am starting to get bored. I should get more engrossed in my Frank Sinatra book. I have two hours before dinner—might as well read. 

(I am sorry I did not document the final day of the trip, nor any of the meals! Below is a post-script, a subsequent journal entry from Chicago, after a day-long Amtrak ride from Toronto to Chicago. )

Saturday/Sunday, Dec. 16/17, 2000, 1:34 am, Chicago,

Arrived in Toronto last night. Went to the CN Tower. A bit scary at first, but I brought myself to go outside and walk on a glass floor without being scared. Stayed at an OK place last night, Global Backpackers. They had a bar—I had a few beers. Talked to the bartender for a bit. We discussed U.K. vs American music. Also U.S. politics. He was from Scotland, nice guy. Always interesting to hear analysis of U.S. politics and culture from outsiders. 

I awoke early this morning. Lost my key to my locker at the train station, so I had to pay $10 for it. The train ride here was pretty boring. Going through Ontario was OK. Went through a lot of British-sounding towns like “London.” Then we went under Lake Huron and into Michigan. That was a really boring and depressing part of the trip. I can’t believe people live in places like Flint and Kalamazoo. It really makes those small towns in Saskatchewan look appealing. At least they have a quaintness and some natural beauty. 

The dazzling white snow-covered land of Ontario gave way to dark, dreary Michigan, which gave way to a long delay in Indiana. We ended up getting in two hours late. I took the L here to Uncle Mark and Melanie’s, let myself in and did some emailing. Then they got in and we visited for a while. Then I went back to the computer. I emailed Silvana. Which reminds me, I need to drop off three rolls of film first thing tomorrow morning. I’ll also buy an album and start compiling it, even if it’s only slightly. 

Now I go to sleep with that thought in my head and Paul van Dyk’s music in my ears. 

Looking out the back of Via Rail’s Canadian. Photo by Vincent Gragnani.

I am eager to make this trip again someday. Via Rail has now made it a four-night trip, still using the old-but-refurbished stainless-steel cars.

Have you made this trip? Send me a note in the form below, or leave a comment below!