Rocky Mountaineer
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| Rocky Mountaineer | |
|---|---|
| Locale | British Columbia / Alberta |
| Dates of operation | 1990–present |
| Track gauge | 1435 mm (4 ft 8½ in) (standard gauge) |
| Headquarters | Vancouver, British Columbia |
Rocky Mountaineer Vacations (RMV) is a tour company founded in 1990, based in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada who operate vintage trains over numerous sightseeing routes in Western Canada.
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[edit] Background
Commencing in 1990, the company was founded and is still managed by the Armstrong Group (AG) in Vancouver BC. The company also operate rail tours, including the Fraser Discovery and the Whistler Mountaineer (since 2006), as well as Gray Line West in Banff, Vancouver and Victoria and the Thompson Hotel in Kamloops.
[edit] Equipment
RMV operates 60 railcars in their fleet:
- GE Rail F40PH locomotives
- GP40-2L locomotives, ex-Canadian National Railway, rebuilt by GEC - Alstom
- Single level coaches with large picture windows are used on the Red Leaf and Coast Classic services.
- 35 Canada Car and Foundry Red Leaf Cars, ex-Canadian National Railway.
- 10 Colorado Railcar Bi-level Ultra Dome cars with wrap-over view windows offering Glacier Dome service where a traditional tea service is provided. These coaches, offering Gold Leaf service, are two-level (double-deck) coaches with wrap-over view windows on the top level.
[edit] Routes
The Rocky Mounaineer operates over the lines of the Canadian National Railway (CN) (Yellowhead Route from Jasper to Kamloops and Vancouver and from Jasper to Quesnel; and the CN operated British Columbia Rail (BC Rail) portion from Prince George to Whistler. It also operates The Whistler Mountaineer from North Vancouver to Whistler and over Canadian Pacific Railway on the Kicking Horse Pass route from Vancouver to Kamloops and Banff or Calgary.
- Vancouver, British Columbia
- Jasper, Alberta
- Banff, Alberta
- Calgary, Alberta
- Whistler, British Columbia on Whistler Mountaineer
[edit] Trip structure
Trips are day travel only so that none of the scenery is missed. On the Calgary/Banff-Vancouver and on the Jasper-Vancouver routes an overnight stop is made in Kamloops, BC whilst on the Jasper to Whistler route, an overnight stop in Quesnel is provided.
RMV was awarded the "World's Leading Travel Experience by Train" in 2005 and 2006 at the World Travel Awards.
[edit] Connecting services
Connecting domestic and international flights can be made from Calgary and Vancouver. Amtrak and VIA Rail services can be connected in Vancouver and Jasper respectively. Some international travel companies offer journeys on the trains, Cruise companies such as Princess Cruises and Celebrity Cruises and from the United Kingdom Newmarket Air Holidays.
[edit] External links
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