VIA Rail #1, The Canadian, Edmonton to Vancouver, a Train Buff Perspective, March 2023

Описание: This is our trip from Edmonton to Vancouver on VIA #1, The Canadian, in March 2023. This shows my vantage point of a person interested in the railroading as well as the ride. We met or passed 27 trains between Jasper and Kamloops on this trip. The CN line west of Edmonton is very busy with freight trains. We previously rode on the train in 2005 with a berth, very fun. This time, the one bedroom is something we wanted to try. I booked it on a Black Friday sale at the end of November, because we had 2 nights on the train heading west instead of 1 night heading east. The deal was very good.

I'd recommend travelling westbound on the VIA train in March as the days are 12 hours long, the daytime portion is between Jasper and Kamloops, the cost is 40% less, the train is shorter, only 10 cars plus the baggage car and a tail end buffer car. Passengers are laid back, friendly, and very chatty. The VIA Rail staff is also very friendly, a trait about their Winnipeg employees! It feels like a throwback to the 1950's. Many of them got on in Toronto for 4 nights on the train. If you get on in Winnipeg you get 3 nights on the train. We got on in Edmonton and spent 2 nights and one day on the train with a midnight departure. We had brunch and dinner on the train during our full day, and breakfast on the train as we arrived into Vancouver, a 33 hour journey. As well, the views are better because there are no leaves on the deciduous trees and the mountains are snow covered.

I really enjoy the dome car, watching meets, and watching the many searchlight singles flicker from clear (a lot of clear to stop signals actually) to red as we travel CTC territory on CN Rail's mainline. I really enjoy talking with other people on the train, and the dining car is a great place for these table conversations, but there is none of these conversations on the video. Sorry for the dirty windows.

Below is a list of the trains I saw in the awake hours. I am using the old 1980s train lineup terminology XW for Westbound trains and XE for eastbound trains. The line between Edmonton and Jasper is incredibly busy, a lot more double tracking now with CTC. It is too bad the westbound Canadian takes this route at night. The Edson Sub., the Albreda Sub., the Robson Sub., the Clearwater Sub., the Ashcroft Sub., and the Yale Sub. are the 6 CN Rail subdivisions on this route. West of Ashcroft westbound trains from CP and CN take the CN Rail route and eastbound trains take the CPKC Route. The Westbound Canadian takes the CN route.

Edmonton to Vancouver VIA Rail, March 18-19, 2023. Depart Edmonton 0001, Arrive Jasper 0802, Arrive Blue River 1515, Arrive Kamloops 1930, Arrive Vancouver 0802
XW 0730 English
XW 0745 English
XE 0830 Jasper
XW 0925 Jasper
XW 0930 Jasper
XE 0930 Jasper
XW 0940 Jasper
Depart Jasper 0940 MDT to PDT
XW 0910 Yellowhead
XE 0940 Fitzwilliam
XE 1200 Von Zubin
#2 1230 Von Zubin, XW in front of #1
XE 1300 Von Zubin, follow an XW
XE 1340 Canoe River
XE 1430 Pyramid
XE 1455 Thunder River
XE 1515 Blue River
XE 1515 Blue River
XW 1515 Blue River
XE 1530 Ewasiuk
XW 1550 Messiter East
XE 1610 Avola East
XE 1655 Vavenby
XW 1730 Blackpool
XE 1805 Chu Chua
XE 1830 Barriere
XE 1855 McLure
XE 1910 Vinsulla
XE 1930 Kamloops
XE 1930 Kamloops
Depart Kamloops 2000 PDT
XE 2145 Black Canyon CP side dark outside
XE 2200 Basque CP side dark outside
XE 2205 Basque CP side dark outside
XE 2215 Toketic CP side dark outside
XE 2230 Spences Bridge CP side dark outside
Sleep at 2245 at Seddall
Awake at 0400 at Yale
XE 0600 Page
XE 0630 Hydro
Many freights west of Thornton
Arrive 0800 in Vancouver