VANCOUVER, British Columbia — VIA Rail Canada has now worked out how it will deploy two single-level, full-length Panorama dome cars on its Canadian. This key detail was not available when the “Passenger” column, “VIA’s summer shuffle,” was written for the July 2019 Trains, which has been delivered to subscribers and is en route to newsstands.
As reported in that column’s information on the Canadian’s major schedule change, VIA originally advised that two full-length Panorama domes would run Toronto-Vancouver, B.C., but on only two of the three equipment sets, with no advance information to passengers which departures would be so equipped. That’s what happened initially.
After the last Panorama departed Toronto on May 22, however, the two cars began operating Vancouver-Edmonton, Alta., only on specific departures, leaving Vancouver on train No. 2 every Friday and train No. 4 (which only operates as far as Edmonton), every Tuesday through Oct. 8. They are scheduled to return from Edmonton at 12:01 a.m. Wednesdays (train No. 1 that departed Toronto on Sunday morning) and Fridays (train No. 3).
Every Canadian will operate with at least four domes. Transcontinental trains Nos. 1 and 2 will always run with a Park observation-lounge-sleeper, and three Skyline short domes: two serving beverages and snacks mid-train to sleeping-car passengers and another just behind the coaches offering meals and beverages for purchase by economy travelers.
When a Panorama operates on the cross-country trains, it will supplement the four shorter domes west of Edmonton, making five dome cars total. Vancouver-Edmonton trains 3 and 4, though, run with one less Skyline (and a shorter consist), so the Panorama becomes one of two mid-train domes.
Keep in mind that during the summer and fall peak seasons, access to the Park lounge-observation at the end of the train is restricted most of the day to Prestige Class passengers paying big bucks. How big? The fare for two adults is $5,321 (C$7,190 at the current exchange rate) between Edmonton or Jasper and Vancouver.
Riding Prestige Class between those destinations hasn’t been allowed until now to keep travelers from “cherry-picking” a one-night journey, but it is now offered only on Edmonton-Vancouver trains 3 and 4. Yet the Vancouver-Edmonton fare is the same as the Vancouver-Winnipeg Prestige price.
Trains News Wire plans an analysis soon of how the Canadian’s new schedule is working.
Southern Railway’s premier train, The Crescent and Santa Fe’s Super Chief had boat-tailed observation sleeper-lounge cars accessible to all first class passengers. Via Rail Canada is pricing its luxury amenities out of the market. For over $5,000 paid to gain access to the rear observation lounge in the Park-series cars, one could travel first class to the other side of the globe. (The Indian Ocean west of Australia is the antepole to the United States and Canada.)
The Via schedule of the Faux domes reminded me of the old B&O timetable listing a Dome on the Shenandoah
every other day…… Which day was that?
I fully agree–a dome is raised above the rest of the structure and allows the passenger to see ahead and behind, as well as to the sides and overhead.
My very thought! A genuine dome car allows one to see straight forward & backward over the tops of the cars ahead and behind.
Panorama cars are not “domes” in any meaningful sense of the term, any more than Superliner Sightseer cars are.
Re: Via Rail Canada is pricing its luxury amenities out of the market.
It sounds like they aren’t having any problem filling up the Prestige Class car.
They are just following the same marketing strategy as Disney (Land). Keep raising the prices, and let the peasants class stop coming. There’s now enough people in the top 20%, world wide, to allow companies to cater only to the rich (top 20%) and wealthy (top 5%) classes.
Travel & Food
This extravagant luxury cruise ship is built for the world’s most wealthy
There’s no shame in wealth, says CEO of Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings
https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/travel-food/article/2064620/extravagant-luxury-cruise-ship-built-worlds-most-wealthy
Hey, guys, take the Canadian off-season. Its price, still high are more accessible and service is relax. In the Park car, only a few seats are reserved for Prestige Class. The rest of the train is all for you. Yes, it runs late. But, so what. If you have four days to use from Toronto to Vancouver, or back, you got a few extra hours to appreciate the ride. If it means an extra meal, they will provide it. I did it last march with my wife and friends, and we appreciated every hours of it. Even when it got late, very late. VIA staff is extremely friendly. Every cruise train has its good side and wrong side. Remember, getting there, is just half the fun!
VIA is stupid with their high prices. I’ll never ride a train that is 6-8 hours late paying rip-off prices.