The Rocky Mountaineer is a train journey that transports one not only through the immense beauty of Western Canada, but also through history, to a time when “luxury” meant more than just a mint on your pillow and “service” meant that there was nothing else to wish for. Kingdom’s James Gannon takes an amazing ride…
The journey begins with the whistle, officers from the train company stepping on a bellows that releases the same multi-timbre, throaty moan that has signaled the start of epic rail trips for nearly two centuries. The train— the Rocky Mountaineer—waits outside for its first run of the season, majestic and shining under a cool late-spring Vancouver sunrise. Inside the station, before the whistle sounds, children softly complain and wipe the sleep from their eyes, newlyweds and tour groups scramble to buy last-minute souvenirs from the gift kiosk, men pore over guidebooks and maps of Western Canada while their wives patiently sip coffee, and train staff adjust their smart uniforms and prepare to board passengers. The whistle sounds and the adventure begins, with waves and good wishes and with that anticipationbuilding call:“All aboard.” For the next two days the train will take its fortunate charges from the cosmopolitan coastal elegance of Vancouver high into the rugged and startling interior beauty of the Canadian Rockies. Everyone riding these rails will enjoy astounding views and unparalleled service, but those of us in first class— “GoldLeaf Service,” in Rocky Mountaineer parlance— will get something else as well: One of the world’s great train journeys. The Rocky Mountaineer has its own station in Vancouver, a former rail maintenance building remodeled into a beautiful, contemporary structure with an old world feel belied by its 35-foot ceilings and bold glass-and-timber construction. It’s an appropriate place to embark on a grand trip, something between cathedral-esque and modern mountain lodge. Staff couldn’t be nicer, helping passengers onto the doubledecker GoldLeaf carriages (seating up top, dining below), and scheduling and organization couldn’t be more precise. Starting at the excellent Fairmont Waterfront Hotel in Vancouver, we didn’t have to worry about our bags until we arrived at the magnificent castle known as the Fairmont Banff Springs. Train staff collected our luggage, organized buses to the station, and made sure we were on board when the train departed precisely at its scheduled time.
kingdom
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summer
2011
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