The province of Alberta is full steam ahead in its preparations for the 2010 Games.

In addition to renting six luxury dome cars on the Rocky Mountaineer to shuttle guests between Vancouver and Whistler, the province will also have a home base in each location for its guests.

And so the clubhouse of the Whistler Golf Club will be transformed into a mini Alberta House of sorts – a business/hospitality centre where guests of Alberta can gather after a day in Whistler before getting back on the train and enjoying a five-course meal on the way to back to Vancouver.

“It’s a VIP experience,” said Russ Tynan, executive director of Alberta’s Olympic and Paralympic Secretariat, created over one year ago. “That’s what we’ve touted it to be. It’s about business development.

“This is about businesses and colleagues needing to connect with the right people and establishing long-term relationships, and how better to do that than… attending a world class celebration in a great place.”

Tynan explained that the province readily jumped on board with plans for 2010 after an official invitation from B.C. and Olympic organizers. The invitation was extended across Canada.

Alberta, however, has the 1988 Calgary Winter Olympics under its belt and understands what kind of benefits can come from being a part of 2010.

“We’ve been fortunate,” said Tynan. “We were given the opportunity 20 some odd years ago to host the Olympics and we understand how the world’s attention will shift and so we know that invitation we got is pretty magical and pretty special and so we’re not going waste it.”

The province has committed $6.6 million in new funds for the program. Other funding will come from existing programs.

The world will know the province is at the Games as the train will be wrapped in messaging with the name “Alberta” as it travels through Sea to Sky country.

The top of the line Rocky Mountaineer GoldLeaf Service dome cars and lounge cars will be used for the occasion.

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By Alison Taylor, Pique Newsmagazine, >>> continue reading

Railway Map Guide:British Columbia & Canadian Rockies

Amtrak is now offering its first direct, round-trip train service between Portland and Vancouver, B.C., in preparation for the 2010 winter Olympics. The new route stops in Vancouver as part of the Cascades service line. It also means a second daily train runs between Seattle and Vancouver, B.C.

The train service, which started Wednesday, is a pilot project that will run until after the 2010 Olympic and Paralympics winter games take place Feb. 12 to 28 and March 12 to 21 in Canada. After the games, the Washington State Department of Transportation will decide if the route is popular enough to continue the service.

The Vancouver games are expected to temporarily boost tourism and travel throughout the Pacific Northwest, including passenger rail traffic. But transportation officials also hope the new service will encourage more leisure and business travel in general on the state’s passenger rail system over the long term.

“If there’s sufficient interest in the train, it may well continue,” said Andrew Wood, deputy director for the department’s rail and marine division. “It’s important that as we start offering people more travel options that the rail mode of transport becomes more popular.”

Wood said the Canadian government has agreed to waive the $1,500 per day fee the new train would incur to cross the border until after the 2010 games. Without the additional fee, the new train costs the department roughly $3,000 per round trip to operate, or up to $100,000 per month. The Oregon Department of Transportation covers the cost of train operations in Oregon.

The agency will need to fill at least 100 seats each one-way trip to keep operating costs in the black, Wood said.

BY LIBBY TUCKER, Columbian.com >>> Read full story

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USA West By Train: The Complete Amtrak Travel Guide

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VIA Rail Canada wishes to advise travellers that it is currently monitoring weather conditions associated with Hurricane Bill with respect to a possible impact on its trains arriving and departing Halifax over the weekend.

VIA’s eastbound train No.14 scheduled to depart Montreal this evening, August 22, at 18:30 is scheduled to depart on time. VIA wishes to advise passengers that delays may be experienced once the train enters predicted storm affected area. VIA’s westbound train No.15 scheduled to depart Halifax on Sunday, August 23, at 12:35 is scheduled to depart on time. However passengers are advised that there may delays enroute associated with the storm.

Passengers are advised to call 1 888-842-6348 to determine the status of their train’s departure in the Atlantic region prior to arriving at their stop. Customers wishing further information may call 1 888-842-6348, 1 888-VIA RAIL (842-7245) or visit our website viarail.ca. VIA will issue updates as necessary.

Canada By Train: The Complete VIA Rail Travel Guide

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VANCOUVER — A second daily Amtrak Cascades train will start running between Vancouver and Seattle on Aug. 19.

The Canadian government approved the second service as a pilot project that will run until after the 2010 Winter Olympics.

The Washington State Department of Transportation worked with Amtrak, BNSF Railway, U.S. Customs, and other stakeholders to get the service operating.

The new service will allow travelers from Oregon to have direct round-trip service between Portland and Vancouver.

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By Kelly Sinoski, Vancouver Sun, >>> continue reading

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USA West By Train: The Complete Amtrak Travel Guide

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Limited time offer: Book by 25th September 2009

This fantastic offer allows you to sit back and relax and experience one of Canada’s most exciting three-hour rail journey – the Whistler Mountaineer – a breathtaking train trip between North Vancouver and Whistler in Glacier Dome.

Until 25th September, 2009, book a Rocky Mountaineer two-day rail journey or vacation package, and receive a round-trip journey onboard the Whistler Mountaineer train for FREE, plus a CA$50 Rocky Mountaineer souvenir credit.
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Railway Map Guide:British Columbia & Canadian Rockies

Revelstoke steams into Railway Days this weekend, which is our annual celebration of all things railway. The Revelstoke Railway Museum, located right next to the CP Rail line, hosts the event. James Baring, 6th Baron Revelstoke, was the guest of honour at the 2009 Revelstoke Homecoming due to his historical connection with the completion of the the CP Rail line, which was arguably a significant factor leading to the creation of Canada. CP Rail is a major employer in Revelstoke, with a proud history stretching back over a century.

Yet, despite these and many more connections our community has to the railway, you can’t take the train to Revelstoke. This despite the fact that many Third World countries enjoy better point to point passenger rail services than Western Canada — or Canada in general for that matter. Concerns about reducing greenhouse gases, treacherous winter road conditions and provincial goals to increase tourism in B.C. all support the concept of improving rail service to Revelstoke.

This lack of service to his namesake community did not escape the attention of Lord Revelstoke, who penned a letter of thanks published in the Aug. 5 issue of the Revelstoke Times Review. In the letter, he expresses his hope that he can arrive by train for the next homecoming event in Revelstoke. “I have been studying the Internet booking system which is succeeding in filling every seat on the EuroStar express that runs between London and Paris by balancing supply, demand and price,” writes Baring. “A package offering to the world a skiing break at Revelstoke, arriving by train from Toronto, Calgary or Kelowna, advertised and bookable online all over the world, would be fully subscribed.”

He isn’t the only one with that goal in mind. At their June 30 meeting, the Revelstoke Economic Development Commission discussed the matter, saying it was a “high priority” and asked that Director of Community Economic Development Alan Mason follow up on the item when he meets with CPR officials at a regularly scheduled meeting in September.

Mason says the matter comes up every couple of years and he will pursue it further at the September meeting.

By Aaron Orlando, Revelstoke Times, >>> continue reading
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Canada By Train: The Complete VIA Rail Travel Guide

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