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| Toronto Star November 1, 2003
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| Wall Street Journal 08/2003
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| Winnipeg Free Press 06/2003
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| Previous News Releases
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| The bear facts on the Captain and Winnie
Winnie-the-Pooh has an Ontario connection Orphan cub was discovered on a station platform
CATHERINE GEORGE ASSOCIATE TRAVEL EDITOR, TORONTO STAR
WHITE RIVER, Ont. You know you're in friendly territory when your train arrives four hours late and the mayor is still waiting at the station to greet you. And your meal, prepared by the senior ladies of the community, is still warm, even though it's well past 10 p.m.
We're not VIPs. We're just 39 tired travellers an assortment of rail buffs, leaf peepers and tagalongs mostly on the senior side and mostly from southern Ontario. We're on a rail tour of the Algoma region, north of Lake Superior, and the townsfolk of White River are simply treating us as they would any visitor with a warm and genuine welcome. That's the way people are in the North. White River is an overnight stop on a rail tour themed "Superior Colours of Ontario," a five-day trip in early October taking passengers by rail from Toronto to White River and back. The rail journey is another story, which we will get to in future, but for the moment, we'll concentrate on this community on the Trans-Canada Highway, mid-way between Sault Ste. Marie and Thunder Bay
First, meet White River's mayor Angelo Bazzoni, who took the time to show me around this community of 1,000 residents. Frankly, I was impressed. It has its own hospital, fire department, community centre, school, municipal offices, everything required to make it a self-sufficient community. And, Bazzoni is a working mayor in the truest sense. He and wife Christine operate the Continental Motel and Dining Lounge out on the Trans-Canada (Highway 17). The coffee shop and Husky station across from the motel are also family-run.
You'll see no fancy chain of office draped around the neck of mayor Bazzoni. The morning he drove me around, he was wearing a jacket with an "Albert and Sons Towing Service" logo across the back, at the ready to change a neighbour's tire if need be. And, how often do you find a municipal leader delivering a cake for strangers celebrating their 50th anniversary, which was the case with the Pickerings, a couple from Kingston travelling in our group.
Bazzoni is proud of White River's new park and visitor centre on Highway 17, a welcome stop after a long drive. In fact, you may have driven right by White River on previous trips, perhaps passing it off as just another insignificant northern outpost, but Bazzoni and community are doing everything possible to change that, making sure that you make a stop next time you're in the region. Because White River boasts a claim to fame that you may not know about.
For starters, it's an historic community, being a major stop on the main line of the Canadian Pacific Railway. The region also gets its share of snow, more than 300 cm annually, making it perfect for snowmobiling and other winter activities.
Which brings up some interesting trivia: When William Van Horne was building the CPR link from coast to coast in the 1880s, the community was called Snow Bank. But Van Horne, having a head for marketing, couldn't see people travelling to a place named Snow Bank, so he renamed it White River. Heck, you might even have heard that White River once recorded the coldest temperature in the country, a bone chilling reading of -72 F.
But it's neither its historic past nor its record temperatures that put this hamlet on the map. Its biggest claim to fame is that it was the birthplace of Winnie-the-Pooh.
It was Aug. 24, 1914 when Harry Colebourn, a young Canadian Expeditionary Force veterinarian, was travelling from Winnipeg on his way to England, to duty in World War I. His troop train made a stop at White River, where Colebourn spotted a black bear cub tethered to the station platform.
He learned that its mother had been killed by a hunter and that the orphan cub had been picked up by a trapper who brought it to White River. Colebourn, smitten by the cub, paid the princely sum of $20 for her and named her Winnipeg after his hometown in Manitoba.
Winnie, as she was soon nicknamed, travelled with Colebourn's regiment to England, entertaining the soldiers with her repertoire of tricks. Her antics endeared her to all who came in contact with her and she served as the loveable mascot of the Second Canadian Infantry Brigade. She would make her bed under Colebourn's bunk each night and was often spotted arranging her blanket and fluffing up her pillow.
When Captain Colebourn got word that he was to be shipped to France, he made arrangements with the London Zoo to look after Winnie until his return.
The Canadian bear immediately became a novelty at the zoo and, owing to her sunny disposition, she soon became one of its favourite attractions. Considering her completely trustworthy, her attendants allowed children to ride on her back and feed her from their hands.
Colebourn visited Winnie whenever he got leave and planned on returning to Canada with her in 1919. But when he saw how much she was loved by the children and how she enjoyed being the centre of attention, he had a change of heart and decided to leave Winnie at the London Zoo.
One child, whose heart she captured, was Christopher Robin Milne, son of author A.A. Milne. It was the elder Milne, along with illustrator Ernest Shepard, who would make Winnie famous. And, it was Christopher Robin who added the "Pooh" to Winnie's name, after his dearly departed pet swan.
Christopher Robin was so taken with Winnie that he even changed the name of his stuffed brown Edward Bear to Winnie, which is why Winnie went from being a girl-bear to a boy-bear in Milne's books.
Those of us who loved the Pooh bear books can't help but smile remembering the time silly old Pooh ate too much honey and got stuck in Rabbit's hole. Or, when he and Piglet went tracking Woozles, only to discover they had been following their own tracks in circles.
Captain Colebourn didn't forget Winnie and was kept up-to-date by her attendants in London. After a long and happy life, Winnie died in May, 1934 at 20 years of age. So loved was she that a London newspaper ran her obituary. A bronze statue stands in London Zoo in memory of the adorable Canadian bear and, in 1997, a Grade 8 class from White River travelled to London Zoo to present a plaque detailing White River's involvement with Winnie.
Along with a CPR historical display, the White River Heritage Museum houses a collection of Winnie-the-Pooh memorabilia, most of it on loan from private collectors. It includes books by A.A. Milne and Christopher Robin, some of them autographed by Christopher Robin who passed away in 1996.
Rights to the Winnie story were sold to Disney, which is why the Disney logo is on Pooh books in the gift shop.
White River celebrates its Winnie-the-Pooh heritage at its annual Hometown Festival the third weekend of August. It attracts thousands of Winnie fans.
For information on the 2004 Superior Colours rail tour, contact Rail Travel Tours, Box 44, 123 Main St. Winnipeg, Man R3C 1A3, 1-866-704 3528, railtraveltours@mts.net and http://www.railtraveltours.com
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| Riding the Rails
Train
travel is booming. These guides can get you on the right track.
By STACY FORSTER
THE WALL STREET JOURNAL AUGUST 11,
2003
Hugo and Vivi Martens were tired of busy airports turning their
vacations into more of a hassle than an escape. So, instead of starting a
recent trip to their condominium in Colorado with a plane trip, the couple
boarded an overnight train to Denver from their hometown of Chicago.
On board, the Martens, a not-yet-retired 74-year-old printer and
73-year-old homemaker, enjoyed a few hot meals during the 16-hour trip instead
of nibbling on a bag of peanuts. Rather than trying to catch some shut-eye
while crammed into tiny seats, they stretched out on beds overnight. And they
aren't likely to return to flying anytime soon, Mr. Martens says.
"Taking the train is far more relaxing than flying,"
he says. Though the train trip was more
expensive than it would have cost to fly coach, he says, it was about the same
as if they had upgraded to first class. For the Martens, the most important
factor was that they didn't have to sacrifice much time to make their trip more
enjoyable. "When you figure in all the hassle at the airport, you don't
lose much," Mr. Martens says.
At a time when concerns about terrorism, as well as the vulnerabilities
of the cash-strapped airline industry, have stripped air travel of any
lingering vestige of romance, riding the rails is an increasingly attractive
option for many vacationers. Older travelers, in particular, whose schedules
often allow more time to get from point A to point B, often find that train
travel adds an element of camaraderie to their journeys, says Sue Wilder, a
travel-industry consultant based in Chicago.
"The opportunity to sit in a train car and chat, and then
go to the dining car where you're seated with other people and have a
conversation -- retirees really enjoy it," Ms. Wilder says.
The Martens, for their part, are now train-travel pros: They've
traversed Canada, rolled up the Mississippi River from New Orleans, and even
traveled with their bridge club to London, Ontario, using specially made bridge
tables built to fit in between the seats of the train car. The advantages, when
compared with other methods of travel, are evident: leg room; hot meal service;
and luggage at arm's length, rather than in an airplane's cargo compartment or
overhead bin.
Of course, rail travel isn't appropriate for every trip, Ms.
Wilder notes. If you need to get somewhere fast, a train isn't the answer. And
recent financial troubles and schedule reductions in some U.S. and Canadian
rail service mean less availability for seats on many popular routes during the
busy summer season. That's why travelers should book their train tickets first,
and then arrange the rest of their vacation around the rail portion, says Joe
Mann, president of N.E.W.S. Travel, a Chicago travel agency.
VIA Rail
The
Canadian rails are favorites with many travelers, who enjoy the change in
topography from the cities in the east through the Midwestern plains on into
the Canadian Rockies. Fifty-six-year-old Sandy Walker, a nurse from Winnipeg,
Manitoba, and her 61-year-old husband, Harvey, a hobby-product manufacturer,
had eight days of what she calls "nonworry travel" on a journey to
Prince Rupert, British Columbia, north of Vancouver.
"We've
flown to British Columbia before, but you don't see any of the country,"
Ms. Walker says. Moreover, the VIA Rail guides on the train kept them
entertained with stories and anecdotes about the small towns they passed.
VIA
Rail's Web site, like that of its U.S. counterpart Amtrak, allows users to
purchase tickets directly on the Internet. The site also includes dozens of
links to rail-travel packages offered by a handful of travel agencies that
specialize in Canadian train trips, whether you want to ride from Toronto to
Vancouver, or travel north from Winnipeg to look for polar bears on the Hudson
Bay.
A
special section of the Web site is devoted to travel for older adults, with
details about accommodations, services for those with special needs and meals
for people with dietary restrictions. The reservation feature is easy to
navigate and offers alternatives if a user's original choices aren't available.
Make sure to book early; the trans-Canadian route is incredibly popular, and
seats can be hard to come by.
Rail
Travel Tours
* www.railtraveltours.com10
* 866-704-3528
Taking
much the same approach as Elderhostel, this Winnipeg-based travel agency uses
the Canadian rail system to teach travelers about the country's history,
culture and geography. These aren't run-of-the-mill tours: A guided trip
through Manitoba in October takes travelers into the heart of polar-bear
country, while a tour north from Winnipeg next February will involve cheering
on the mushers in the World Championship Sled Dog Race.
The
Walkers have taken several Rail Travel Tours trips, reaching parts of Canada
they hadn't ever thought of visiting. "On the train, you see the small
towns and back places that you'd never get to," Ms. Walker says. (The
agency will also book independent trips for people wishing to travel on their
own.)
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| Rail Trip to the Skies
The Skeena through B.C. is a journey not to be missed
Saturday, June 21, 2003.
By Paul Pihichyn, Winnipeg Free Press
ABOARD THE SKEENA -- For something
completely different, consider that "other" train that makes its way
over the Rockies and travels across British Columbia to the Pacific Ocean.
Not as famous -- or as crowded -- as its world-renowned big brother, the
Canadian, Via Rail's Skeena offers a rail experience not to be missed by any
passenger train enthusiast.
The Skeena follows a 1,160-kilometre route from Jasper to Prince Rupert on
the north Pacific coast. It's a two-day trip, but unlike the Canadian, the
Skeena runs only during daylight hours, stopping for the night en route at
Prince George.
The splendour and majesty of some of best mountain scenery in B.C. is not
lost in the darkness, as it is on much of the Canadian's route to and from
Vancouver.
With three classes of service -- Economy, Totem and Totem Deluxe -- the
Skeena is both a vital public transportation link through remote northern B.C.
and a popular tourist excursion for those who just like riding the rails.
It's noon on a Sunday in mid-May and we are standing
on the platform of the Via Rail station in Jasper. The last vestiges of winter
are still in the air -- it is bright, but nippy; there had been a few
snowflakes earlier in the morning.
Our travelling group of nine left Winnipeg on Friday afternoon on the
Canadian heading west across the Prairies on an excursion called Spring on the
Skeena, arranged by Winnipeg-based train tour specialist Daryl Adair and his
company, Rail Travel Tours.
As night falls, we pass through Portage la Prairie and Rivers, Melville,
Saskatoon and Biggar, arriving in Edmonton as dawn breaks: Then begins the
long, slow climb into the mountains before reaching Jasper mid-afternoon
Saturday.
After an overnight hotel stay in Jasper and an early morning ride to top of
Whistlers Mountain on the Jasper Tramway, we are waiting for the Skeena to
begins the journey west.
Just as it does every Wednesday, Friday and Sunday, the Skeena pulls out of
Jasper at 12:45 p.m. and heads for the Yellowhead Pass, the highest point of
the trip to Prince Rupert. Alberta meets British Columbia at the crest of the
pass, at an elevation of 1,131 metres.
What will be the mighty Fraser River, little more than a trickling stream at
this point, flows beside the track as the Skeena rolls along. Soon Mount
Robson, the highest peak in the Canadian Rockies at 3,954 metres, looms ahead
as we sit in the domed Park Car. It is a clear afternoon and the mountain is
"out" as they say, not shrouded in the cover of cloud that often
hides its peak from view. Down in the glass-enclosed
Panorama car -- a new addition this season to the Skeena -- Totem Deluxe class
passengers are served lunch, airplane style, in their comfortable seats. The
crisp, fresh salad, generously laced with shrimp or chicken, is a better treat
than one can expect on any airline in the skies today.
As passengers slurp down a chilled B.C. chardonnay, the Skeena passes Tete
Jaune Cache, a railway construction town that marks the start of the Rocky
Mountain Trench, the dividing line between the Rockies and the Cariboo mountain
range. It is here that the Fraser actually becomes a navigable river and where
sternwheelers once carried passengers and freight nearly 100 years ago before
the Grand Trunk Pacific Railway built this line.
Dunster is just a whistle stop on the line now, but as the tiny community
flashes by, passengers spot the original train station, built in 1913, still
standing; beside it, an old general store and post office of the same vintage
continue to operate.
Just west of McBride, about halfway between Jasper and Prince George, the
Skeena slows almost to a stop. A silence descends on the passengers and crew.
Beside the track, a work crew has just finished a "shoefly" -- railway
parlance for an emergency rerouting of the line -- around a deep ravine. In the
gorge below, the wreckage of two CN diesels engine lies in a crumpled heap like
some mortally wounded behemoth.
Three days earlier, the trestle over the ravine collapsed just as a CN
freight began to cross. Two engineers died in the fiery wreck. Ours is the
first passenger train to pass the deadly site.
Across the aisle, an elderly gentleman enjoys a brandy and ginger ale. He's
on his way to Prince Rupert to visit his children and grandchildren. It's a
trip he has taken several times.
He used to be able to take the Cariboo Explorer from Vancouver to Prince
George and then transfer to the Skeena to reach Prince Rupert. But, like so
many of the passenger trains of Western Canada, the Cariboo Explorer is no
more.
Last year, the Liberal government of Premier Gordon Campbell pulled the plug
on the money-losing B.C. Rail passenger service: The train made its final run
last October. So now, the gentleman across the aisle has
taken the Canadian from Vancouver to Jasper and is now riding the Skeena all
the way. "It's a long journey but I have a lot of time," he says as
he sips his brandy.
As the afternoon wears on, and dinner is served -- a choice of tender steak
or fresh salmon -- the mountains give way to a rolling countryside looking more
like Saskatchewan than B.C.
Sawmills and lumberyards line the tracks through towns like Loos, Dome Creek
and Penny. The line crosses the Fraser at Hansard Bridge on a span it shares
with road traffic.
Only a crumbling concrete foundation marks what was once the largest sawmill
north of Vancouver, at Giscome.
The Skeena pulls into the station at Prince George right on schedule at 7
p.m. and passengers disembark to waiting taxis and shuttle vans heading for
area hotels for the night.
Monday morning they will be back on the Skeena as it continues its journey
west. There are still another 750 kilometres of rail ahead, another 12 hours,
before it will pull into Prince Rupert.
Before the day is over, the Skeena will pass through Fort Fraser, a
fur-trading post built by explorer Simon Fraser in 1809; straddle and cross the
Skeena River that gave the trains its name; pass Smithers and Terrace and the
giant aluminum smelter at Kitimat; traverse Kitselas Canyon and its four great
tunnels; stop at the North Pacific Cannery Village Museum, site of the oldest
salmon cannery on the B.C. coast; and skirt Ridley Island, where ocean
freighters load cargoes of Canadian grain and coal. The
sun is starting to set as the Skeena pulls into Prince Rupert, the end of the
line and the beginning of other adventures.
Some will trace the same route back, stopping again in Prince George and two
nights in Jasper, waiting to catch up with the next Canadian heading east toward
Winnipeg. Other will fly to Vancouver and get back to Winnipeg in a day.
From Prince Rupert, one can catch the Alaska Marine Highway System ferry to
Ketchikan or a B.C. Ferries ship to Skidegate in the Queen Charlotte Islands or
Port Hardy at the northern tip of Vancouver Island.
On Vancouver Island, Via operates another train from Courtenay to Victoria.
Get off at Nanaimo and it's a short ferry crossing to Horseshoe Bay. You can
take the Canadian home from Vancouver, or link up with the Amtrak system and
ride the rails into the United States.
But that is another story...
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| Previous News Releases |
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Winnipeg, Manitoba, September 23,2004: All aboard for an exciting and informative ride. The new Canadian Rail Travel Guide is like having your own personal tour guide to ensure you get the most out of your time on Canada’s scenic rail passenger routes.
This conveniently-sized book is filled with essential information including: mile-by-mile descriptions of points of interest, locations of communities along the rail routes, route histories, overviews of destination attractions, contact information and addresses for arranging overnight accommodations, and more.
Extensively researched, the Canadian Rail Travel Guide contains approximately 150 detailed colour maps and photographs of all the rail passenger routes across Canada. With a special section on everything you need to know before you go, you won’t want to plan a rail trip without it. Order you copy by calling Rail Travel Tours toll free at 1-866-704-3528
Winnipeg, Manitoba March, 2004: It is not to late to take part in North America's most unique rail tour in 2004, which is NOW available to be booked through Rail Travel Tours taking part in the Trans-Canadian Steam Express Running from May 10th - 31st 2004, the train and tour will run from Vancouver, through the stunning scenery of the snow-capped Canadian Rockies, across the Prairies to the dramatic Canadian Shield, the Great Lakes, Toronto, Niagara Falls and ending in Montreal. Space remains on the tour, that few North Americans are aware about. Those taking part in the tour will travel the journey aboard the world's most exclusive luxury train, the Royal Canadian Pacific from Vancouver to Montreal in restored Canadian Pacific Railway Business cars. For more details those interested can call toll free 1-866-704-3528.
Or for those who want to travel by train to Winnipeg and visit the United Kingdom, while staying in Canada, and a share a passion for a much loved "Telly" program The Fort Garry Hotel, in downtown Winnipeg, from Saturday April 3-4 is hosting the first ever 'CORONATION STREET' event recreating the Rover's Return Pub. Those taking part in this event weekend will start the evening of April 3rd at a reception followed by an authentic Corrie Street style buffet dinner at 7:00 pm. Then they can dance to a live band, play games, throw darts and participate in a pub quiz. Take part in an auction or try to win Corrie Street prizes. (All proceeds from the auction will go the Rainbow Society) End the evening with an overnight stay at The Fort Garry in the comfort of a feather bed and feather duvet. Then on Sunday, April 4, 2004 Rise and shine for 8:00 am and join fellow fans for tea and crumpets to watch Coronation Street on a big screen projection telly. Afterward, indulge yourself in the Fort Garry's fabulous Sunday Brunch that Rail Travel Tours clients have raved about in the past.
Winnipeg, Manitoba January 19, 2004: Rail Travel Tours 2004 tour departure brochure, featuring original travel options to experience the best of Canada by rail is now available. A new travel option in the brochure, offered no where else, is their independent package "Oceans Explorer", packaging up two of VIA Rail Canada's eastern services The Chaleur and The Ocean (celebrating The Ocean's 100th 1904-2004 Anniversary of serving passengers). The 6 day 5 night tour includes a visit to Montreal, Perce and Matapedia, Quebec, Halifax, Nova Scotia, overnight accommodations on the train and in the places visited and a detailed itinerary and information package. This tour to the east compliments their popular western travel option Across Canada independent package. The brochure details their independent and group packages, the dates on which the tours are scheduled, what each tour includes and prices. For more details or to receive a brochure contact Rail Travel Tours toll free at 1-866-704-3528.
Tours scheduled for 2004 also include independent travel option the 8 day - 7 night "Across Canada" a Toronto-Vancouver journey beginning in Toronto Ontario, travelling on Canada's legendary dome observation and sleeping car train The Canadian that includes a two day stop at the trains mid-way point, the City of Winnipeg, Manitoba or Jasper, Alberta in the Canadian Rockies, before continuing on the train to travel to Vancouver, B.C., meals on the train, accommodations on the train and in hotels in the places visited. As well as group tours "Spring on the Skeena" travelling from Winnipeg-Prince Rupert, BC with stops in Jasper and Prince George. "Northern Manitoba Explorer" for an eye opening visit to Churchill, Gillam, Thompson, and The Pas, Manitoba. "Fall colours of N.W. Ontario" and "Superior Colours of Ontario" to view the Canadian Shields fall colours and visit some wonderful heritage, natural attractions and learn about the areas we travel past. As well as "The Trappers Train" travelling by train to visit to The Pas Manitoba for the Northern Manitoba Trappers Festival.
Winnipeg, Manitoba December 25, 2003: On behalf of Rail Travel Tours-Best Wishes for the Holidays. Mid-December Rail Travel Tours had the very good fortune to travel onboard the CPR Holiday Train to help promote the fifth anniversary of this unique way to promote awareness for food banks in Canada and the U.S.A. It was an incredible holiday experience especially to see the kids faces when a freight train full of lights pulls into town and when adults turn into kids when they sang Christmas carols along with Tom Jackson, Amada Stott, Brad Johner and Beverley Mahood Of course trains don't stop because its Christmas and many may not be aware for those travelling today on VIA Rail's Canadian, and other services, dining cars and lounge cars are decorated with pine bows and a long standing tradition on Canadian trains continues as Turkey Dinner will be prepared onboard for passengers and crews who are experiencing travelling in Canada for a most memorable Christmas. For those that have travelled with Rail Travel Tours thank you for sharing our passion with travel in Canada by rail and for those who expressed an interest we look forward to continuing to share the passion. As well, for those in the industry keep up the great work, promoting travel, showcasing your communities and interests as well as exceeding expectations of those who have travelled recently creating many memories shared with friends and family at this time of year. A brilliant sun is shinning over Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, highlighting the blanket of snow that covers the city and after the sun sets we hope you can raise your glasses to our families, friends, loved ones and troops that are far from home and keep them in your thoughts. Again best regards for the Holiday Season and our best wishes well into next year.
Winnipeg, Manitoba August 15, 2003: The Monday August 11, 2003 issue of the Wall Street Journal featured an article entitled "Riding The Rails" by Stacy Forster that mentioned Rail Travel Tours and our clients Harvey & Sandy Walker. An excerpt of this great article can be read online in the Media section of our website.
Additionally, Rail Travel Tours has been busy planning a portion of a special VIP rail tour to Northern Manitoba.
The Lieutenant Governor of Manitoba, Peter M. Liba and his wife Shirley will travel the rails as part of a three-day trip August 22 to 24 to meet residents of remote settlements of Manitoba and promote tourism in the north. On Friday morning, August 22, Their Honours will fly to The Pas where they will board VIA Rail Canada's Hudson Bay on the Hudson Bay Line for the 917 kilometre journey to Churchill, with platform stops along the route. Daryl Adair Owner/Operator of Rail Travel Tours will be joining Their Honours to interpret the route traveled, and point out the scenic highlights of the rail journey to Churchill for their enjoyment. If you would like to take part in a rail tour to Northern Manitoba call us toll free at 1-866-704-3528 to request more information to be sent in the mail.
Winnipeg, Manitoba August 8, 2003: The fall foliage season is a great time to travel in Canada by train and there is still some space remaining on Rail Travel Tours Superior Colours of Ontario tour. In fact, for those booked on the tour, we can look after the details for you to travel to Toronto by train and spend the night before and after the tour at The Fairmont Royal York Hotel. Or plan to enjoy some crisp fall mountain air and have Rail Travel Tours reserve your space for a rewarding experience on the Royal Canadian Pacific for their Golden/Crowsnest Pass tour. It's first class attention all the way as you enjoy travel as a "Railway baron" on their luxurious restored business cars once reserved for railway executives and other VIP's. Check your calendar and plan for one of their featured departures of September 11 - 16, Sept 18 - 23 and our favorite for the fall the October 23 - 28, 2003 departure. Call us toll free at 1-866-704-3528 to book or request more information to be sent in the mail
Winnipeg, Manitoba July 6, 2003: Only a week to go before Rail Travel Tours Northern Manitoba Explorer and the group is getting very excited. At the same time those who live in Winnipeg and have SHAW Cable, can learn more about rail travel in Canada and the restoration of Minaki Lodge by watching SHAW TV Cable 11 every evening from July 14- 20, 2003 at 7:00 pm - 8:00 pm and again at 8:30 pm - 9:30 pm for a special 1 hour travel documentary. This very special program was the result of SHAW on air personalities Tracy Koga, Bob Baker and Jeremy Valance, along with three great camera crews, travelling by train from Winnipeg to Minaki to detail what it is like to travel by train in Canada and the restoration and reopening of Minaki Lodge. To learn more about our independent travel departures package MINAKI MEMORIES travelling from Winnipeg roundtrip by rail and spending 3 nights at this great lodge, from now until mid September, or call us toll free at 1-866-704-3528 to book or request more information to be sent in the mail.
Winnipeg, Manitoba July 1, 2003: Only fitting, with Canada's history related to the railway, that on Canada Day that Canadian Pacific Railway steam locomotive #2816, The Empress travelled from Kenora, Ontario to Winnipeg and Portage La Prairie, Manitoba on its return to Calgary, Alberta. Tickets were sold on an excursion from Winnipeg to Portage La Prairie by the committee to preserve the CPR Station in Portage and by all reports the event was a huge success.
Winnipeg Free Press June 21, 2003: Today the travel section of The Winnipeg Free Press featured a cover story on our Spring on the Skeena tour with thanks to the section's Editor Mr. Paul Pihichyn for joining us and experiencing the tour. To read this wonderful article by Mr. Pihichyn click on the name of the article Rail trip to the Skies and to learn more about our Spring on the Skeena 2004 departure call us toll free at 1-866-704-3528 to book or request more information in the mail
Winnipeg May 30 - June 1, 2003: This past weekend Rail Travel Tours completed a very special tour using the services of Canadian Pacific Railway steam locomotive Empress 2816 on its journey from Calgary, Alberta to Windsor Ontario promoting the CPR Charity "Breakfast for Learning". After an overwhelming response two full coaches travelled between Winnipeg and Kenora Ontario on the CPR mainline, raising funds for breakfast for Learning and the Winnipeg Railway Museum. Following this special trip the group transferred, by bus to the recently reopened Minaki Lodge to live like Railway Baron's of old -well at least for the weekend - before returning to Winnipeg by VIA Rail's Canadian. Special thanks to the crew of the CPR 2816, the staff and management of Minaki Lodge and VIA Rail Canada for making the trip the success that it was.
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