Canadian stops

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train person

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On the Canadian from Vancouver to Toronto next month, any tips for things to do or see at the longer stops like Jasper or Winnipeg? How paranoid are the Canadians about people with cameras around stations?
 
train person said:
On the Canadian from Vancouver to Toronto next month, any tips for things to do or see at the longer stops like Jasper or Winnipeg? How paranoid are the Canadians about people with cameras around stations?
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At Jasper go for a walk around town and take pictures of the plinthed steam locomotive. Very touristy place with many eateries and souvenir shops. I always pick up an interesting book or two about the history of CN or CP and generally about the fascinating Athabasca region.

At Winnipeg there is a nice little railroad museum in the station, visit it. Last time I spent most of my time in it. If you are into shopping there is a midsized mall a short walk from the station.

At Edmonton, all you can do is walk up and down the platform. The station is way outside town by the airport with nothing to do around there.

The division point at Sioux Lookout is in the middle of the night these days. It is a neat little town, but again not much to do but walk around.

Similarly Capreol not much to do but to go for a walk around.

That is all I recall from my several trips on that route, both in summer and in the winter. A trip in the winter has its own charm, and I could almost say that I enjoyed it as much as the summer trip. The winter scenery in all that snow and ice and the clear skies is enchanting in its own different way.

I have never had a problem snapping away at whatever with my camera in Canada.
 
It sounds like, unless you're trespassing or violating a person's privacy (snapping them while they're using the john, for example), not too much is going to be considered illegal in Canada.
 
jis said:
train person said:
On the Canadian from Vancouver to Toronto next month, any tips for things to do or see at the longer stops like Jasper or Winnipeg? How paranoid are the Canadians about people with cameras around stations?
Click to expand...
At Winnipeg there is a nice little railroad museum in the station, visit it. Last time I spent most of my time in it. If you are into shopping there is a midsized mall a short walk from the station.
Click to expand...
The Canadian no longer arrives in Winnipeg during the day eastbound (scheduled arrival is 8:30 PM). If the poster is traveling westbound the scheduled arrival is 8:00 AM with a departure at noon.
 
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NorthCoastHiawatha said:
jis said:
train person said:
On the Canadian from Vancouver to Toronto next month, any tips for things to do or see at the longer stops like Jasper or Winnipeg? How paranoid are the Canadians about people with cameras around stations?
Click to expand...
At Winnipeg there is a nice little railroad museum in the station, visit it. Last time I spent most of my time in it. If you are into shopping there is a midsized mall a short walk from the station.
Click to expand...
The Canadian no longer arrives in Winnipeg during the day eastbound (scheduled arrival is 8:30 PM). If the poster is traveling westbound the scheduled arrival is 8:00 AM with a departure at noon.
Click to expand...
I am going eastbound. I take it that museum will not be open in the evening? Pity really, lost business opportunity there!
 
NorthCoastHiawatha said:
jis said:
train person said:
On the Canadian from Vancouver to Toronto next month, any tips for things to do or see at the longer stops like Jasper or Winnipeg? How paranoid are the Canadians about people with cameras around stations?
Click to expand...
At Winnipeg there is a nice little railroad museum in the station, visit it. Last time I spent most of my time in it. If you are into shopping there is a midsized mall a short walk from the station.
Click to expand...
The Canadian no longer arrives in Winnipeg during the day eastbound (scheduled arrival is 8:30 PM). If the poster is traveling westbound the scheduled arrival is 8:00 AM with a departure at noon.
Click to expand...
Yeah! You're right. Too bad. See, I have never traveled on the Canadian since they changed it to a four day journey. In the previous schedule Winnipeg used to be around mid-day as I recall.
 
Their hours are kinda all over the place

Feb. March, April

open Saturdays, Mondays and Thursdays from 9am to 12 pm

May 1st to September 1st

Monday to Sunday Noon to 5:00pm

September 2 to October 31 and May 1 to May 31

Open 7 days a week Noon to 4:00 pm
 
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VIA really needs to speed up the Canadian by shortening all these long layover stops and just make 40-minute stops when servicing is required. Crew changes can just be a 15-minute stop They can cut at least 4 hours off the schedule.
 
Train2104 said:
VIA really needs to speed up the Canadian by shortening all these long layover stops and just make 40-minute stops when servicing is required. Crew changes can just be a 15-minute stop They can cut at least 4 hours off the schedule.
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I believe part of the reason is Canadian National wanted them to lengthen the schedule so it wouldn't be as late.
 
Train2104 said:
VIA really needs to speed up the Canadian by shortening all these long layover stops and just make 40-minute stops when servicing is required. Crew changes can just be a 15-minute stop They can cut at least 4 hours off the schedule.
Click to expand...
The Canadian is not designed for people needing to get from point A to point B in a specific amount of time. What difference would taking 4 hours off a schedule of 4 nights, 3 days make? Not much. As it is, there is plenty of time in Jasper, for example, to walk around the town, look for items to buy, take photos of the train, and generally stretch your legs. Ditto for the Winnepeg stop, tho the time is better for westbound passengers, and there is even a chance to take a two-hour tour of the city for passengers. The pace of the train, from the meals to the Dome car to the stops, is leisurely and professional. I hope it stays this way.
 
jis said:
At Edmonton, all you can do is walk up and down the platform. The station is way outside town by the airport with nothing to do around there.
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This is highly pernickity of me, but Edmonton's VIA station is next to the old city centre airport, not Edmonton International Airport (YEG) which is about 40km south. So (in the unlikely event someone reads this and thinks it's possible) don't expect an easy interchange between train and plane...

While's not as remote as the airport, it's still pretty remote though :) Far away enough from the downtown core to get a good skyline photograph if you have a zoom lens :D
 
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