Twin Star Rocket
Service Attendant
Following up my USA Railpass trip of 1976, I decided to make a grand Canadian cross-country rail trip in 1977--without a pass though. I don't think one was offered yet. VIA Rail was just starting up as a marketing arm of CN for its passenger trains. CP had not joined VIA yet.
A local travel agency in Houston booked the CN parts of my trip. Tickets from CP arrived in the mail the day before I departed!
Here goes...
10/15/77-- Lv. Houston on Air Canada flight to Toronto
10/15/77-- Lv. Toronto on overnight CAVALIER in a roomette.
10/16-- Arv. Montreal
10/16--Lv. Montreal on RAPIDO #20 to St. Foy (Quebec). Stay overnight. Sightsee in Quebec City.
10/17--Lv. St. Foy on RAPIDO #25 back to Montreal.
10/17-- Lv. Montreal on SUPER- CONTINENTAL. Reserved a Daynighter seat for the trip across. Saw my first Northern Lights from the train in Northern Ontario.
10/20-- Arv. Jasper. Overnight and sightsee.
10/21--Lv. Jasper on SUPER-CONTINENTAL to New Westminster, BC (outside Vancouver). I recall I was a bit late getting back to Jasper with a rental car. I dropped off my luggage at trackside while I returned the car. The train was already in Jasper! The rental agency drove me back. One vestibule was open for me. As soon as I stepped aboard, the train got underway. What service!
10/22--Arv. New Westminster BC. Picked up by a cousin living in nearby Langley (?).
10/25--Lv. Vancouver's CP station on the CANADIAN.
10/26-- Arv. Banff. Layover in Banff to sightsee.
10/28--Lv. Banff on the CANADIAN to Toronto.
Three days later I return to Houston on AIR CANADA.
Great trip! Very scenic. Met lots of wonderful Canadians!
A local travel agency in Houston booked the CN parts of my trip. Tickets from CP arrived in the mail the day before I departed!
Here goes...
10/15/77-- Lv. Houston on Air Canada flight to Toronto
10/15/77-- Lv. Toronto on overnight CAVALIER in a roomette.
10/16-- Arv. Montreal
10/16--Lv. Montreal on RAPIDO #20 to St. Foy (Quebec). Stay overnight. Sightsee in Quebec City.
10/17--Lv. St. Foy on RAPIDO #25 back to Montreal.
10/17-- Lv. Montreal on SUPER- CONTINENTAL. Reserved a Daynighter seat for the trip across. Saw my first Northern Lights from the train in Northern Ontario.
10/20-- Arv. Jasper. Overnight and sightsee.
10/21--Lv. Jasper on SUPER-CONTINENTAL to New Westminster, BC (outside Vancouver). I recall I was a bit late getting back to Jasper with a rental car. I dropped off my luggage at trackside while I returned the car. The train was already in Jasper! The rental agency drove me back. One vestibule was open for me. As soon as I stepped aboard, the train got underway. What service!
10/22--Arv. New Westminster BC. Picked up by a cousin living in nearby Langley (?).
10/25--Lv. Vancouver's CP station on the CANADIAN.
10/26-- Arv. Banff. Layover in Banff to sightsee.
10/28--Lv. Banff on the CANADIAN to Toronto.
Three days later I return to Houston on AIR CANADA.
Great trip! Very scenic. Met lots of wonderful Canadians!
Great Trip and Memories, and as You said, Can't Beat those Canadians eh?!!!! 
