Jasper–Prince Rupert train

The Jasper–Prince Rupert train (formerly the Skeena and Panorama, now known as Trains 5/6, sometimes called The Rupert Rocket) is a Canadian passenger train service operated by Via Rail between Jasper, Alberta, Prince George and Prince Rupert in British Columbia.

Route history In 1911, with station names selected,Fort George Herald, 11 Feb 1911 passenger service was available for the first eastward from Prince Rupert to Kitselas (formerly called Vanarsdol). Following the arrival of the tracks at Skeena Crossing in March 1912, the Grand Trunk Pacific Railway (GTPR) was offering passenger service from Prince Rupert to Hazelton with a ferry across the Skeena. By 1913, Rose Lake was a temporary terminal station location. In October 1913, the first passenger train arrived at Smithers.Prince George Citizen, 2 Jul 1963Fort George Herald, 25 Oct 1913

In September 1912, an Alberta–Tête Jaune weekly passenger service began.Fort George Herald, 7 Sep 1912 In August 1913, the first GTPR passenger arrived at Kidd.Fort George Herald, 30 Aug1913 From late 1913 to early 1914, immediately west of Dome Creek was a temporary terminal station location. Foley, Welch and Stewart (FW&S), the prime contractors, provided passenger and freight service on completed sections of the line as the railhead advanced. FW&S ran the first such westbound train into Prince George on January 30, 1914. In March 1914, GTPR passenger service coverage comprised Prince Rupert–Priestly, Prince George–McBride,Fort George Herald, 21 Mar 1914 and McBride–Edmonton (McBride being an overnight stop).1914 Timetable. p. 4. However, the track conditions west of Hansard made the initial service unreliable. The Prince Rupert–Edmonton through service, which inaugurated that September, took 22–23 hours for Prince Rupert–Prince George, and the same for Prince George–EdmontonFort George Herald, 5 Sep 1914 (about 11–13 hours for Prince George–Jasper). In following decades, the latter varied little, but the former decreased to 20–22 hours.1920 Timetable: Bulkley Valley Museum collection With fewer stops, this is now about 12 hours and 7–9 hours respectively.

Maintaining services, Canadian National Railway (CNR) took over the insolvent GTPR.Prince George Citizen: 4 Jun 1919; 3 Jul 1919; 10 Sep 1919; 29 Oct 1919; 12 & 19 Nov 1919; 31 Dec 1919; 30 Jan 1920; 11 Jun 1920; 9 Nov 1920; 22 Apr 1921; 27 May 1921; 3 Jun 1921; 26 Jul 1921; 28 Oct 1921; & 29 Jan 1931 From 1922,Prince George Citizen, 9 May 1922 a summer-month schedule operatedPrince George Leader, 18 Jan 1923Prince George Citizen: 30 Jan 1923; 12 Jul 1923; 18 Sep 1924; 13 Dec 1923; 2 & 30 Oct 1924; 23 Jul 1925; 18 Oct 1928; & 14 Nov 1929 until the end of each halibut season, because the passenger train also carried frozen fish as fast freight.Prince George Citizen, 21 Nov 1929 Once regular passenger service ended in 1931, sleeping and dining cars were attached to the three-times-weekly way freight.Prince George Citizen: 12 & 19 Nov 1931 In addition, from 1934 to 1942, a once or twice weekly summer passenger servicePrince George Citizen: 7 Jun 1934 & 22 Jun 1939 operated with limited stops.Prince George Citizen: 29 Jun 1939, 26 Aug 1939 & 5 Jun 19411935 Timetable. p. 60.1942 Timetable. p. 58. When the US Army turned Prince Rupert into a major supply base in early 1942, four or five troop trains arrived daily, carrying 75,000 soldiers bound for Alaska. In 1943, the passenger service permanently expanded.Prince George Citizen, 13 May 1943 With wartime demand ending, frequency reduced, despite protests,Prince George Citizen: 27 Dec 1945; & 10 & 24 Jan 1946 for the fish/passenger train,Prince George Citizen, 23 Aug 1951 but was restored in 1951Prince George Citizen: 27 Sep 1951; 27 Mar 1952; 17 Jul 1952; 7 Aug 1952; 16 & 30 Oct 1952; 13 & 24 Nov 1952; 18 Dec 1952; 7 & 20 Apr 1953; 19 May 1953; 22 Jun 1953; 16 & 23 Jul 1953; 13 & 27 Aug 1953; 5, 13 & 19 Oct 1953; 6 Nov 1953; 10 Dec 1953; 24 Feb 1960; 19 Apr 1960; 27 Oct 1960; & 24 Oct 1961 to cater for new industrial developments at Prince Rupert and Kitimat.Prince George Citizen: 10 Sep 1951 In 1954, new sleeper and passenger cars were introduced.Prince George Citizen, 3 Jun 1954 A way freight ran on the Terrace–Kitimat branch line from January 1955, until replaced by a passenger service June 1955–November 1957.Prince George Citizen: 24 May 1955

In 1962, although Prince George–Jasper remained unchanged, Prince Rupert–Prince George frequency reduced,Prince George Citizen: 17 Sep 1962; 24 Oct 1962; 23 Apr 1963; 20 May 1964; 23 Oct 1964; 21 Apr 1965; 10 & 20 May 1965; 13, 17 & 29 Sep 1965; 26 Oct 1965; 2 Nov 1965; & 18 & 20 Apr 1966 but restored during the 1965 summer and from the 1966 summer.Prince George Citizen: 17, 21, & 24 Jun 1965; 15 & 22 Jun 1966; 26 Oct 1966; & 2 Nov 1966 In 1968, the whole route cut back,Prince George Citizen: 24 Apr 1968 & 24 Oct 1969 except for summer on Prince George–Jasper.Prince George Citizen: 12 Sep 1968; 29 Oct 1968; & 21 Apr 1969 Although CN experienced significant losses on the Prince Rupert–Jasper passenger service,Prince George Citizen, 17 Nov 1969 an application to discontinue the route was denied in 1972, but CN became eligible for an 80 percent federal subsidy.Prince George Citizen, 29 Dec 1972 Sustaining losses of $3.3m (on costs of $4.1m) in 1974 for the 25,000 passengers carried, CN's reapplication to discontinuePrince George Citizen: 6 Apr 1976; 27 May 1976; & 10 & 22 Jun 1976 was again denied.Prince George Citizen, 23 Mar 1977 In 1977, Via Rail was launched as a CN subsidiary to gradually take over CN and CP passenger services.Prince George Citizen, 16 & 28 Feb 1977 Via maintained the CN service levels,Prince George Citizen: 30 Apr 1974, 27 Oct 1978 & 26 Oct 1979 broadening the summer schedule to the whole route.Prince George Citizen: 18 Jun 1976 & 18 Jun 1979

From 1981, the lower levels applied year round.Prince George Citizen: 27 Jul 1981 & 1 Jun 1985 Despite losses of $6.6m in 1988 for the 26,000 passengers carried, safeguarding isolated communities gave the route a reprieve from closure.Prince George Citizen: 10 Aug 1979, 27 Jul 1981, 1 Jun 1985, 9 Feb 1989, 30 Mar 1989, 26 Jun 1989, 3 Aug 1989 & 5 Oct 1989 However, the subsidy of $480 for every passenger carried made the route difficult to justify retaining,Prince George Citizen, 31 Aug 1990 and alternatives remained under review.Prince George Citizen, 25 Jul 1992 After extensive consultation, Via proposed an overnight stop in Prince George and a daylight schedule for the Prince Rupert leg that would enable tourists to enjoy the outstanding scenery.Prince George Citizen, 24 Apr 1993 With ridership falling seven percent between 1990 and 1992, and a $9m deficit, the focus switched to possible service cuts and the daytime option was shelved in 1993.Prince George Citizen: 26 Oct 1993 & 27 Apr 1994 Eventually implemented in 1996, the daylight schedule also provided better connections with coastal ferry services and the BC Rail Cariboo Dayliner.Prince George Citizen, 11 Mar 1996

From the 1920s, CN promoted its "Triangle Tour".; ; Rail tour operators such as Rocky Mountaineer have included the train or rails as part of various "circle" itineraries.Prince George Citizen, 6 Dec 2002

Present time

The train operates three times weekly, departing Jasper on Wednesday, Friday and Sunday. The return-service departs Prince Rupert on the same days of the week. The journey takes two days with an overnight stop at Prince George.

The train offers Economy Class, and twice a week in the summer, Touring Class service. Touring Class provides exclusive access to the Panoramic Dome car and the Park car. When Touring Class is available, Economy Class passengers are restricted from the dome cars; sandwiches, drinks, and other snack items are sold by the attendants at the passenger's seat. Touring Class passengers are served three meals per day in the Panoramic Dome car and staff provide commentary throughout the journey. Section: Feature

The train offers connections at Prince Rupert between the BC Ferries service to Port Hardy and Haida Gwaii, the Alaska Marine Highway service to points in southeast Alaska, and a connection at Jasper to the Via Rail Canadian to Vancouver and Toronto.

Patronage and subsidy

A significant portion of the traffic on the train originates with a Jasper-based tour that offers a day-time package west to Dunster or east from McBride, with the opposite leg completed by bus.

Scenery The departure from Jasper takes the train past Moose Lake, before traversing Mount Robson Provincial Park. In the early decades, passengers could alight onto the viewing platform west of the station to view Mount Robson.1922 Timetable. Northern BC Archives. p. 5. The same was true above Bulkley Gate, near Hazelton. This section between Smithers and Terrace features mountain scenery, and the run east of Prince Rupert is beside the Skeena River.Prince George Citizen: 11 Mar 1996, 7 Aug 1996 & 28 Nov 2011

Stations/stops

Station/Stop km Miles Timezone Regular/flag stop Date erected & Building design plan Historyand community Archit.Merit Current facilities CN/Via Other 0 0 Mountain terminus 1912 100-155; 1925 100-205 Jasper, formerly Fitzhugh listed counter, washrooms Harvey 106 66 Pacific flag c.1988 replaced Tête Jaune none 142 88 flag 1913 100-152 none museum 174 108 regular 1913 100-156; 1919 100-167 listed none visitor centre Goat River 217 135 flag 1914 100-152; 1953 110-254 conv. bunkhouse formerly Brundall, Rooney none Loos 232 144 flag 1914 100-152; ? 100-41 formerly Crescent Island none 262 163 flag c.1921 Dome Creek none 265 165 flag 1914 100-152 Bend none 285 177 flag c.1917; 1927 conv. tool shed; 1947 100-152 ˸ Penny none 301 187 flag 1914 100-152 Longworth none Hutton 314 195 flag 1914 100-152 Hutton none Sinclair Mills 319 198 flag c.1930 110-217 converted bunkhouse none 331 206 flag c.1959 McGregor none 341 212 flag c.1941 Upper Fraser none 349 217 flag 1914 100-152; c.1960 ˸ Aleza Lake none Willow River 378 235 flag 1914 100-152 Willow River none 409 254 overnight 1913; 1922Prince George Citizen, 14 Mar 1922 100-136; 1970Prince George Citizen: 31 Jul 1970 & 23 Nov 1970 Special Prince George counter, washrooms Vanderhoof 520 323 regular 1914 100-152; 1924 100-72; 1960 100-345 none Fort Fraser 560 348 flag 1916 100-162; 1923 100-72; c.1971 100-41B none Endako 594 369 regular 1914; 1922 100-143; 1970 trailer; 1985 hybrid b'house none Burns Lake 650 404 regular 1914 100-152; 1952 100-332 none Houston 734 456 regular 1914 100-152; 1920Prince George Citizen, 7 Apr 1922 100-168; 1971 Special none Telkwa 780 485 flag 1914 100-162; 1922 100-168 TelkwaPrince George Citizen: 11 & 18 Feb 1921 none 795 494 regular 1915; 1919 100-166 Smithers listed shelter, washrooms New Hazelton 869 540 flag 1913 100-152; 1980 ˸ New Hazelton none Kitwanga 912 567 flag 1912 100-152 Kitwanga none Cedarvale 933 580 flag 1912 100-152; 1931 100-41B Cedarvale none Dorreen 957 595 flag 1913 100-152 none Pacific 967 601 flag 1913 100-155; 1935 100-277 Pacific, British Columbia; formerly Nicholl none Usk 988 614 flag 1912 100-152; ? conv. b'house Usk, British Columbia none 1,007 626 regular 1911 100-152; 1960 100-391 formerly Littleton shelter, washrooms Kwinitsa 1,084 674 flag 1911 100-152 North Coast Regional District; building moved none Cassiar Cannery 1,136 706 flag c.1916 inactive as a stop c.1990 to 2016 none 1,160 721 terminus 1907 140-210; 1922 100-135 Prince Rupert listed shelter, washrooms

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