Jasper, AL 1

Tracks of the StoneBear  BNF = Banff, BC/ Alberta journey

ROF = Ring of Fire journey

British Columbia/ Alberta, Canada

Saturday August 23, 2014  BNF 8  

Jasper, AL 1  

... that's Jasper, ALBERTA... NOT Jasper, Alabama; Big difference. 

You never drink twice from the same stream. 

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Driving the Icefields Parkway the 1st time.... can't take pix fast enough... the Canadian Rockies... beyond description. 

Late in the afternoon we come into Jasper, Alberta... Canada... what a grand place!  

Up, under the RR bridge and into town... along the main drag.  A PetroCanada station on the right that has a line of RVs to fuel.

Along the main drag...  the train station on the right... park.

 A lucky spot as it's full... the Viarail train is in the station.  Get out and start tacking pix. The hustle and bustle of a train station is always exciting to me. I can hear the whir of the AC compressors on the individual passenger cars.  

The wrought iron fence along the tracks are here at the end car.... walk up towards the station.  

Beautiful Jasper , Alberta RR station distinct roof line and Jasper  3,484 Elev and the mileage sign -- Vancouver 534.9 miles west-- Toronto 2,408.8 miles East.  Many people outside the gates... ready to board...   

Black suit jackets, pressed white shirts with crisp collars, black tie Professional gate agents and conductors checking  passenger tickets and manifests... AC car compressors whirring before boarding... 22 silver aluminum rail cars waiting in the station... it is exciting.  I love trains!  

It's 5;45... 1745 hours... this it the Eastbound train heading to Toronto, Canada.  I've got to come back and ride this train across Canada... across the Canadian Rockies... THIS is the train to ride!!!  

West to East... Vancouver to Toronto, Canada... that has got to be one of the bucket list train rides of all time!!!  ...And... the backside trip... East to West... Toronto to Vancouver, BC ... through the Canadian Rockies... I will ride it one day.   

You can have your airlines.... the long lines... the baggage checking/ measuring... the x-ray machines.... taking your belt off... taking your shoes off... so some high school dropout can wave you through... trust me, Amtrak and Viarail are the way to go.

And it's more fun too!!!!  Riding the Amtrak Crescent #22 from BHM to WAS ... eating breakfast in the dining car... with white tablecloths .... watching the sun rise on Virginia farms... crisp bacon and eggs with toast,... and OJ - of course- ... trust me... rail travel is the way to go. 

ViaRail at Jasper , Alberta Canada... snow cap mountains in the background...hard to beat...

You never drink twice from the same stream. 

StoneBearTracks Copyright MMXV ALL blog posts and photographs  ALL Rights reserved