Rocky Mountaineer

The Rocky Mountaineer is a Canadian rail-tour company based in Vancouver that operates luxury scenic trains on four rail routes in British Columbia, Alberta, Colorado, and Utah. History Via Rail Canada The Rocky Mountaineer concept was created by Harry Holmes, (CN Locomotive Engineer) and Pat Crowley (tourism entrepreneur) both of Jasper, Alberta, together they developed a business plan which they presented to Via Rail prior to Expo 86. Designed as an all daylight sightseeing train pulled by the steam locomotive retired CNR 6060 (Bullet Nose Betty class) in the Canadian Rockies. Originally in 1988 it began as a once-weekly Via Rail Canada daytime service between Vancouver and both Calgary and Jasper. The first departure was on May 22, 1988, with a special train for the travel industry and for the traveling public on June 9, 1988, called the Canadian Rockies by Daylight. To maximize scenic views, this service operated only during the day, with an overnight stop in Kamloops. These were express services, with no intermediate stops. On June 4, 1989, Via began its second season of the service, renaming the service the Rocky Mountaineer. The final summer Rocky Mountaineer under Via branding departed Calgary and Jasper on October 12, 1989, and arrived in Vancouver on October 13. Rocky Mountaineer was removed from schedules and marketing in May 1990. After two financially unsuccessful seasons there was to be a change in approach. The Federal Government decided to see if the private sector could do a better job. The then Minister of Transport and the Minister of Finance Michael Wilson decided to sell of the route, equipment, branding and book of business in the fall of 1989. In early November 1989 advertisements were taken out in a number of newspapers soliciting interest in the Rocky Mountaineer. Private operation of the Rocky Mountaineer