Reign of First Class Train Back on the Plain

Railway enthusiasts set up their tripods and cameras as this special Royal Canadian Pacific train rolled past the Agricore-United grain facility a couple of miles east of Provost on Wednesday morning as passenger service was back on track—temporarily. Two 1950s era diesel locomotives pulled nine passenger cars for the luxurious and nostalgic trip that originated in Calgary. ©Provost News Photo. Print version in April 27 edition of The Provost News. Want to Subscribe to The Provost News? Click here.

Trio Track Train 800 Miles, Interact With Rich Riders
Three men from Edmonton spent several days recently following a special train operated by the Royal Canadian Pacific which is wholly owned by the Canadian Pacific Railway as it pulled nine vintage passenger cars on a large loop from Calgary, past Provost, south into Saskatchewan, north to Lloydminster and then back through Provost on its return to Calgary.

The train rolled through Provost around 9 a.m. on Wednesday carrying 18 passengers, believed to be Americans who may have paid up to $7,000 U.S. each for their ticket to ride.

The three men told The News that they will put on a total of about 800 miles chasing, photographing and interacting with the passengers. “That’s the fun of the trip” says Les Kozma (shown in picture to the left) along with Glenn Gerow (with tripod) who admitted that they should really have been at work instead. Kozma, however takes photographs for books and for enjoyment while the third man, Chuck Gerow said he is retired and could really take the time to be there.

The oldest car is one named the Killarney, built in 1916 and has four rooms in it for the RCP service staff. Other railway cars hold sleeping quarters, baggage, dining and observation (the last car). The CP train, kept in Calgary is pulled by two diesel engines built in the 1950s.

The Royal Canadian Pacific’s website states that “The Royal Canadian Pacific draws from an elite fleet of dedicated Canadian Pacific Railway (CPR) business and parlour rail cars, built between 1917 and 1930. These 80-foot-long, steel-constructed, Pullman-style “heavyweight” cars were built to carry the railway's elite, and on occasion, hosted the world's rich and famous.