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Best train journeys in North America: Hit the rails
Best train journeys in North America
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Rocky Mountaineer
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Jon
Jun 15 2012 at 4:24 PM
Hey hospital worker, if that's what you think you are worth and you just want to settle and say "I'm just glad I have a job" then you will go nowhere. I'm glad I have a job and get a raise every year and if I didn't I would leave!!!! This is the problem with Americans these days - they just settle.
Harriet
Jun 15 2012 at 9:50 AM
My daughter and I took the train from Vancouver to Toronto and had a fantastic time! Sublime service, wonderful food, amazing scenery - highly recommend it.
ctrimble
Jun 07 2012 at 8:37 PM
I have only taken a train from San Diego to Santa Barbara. Would much prefer to travel by plane than air but find the trains never go to my destinations
June
Jun 07 2012 at 4:58 PM
This train trip was one of the best train trips in the world, but last year the company lockedout it's onboard staff and replaced them with people who don't have the same experience. Until they can get things resolved with the real staff I would put off plans to travel with them. Sure the scenery is beautiful, but if you just want scenery you can take the Via Rail for a much lower price. What was special about the Rocky Train was the knowledgeable staff, what good is it to have commentary read from
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a paper about places that have already passed by? Nope, I say wait for the real staff to be back before traveling, then it will be worth every penny.
Guest
Jun 15 2012 at 11:10 AM
When you are seeking employment the wages are clearly stated. While it is nice to get a raise every three years companies are not obligated to furnish raises. Perhaps those seeking raises should shop their skills around to find other sources of higher wages.
Charlene
Jun 07 2012 at 4:03 PM
Regardless of your experience on Rocky Mountaineer you should be aware that on June 22, 2011 Rocky Mountaineer locked out over 100 dedicated onboard attendants.
RMR has boasted that they are a 200 million dollar company but refused to give employees a reasonable wage increase after 3 years at the same pay rate.
The attendant’s years of talent and experience have been substituted for replacement workers – scabs – who have little to no training and little to no practical knowledge. The use of
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scab labour undermines the right to fair bargaining by the employees.
Rocky Mountaineer does not want its guests to know about the lock out; if information is provided it is often partial and misleading. Guests are left to face a difficult choice: violate their ethics and cross a union picket line or forfeit the cost of their holiday.
Complaints regarding substandard service have often been ignored, disregarded, or responses met with great delay before being addressed.
On two separate occasions Rocky Mountaineer’s actions have been denounced in the Canadian Parliament. Many provincial and municipal politicians have written the Company urging them to return to the bargaining table and end the lock out.
The company has not returned to the bargaining table since July 7th where they sat for exactly 11 minutes and offered a 2% wage DECREASE. Further, it has begun recruiting for the 2012 train season with no effort made to renew talks.
I have taken the train and quite enjoyed myself, but part of what made the trip so exceptional was the amazing staff on board. Knowing the difference of how the service should be and what it is now, I would never take the train again, and I would not cross a picket line.
You can do your part by voicing your displeasure to the company, write to the company, or postpone your trip until the dispute is over.
For more information go to http://rockymountainlockout.wordpress.com/.
Hit the rails
For more than a century, trains ruled the world of mass transit. They were simply the best and safest way to get from A to B. Even today, rail remains a viable transit choice in places with modern, high-speed networks (like Japan and Western Europe). In North America, however, outside of a few city subway systems and a handful of high-traffic regional lines, trains are no longer a major part of the car-and-plane-dominated modern transportation scene.
However, passenger trains do still run through North America. They remain a viable option for unhurried travelers and people in search of a greener and more scenic way to get wherever they are going. The environmental benefits of rail are real, and so is the fact that it is safer to ride in a train than to get behind the wheel and take your chances on the highway. Those who can find the right routes and adopt an unhurried mindset will come away from their time on the rails with the impression that trains are still one of the best ways to journey though North America.
Want to see what the tracks of the U.S. and Canada have to offer, including Castle Mountain outside Banff, Alberta, shown in this photo? Read on! (Text: Josh Lew)
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