This is western Canada. Home to 12 million people, the country is connected by a network
of intercity passenger rail lines, which service 223 stops in five provinces. Consisting of
five routes over 7900 kilometres of track, the network connects major cities with rural
towns and villages, with overnight trains running several times a week across the country.
But how did the system change from its original network to the lines that remain today? My
name’s Zach, and this is the Evolution of the Network.
The VIA Rail network we known today began to form in April 1978, when VIA took over
responsibility from Canadian National of their passenger trains, forming the original backbone
of the network. The flagship route of this system was the Super Continental, a daily
train which ran across the country from Vancouver British Columbia to Sudbury Ontario, before
splitting into two trains and continuing to Toronto and Montreal. In Vancouver, this service
offered connections to a pre-existing Amtrak service, which ran daily south to Seattle,
Washington. The Super Continental train was supported by a network of smaller regional
trains in each province, which provided connections to the train at various stations on the route.
In British Columbia, a train ran between Prince Rupert and Jasper Alberta three days per week,
while in Alberta, daily service connected Drumheller to Edmonton. In Saskatchewan, a
daily train ran between Regina and Prince Albert, as well as three-times weekly trains
between Saskatoon and The Pas. Manitoba saw various services connecting the province,
with a train running three days per week between Winnipeg and Thompson, and an additional three-times
weekly train between Winnipeg and Churchill. Also on this line, a once weekly train ran
between Wabowden and Churchill, bypassing the spur to Thompson. From The Pas, a train
ran north to Lynn Lake three days per week, connecting to a five-days weekly train between
Flin Flon and Osborne Lake. In Northern Ontario, a twice weekly train supplemented the Super
Continental between Winnipeg and Sioux Lookout, as well as an additional local train between
Winnipeg and Farlane on summer weekends. From Sioux Lookout, a twice weekly train connected
south to Thunder Bay, while an additional train ran three times weekly between Nakina
and Hearst. Further trains were offered three days per week between Hornepayne and Manitouwadge,
as well as further supplemental service for the Super Continental between Sudbury and
Nakina three days per week. In October 1978, Canadian Pacific transferred
responsibility for their passenger trains to VIA, adding more routes to the network.
An additional transcontinental route named The Canadian ran daily from Vancouver British
Columbia to Toronto, Ontario, replacing service between Toronto and Sudbury on the Super Continental.
Additional supplemental service ran on this line in Ontario between Sudbury and White
River three days per week. In Alberta, daily service ran between Calgary and Edmonton,
with twice daily service running on weekdays. On Vancouver Island in British Columbia, daily
service ran between Victoria and Courtenay. Changes were also made to the Super Continental
in Quebec and Ontario, with routing being revised to service Vaudreuil-Dorion, and no
longer travelling through Quebec west of Ottawa. Bigger changes to the network began in 1979,
with VIA consolidating some service, and adjusting routing on others. In May, service in northern
Manitoba between Flin Flon and Osborne Lake was discontinued. In June, VIA made further
changes to the Canadian and Super Continental in Ontario, in order to simplify the network.
Between Sudbury and Toronto, service was transferred from the Canadian to the Super Continental,
while Super Continental service between Sudbury and Montreal was transferred to the Canadian.
As part of this change, service in North Bay Ontario was moved to a separate station. In
October, further changes were made to the Canadian and Super Continental. Around Vancouver
British Columbia, services were consolidated at Vancouver’s Pacific Central Station.
With this change, stops at Coquitlam and New Westminster were no longer serviced by VIA
Rail, with a new consolidated station opening at Port Coquitlam. In Ontario, service on
the Super Continental was changed to run joined with the Canadian between Sudbury and Winnipeg.
Along the former route, a new service was introduced, running six days per week. Amtrak
service from Vancouver was also extended further into the United States, with the southbound
train to Seattle continuing to Portland Oregon. However, service to Portland was short lived,
and was withdrawn in April 1980. Also in April, two additional VIA rail services were discontinued.
In Ontario, service between Hornepayne and Manitouwadge ended, while Saskatchewan saw
trains between Saskatoon and The Pas cut. In September, further changes were made in
Ontario, with supplemental service between Sudbury and White River, as well as Sudbury
and Nakina being changed to run during the summer only. Service between Winnipeg and
Sioux Lookout also ended at this time, being replaced instead by a new twice weekly train
between Winnipeg and Armstrong. Further changes were made to the Canadian
and Super Continental in Ontario starting in June 1981. Super Continental service was
split from the Canadian, and ran once again via the northern route through Sioux Lookout,
replacing the train between Sudbury and Winnipeg. In September, Amtrak service between Vancouver
and Seattle was discontinued, closing the station in New Westminster, British Columbia.
Then in November, government funding to VIA was cut by 40%, which reduced many routes
on the network. Service on the Super Continental was completely discontinued, with some sections
being replaced by various regional services. The Canadian was revised to service some of
the former route, with trains east of Sudbury being changed to run to Montreal via Toronto.
Between Ottawa and Sudbury, a new train began running three days per week, replacing some
of this lost service. Super Continental service between Sudbury and Winnipeg was replaced
by a new train running three days per week, similar to the service running prior to June
of that year. In Saskatchewan, the train between Regina and Prince Albert was also cancelled,
however service between Saskatoon and Regina was maintained on a new daily train, which
also replaced the Super Continental between Saskatoon and Winnipeg. A new daily train
also covered the former Super Continental route between Saskatoon and Edmonton, with
the Skeena train being extended to Edmonton to cover the remaining gap. Supplementary
services along the former Super Continental in Ontario were also cut at this time, with
the train between Sudbury and Nakina as well as Winnipeg and Armstrong being cancelled.
Daily service in Alberta between Edmonton and Drumheller was also abandoned at this
time. In Manitoba, the train between Winnipeg and Thompson ended, however changes on the
Hudson Bay train saw the line adjusted to service Canora Saskatchewan, with service
ending to Swan River Manitoba as a result. After these significant cuts in 1981, service
on the network operated relatively unchanged for the next couple of years. In June 1984
however, changes to the network continued in Saskatchewan and Alberta. Service between
Saskatoon and Regina was discontinued, with a new daily train running directly from Saskatoon
to Winnipeg. This service continued west to Edmonton, replacing the existing service on
this section. Three days per week, this train also continued west to Prince Rupert,
offering direct service from Winnipeg to Prince Rupert. In September, summer service between
Winnipeg and Farlane concluded for the final time, with limited trains operating on holiday
weekends in the following years. Starting in October 1984, service between Sudbury and
Winnipeg was also revised, with the through train being reduced to twice weekly, and new
once weekly trips beginning between Winnipeg and Sioux Lookout, and Sioux Lookout and Sudbury.
In June 1985, a change in government saw some of the services cancelled in 1981 begin to
be restored. Trains on the Canadian between Montreal and Toronto were discontinued, with
the Canadian once again running daily between Sudbury and Montreal, replacing the three-day
weekly train to Ottawa. Additionally, seasonal service between Sudbury and White River was
upgraded to run year round, improving speeds for the Canadian in the process. The
Super Continental also resumed on a shorter route, running between Winnipeg and Vancouver,
and replacing the Panorama train from Winnipeg to Edmonton. In September of that year, service
in Alberta between Calgary and Edmonton was cancelled, followed in November by service
in Ontario from Thunder Bay to Sioux Lookout. May 1986 saw further service cancellations
in Ontario, with trains between Nakina and Hearst ending service. In June 1988 however,
a new tourist train run by VIA began operating in British Columbia, running in daylight between
Vancouver and Kamloops, before splitting into two and continuing to Jasper, Banff, and Calgary.
In April 1989, the Skeena train was cut back from Edmonton to Jasper, reducing duplication
on this section of the network. In January 1990, another round of government
budget cuts saw more dramatic service reductions to the network. Service on the Canadian was reduced
to run only three days per week, with routing revised to travel along the Super Continental’s
route, which was discontinued at that time. As part of this, service between Montreal
and Sudbury ended, while Canadian service between White River Ontario and Winnipeg was also cut at that
time. Trains on the northern line between Sudbury and Winnipeg, Sudbury and Sioux Lookout,
and Winnipeg and Sioux Lookout were replaced by the Canadian, while service on the Canadian
between Winnipeg and Vancouver was shifted to former Super Continental’s route. In
May, the Rocky Mountaineer tourist train in British Columbia was transferred to a private
operator, ending publicly funded trains to Calgary Alberta.
The network continued to operate relatively unchanged for another five years, until service
was expanded in May 1995. At that time, Amtrak reintroduced service from Vancouver to Seattle
Washington, with the Mount Baker International beginning daily service. In September 1996,
routing for the Canadian was changed in southern Ontario, with trains now using a different
line to travel from Toronto to Sudbury. In October 1998, Amtrak service between Vancouver
and Seattle was renamed to the Amtrak Cascades, although no schedule changes in Canada accompanied
this switch. In 1999, service in the Vancouver area was changed on the Canadian, with Port
Coquitlam station being closed for service. However in October 2000, service was further revised,
with trains beginning to operate in a one-way loop from Vancouver to Kamloops, and resuming
service to Mission. Northern Manitoba saw service reduced in 2001, with the once weekly
train from Wabowden to Churchill ending service. In September 2002, service continued to change
in northern Manitoba, with trains to Lynn Lake being cut back to Pukatawagan. This evolved
further in April 2006, when this route was transferred to a private operator. In August
2009, Amtrak service into Canada was improved, with a second daily trip beginning on the
Amtrak Cascades route. This new trip followed the existing route from Vancouver to Seattle,
before continuing south to Portland Oregon. In March 2011, poor track conditions on Vancouver
Island British Columbia forced the cancellation of the Malahat train. Service was also adjusted
on the Hudson Bay train in Manitoba, with trains between Winnipeg and The Pas being
reduced to run only twice per week. In May 2017, flooding on that line forced the suspension
of trains between Gillam and Churchill, with service patterns on the rest of the line being
revised. Track repairs were completed in December 2018 however, and service returned to its
regular service patterns at that time. This brings us to the Western Canada VIA Rail network that we know today.
That was the evolution of western Canada’s
VIA Rail network, giving us the four VIA routes and one Amtrak line that we know today. If you
haven’t already, be sure to watch our video on the complete evolution of Canada’s VIA
Rail network, as well as our in-depth videos on Eastern and Central Canada’s network
evolution, which you can access by clicking the button in the top right corner of this video. Don’t
forget to leave a like if you enjoyed this video, and comment down below to join in the
discussion. My name’s Zach, and I’ll be Vanishing Underground, until the next one.