Inside the train: Park car

The only dome car we have been in is the Park Car at the back of the train so I can't speak about the others.

There are three public parts to the Park Car. 1) An attendant is stationed in a small bar called the Mural Lounge underneath the viewing dome. 2) Behind that is the Bullet Lounge, a main-floor lounge with windows around, where there are muffins, fruit (here we go with the bananas again - if you want one, nab it quick) or other snacks and water, coffee, tea and sometimes juice, as well as newspapers. 3) Climb a set of stairs and you're in the dome where all seats face forward. The curved windows there distort the view somewhat and the brochures never show the bug splattered front windows which are the preferred windows for shots of the train heading around a curve.

Sometimes the car attendant comes through with a tray of hors d'oeuvres.

To get anywhere on the train,
you walk down narrow aisles like this

Lower seating area

Upper seating area - not always this empty!

Snacks

At first we wondered why all the lights we passed on the tracks were red. That's because we are at the back of the train and by the time we get to them, they have changed colour.

The dome car is a good spot to look for mile markers along the tracks. Distances are broken into subdivisions, often 125 to 250 or more miles (not kilometres) in length, with the 0 mile mark being at the eastern point. So, Toronto is a 0 mile mark, Hornepaye is 0 mile mark, and so is Jasper, and so on.

Window, before cleaning in Jasper

Window, after Jasper

I should mention that there is also an activity room ahead of the dining area. Sometimes if you can’t find snacks in the Park car, you can find them there.