Vintage video shows 'Canadian' train ride from Vancouver to Calgary

This week's Okanagan history film from Vernon historian and videographer Francois Arseneault takes a look at CP Rail's famous Vancouver to Calgary "Canadian" run.

Filmed in 1969, the clip shows the memorable domed passenger cars, the Stoney Creek Bridge in Rogers Pass, views of churning rivers and cloud-shrouded mountains.

"How many of us admired the engineering marvel of the 295-foot-tall Stoney Creek Bridge in Rogers Pass or the spiral tunnels at Kicking Horse Pass, the brief stop at Banff, the waterfalls, glaciers and towering mountains all viewed from the comfort of your seat," says Arseneault.

The train served delicious meals on fine china with silverware on fresh linen tablecloths in the diner cars.

Passengers could fall asleep to the train's gentle swaying in the sleeper cars.

Anyone who may have old 16 mm or 8 mm film footage of the Vernon and Okanagan area is invited to email Arseneault at [email protected].

To comment on the video, go to Arseneault's Youtube page.