Rail riders
flock toward
Skeena run

BOLSTERED BY a 40 per
cent increase in passenger
traffic last year, Via Rail be-
gins a second season of an

~-all-daylight service on. its
_ Skeena run tomorrow.

Tourists: and locals are
responding well to the fed-
eral crown corporation’s de-
cision to run the service in
the daytime between Prince
George and Prince Rupert,
says Via official Joc Volk,

“We're extremely happy
and the numbers can only ,
grow,” he said last week.

In -1996, 20,000 people
rode. the Skeena, a substan-
tial increase over the year
before.

More than half of those
getting off or getting on the
Skeena did so in Prince
Rupert. In! Tertace, 4,693
passengers left or boarded
the Skeena.

Via’s passenger numbers
had been hurt because of

‘Skeena’s former schedule

which meant late night or
early moming departures
and arrivals.

That not only discouraged
locals but also tourists who
wanted io see the scenery
during the day, noted Volk.

“There was also a jump in
revenues last year but the
income stil] doesn’t come
close to meeting costs.

The Skeena took in $1.2
million last year, enough to
cover 23 per cent of its
costs.

Still, that’s double pre-
vious years when Skeena
revenues covered just under
‘12 per cent of its costs.
~ Volk’s predicting a big in-
crease this year and an even
bigger jump next year as
marketing plans and word
spreads,

“The United Kingdom is
a big market fertile, as is the
United States and Taiwan is
showing big interest,’ he

said.

The increases are enough
for Via to add a car to the
Skeena and to have more
available should demand
warrant.

This means there will be
atleast two higher-class cars
for the Totem class, the
value-added ticket category
providing passengers with
on-board meals and access
to a viewing car.

There will still be a coach
car, where passengers
paying lower fares can buy
meals. They won’t be al-
lowed access to the viewing
car.

Train watchers will notice
a new kind of viewing car
this year. Gone is the stan-
dard dome car featuring
lounge and eating section.

In its place will be refur-
bished viewing cars dating
back to the early 1950s.
They’re called Park cars and
are so named because they
featured murals of Canada’s
national parks by the Group
of Seven.

While those murals now
rest in a gallery in Ottawa,
newer ones have been in-
stalled.

The big difference be-
tween the Park cars and the
old dome cars is that there is
a rounded glass viewing
area at the back, said Volk.

‘Passengers now will
Teally get to see the scenery
and we know the scenery
along the line is the best in
the world,’” he added.

Just as it was last year,
Skeena will run cast three
days a week and west three
days a week.

Ivll overnight in Prince
George heading cast, con-
necting the next day to
Jasper.

kakke

Via is working on a deal

The Terrace Standard, Wednesday, May 14, 1997 - A7

STUDENTS FROM Roy Wilcox Elementary School in ‘Kitimat raceive a cheery
greeting from Via Rail conductor Axel Peterson. Traffic is up and so is revenue as
more people respond to Via's decision to convert to an all daytime schedule.

with Greyhound for a com-
bination ticket so people can
cither take a bus from Ed-
monton to Jasper ta board

the Skeena or take a bus
from Jasper to Edmonton
after getting off the Skeena.
That kind of packaging

continues efforis by Via to
blend the Skeena run in with
other forms of transporta-
tion to attract tourists. '

GEORGES PUB

at the

Northern Moter inn

presents

lacLean

MacLean
TONIGHT!

DOORS OPEN AT 8PM
ADVANCE TICKETS $8.00 EA.
AVAILABLE AT THE NORTHERN MOTOR INN
NO RESERVED SEATING!

BAND MAY 5-18 “HIRED HANDS”
Northern Motor inn

3086 Highway 16 East, Terrace
Phone: (250) 635-6375 / Fax: (250) 635-6129
Toll Free Reservations 1-800-663-3390

|” CAREOFNATURALGAS
"APPLIANCES INTHEEVENT OF

Hf your home is in danger of flooding, this is what
you should know inorder to care for your natural gas appliances.

* Arrange for Pacific Norther Gas
to temporarily shut off the
hatural gas service to your
heme.

* The thermostats for your furnace
and on your water healer shauld
be turned to the off position.

® Turn off all electric power to gas
appliances such as furnaces oF
clothes dryers.

« Ifthere is time, you may
consider contacting a qualified
plumbing and heating dealer to:

disconnect and mave portable
appliances abave anticipated
flood levels,

femove components, such as
electric motors, from appliances
that cannot be moved.

Once flood waters have
subsided, contact P.N.G. to have
service reactivated, P.N.G. will
advise you if further service by a
qualified plumbing and heating
dealer is required,

To contact Pacific Northom Gas

for floodtelated service call:

Terrace $35-7291

Smithers B474545

Housten 845-2959
Yanderhoot 567-2217

ue ta potential al elactrical hazard:

jonotentera

flooded b eesemenea :

iw

Government
of Canada
«MP. PENSIONS

LD-LINE PARTIE

Gouvernement
du Canada
, PEMBIONS: MP.

372 -808936-8

OOOGO | a7

Your tax dollars at work?

MP pensions are too extravagant in these times of cutbacks and deficits.
NDPer Jim Fulton, for example, pulls in over $43,000 a year for life in
spite of his new job and relatively young age.
Mike Scott believes this is wrong.
The Reform Party is committed to rewriting the MP pension plan in order
to bring it in line with the private sector. Among proposed changes: MPs will
have to be at least 60 years old before collecting.

Mike Scott has already opted out of the existing scheme (along with 50 of 51

other Reform MPs) fulfilling a campaign promise he made 3 years ago.
The old-line parties (Liberal, NDP, etc.) have seen fit to do nothing.

Re-elect

Authorized by Justin Rigshy, Offlcal agent