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The Terrace Standard, Wednesday, March 13, 1996 - A3

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THE TRAIN call of “all aboard" is taking a more upbeat tone now

that VIA Rail is changing its schedule to an all-daylight run to bet-

ter target the tourism market and to make the train more appealing to locals. The new schedule comes in the end of April.

VIA hopes to make money

VIA RAIL hopes to wipe out an operating loss of $5.75 million a year with a new summer schedule and service for its Skeena run begin- ning the end of April.

Ivll be operating an all-daylight run between Prince Rupert and Prince George to make il more altractive for tourists and to draw more lo- cals,

Passengers will board the train in Prince Rupert at 8 a.m., ending up in Prince George at 8:10 p.m..

Heading back west, they'll get on in Prince George al 7:45 a.m., arriving in Prince Rupert at Span

Right now VIA leaves Prince Rupert before noon and arrives in Prince George late in the evening.

Those beading west have lo get on in Prince George very carly in the morning, arriving in Prince Rupert in late afternoon.

VIA marketing rep Joe Volk says the 16-week summer schedule should appeal to tourists inter- ested in.scenery and for Jacals who want more convenient train times. "Ss

“The bottam line is we have to improve the viability of the service,’’ said Volk in noting that the Skeena service now recovers only 13 per cent of its costs.

Bul there is a cost to all of this — the Skeera will overnight in Prince George, meaning those who want to continue to the end of its run in Jasper must spend the night in Prince George.

And passengers heading east past Jasper will have to spend another night there —~ as they do now — if they want to continue on VLA’s main- line passenger service into Edmonton,

All this will add to the growing tourist market in the northwest and Volk is confident locals will accept the Prince George overnight require- ment,

“We'll be working very bard on marketing to make all of this achievable,’ he said.

Volk’s particularly happy with the new sched- ule, saying it'll be easicr for people to connect in Prince George with the B.C. Rail passenger service that runs south through the Cariboo to North Vancouver.

The federal crown corporation is also bringing in two fare rates for the summer schedule.

The existing fare of 378 one-way between

. Prinee Rupert and Prince George will remain as

an economy rate but there will be a new tourist class fare of $139.

Those travelling economy won't be able to en- joy the dome car but those who pay the tourist

plus tax

rate will.

“We had to put a value added product on for the summer,”’ said Volk of the coming dome car restriction.

He said VIA employees will be diplomatic in explaining the dome car ban for economy pas- sengers.

Those who pay the tourist rate will have hot meals provided at their seats.

Economy can bring their own food or pay for sandwiches at their scats.

The way meals are prepared will also change with the new service.

While the current dome car will stay in ser vice ils galley won't operate and the dining area will be converted toa sitting area.

Hot meals wiil come out of a galley located in the tourist class passenger car.

All this means there will be three cars — one for economy passengers, one for tourist class and the dome car.

The new service will receive several test runs involving northwestern tourism officials and

dipnitaties before it cumes into service.

Economy class passengers will still reccive discounts by buying tickeis in advance. There is no discount for tourist class passengers.

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Repap staging claims survey

SKEENA CELLULOSE/REPAP is conducting an opinion Survey through the area to determine how people feel about land claims,

It follows one done last year by the company and the in- formation is used to develop ils own position on the topic, says company spokesman Derrick Curtis.

No numbers were immediately available on how many people polling company Angus Reid contacted but the area covered takes in the Kalum and Kispiox forest district areas,

The survey also asks people if they are native or non- native. That’s so Skeena Cellulose can determine how dif- ferent groups of people feel about land claims, said Curtis,

“We wanted to do one now that the Nisga’a negotiations are at the point of the agreement in principle and with the (Gitksan) accord in the Hazeltons,’’ he said.

Skeena Cellulose has culting rights in both forest district areas that'll be affected by land claims settlements.

“We want to have information on how we can become pro-active on land claims — do we support the process,”’ said Curtis.

The company employs as many nalives as possible — half of its Camaby mill workforce is native, for instance — and so wants to ensure its own position reflects public atti- tudes, he continued.

“If we promote native employment or contracts the flip side is the while people ask us what we’re doing,’? Curtis added.

The questions are different in the Hazeltons than around here because of the particular issues surrounding claims talks in those areas.

Real meal deal

VIA RAIL’S new plan to increase revenues on its Skeena passenger train will change slightly over the fall and winter months,

The new daylight schedule will continue but the tourist class fare won't exist during the off season.

Aud the new way of serving meals to passengers in their seats will revert back to what’s in place now —a galley and dining room area in the Skeena’s dome car, says VIA marketing rep Joe Volk.

Passengers will stay have to overnight in Prince George but there is a chance that the Skeena schedule can change slightly to make a same-day connection with VIA’s mainline passenger service in Jasper.

If that latter happens, passengers won’t have to spend the night in Jasper as they do now, said Volk.

“There are all kinds of possibilities we're explor- ing,” he said last week.

Volk’s also anticipating being able to establish the winter run as a way for people to travel to ski destina- tions and for other winler outdoor activities.

“There were limes literally when there were more crew than passengers and we have to change that,’’ he said,

But one thing won’ change — the plan to ban smok- ing in the bar area of the dome car beginning this sum- mer will continue on in the winter.

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