Once a weary traveller returns home, somewhere in New South Wales, Australia they'll be spinning tales about the train station left in the coastal rain forest outback.
VIA Rail, who probably field more telephone calls and answer more letters on this one issue than any other travel concern about Prince Rupert, will feel their ears burning as John Williams, an Australian tourist recounts his bemusement at the location of VIA's Northwestern BC terminal.
Mr. Williams found the situation a tad strange, especially when while walking along the walkways of Prince Rupert's Rotary waterfront park, discovered much to his chagrin the very train that had let him off at the Fairview Cove terminal, parked right in the downtown area.
It has long been an interesting topic, the status of the old VIA station downtown. At one time there were supposed to be some major development plans for it, but now it sits as a bit of an eyesore in the heart of what the city is supposed to be selling as tourist destination for visitors out for a quiet walk.
Surely this might be an issue that the city's Tourism office may wish to keep in touch with VIA about, ever hopeful of perhaps bringing the trains back into the city's downtown area to make the tourist experience that much more convenient.
It is, if you think about it one of the strangest of arrangements, where the transportation system drops you off kilometres from any amenities only to then move the train, emptied of all its passengers to within blocks of the cities major hotels and entertainment features.
At least it struck Mr. Williams as strange and something he need to get off his chest in a letter to the Daily News on Monday.
Train Station in wrong place for passengers
Letter to the Editor
Prince Rupert Daily News
Monday, June 2, 2008.
To the editor,
Travelling around western Canada I recently arrived in Prince Rupert on the CN Skeena train from Jasper.
I was bemused to find that the train station was several kilometres from town, sharing a terminal with BC Ferries.
I can understand that BC Ferries has specific needs for deep water and parking space which limit its choices in locating its terminal. I could understand the convenience of the two organizations sharing the same facility if their services connected, but they apparently ignore each other's schedules and the convenience of travellers.
But why do passenger trains terminate so far from town? My bemusement was further increased later the same evening when I saws the same train on which I had arrived parked on a line directly below the town centre, next to an apparently unused terminal building. Why does CN persist in this arrangement which inconveniences its passengers and benefits no-one except the local tax drivers?
John Williams
Jindabyne, NSW
Australia
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