Scenic Rail Guide to Western Canada

Rating:
Summary: Outstanding Travel Guide
Review: Bill Coo was a conductor for the Canadian railways and later was the director of tours for VIA RAIL Canada, which took over the operation of the Canadian Pacific and Canadian National passenger services. Coo wrote a series of guide books which were formerly sold on the Canadian trains, as well as at stations and book stores.

The "Scenic Rail Guide to Western Canada" provides three services in each well organized chapter.

First there is a brief history of each passenger train route (in the late 1980s) west of Winnipeg and in Alaska in the USA. Then each chapter continues with a mile by mile description of each line, accompanied by unique and beautifully drawn linear maps. This is followed at the end of each chapter with very detailed data on elevations, place name origins and mileages for each line.

The books were not reprinted when the Canadian government dramatically cut 55% of the passenger lines then running in Canada in January of 1990, but they remain very useful today. Not only have some services been restored, such as Calgary to Banff and Vancouver, but lines that no longer see regular service get fascinating coverage as well. Just for lovers of history these were lovely books.

The volumes are paperbacks, with full color illustrations throughout. No attempt is made to recommend restaurants and some train names have changed since the 1990s (for example the "Canadian" train now takes the routing of the "Super Continental" in the Coo book), but if you know geography the book is fully useable. Mr. Coo has passed away, so sadly there will be no updates from him.

This is an outstanding example of a "what to look at out the window" guidebook.

Carl H. Fowler
Vice President/General Manager
Rail Travel Center Tours