page_title: Jasper–Prince Rupert train
section_title: Route history
hierarchical_section_title: Jasper–Prince Rupert train / Route history
caption_attribution_description: English: A photo at CN's Prince Rupert, BC yard in October 1979. This is where the Skeena overnights.
context_page_description: The Jasper–Prince Rupert train is a Canadian passenger train service operated by Via Rail between Jasper, Alberta, Prince George and Prince Rupert in British Columbia.
context_section_description: In 1911, with station names selected, passenger service was available for the first 100 miles (160 km) eastward from Prince Rupert to Kitselas (formerly called Vanarsdol). Following the arrival of the tracks at Skeena Crossing in March 1912, the Grand Trunk Pacific Railway (GTPR) was offering passenger service from Prince Rupert to Hazelton with a ferry across the Skeena. By 1913, Rose Lake  was a temporary terminal station location. In October 1913, the first passenger train arrived at Smithers.
  In September 1912, an Alberta-Tête Jaune weekly passenger service began. In August 1913, the first GTPR passenger arrived at Kidd. From late 1913 to early 1914, immediately west of Dome Creek was a temporary terminal station location. Foley, Welch and Stewart (FW&S), the prime contractors, provided passenger and freight service on completed sections of the line as the railhead advanced. FW&S ran the first such westbound train into Prince George on January 30, 1914. In March 1914, GTPR passenger service coverage comprised Prince Rupert-Priestly, Prince George-McBride, and McBride-Edmonton (McBride being an overnight stop). However, the track conditions west of Hansard made the initial service unreliable. The Prince Rupert-Edmonton through service, which inaugurated that September, took 22–23 hours for Prince Rupert-Prince George, and the same for Prince George-Edmonton (about 11–13 hours for Prince George-Jasper). In following decades, the latter varied little, but the former decreased to 20–22 hours. With fewer stops, this is now about 12 hours and 7–9 hours respectively.
  Maintaining services, Canadian National Railway (CNR) took over the insolvent GTPR. From 1922, a summer-month schedule operated until the end of each halibut season, because the passenger train also carried frozen fish as fast freight. Once regular passenger service ended in 1931, sleeping and dining cars were attached to the three-times-weekly way freight. In addition, from 1934 to 1942, a once or twice weekly summer passenger service operated with limited stops. When the US Army turned Prince Rupert into a major supply base in early 1942, four or five troop trains arrived daily, carrying 75,000 soldiers bound for Alaska. In 1943, the passenger service permanently expanded. With wartime demand ending, frequency reduced, despite protests, for the fish/passenger train, but was restored in 1951 to cater for new industrial developments at Prince Rupert and Kitimat. In 1954, new sleeper and passenger cars were introduced. A way freight ran on the Terrace-Kitimat branch line from January 1955, until replaced by a passenger service June 1955–November 1957. 
  In 1962, although Prince George-Jasper remained unchanged, Prince Rupert-Prince George frequency reduced, but restored during the 1965 summer and from the 1966 summer. In 1968, the whole route cut back, except for summer on Prince George-Jasper. Although CN experienced significant losses on the Prince Rupert-Jasper passenger service, an application to discontinue the route was denied in 1972, but CN became eligible for an 80 percent federal subsidy. Sustaining losses of $3.3m (on costs of $4.1m) in 1974 for the 25,000 passengers carried, CN's reapplication to discontinue was again denied. In 1977, Via Rail was launched as a CN subsidiary to gradually take over CN and CP passenger services. Via maintained the CN service levels, broadening the summer schedule to the whole route.
  
  From 1981, the lower levels applied year round. Despite losses of $6.6m in 1988 for the 26,000 passengers carried, safeguarding isolated communities gave the route a reprieve from closure. However, the subsidy of $480 for every passenger carried made the route difficult to justify retaining, and alternatives remained under review. 
   After extensive consultation, Via proposed an overnight stop in Prince George and a daylight schedule for the Prince Rupert leg that would enable tourists to enjoy the outstanding scenery. With ridership falling seven percent between 1990 and 1992, and a $9m deficit, the focus switched to possible service cuts a
caption: CN Prince Rupert yard in October 1979
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