|: Train runs in daylight period NORTHWEST PAS. SENGERS wanting to take tourist class on the new : daylight Skeena train should expect some surprises when they check out prices, - When VIA Rail begins its touring class service this month, two fares take effect: the fuil price of $239 for the entire Jasper-Prince Rupert fun, and a ‘‘segmented fare” of $139 for pas- sengers wanting to travel one way from any other point along the line, That means a passenger travelling first class from Prince George to Prince Rupert will pay the same as someone getting on in Ter- race $139 — even though the trip to Rupert lakes little more than two hours from Terrace. Joe Volk, VIA marketing rep, says the tourist class pricing strategy is intended to encourage ihe “long-haul customer,’? not those travelling shorter distances, The ‘premium product,” as it's called, is targeted for international tourists, many .of whom are travelling the Skeena aS part of a loop, connecting cither with fer- ties, planes, B.C. Rail or other VIA trains. “If we booked seats for short-haul customers, we would effectively sell out our seats for long-haul customers,”’ Volk — ex- plained. ‘You're not going to have a demand for that, regard- less, Nobody would actually take that standard of service between those two points for a two-hour trip,”* Passengers travelling shorter distances would save money by travelling econo- my at the regular rates, he suggested. The one-way economy fare between Terrace and Prince Rupert, for example, is $20, or $12 seven days in advance (plus tax). Tourist my class. During the 16- week summer tourist season the dome car is at the back of the train and only apen to first class passengers. Meals will no longer. be cooked on board, either. Pre-packaged meals will be served as part of first class Service, included in the price of a ticket. Economy passengers can bring their owa food or_or- der pre-made sandwiches on board, Passengers will also have to butt out. The new Skeena will be non-smoking, -al- though Volk says he’s not sure the policy will work. That’s because a large segment of the train is sald to international — tourists, some of whom like to smoke and expect to be able to light up on board. “"We actually develop our product for our customers,” Volk says. ‘‘What was con- sidered a very common Ca- nadian policy doesn’t neces- sarily mean it’s achievable on a product that also caters to the tourists,”’ The touring class service, operaling for the summer only, commences May 15 when newly renovated stainless steel cars go into service. The new train sets will have three cars: one for economy, one for tourist class, and the dome car. The switch to daylight ser- vice last Sunday (April 28) eliminated the need for a sleeper car, allowing the train to haul more pas- sengers. Heading east, passengers board the train in Prince Rupert at 8 a.m. on Wednes- day, Friday and Sunday, ar- riving in Terrace at 10:18 am., Smithers at 2:08 p.m., and Prince George at 8:10 p.m, For westbound _pas- sengers, the Skeena departs Prince George on Thursday, class, by comparison, is / Saturday and Monday at 7 $139, plus tax, a Passengers should expect some other changes this summer. For starters, the dome car will be off limits to econo- Food travels far TOURISTS TUCKING into meals on board the Skeena will partake of food prepared hundreds of miles way in Van- couver, VIA Rail has contracted the Catered Affair to prepare meals in Van- couver and truck them north to Prince George. 745° pm, artives — in Smithers at 1:57 p.m., Ter- race at 5:42 p.m. and Prince Rupert at 8 p.m. . The change in schedule has also attracted more in- firm A it up there (Prince George), and we get it . into our fridge and freezer on board and take it fram there.’’ us round-trip,’’ Kliener says. “Anything that wouldn’t hold for the Watch those train fares! a THE TRAIN call of “all aboard” takes on a different sound this year due to sched- uling changes in Via’s Skeena service along the line between Prince Rupert and Prince George. It'll become a daylight only service and cater to tourists, factors Via hopes will increase revenues and cut down on operating losses, lerest from tour operators, Volk says. “Now we're just finding out the different — op- portunilies by sitting down with the companies and seeing how everybody can tie into it,’’ be says. “Basically that’s what we're looking at: all the op- portunities on promoting the service year-round,” VIA Rail hopes the changes will help wipe out its huge operating losses on the Skeena through im- ~ proved tourism. oo The most recent ‘figures show the line loses about. $5.6 million each year, = * The tend ig tos. “s BEATS HIGH BUILDING COSTS « The Terrace Standard, Wednesday, May 8, 1996 - A11 Something Special! Something Unique! Something Greek! Cookin’ at Sonbadas! Enjoy these fabulous lunch speciais served daily! rs Roast Lanth “Specialty of the House" Lamb and roasied. $14.95 Cordon Bleit | with ban & c Open 7 days a week, Lunch Mon, - Fri, 11:30 - 2:00 pm « Dinner 4:30 - 11:00 pm FOR RESERVATIONS CALL 638-1503 4402 LAKELSE AVENUE, TERRACE, B.C, aq. Deli cael Stuffed he Delicately Flavored Veal or Chicken ese be = = “ye = ur & 2 = ~~ a = = a & e = ~~ = Se = ine 4 _ RE/MIAK. RE/MAK "RE/MAX RE/MAX SPRUCE CAPITAL HOMES » Creating Your Dreams With Us * BEATS HIGH ENERGY COSTS « * Design your own home or choose one of many from aur free catalogue. * Save thousands ol dollars in construction costs with our do-it-yourself home package. * Free blueprints when you purchase a Spruce Capilal Homes package. : * Pre-manulactured energy efficlent NASCOR wall system will cut your heating costs by up to 50%. * Our market agents will assist you in organizing your sub-trades. i Re/Max of Terrace Congratulates OLGA POWER on her “Outstanding Achievement” for the month of April. In recognition of this accomplishment, Olga is pleased to make this month’s donation to the LA.M. Foundation, 10105 Beacon Hills Drive, Cincinnati, Ohio, 4524]. This foundation provides hope to women with Lymphongioleimyomatosis, a progressive, fatal lung disease that strikes young women in the prime of their lives. PaRUIS ETT ET . Fora free catalogue, contact or clip out coupen and mail it to Spruce Capital Homes, 443 N. Nechako Road, Prince George, B.C. V2K 4AG ~— Phone (604) 561-2079 woods Enough meals are ioaded on to feed the Name Telephone retum Urip from Prince Rupert. - , Address “There’s enough put on board to supply City Postal Code OREFMAX —-XVW/7 -XWW/D XVW/3N XVW/S0- XVW/GH- wae “It’s an upscale airline-type meal,” says Jim Kiiener, VIA’s senior officer for ser- vice design, ‘We're projecting over 6,000 meals for the first summer.’ Kiiener says the conventional galley in the Skyline dome car couldn’t produce enough food for the number of tourists ex- pected. The new try-style meals will travel on special carts and be kept under refrigeration until meal time — similar to the way airline food is handled. Special convection ovens in the new touring car will warm the food and atiendents will serve them, “We know within 48 hours of the depar- ture what the load is going to be, and we lel {the caterer) know. Less than 12 hours prior to departure they start preparalion, they get PUBLIC PROVINCIAL GENERAL ELECTION THE DISTRICT ELECTORAL OFFICE FOR THE SKEENA ELECTORAL DISTRICT IS LOCATED AT: 4615 LAZELLE AVE. TERRACE, B.C. V8G 183 TELEPHONE 635-8273 time frame that we’re looking at would not be used,’’ Caterers in the north were approached, Kliener says, but none could meet VIA specifications within the short timeframe... “They weren’t going to jeopardize their present situation or their name by taking something on and then finding out they couldn’t deal with it.”’ Until the new service proves itself, it’s not clear how many meals will be required. For a local firm to invest in a new facility and equipment is too big a risk at the mo- ment, Kleiner says. “ think as the business increases there would come a point where I would insist thal there be outlets in Rupert, George and Jasper as well."’ NOTICE OFFICE HOURS MON.-FRI: 8:30am-6pm SAT: 9am-5pm All Seasons - ALL SEASONS Source for Sports ¢ Bring Mom, Dad, Grandparents, Kids 5 km/s © $5 per Walker - $20 No Hills per Family M * Free Pr. of Sunglasses eet at for the first 50 ¢ All Money to the Child Development Center ® Free Pens from the Child Development Centre