Visit Canada as Doug Jones takes us on "The Great Train Ride," the sixth film of the University Travel Club's current season. It will be shown at Kingsbury Hall, Tues., Jan. 18, at 7:30 p.m.
In 1955, the Canadian Pacific inaugurated the "Canadian," a new train designed to offer the ultimate in rail luxury. It was then, and remains today, one of the longest rail journeys in all the world. After years of constant use, VIA Rail took on the daunting task of completely restoring all of the original 1955 stainless steel equipment including the bullet lounge Park Cars, the observation dome cars, the dining cars and the bedroom cars. The newly restored equipment was then put back into service on the beautiful northern route of the old Super Continental. The result of this giant project is captured in this film.You'll see footage of the original laying of the tracks at the turn of the century, early steam trains crossing the prairies, film of the original 1955 journey of the "Canadian." You'll visit the yards in Montreal today and watch the historic rolling stock being restored.
You'll also tour Toronto, visit the Royal York Hotel, watch the train being prepared for departure and join in the excitement as this great transcontinental train leaves westward on a truly spectacular journey.
You'll meet the bedroom stewards, the conductor, have "dinner on the diner," sleep in a rolling bedroom, ride in the locomotive and see all the behind-the-scenes operations of this great train.
You'll also visit Winnipeg, Saskatoon, Edmonton, Jasper, Lake Louise, Banff, Kamloops, Vancouver and Victoria. You'll see the most breathtaking scenery on earth from the comfort of one of the greatest trains in the world. This brand new, feature-length film will take you back to a bygone day when "the going was good." So come aboard, sit back and relax and experience a beautiful and intriguing journey on board the new "Canadian" with Doug Jones as your guide.
Jones has been producing travel films since 1968. Repeated appearances for the National Geographic Society at Constitution Hall in Washington, D.C., the Los Angeles Music Center, the Seattle Opera House, the Academy of Music in Philadelphia and many other prestigious auditoriums and theaters have placed him in a premier position among American travelog producers. His varied background includes extensive experience in the fields of art, music, radio, theater, and of course, travel and cinematography. His personal travels have taken him around the globe and into 70 nations on six continents. The Los Angeles Times said "The quality of Doug Jones' travelogs is first rate."
He was born and raised in Kansas City and he graduated from the University of Missouri at Kansas City with a degree in radio and television broadcasting. In addition to his work in travelog production, he is an avid boater and pilot. Today he makes his home in both Los Angeles and New York City.
General admission tickets to the film will be sold Tuesday from 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. and again from 6 p.m. until showtime. The free shuttlebus will begin service in Rice Stadium parking lot about 6:40 p.m.