New luxury rail cars to increase capacity onboard Rocky Mountaineer

VANCOUVER — To meet growing demand, Rocky Mountaineer has announced seven additional GoldLeaf Service rail cars for the 2019 season.

Available on Western Canadian rail routes, the newly built, bi-level cars will be rolled out in two stages, with the first four coming in April and the remaining three cars arriving later in the season. This project marks the largest capital investment in Rocky Mountaineer’s 30-year history, and will bring its total fleet to 26 bi-level GoldLeaf rail cars and 16 single-level SilverLeaf rail cars.

“These new GoldLeaf rail cars will allow us to welcome even more guests onboard our trains and offer increased availability across our most popular dates and routes,” said Steven Sammut, president and chief executive officer. “We were intentional in designing these new cars to offer the same exemplary guest comfort across the entire fleet, while also making numerous engineering enhancements behind the scenes that reflect our goal of constantly enhancing both the experience and efficiency of our service.”

The new GoldLeaf rail cars, each seating 72 guests, feature:

Dimmable domed windows: The upper-level windows use a suspended particle device layer, which can be dimmed to moderate the intensity of incoming sunlight. This is similar technology to what is used in luxury yachts and business jets.
Redesigned galley kitchens: The galleys feature upgraded ovens and stovetops, electrical grills, eco-friendly dishwashers and optimal preparation spaces for meal preparation.
Custom-designed seats: The heated composite-leather seats recline without impacting the guest seated behind and can spin 180 degrees to create more social seating.
Enhanced ride quality: The cars feature other technical features that enhance the overall guest experience, including improved suspension design.

The new cars will be added to the trains travelling on two of Rocky Mountaineer’s routes: First Passage to the West, a two-day rail journey between Vancouver and Lake Louise or Banff; and Journey through the Clouds, a two-day rail journey between Vancouver and Jasper.