Alberta Badlands

If the allure of riding the steel rails has a certain nostalgic twinge for you, or if the kids really need something to keep them entertained for a few hours, then Southern Alberta is the place you wanna be. We are blessed with a real variety of train excursions that, while they may offer similar experiences, do it in completely different environs. Which means you can enjoy more than one ride, and at more than one time of year. Bob Willis has been with APR since it’s inception, and he understands what makes a great experience: “Just a train ride ain’t gonna cut it. You have to make it an event, an adventure and an experience! You make that happen and you’re bound to succeed.” The key, says Willis, is interaction. “Big city folks tend to be reserved and not very interactive. We knock all that down in the first fifteen minutes.”

With over 30 years under their conductor’s hats, the Alberta Prairie Railway (APR) is perhaps the granddaddy of them all. Running through rolling hills out of Stettler and Big Valley, It is the only outfit featuring an actual 1920 steam locomotive on some trips. Like the Aspen Crossing Railway just southeast of Calgary, which runs through flatter prairie, APR offers a licensed “Polar Express” adventure to the North Pole every Christmas season, and it is an experience that kids, parents, and grandparents all rave about – which means book ahead, because these often sell out. Colourful performers, live music, armed holdups and gorgeous scenery all make for a busy, entertaining day trip. And if that’s not enough, Aspen Crossing also features a bar car! In other words, there’s something for everyone. Summer excursions tend to have different themes - like ‘Ales on Rails,’ a special meal, or even a murder mystery. Check websites for detailed options, as there’s a lot to choose from.

If a four to five hour excursion isn’t what you’re looking for, don’t fret. There are other fascinating experiences to be had.

Calgary’s wonderful “Living History Museum” at Heritage Park features, among other things, a train loop almost a mile long offering lovely views out over the Glenmore Reservoir. There, you can also take a paddle-wheeler ride on the S.S. Moyie, a half-size replica of the original, which was used for over forty years to haul freight and passengers on Kootenay Lake in B.C., one of many paddle wheelers that helped open up the west before the arrival of the railways.

In Stirling, you’ll find the Galt Historic Railway Park. This site honours the many short-line railways built to haul specific bounty to market. In this case the coal that was the early driver of settlements in Southern Alberta. Local towns like Coalhurst and Coaldale are reminders that it was black gold that made a fortune for the Galt Mining Company, and still today for Teck Resources. The railway station here was built in 1890 to serve the Galt’s ‘Great Falls and Canada Railway,’ and actually once straddled the border between Montana and what was then the Northwest Territories. The park is open 10 to 6 from Tuesday to Saturday throughout the summer. On special occasions, they offer rides on the little ‘speeder’ machines used to zip inspectors or crews down the track. Info at galtrailway.com

Sir Alexander Galt and his son also funded Lethbridge’s first hospital, which is now home to the Galt Museum – another interesting stop that sits on the top of the river valley above Fort Whoop Up, itself the source of an even earlier fortune made by trading buffalo pelts with the local Blackfoot. A walk between the two museums is a nice way to stretch your legs.

So wherever you are in Southern Alberta, you’re within an easy drive of a memorable, family-friendly, and all round fun railroad experience. Just don’t forget that conductor hat you have somewhere in the attic! By Allen Gibson