Stettler Steam Train Brings Alberta's Wild History to Life

Jeremy Derksen- Zenseekers

Explore the Boomtown Trail

It’s exactly how the wild west movie would start. The steam train is rolling along a flat prairie. No air-conditioning – just big open windows with the rush of a sagescented wind. Suddenly the wheels squeal to a stop. All on-board rush to the windows to see bandits bear down on us. We are about to be robbed! Pistol reports fill the prairie sky. My two sons look up at me in a cross emotion of glee and horror. Was this for real? Wild west lore has been part of the popular imagination for so long now, we all have those dreams of living a day in the life of a settler on the prairies. Alberta Prairie Steam Excursions lets you do just that, without having to generate 1.21 gigawatts to fuel your Back-tothe-Future DeLorean or get your designer jeans too dirty. Your ride through the boomtown past of central Alberta circa late 1800s departs from the town of Stettler, just an hour east of Red Deer. Among the towns ranging along Highway 21 and 56, Stettler is where local farm folk go when they’re “going into town.” Along main street, you’ll find coffee shops, local retailers and smiles wherever you go. Bite into a fresh cream ‘John’ from Bloke’s Bakery, overloaded with airy sweet whipped cream and nestled in rich pastry, and you’ll swear you’re biting right into prairie hospitality. The train boards at 11 o’clock sharp. From there, forget about wifi, video games or tap-to-pay. Put some cash in your pocket — it will come in handy. Each car on the vintage steam train is furnished differently, harking back to the early era of rail travel.

Conductors in black caps and burgundy vests come by to punch tickets as the engine chugs into motion. With a candy store, bar car and live entertainment, our journey to Big Valley passes quickly — but not uneventfully. In the middle of the open prairie, the bandits strike and an epic gunfight ensues between train marshal and outlaws. The marshal later remarks to an adoring crowd of kids, “I musta shot at least 20, 30 of ’em.” The kids in the crowd stair at him in awe. A real hero in our midsts! We disembark in a town of about 300 that looks much like it did in prairie boom times. One and two storey buildings from the late Victorian and early prairie eras mingle on Big Valley’s main street. Up on the hillside, the baby blue siding and stainless-steel spire of St. Edmund’s Anglican Church draw eyes heavenward. At the Big Valley Community Hall, roast beef dinner – with carrots, peas, mash potatoes, salad, buns, gravy and all the fixings – is served community style. Once your belly is well and full, you can stroll lazily back through town or take a guided ride through more local history. You have time to shop for unique finds before boarding the train back to the present. A day later and 100 years ahead, the timeless beach of Rochon Sands provides space to reflect on the excitement of the day before. In modern civilization, the pace of change is fast but here, rooted in the past, transformation through natural processes can slow to years and decades. Time nearly stops.

Take a breath, feel the sun on your skin and the water lapping your feet. All the way back to the big city, before the wifi, and the bombardment of “high-speed” everything kicked in, the kids re-live the adventure. From picking a treat from the rows of baking behind the glass in the bakery in Stettler, to the noises of the track rumbling under our cars and of course – to the shoot out and just how cool the marshal was. How cool is that? Yep, history is alive in Alberta. Make it a road trip - discover seven destinations brimming with unique experiences - start here by visiting ZenSeekers’ #BoomTownTrail expedition page. www.zenseekers.com/campaign/ boomtowntrail

IF YOU GO ▷

Bring some cash for the train - it will come in handy bribing (i.e. tipping) bandits, buying food and drink on the train or shopping in Big Valley.

Take some time to explore the Tool Museum in Big Valley. It reflects a time before replaceable consumer culture, when people built and fixed things.

Car lovers will want to make a stop at McAlister Motors Garage in Big Valley, which displays Rod Miller’s impressive collection.

Bone up on your history at the Stettler Town and Country Museum, where displays are staged like movie sets.

#ExploreAlberta with Travel Alberta who has an entire section of their website dedicated to travelling the #BoomTownTrail.

The Adventure..... keeps happening year after year

www.absteamtrain.com

ALBERTA PRAIRIE

RAILWAY EXCURSIONS STETTLER ALBERTA CALL 403-742-2811 For additional information and reservations