Rocky Mountaineer Grand View touring coach 1

An older illustration of the Grand View touring DMU and an accompanying coach. Illustration courtesy of Colorado Railcar.

Notes: Rocky Mountaineer earned the distinction of placing the first orders for single level DMU coaches, which will be set up in a unique configuration, with a 30 inch area for storage, baggage, water, etc. below the passenger seating area, creating a kind of one and a half story design.

The car will be based on Colorado Railcar's commuter coach design, but will include the storage area underneath, as well as the domed glass option. Very few other details are available right at the moment, but I will be posting updates as I receive more information.

According to a press release issued by Colorado Railcar on the week of Nov. 20, one of the DMU coaches will be used in Red Leaf service on Rocky Mountaineer's new Fraser Discovery route between Whistler, BC and Jasper, Alberta, while the other will provide Red Leaf service on the Whistler Mountaineer between Whistler and Vancouver.

This is a little confusing, as the dome coaches have previously only been used in Gold Leaf service. It is also contrary to previous releases from Rocky Mountaineer, which said that two single level coaches would be used on the Whistler Moutaineer, and that Red Leaf service would be provided using existing equipment. I will be seeking further clarification on these points, and will update this page as more details come to light.