The second day on the Rocky Mountaineer started early. The town of Kamloops still waking up as it bid us farewell. Thankfully freshly brewed coffee was waiting for us on the train. The anticipation of the journey to Banff added an extra layer of excitement to the morning. Today’s journey promised to be nothing less than spectacular as we climbed into the Rockies. The rails caring us to Banff promised breath taking views, engineering marvels and moments of history that helped form Canada.
The journey to Banff
It’s 5am and it’s time to leave for the train. We have a long day ahead of us, claiming our way up the mountains to Banff. Thankfully they had the coffee ready for us. As we sipped on our coffee the train made its way east out of Kamloops. The scenery outside slowly transforming from a fertile Valley to the edge of the Rocky Mountains.
The Final Spike of the TransCanada Railroad 
In 1885, in Craigellachie, British Columbia, a ceremonial final spike was driven into the Canadian Pacific Railway. This momental moment marked the completion of Canada’s first transcontinental railway. Completed in only five years the railway marked a significant moment in Canadian history and the unification of the nation from sea to sea.
Why build a TransCanada railway? Canada’s first prime minister working to expand the new nation made the commitment to build the railway in an effort to convince British Columbia to join the federation. The final spike being driven home on TransCanada railway marked the keeping of a promise to connect the new nation together. The railway connected and united regions far from the major cities, allowing for growth of Canada’s remote towns, as well as, spurring the transfer of natural resources, agricultural products and goods across the nation. With the railroad bring people to new opportunities, towns and industry began to grow along the lines. The rails we are traveling on today helped to transform Canada into the nation we know today.
The Spiral Tunnels
Traversing a country as vast as Canada, from coastal plains to towering mountain peaks, required exceptional engineering skills. One of the most significant challenges faced by railroad builders was the steep grade of the Kicking Horse Pass. Due to the immense pressure to complete the railway quickly, and the lack of time and resources to create a proper grade, a section was constructed with a 4.5% incline—an extremely challenging slope for any locomotive. This section, known as “The Big Hill,” became infamous as one of the most dangerous parts of the new railway.
The solution to the steep grade of the original railway line, known as “The Big Hill,” was a pair of spiral tunnels modeled after a system used in Switzerland. Completed in 1909, these tunnels are an engineering marvel. Designed to reduce the steep grade, the tunnels make the journey much safer. These unique double spirals allow trains to make two complete loops inside the mountains, providing a unique experience of crossing over the tracks you were just on. For longer trains, unlike the Rocky Mountaineer, you can see the tail end of the train entering the tunnel you just exited.
The spiral tunnels remain to this day an extremely unique part of the trip to Banff. While the tunnels themselves are a site to see they are also surrounded by breathtaking beauty. 
Claiming Into The Mountains
Throughout today’s travels on the rails, we have slowly been climbing our way up to Banff. Everywhere you look, grand sights beckon. Outside, the landscape unfolds like a storybook, with vibrant plains giving way to craggy peaks, their snow-capped crowns piercing the sky. Each turn of the tracks reveals a new chapter, from serene lakes mirroring the grandeur above to dense forests whispering ancient secrets.
As the train chugs forward, it’s not just a journey to a destination—it’s an immersion into nature’s splendor. The anticipation builds with every passing mile, and soon, we’ll be stepping off in Banff, where mountains reign supreme. As the day draws to a close, I can’t wait to meet a friend in Banff tomorrow—someone I’ve only known through words and screens. The thought of finally connecting in person, and having him guide me through these breathtaking mountains, feels like the start of an epic chapter in our friendship.
The mountains are calling and I must go.
John Muir
