Via rail Canada is enhancing its Silver & Blue class service on the Canadian, the Passenger's railroad's flagship transcontinental train with refinrd dining car service,more luxurious accomadations, and new entertainment facillities.

Among the changes are Enhanced dining service, all 48-seat dining cars has been redesigned with new colors,new menus,and new standards for attentive service.

Luxury accommodations Via has refined the amenities in the sleeping cars by adding new down duvets for comfort and warmth, and new complimentary accessories such as toiletries,similar to those offered by a fine hotel. Passengers can also order room service. Other refinments include making an iron and ironing board availbable to passengers,and placing attractive route maps and plaques throughout the cars,which provide interesting hisorical background for the journey.

The Skyline car has been convereted into an Activity Center,offering passengers a convenient place to gather with friends,with opportunities to play board games and watch videos on request. Additionally, an on-board activity Coordinator organizes games and other entertaiment options for passengers en route. Books and soveniers are also available for purchase.

The Romance by Rail travel Package offers couples complimentary champagne on departure, as well as fresh flowers and room service in their private spacious suite-which comes complete with a queen-size bed.

At a news conference launching the redesigned service, via's Western Services Director Marc Beaulieu Said the West is a Key focus in the passenger rail corporation's long-term strategy for growth.

In fairness to Via, the costs of running a full-service transcontinental train are so huge that there is no way it can be sold as just transportation. The trains either go up-scale or they will disappear. Sleeping car accommodations on the "Ocean" to Halifax are quite reasonably priced, even in summer.