Alberta Prairie Railway Excursions, Heritage railway in Stettler, Canada
Alberta Prairie Railway Excursions is a heritage railway in Stettler, Alberta, that runs passenger trains through open grassland to the small town of Big Valley. The route passes heritage stations and open countryside stops where passengers can step off the train.
The service started in 1990 using a steam locomotive built in 1920 for a different railway operator. Over the years, the line brought together rolling stock from several defunct railways, turning the route into a kind of moving collection of Canadian railway history.
Alberta Prairie Railway Excursions runs between Stettler and Big Valley, and every excursion includes a buffet meal, served during the five- to six-hour trip with a stopover in Big Valley. Passengers ride behind No. 41, a 1920 Baldwin 2-8-0 steam locomotive, or sometimes CN U-1-f No. 6060, a Montreal Locomotive Works 4-8-2.
The journey takes most of a day and includes meal service, so no need to bring food, but dressing in layers is a good idea since some stops are outdoors. Prairie weather can shift fast, and a windproof layer makes the open-air stretches more comfortable.
The passenger coaches on board come from different Canadian railways and different decades, so two seats next to each other can look completely different. Walking through the train is like moving through several chapters of railway history at once.
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