New rail tours to depart from Aspen Crossing

Shannon LeClair
Times Reporter

 

Aspen Crossing is now offering eight new and different themed train excursions in Mossleigh. Jason Thornhill, founder of Aspen Crossing, has always had a passion for trains, stemming from childhood memories of sitting on his dad’s shoulders to watch the CPR trains running through the family’s 300 acre farm.
Thornhill had no idea how much he would miss the sounds of the trains after the last one made its way through Mossleigh in 2002. It was while studying horticulture that he was amazed to discover the integral part it played in the railway history and how settlers were beckoned to the prairies and its fertile lands.
His love for the land and passion for trains were the driving force behind his idea of creating Aspen Crossing. Now in its 11th year, there’s a nursery, gift shop, 1887 Pullman Dining car – that once belonged to John Diefenbaker- three luxury Caboose cabins for rent and 85 serviced campsites.
This latest extension of Thornhill’s desire to bring people to the prairies is the addition of his own railway, offering themed excursions to help bring people back to their roots and learning more about their Heritage.
“Rural tourism in Alberta is gaining big strides, with so many gems to be found outside of the usual tourist attractions, like the Calgary Stampede and Banff. We’re less than an hour from the city centre of Calgary. So visitors can easily come out for a day, week, or weekend, and have a variety of things to see and do!” said Thornhill.
The inaugural trip is scheduled for May 15 and the themed excursions will begin on May 16 and run every weekend. During July and August a circus-themed train will also be offered every Wednesday.
The rail tours being offered are: a Wine & Cheese Train Tour which will feature wines and appetizers; Ales on Rails Train Tour featuring ales and appetizers; the Prairie Tour which will provide historical and cultural insights; the Circus Train where there will be face painting, magicians, and more; Meals in the Field is a four-hour tour with authentic prairie lunch; the Alberta Special is four hours, and includes dinner with locally sourced food; the Dinner Theatre will include dinner and a theatre performance; and lastly there will be a winter themed excursion, with more details on it to be released at a later date.