Some call him a vagabond, full of wanderlust and adventure — a free spirit who prefers the transient life of a traveler over the safety and security of home.
Terry Gainer would happily agree. He loves to travel, works in the travel industry as a consultant, and enjoys living abroad a few months every year. A pretty good lifestyle for this energetic octogenarian.
But Terry’s roots, his greatest passions, run deep in the rails carrying passenger trains from eras past. From the days when traveling by train was a first-class experience with 5-star restaurants and magnificent scenery through the majestic Rockies.
Frank Gainer, Terry’s Irish-born father, had lived in various places across Canada before moving his family to Banff in 1948. He was the new train station agent, and the family of seven lived above the station.
Being an inquisitive six-year-old, Terry quickly learned to love everything about the passenger trains that arrived every day. He would watch from his second-floor perch as wealthy Americans, from mostly Eastern US locations, would gather on the platform, perhaps embarking, disembarking or carrying on to the West Coast through indescribable scenery and treacherous mountain passes. Of course, passengers from around the world also arrived to experience the romance of train travel and to explore Canada’s untamed western wilderness.
Passenger trains. Not those squeaky mounds of nondescript metal flatcars, cradling containers loaded with unknown treasures, that block the road when you’re in a hurry to get somewhere. They were sleek and aerodynamic. Row upon row of huge windows and shiny metal siding.
Most of us have memories of these trains. Watching them whiz by put the wanderlust in our hearts. The dream of travelling somewhere exotic, in the lap of luxury.
So, it’s easy to understand why Terry loves passenger trains.
Shortly after arriving in Banff, he settled into a daily routine.
“My morning stop was the waiting room, checking out the passengers,” Terry remembers. He was anxious to scrutenize the Americans, as he had only seen them on TV. He says they were easy to spot, as they were always “dressed to the nines.” Mornings were consistently hectic, with two trains arriving only minutes apart.
But in 1954, calamity struck. At least in the eyes of 12-year-old Terry. His father announced his retirement from CPR. Terry sadly recalls, “I had never even entertained the idea we’d ever have to move away from my kingdom at the station; it was like moving to another world.”
The family moved into the town of Banff, and Terry promised himself that, as soon as he was 15, he would get a job at the station.
And he did! He spent six summers at Banff Station, the first two as a baggage porter, followed by four summers as a redcap – a train station porter who helps passengers carry their luggage.
“Before I was old enough to work, my goal was to be a redcap. My brother Fred had been a redcap since 1953, and his stories cemented my ambition to follow in his footsteps.”
These are the years that hold Terry’s fondest memories. Each day was intense. Passengers arrived in droves, with way too much luggage. Trucks would deliver mounds of tour-group baggage. Redcaps would have to manage all the chaos — dodge passengers, answer questions, then sort the luggage and make sure it ended up in the right place.
Of course, there was the constant fascination of watching all types of people from interesting places. Seizing an opportunity to talk to an enthusiastic (or not) traveler was always a treat.
“They were crazy days,” Terry remembers. “Sweaty work, slinging hundreds of bags onto overhead luggage racks or spacing in compartments, always racing against the clock.”
Terry describes many memorable experiences in his days as a redcap, but one particularly stands out. 500 passengers, 1,200 pieces of luggage, all at the same time. Plus, a number of other regularly-scheduled trains. There were just three redcaps, and they’d never loaded an entire train before.
It was an incredibly hard day, but the trio finished the job ahead of schedule, with every piece of luggage accounted for. The $749 tip, split three ways, was a pretty awesome bonus in 1960! It helped pay for Terry’s year of university, starting a few weeks later.
But the 60’s began the slow descent of luxury train travel, and the demise of the intercontinental passenger train. Terry will tell you that the ease of air travel and building better highways, were the beginning of the end. Leisurely train travel was no longer popular nor viable.
Yes, you can still sometimes see a Via Rail train rolling down the tracks, but it’s simply not the same.
So, to keep the cachet alive, Terry is writing books about trains in Western Canada. He writes about the golden age of train travel, from 1948 through to the 1960’s. He talks about the history, the politics, the money and, of course, the romanticism. Book number four is in the works.
He’s also eminently active in the travel industry. He acts as a consultant for a number of tourist-based companies and is recognized as one of Banff’s finest historians. He still travels the world, attends travel conventions and lives abroad for a few months each year.
When he’s not on the road, Terry lives the bachelor’s life in Kaslo, BC. He says that a simple life at home allows him the opportunity to travel far and often.
In summing up a life well-lived, Terry has this to say. “Wandering through a fascinating world, exploring all available corners of the earth, meeting amazing folks from all walks of life and experiencing as many adventures as possible. Life is such a beautiful adventure and needs to be savoured. It’s a one-way ticket!”
Spoken like a true vagabond.
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