![]() ![]() Matching its streamlined appearance, The Canadian 's 71-hour westbound schedule was 16 hours faster than that of The Dominion.Īlthough initially successful, passenger train ridership began to decline in Canada during the 1960s. The Montreal section (also serving Ottawa) was known as train 1 westbound and train 2 eastbound, while the Toronto section was known as train 11 westbound and train 12 eastbound. The train operated with Montreal and Toronto sections, which ran combined west of Sudbury, Ontario. Although CPR competitor Canadian National Railways began its own new transcontinental service, the Super Continental, on the same day, CPR was able to boast honestly that The Canadian was "The first and only all-stainless steel 'dome' stream-liner in Canada" - it was not until 1964 that the CNR acquired dome cars from the Milwaukee Road. Running time between Montreal and Vancouver was reduced from about 85 to 71 hours, so that passengers spent only three, rather than four, nights en route. Service under CPR ĬPR christened its new flagship train The Canadian and service began on April 24, 1955. Although these F-units remained the preferred power for the train, it would occasionally pulled by a variety of motive power, including Montreal Locomotive Works FPA-2s. To complement the new rolling stock, the CPR ordered General Motors Diesel FP9 locomotives to supplement an existing fleet of FP7s. When the decision was made to add budget sleeping cars, the Budd order was supplemented by 22 existing heavyweight sleepers that CPR refurbished in its own Angus Shops, each fitted-out with Budd-style stainless steel cladding. The interior design of these new cars was contracted to the Philadelphia architectural firm Harbeson, Hough, Livingston & Larson (a company known for its industrial designs on other prominent passenger trains such as the Pioneer Zephyr), and the resulting furnishings and pastel-shaded colour schemes were widely acclaimed.Īfter deciding to name the Park series dome cars after famous Canadian parks, leading Canadian artists, including members of the Group of Seven, were commissioned to paint suitable murals for these cars. A subsequent order for 18 baggage-crew dormitory cars brought the final to total to 173 cars: sufficient for establishing an entirely-new transcontinental service and partially re-equipping The Dominion. In 1953, CPR placed an order for 155 stainless steel cars with the Budd Company of Red Lion, Pennsylvania (a Philadelphia suburb) that included 18 rear-end dome cars ( Park series), 18 Skyline mid-train dome cars, 30 coaches, 18 dining cars and 71 sleeping cars ( Manor and Château series). ![]() Crump, resolved to upgrade its rolling stock. Following an evaluation in 1949 of the dome cars featured on the General Motors / Pullman Standard demonstrator Train of Tomorrow, CPR management, including then-Vice President Norris R. While these cars were serviceable, American trains of the early 1950s, such as the California Zephyr, had already adopted streamlined all- stainless steel consists featuring domed observation cars. In the years following World War II, passenger trains on the CPR consisted of a mixture of prewar heavyweight and pre- and post-war lightweight cars, even on its flagship transcontinental The Dominion and its eastern extension, The Atlantic Limited. The new service replaced the former "Super Continental" CNR flagship passenger service, and continues to run as of 2022 primarily over Canadian National tracks. (Montreal-Sudbury-Vancouver through service, originally the main section of the train, was discontinued on this date). Via Rail Canada took over in 1978, and, on January 15, 1990, designated the Canadian as its sole transcontinental service, between Toronto and Vancouver-only. On April 24, 1955, CPR renamed its best transcontinental train between Montreal/Toronto and Vancouver the Canadian, with new lightweight stainless-steel equipment. ![]() The Canadian ( French: Le Canadien) is a transcontinental passenger train operated by Via Rail with service between Union Station in Toronto, Ontario and Pacific Central Station in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.īefore 1955, the Canadian was a Canadian Pacific Railway (CPR) train between Toronto and Chicago. Skyline car, park car, panoramic dome car (between Edmonton and Vancouver)Īrtists on Board Program, WiFi (coming in later 2017 in areas with cell coverage)Ĭhecked baggage available at selected stations Two trains per week in each direction off peak, one extra train per week between Edmonton and Vancouver on peak.īerths, bedrooms for one, two or three ĭining car, Skyline Cafe, take out, in-room service (Prestige Class only), bar The westbound Canadian near Jasper, Alberta ![]()
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