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THE CANADIAN 60 Years of Transcontinental Passenger Service 1955 - 2015 VOLUME 1B: The Canadian Pacific Era 1955 – 1978 Western Canada C. van Steenis, Calgary, AB. April 2015 CONTENTS Though by no means complete, this series is a pictorial history of Canadian Pacific Railway’s THE CANADIAN and VIA Rail’s CANADIAN marking 60 years of operation from the inaugural runs on 24 April 1955 to 2015; in four volumes: Vol. 1A: The Canadian Pacific Era 1955-1978 in Eastern Canada Vol. 1B: The Canadian Pacific Era 1955-1978 in Western Canada Vol. 2: The Via Rail Canada Era 1978-2015 Vol. 3: Motive Power & Passenger Equipment This Volume, 1B, focuses on Canadian Pacific Railway’s ‘THE CANADIAN’ in western Canada, from Sudbury, Ontario to the western terminus of Waterfront Station in Vancouver, British Columbia. The author wishes to express thanks to the following individuals who kindly provided photos and/or data for this volume: Andy Cassidy, Bruce Chapman, Peter Cox, John Leeming, Phil Mason, Jim Parker, Doug Phillips, Claude Prutton, Don Thomas, Ron Visockis and Dale Wilson. A special thanks to Bruce Chapman for reviewing Volumes 1A & 1B. Photo Credits: All photos are used with the permission of the photographers. The photos of the old stations from the early part of the 20th century are in the public domain; the copyright has expired. Cover Photo: Dome-observation car LAURENTIDE PARK brings up the markers on Train No. 2, ‘THE CANADIAN’ at Wapta Lake, B.C., on 12 August 1978, two months before the end – Cor van Steenis Photo CPR Skyline Dome 517 - 1954 Builder’s Photo THE ORIGINAL ORDER Striving to reverse the trend of declining passenger volumes after World War II and to replace aging equipment, in June of 1953 the Canadian Pacific Railway placed its initial order (of two orders) for 173 stainless steel cars with the Budd Company of Philadelphia, PA. Seventy-seven of the cars were intended to stock the planned transcontinental train THE CANADIAN while the remaining 96 cars were to be used to upgrade CPR’s ‘Dominion’ The cars in the two orders were: 18 Baggage-dormitory cars (3000-3017) 30 First class coaches (100-129) 18 Skyline Dome cars (500-517) 18 Dining cars (16501-16518) 42 Manor sleepers (14301-14342) 29 Chateau sleepers (14201-14229) 18 Sleeper Buffet-Lounge Dome Observation cars (15401-15418) In addition, in 1955, the CPR refurbished 22 G-Series heavyweight sleepers into U- Series sleepers for use on ‘The Canadian’, cladding them with fluted stainless steel, only the clerestory roof gives them away. THE ROUTE OF CPR’s THE CANADIAN 1955 - 1978 The route of Canadian Pacific’s THE CANADIAN remained unchanged from the inaugural runs on 24 April 1955 until the last trains left the eastern and western terminals on 28 October 1978; over 23 years of daily trans-continental passenger service in each direction. Westbound, THE CANADIAN departed from both Montreal’s Windsor Station and Toronto’s Union Station daily; the Montreal section to Sudbury was designated Train No. 1; the Toronto section was known as Train No. 11. At Sudbury the two sections were combined and left for Vancouver’s Waterfront Station, through Winnipeg, Regina and Calgary as Train No. 1. Eastbound, THE CANADIAN departed Vancouver’s Waterfront Station daily as Train No. 2; upon arrival in Sudbury, it was split into Train No. 12 bound for Toronto, while Train No. 2 continued on to Montreal. Sudbury circa 1960 - Jim McRae photo – from the Dale Wilson Collection A LAST LOOK AT SUDBURY, ONTARIO CPR 1403 has cut off from THE CANADIAN while a switcher behind it on the same track beyond the crossover marshals the train’s cars at Sudbury, Ontario. From Sudbury, Train No. 1, THE CANADIAN, headed west to Vancouver; on the return journey it was Train No. 2 that was split at Sudbury for the separate runs as No. 2 to Montreal and No. 12 to Toronto. We now take a look at THE CANADIAN on a western Canada journey as we head west to Winnipeg and points beyond, including the scenic Rocky Mountains, advertised by Canadian Pacific as a premier destination. ADVERTISNG ‘THE CANADIAN’ One of the many posters that were used by the Canadian Pacific Railway to advertise both THE CANADIAN and the scenic destinations in the Rocky Mountains accessible by train, such as Banff and Lake Louise. Winnipeg CPR Station – circa 1915 Unknown Photographer THE WESTERN STATIONS CANADIAN PACIFIC STATION - WINNIPEG Canadian Pacific’s station in Winnipeg was the first major station on the transcontinental line west of Sudbury. The station, on Higgins Avenue, was completed in 1905, enlarged in 1913, and was used until October of 1978. A glass roof was constructed over the tracks in 1916. Huge waves of immigrants to the prairies arrived at this station. It was declared a National Historic Site in 1982. Train No. 2 at CPR Winnipeg Station 23 May 1970 Ron Visockis photo WINNIPEG, MANITOBA CPR FP9A No. 1414, an FB unit and a 2nd FP9A unit have been cut off eastbound Train No. 2 at the CPR station on Higgins Avenue in Winnipeg; the train cars sit under the canopy behind the engines. CPR No. 1414 was one of eleven FP9A’s, numbered 1405-1415, acquired by the CPR in 1954 for service on THE CANADIAN along with eight F9B’s numbered 1900-1907. As well, a number of FP7A’s acquired from 1951- 53 were renumbered from the 4000 series to the 1400 series for service on THE CANADIAN. Some were again renumbered into the 4000 series in the late sixties after THE DOMINION was cancelled in 1966; most of the FB units were then renumbered to the 4400 series as well. THE FIRST CONSIST OF TRAIN NO. 1 THE CANADIAN (1) THROUGH WINNIPEG 24-27 APRIL 1955 FROM SUDBURY TO VANCOUVER After the first Montreal and Toronto sections of THE CANADIAN were combined at Sudbury late on 24 April 1955, the train continued on to Winnipeg and Vancouver as Train No.1; the 15 car consist was as shown below: FIRST TRAIN NO. 1 THROUGH WINNIPEG 25 April 1955 SUDBURY - WINNIPEG – REGINA – CALGARY - VANCOUVER CPR FP9A No. 1409 Dining Car KENT CPR F9B No. 1907 Sleeper BLISS MANOR CPR FP7A No. 1423 Sleeper CHRISTIE MANOR Baggage-dormitory 3006 Sleeper DAWSON MANOR Tourist sleeper UNITY Sleeper WOLFE MANOR Tourist sleep. UNDERWOOD Sleeper CHATEAU RIGAUD Tourist sleeper UDALL Sleeper CHATEAU VARENNES Skyline Dome 514 Sleeper CHATEAU LAUZON Deluxe Coach 102 Dome-Observat. YOHO PARK (1) Consist data compiled by Doug R. Phillips Canoe, B.C. Jun 1967 Jim Parker Photo A RARE FIND DOME-OBSERVATION CAR ‘SIBLEY PARK’ It is rare indeed to find a colour ‘roster type’ shot of one of the 1955 stainless steel Budd cars in their original livery of tuscan red letterboard with ‘CANADIAN PACIFIC’ in gold lettering on the letterboard and the Canadian Pacific beaver shield near the ends of the cars. But Jim Parker was trackside in June of 1967 at Canoe, B.C., MP56.2 of the Shuswap Subdivision, between Kamloops and Revelstoke, to capture this image of ‘SIBLEY PARK’, CPR 15413, in its original livery. The colour scheme shown above lasted from 1955 until 1968 when the CP Rail ‘action red’ livery took its place. In 2004, this car was placed on long-term loan by VIA Rail Canada with the Canadian Railway Museum at Saint-Constant, Quebec. TIMETABLE FOR THE CANADIAN WESTERN SECTION - SUDBURY TO VANCOUVER A typical timetable for THE CANADIAN, Train No. 1 from Sudbury, Ontario, to Vancouver’s Waterfront Station, circa 1966; a 2443 mile journey. The Sudbury to Vancouver portion took just under 59 hours (the whole trip, 2881 miles from Montreal to Vancouver, took just under 72 hours). CPR Station – Gull Lake, Saskatchewan 28 April 1974 Phil Mason photo A PRAIRIE VIEW FROM ‘THE CANADIAN’ Phil Mason took a trip on Train No. 1, THE CANADIAN, westbound across the prairies, in the spring of 1974. As he crossed the desolate prairies, he captured images of the typical wooden stations along the route. Here we see the station at Gull Lake, at MP34.9 on the CPR Maple Creek Subdivision, west of Moose Jaw, SK. It was built in 1902 and demolished in 1985. The Wreck at Gull Lake, SK. 16 Aug 1959 Both Photos - Unknown Photographer – Saskatchewan Archives THE WRECK OF FUNDY PARK On 16 August 1959, Canadian Pacific’s Train No. 8, eastbound, THE DOMINION, was rear-ended by Train No. 6, the daily CPR Mail and Express train, with RS-10 No.’s 8557 & 8481, at Gull Lake, Saskatchewan. THE DOMINION on this day had at least four stainless steel Budd cars on the tail end: sleeper BELL MANOR (below), dining Car PALLISER, sleeper CHATEAU IBERVILLE, and Dome-Observation car FUNDY PARK. All of the cars were repaired except for FUNDY PARK, which was wrecked beyond repair, the only ‘PARK’ car that has ever been lost. THE END OF FUNDY PARK The Wreck at Gull Lake, SK. 16 Aug 1959 Both Photos - Unknown Photographer – Saskatchewan Archives Below: the wreck of Fundy Park CPR Station – Brooks, Alberta 28 April 1974 Phil Mason photo A PRAIRIE VIEW FROM ‘THE CANADIAN’ Phil Mason took a trip on Train No. 1, THE CANADIAN, westbound across the prairies, in the spring of 1974. As he crossed the prairies, he captured images of the wooden stations along the route. Here we see the station at Brooks, Alberta, MP66.8 on the CPR Brooks Subdivision, between Medicine Hat and Calgary. It was built in 1907 and demolished in 1983. CPR Station – Gleichen, Alberta 28 April 1974 Phil Mason photo A PRAIRIE VIEW FROM ‘THE CANADIAN’ Phil Mason took a trip on Train No.