Canadian Railroads > Canada's Centennial Train

With burlingtonjohn's post regarding Canada's Discovery Train, I'm reminded of the Centennial Train that toured Canada as part of its 100th birthday celebrations back in 1967.

I know very little about the train other than there was a car for each of the provinces and territories highlighting what each had to offer. Don't know who supplied the power or cars.

I also remember seeing a few of the cars sitting derelict and heavily vandalized on a siding at Tomiko on Ontario Northland's Temagami Sub.

Anyone have any info and/or photos?

TheCurator Wrote:
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> With burlingtonjohn's post regarding Canada's
> Discovery Train, I'm reminded of the Centennial
> Train that toured Canada as part of its 100th
> birthday celebrations back in 1967.
>
> I know very little about the train other than
> there was a car for each of the provinces and
> territories highlighting what each had to offer.
> Don't know who supplied the power or cars.
>
> I also remember seeing a few of the cars sitting
> derelict and heavily vandalized on a siding at
> Tomiko on Ontario Northland's Temagami Sub.
>
> Anyone have any info and/or photos?

Sorry, no photos, but if I remember correctly, the horn played the first few notes of "O Canada."
After the train was de-commissioned, the horn wound up on a major building in Vancouver (BC Hydro ?) and was sounded at noon each day. I don't think it is still there ... but don't know what happened to it.
Will

I believe CP and CN both supplied F units for power..

bob

sooman1 Wrote:
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> I believe CP and CN both supplied F units for
> power..

Yes and they were numbered 1867 and 1967. Here's a link to some photos:

http://expo67.ncf.ca/canada_confederation_train_1967_p1.html

(check out the sound clip of the train horn on the first page of this link)

And here's a brochure:

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I visited the train when it was displayed near Dorval, QC

I recall the display cars were mostly CP smooth side streamlined baggage cars, and the accomodation cars were smooth side CP and CN sleeping cars. Likely, the sleepers returned to regular service after the tour, but I think the baggage cars may no longer have been needed by CP following the discontinuance of the "Expo Limited" (CP's secondary transcon "Dominion" revived for one year during the Fair).

The "O Canada" horns were designed by Mr.Swanson of Air Chime Inc., and later the design "super-sized" for use on a building in Vancouver. Air Chime first designed ship horns for use on coastal shipping.

Of note, the second (gigger) horn on the conductor side of the lead unit was palying the first few notes of O Canada and is now in the NMST collection and is used during some open house /technology days at the museum

The horn still sounds every day in downtown Vancouver on the now ex BC Hydro building which has been converted to a commercial/residential building. The horn's "O Canada" notes were developed by Robert Swanson, a real steam buff, who ran the BC Government's Royal Hudson program at its inception back in the 70's.