Canadian Railroads > The Confederation Train

1967 was the 100th Anniversary of Canadian Confederation and the Confederation Train toured the country that year telling Canada's history in specially outfitted exhibit cars.

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The map above is a bit inaccurate as it shows the train route crossing Newfoundland. The railway there was narrow-gauge so it could not accommodate the mainland equipment. Instead.....Newfoundland (which had only been part of Canada for less than 20 years in 1967) had stops by the Confederation Caravan ....A group of trucks set up together with displays very similar to those on the train. Besides Newfoundland......the Caravan visited many smaller communities across the country where the train did not stop.

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Although the Confederation Train didn't visit Newfoundland......it was carried by a Railcar Ferry to and from Vancouver Island where it began it's journey across the country in January 1967 and also to Prince Edward Island.

ghCBNS Wrote:
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> Although the Confederation Train didn't visit
> Newfoundland......it was carried by a Railcar
> Ferry to . . . Prince Edward Island.

I'd love to see photos of this train on PEI! Did it tour the Island or just go on display at Borden?

CPR_4000 Wrote:
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> I'd love to see photos of this train on PEI! Did
> it tour the Island or just go on display at
> Borden?

Itinerary says it was in Charlottetown on Sept 20 to 23 1967 (It really had to go to Charlottetown....the Birthplace of Confederation!) .....then onto Summerside on Sept 24.

And in Nova Scotia....an interesting route: it made stops in Yarmouth and Kentville so had to run on the Dominion Atlantic Railway.

What a wonderful and great Country. I'm proud to have CANADA as my next door neighbor. GOD BLESS YOU ALL.

Jim
Hatboro, PA

Chooch Wrote:
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> What a wonderful and great Country. I'm proud to
> have CANADA as my next door neighbor. GOD BLESS
> YOU ALL.
>
> Jim
> Hatboro, PA

I'm proud to be Canadian and having USA as our neighbor.
Happy Victoria Day and Memorial Day.
Doug

hoggerdoug Wrote:
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> Chooch Wrote:
> -------------------------------------------------
>
> I'm proud to be Canadian and having USA as our
> neighbor.
> Happy Victoria Day and Memorial Day.
> Doug

Same here!

Gary

Posted from Android

Wonderful thing to unite a country by building a railroad. Too bad we can't ride most of the CP today.
The USA was created in a far bloodier manner.

The map also does not show the visitation to southern Alberta. I recall having my photo taken by my Dad with me in front of the lead loco parked along 9th Avenue in Calgary during February 1967. We waited for the next blowing of the horn which came forth with the first few notes of "Oh Canada". It was a cold day as I recall but what a beautiful train it was. I was 7 years old at the time.

The photo was lost when my father unfortunately threw out all of the family slides after my Mom died. It is the one photo that I truly wish I had to this day. At least I have the memory.

Rick



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/20/17 19:36 by rschonfelder.

rschonfelder Wrote:
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> The map also does not show the visitation to
> southern Alberta. I recall having my photo taken
> by my Dad with me in front of the lead loco parked
> along 9th Avenue in Calgary during February 1967.

Here's the Confederation Train's Itinerary showing the stops in southern Alberta.

I see the train also had stops in southern British Columbia at Castlegar and Cranbrook. There's a photo in “Kettle Valley Mileboards” of it passing Brodie eastbound so probably accessed this freight only route at Spences Bridge. Fun to speculate what routes it took as it had been in Kelowna just before...then in Prince Rupert 3 days after Cranbrook.

And an FYI.....there is a great article in detail about the Confederation Train in the current issue of "Classic Trains Magazine"

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