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Caption: Fifty-four years ago this morning, on Sunday, January 1, 1967, two specially painted FP9s left the shop track at CPR's Ottawa West yard to begin a cross-Canada tour. They would lead a Centennial Train that contained various exhibits celebrating the centennial of a confederation of Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Quebec and Ontario as the new Canada. Canada has subsequently prospered and grown from coast to coast to coast. A caravan of Dodge powered tractor-trailers toured Newfoundland and communities remote from rail lines.
The federal government borrowed Canadian Pacific FP9 1411 and Canadian National FP9 6509 for the year-long trans-Canada trip. The lead unit, CPR 1411, became the 1867 and sported Robert Swanson's specially designed horn that played the first few bars of O Canada.
May we all celebrate the coming year in the spirit of that departure all those decades ago.
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I recently met a feller in Sarnia by the name of Chesley (Chess) Maidment. He hails from Newfoundland but moved to Sarnia a long time ago.
He worked on this train for many of the months of its year long journey as a labourer and said it was an amazing job. Told me many stories too. Unreal that it lasted a full year..!!!
Very neat. The livery scheme is well done. Note the roof top hardware – CPR / CNR differences. Note the ‘OH Can-a-da’ special air chime horn, mounted on the CPR unit. Heard that daily at noon, walking home for lunch from my East York school, for almost a full week while the train was parked at CPR Leaside.
sdfourty