All Aboard!

3 days ago

Canada is a relatively young country, even though its history reaches far beyond the mists of recorded time. By the 19th century, the east coast was settled, and there were a few outposts in the west coast, but the region was generally isolated by land from the rest of the confederation. To consolidate that union of east to west, a twin steel railway was constructed across the continent to the province of British Columbia. The first train arrived from Montreal at the terminus in the city of Port Moody on July 4, 1886.

Westward ho! Was the transcontinental cry of many as the expansion began full steam ahead towards the new frontier, transforming the region into a national economic superpower.

The line was extended to Vancouver proper, and among much fanfare and jubilee the first train arrived on May 23, 1887. It was official. The east-west confederational handshake was complete.

A band played music, crowds cheered, flags waved in the breeze as the train rolled into town that day. The state-of-the-art Engine no. 374 arrived hauling 150 passengers.

CPR stands for Canadian Pacific Railway

The train had been decorated in honour of Queen Victoria’s celebrations on that historic day in May. From then on, the city of Vancouver became the big daddy in the west coast, surpassing Victoria as the top economic power in the region.

The refurbished engine is now housed in the Roundhouse Community centre, where it is cared for by volunteers with support from the city, CPR, and other organizations. The train’s official retirement occurred in 1945, but thanks to the dedication of volunteers, who even sold “heritage” bricks to raise funds, this piece of history can now be appreciated by locals and visitors.