CPR 1953 History of Canadian Pacific Scenic Dome Cars

From the CPR Spanner employee magazine comes this article with no byline. However, when you get to the diagram of Car 515, many will instantly know the author. This article was clipped by 26-year-old CPR employee LC Gagnon.

I tried several 'treatments' of the photographs of older rolling stock which I enlarged to hopefully provide more detail. The best outcomes came from minimal adjustments. Some of the originals are light enough that the under-car detail can be seen.

LC Gagnon had just travelled on his third vacation - partially paid for by an employee pass - to the west coast. He ended up waiting a few decades before he finally had the opportunity to ride in NR Crump's stainless steel dome cars. 

His 'hard luck' late-summer open-air exposure to creosote, Rocky Mountain brake smoke, locomotive smoke, steam whistles, stack noise and bolted rail is partially documented at the link below. 

CPR 1950 Banff to Field

Additional trip segments are available for viewing on the Short Subjects 02 index page (click the 'radio button' on the title bar). Just look under 'CPR 1950'.

Considering the full period of time since the CPR last spike until today ... 

The survivors of the CPR Budd stainless-steel purchase have been in continuous service on Canadian rails for more than half of that period.

end

Dome Car Ads from 1948, "Ridin' High, Wide and Handsome!"

I only own a couple of Trains magazines from 1948 (May, June). Leafing through them, the full-page dome car advertisements were striking. For historical comparison, the CPR Canadian began service in April 1955.

When you're young, you have a higher threshold for the onset of discomfort!

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On the CBQ, no hats. 

On the WP, women shall wear hats.

Even travelling west from Calgary through the stunning scenery of the 'Canadian Pacific Rockies', most bottoms tire of the 'super comforts and luxuries' of dome car seats after two or three hours. 

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Arriving at Dearborn Station, Chicago in 1948. 

The Wabash may have owned more domes than 40-foot boxcars.

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Was this a Xerox which was smuggled out of the secret design centre?

These were eventually built by Pullman - although their final appearance was different. The only railroads sold on the Train X concept gave them names and operated them for about a year. They were the New York Central Xplorer (1956-1957) and the Dan'l Webster of the New Haven (1957-1958).