Canadian Pacific Railway

Passenger Car Study

A passenger car study was undertaken in late 1952 following which it was determined to order 155 new stainless passenger cars of various types to re-equip The Dominion which at the time was operating with two complete trains daily from
Montreal to Vancouver and from Toronto to Vancouver. This was later augmented by 18 baggage-dormitory cars bringing
the total to 173 cars which were ordered June 25, 1953 by Vice-president N.R.Crump, to be built by Budd Company of Philadelphia. Substantial Canadian content was included.

In 1954 the two "Dominions" were dieselized allowing schedules to be sped up. June 4, 1954, the first Budd stainless steel cars begin delivery. The first two go on display. The rest are put into service upon arrival on the "Dominions" as originally proposed.

October 1954 it is decided to name a new train and it would go on to be sped up by eliminating a number of station stops across Canada leaving those places to be served by a single Dominion.. Train "X" was first intended to be named Royal Canadian however, indecision by Parliament delayed applying for royal approval from Buckingham Palace and it was necessary to have a name in place thus, The Canadian was born and began operating Sunday, April 24, 1955.

A second order was placed for 57 cars but later increased by 5 totalling 62 cars in order to finish equipping both
cross country trains. These cars were to be completed by Canadian Car and Foundry in Montreal under license from Budd Company. Consideration was given to ordering 3 full length dome cars as well. Unfortunately, the entire order was
cancelled in February 1957.

Additionally, this study looked at requirements for fast intercity trains and suburban (commuter) trains as well. This bought about another history making decision, the ordering of 4 Budd-built Rail Diesel Cars (RDC) stainless steel passenger cars that were self-propelled. "Budd Car" as they were commonly known were given their own identity on CPR as "Dayliner" since their fast speed allowed for longer runs without overnight sleeping cars. Although in fact the only really long runs were in southern BC on the Kettle Valley. Sleeping cars were in fact considered (1957) as were dining cars, or at least RDC's
with those type of compartments, none of which were ordered. Budd Cars were also used successfully on a number of branchlines prolonging passenger service to smaller communities. These very successful Budd Cars, a few of which still operate decades later, were a modern version of the self-propelled gas-electric cars often referred to as "doodlebugs"
and had evolved over many decades becoming the only truly successful such cars.

Suburban trains were operated for Montreal commuters and these too required modern replacements. This time
standard lightweight steel cars built in Canada were chosen and 40 of these high seating capacity coaches were ordered
and numbered in the new 800 series. These were later supplemented by a single small order of 9 bi-level coaches built in Canada in 1970.

Other than a small quantity of used stainless steel cars there was no other passenger equipment ordered by the CPR.

The End