The Canadian

The Canadian (Le Canadien) is a transcontinental passenger train operated by Via Rail with service between Union Station in Toronto, Ontario and Pacific Central Station in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. Before 1955, the Canadian was a Canadian Pacific (CP) train connecting the cities of Toronto and Chicago. Transcontinental service was provided on The Dominion. On April 24, 1955, CP introduced its new transcontinental train between Montreal, Toronto and Vancouver, the Canadian. In 1978, Via Rail Canada acquired the line, and, on January 15, 1990, designated the Canadian as its sole transcontinental service, between Toronto and Vancouver. The new service replaced the former "Super Continental" CN flagship passenger service, and continues to run as of 2022 primarily over Canadian National tracks. In the years following World War II, passenger trains on the CP consisted of a mixture of prewar heavyweight and pre- and post-war lightweight cars, even on its flagship transcontinental The Dominion and its eastern extension, The Atlantic Limited. While these cars were serviceable, American trains of the early 1950s, such as the California Zephyr, had already adopted streamlined all-stainless steel consists featuring domed observation cars. Following an evaluation in 1949 of the dome cars featured on the General Motors / Pullman Standard demonstrator Train of Tomorrow, CP management, including then-Vice President Norris R. Crump, resolved to upgrade its rolling stock. In 1953, CP placed an order for 155 stainless steel cars with the Budd Company of Red Lion, Pennsylvania (a Philadelphia suburb) that included 18 rear-end dome cars (Park series), 18 Skyline mid-train dome cars, 30 coaches, 18 dining cars and 71 sleeping cars (Manor and Château series). A subsequent order for 18 baggage-crew dormitory cars brought the final to total to 173 cars: sufficient for establishing an entirely-new transcontinental service and partially re-equipping The Dominion.