The 1967 Confederation train - Date unknown Scott Dunsire.
To most Canadians, the year 1967 means the 100th anniversary of
their nation.
To Canada's two major railways, it also means two of the larger
transportation operations they have tackled, the Confederation Train and the Canadian Armed Forces Tattoo, the
Centennial's major "road shows".
Drawing on the resources of Canadian Pacific and Canadian National,
the movements will be combined operations of both railways in every way.
The Canadian Armed Forces Tattoo, a colourful tableau of Canada's
military history from its French and British origins to the present, will bring music and pageantry,
interspersed with comedy and fantasy, to some 40 Canadian cities and towns.
The Services' principal contribution to Canada's Centennial, the
Tattoo calls for two 24-car trains, one equipped by CP, the other by CN, each with a complement of about 350.
One show will leave the Trenton, Ontario, assembly area in early April for Sydney, Nova Scotia, and from there
begin its westward journey. The other train will travel west after a performance at Barrie, Ontario.
On a visit to Angus Shops, N.R. Crump Chairman of Canadian Pacific,
shows Canada's Centennial Commissioner John Fisher, conversion work on a baggage car to be used on the
Confederation train.
The special train movement will end at Vancouver in mid-May when the
two Tattoos will become one, using several types of transport for the rest of the summer to take it to
large-cast stadium shows at 11 locations, including Expo 67.
The Confederation Train, operating for 11 months next year, is aimed
at bringing a closer understanding of the Centennial spirit and of Canada's heritage. Starting at Victoria,
British Columbia, in mid-January it will work its way east over the next 11 months as far as Sydney, Nova
Scotia.
Its 13-car consist will include six government-owned exhibition cars
containing "living" exhibits, in which visitors will have a feeling of participating, as opposed to
static displays of the "museum" type.
While the Armed Forces Tattoo trains will be easily recognizable as
those of one railway or the other, only sharp-eyed train-watchers will be able to spot either line's equipment
on the specially-decorated Confederation Train.
However, although it will be unlike anything seen before on a
Canadian railway, beneath the skin it will be very much a joint effort of both railways, from its two diesels,
one from each line, to the CN-supplied meal service car and the three CP sleeping cars for train crew and
Centennial personnel.
The six exhibition cars will be converted passenger cars. At Angus
Shops, windows are being filled in and all interior fittings removed before the cars go to Toronto for their
special paint job and installation of exhibits.
Strip-type exterior floodlights on detachable brackets are being
mounted along each side to highlight the train when it is parked at exhibition sites. Because of the power
requirements of the floodlights and interior lighting, as well as those of the exhibits, many of which will be
electrically powered, heavy-duty power cables and receptacles had to be fitted.
As both the Confederation Train and the Tattoo trains will be
stationary for long periods, and not necessarily near power or steam lines, they had to be made completely
self-sufficient. The Confederation Train's high power requirements called for a full-scale generating plant,
which will be in a converted CP baggage car. Power needs of the Tattoo trains will be somewhat less, but as
they also will be parked for long periods, each will have its own means of charging batteries.
Conversion work on six exhibition cars included covering over window openings,
removal of interior fittings, installation of floodlights and heavy-duty power cables.
Requirements for hot water, and heat where necessary, will be met by
CN steam generator cars, one on each Armed Forces train, and on the Confederation Train.
Other equipment on each Tattoo train will be a baggage car for
storage and other uses, a compartment-buffet-lounge car, a coach converted for canteen use, and 14 sleeping
cars, one of which will be for crews of the two dining cars.
For the dining cars, menus have already been planned and worked out
in a number of meetings of Armed Forces dietitians and railway dining car department staff.
Scenery and other equipment required for staging the elaborate
Tattoos will be handled in trailers on piggyback flat cars, three per train.
Scenes in Canada's military history such as these will be included in the
Canadian Armed Forces Tattoo. Left: the famous Le Régiment de Carignan-Salières who
provided the first military protection for settlers of New France. Right: the 42nd Royal Highland
Regiment of Foot, from which the Black Watch Regiment of Canada derives its name - Date unknown
Rolph-Clark-Stone Ltd.
After the special train movement ends, the equipment will continue
to be piggybacked from the large-cast shows at Victoria and Vancouver to similar performances at Ottawa, Expo
67, the Canadian National Exhibition, Hamilton, Ontario, Fort George at Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario, the
Quebec Citadel, Charlottetown, Corner Brook, and St. John's, Newfoundland. Δ
This Canadian Pacific Spanner article is copyright 1966 by the Canadian Pacific
Railway and is reprinted here with their permission. All logos, and trademarks are the property of the
Canadian Pacific Railway Company.
