CP Holiday Train

[Amtrak31]

http://www8.cpr.ca/cms/English/Media/Ne ... +event.htm I will definately be out seeing it! I think it's excellent that CP does this every year. They're out collecting canned goods for the less fortunate and they're also creating fun for everyone. What are your thoughts about the CP Holiday Train?

[metman499]

It's a good PR move. There seemed to be a lot of regular people with kids in addition to the railfans in Scranton last night. It also does a lot of good work for charities.

[EJ&ESDM809]

I went to Gurnee yesterday and saw the Holiday Train, and all I have to say is that it was awesome. It looks better then ever, it even had Christmas lights that change colors this year!

[Amtrak31]

I saw it also, along with Robby. I enjoyed it very much. It was about an hour and a half drive but it was worth it. I hope to see it in Franklin Park next year.

[Ken V]

The CP Holiday Train is about to set out once again. As in the past, there will be two trains this year. One will travel from Scranton PA thru upper New York and then move on to the Midwest U.S. by way of Southern Ontario. The other will go from Montreal QC to Vancouver BC along CP's transcontinental route.

Routings, times, and locations can be viewed at CP Holiday Train Schedule. If one of these trains will be passing near you, I hope you'll take the time to go out to see it (and support your local food bank at the same time).

[gp9rm4108]

From the looks of the schedule it seems as if there is a train running down the main line to Toronto and one running up the Chalk River Sub (the line CP leased to OVR).

[EJ&ESDM809]

I am either going to Gurnee like last year, or Wisconsin Dells to see it. If I were to go the the Dells I would be staying there a few days and seeing other trains at the bridge, not just the Holiday train.

[Ken V]

The routes and schedules for the 2007 Holiday Trains have been announced by Canadian Pacific. The details are available on the CPR website
.

The U.S. Holiday Train will be departing Montreal on November 29 and head south to Scranton PA and begin its journey on Saturday December 1. It will travel north through Pennsylvania and New York states and then head across southern Ontario and Michigan to reach the Chicago area on December 8. The Canadian train will leave Montreal on Saturday December 1 and arrive in Port Moody BC on December 19.

A nice feature this year is a set of interactive maps where you can follow each train's route and view the scheduled stops.

[MissisquoiValleyRR]

Anyone have an idea as to why the Canadian train starts out at the Beaconsfiled commuter station instead of in downtown Montreal? Seems to me like a waste of a good opportunity, though I imagine there's some silly technical reason.

[Ken V]

Anyone have an idea as to why the Canadian train starts out at the Beaconsfiled commuter station instead of in downtown Montreal? Seems to me like a waste of a good opportunity, though I imagine there's some silly technical reason.

Assuming the Holiday train will originally start out from St. Luc Yard, going into downtown Montreal would be heading in the wrong direction. Another complication is the train would have to back in or out of Lucien L'Allier (Windsor) Station and be turned around back at St. Luc or perhaps AMT's Glen Yard, and that takes a lot of time. Why Beaconsfield instead of a more centrally located station (like Dorval or Lachine), that I don't know. The scheduled stop being on Saturday December 1st means that AMT commuter trains won't interfere much.

[MissisquoiValleyRR]

Thanks for the reply, Ken, but would it really be so problematic to either run it backwards into Windsor from St. Luc, or to attach an engine to the other end so that it can be pulled in?

The G. d. CPR pulled out of Windsor Station without so much as leaving an old engine behind and now they don't even wanr to be seen near there!

BTW, the Lachine station is in an industrial area north of and not visible from the 20. Most people are a lot more familiar with Dorval & Beaconsfield.

[St-Jean Diamond]

For those interested, here is a video clip I made while the Holiday train was stopped in Lacolle, Qc before heading for the States. The colors are fantastic!
http://www.rail-videos.net/video/view.php?id=1340

Bicot

[uhaul]

I love it when the Canadiens "invade" from the north and help us.
The colors are beautiful and I just thought of a way to avoid the yellow frame stripe. With a train as bright as that it probably would never get hit from lack of visibility. So, why did CP not use a ES44AC?
Again, a very worthy cause and a festive looking train for sure.

World AIDS Day

[conrail4104]

Check out the Cp Holiday Train Video.
http://www.photorunby.com/video_cp.html

[oleanfuzz]

I love it when the Canadiens "invade" from the north and help us.
The colors are beautiful and I just thought of a way to avoid the yellow frame stripe. With a train as bright as that it probably would never get hit from lack of visibility. So, why did CP not use a ES44AC?
Again, a very worthy cause and a festive looking train for sure.

World AIDS Day

The ES44AC's don't have the golden beaver logo that the later AC4400CW's have, and the SD90's aren't reliable enough. IIRC they chose two units with the required paint scheme in mid october that come in for their 92 day inspection. That's why it usually isn't the same units year after year.

Mike