Imperial Limited
Encyclopedia
The Imperial Limited was the Canadian Pacific Railway
's premier passenger train across Canada between Montreal, Quebec and Vancouver, British Columbia. It began operation June 18, 1899, seven days a week as a seasonal service supplementing the six days per week eastward Atlantic Express and its westward counterpart, the Pacific Express. It catered to travellers wanting to see the scenic Rocky Mountains
and to vacation there. It was these well-to-do people that Sir William Cornelius Van Horne
sought to attract in ever-increasing numbers, to travel to Canada, many on Canadian Pacific's ocean ships, then on Canadian Pacific's trains and to stay in Canadian Pacific's chalet
s at Banff Springs Hotel
and Chateau Lake Louise
. His famous quote was: "Since we can¹t export the scenery, we will have to import the tourists". And import them he did! In ever greater numbers.
Equipped with luxurious sleeping and dining cars it continued the emphasis on comfort that the CPR had offered travellers from the beginning in 1886. It went to year round service in June 1911 at which time it replaced the original trains, Atlantic Express and Pacific Express.
In 1929 it was re-named simply Imperial due to the introduction of the seasonal Trans-Canada Limited which featured new steel equipment. The Trans-Canada Limited was doomed by the Great Depression
which struck after only one season. It operated one more season in 1930 and was discontinued, its equipment redistributed or stored.
In the 1931 and 1932 summer season two trains were operated — The Imperial for Montreal-Vancouver service and The Dominion for Toronto-Vancouver.
The name Imperial was eliminated effective June 25, 1933 at which time The Dominion became the premier train. A numbered train continued in the Imperial's absence, lasting until April 28, 1956 at which time the loss of the Royal Mail contract ended the service.
The depression was ended by the coming of World War II
, a time at which luxury train travel was not vital and many first class cars were stored or modified for wartime needs. After the war, new equipment was essential to replace an over-worked fleet. A new material was now available instead of the heavy steel that had in use for decades. Stainless steel, fashioned in a streamlined manner to appeal to the public and outfitted in the best tradition of CPR care for its customers.
This new equipment would be hauled by diesel locomotive
s, not the tried-and-true steam locomotive
s that had been at the head of the CPR's passenger trains since the beginning. Diesels had already begun handling The Dominion between Calgary, Alberta and Revelstoke, British Columbia
in 1952.
April 24, 1955 saw the introduction of The Canadian
as the flagship train between Montreal and Vancouver along with a Toronto-Sudbury section with through sleeping cars. At this time The Dominion became a secondary service between those points.
The Canadian continued until the takeover of CPR passenger train operations by Via Rail
in October 1978, when the train was re-named simply Canadian, and it was re-routed, mostly over the Canadian National Railway
and service continues to this day.
Canadian Pacific Railway
The Canadian Pacific Railway , formerly also known as CP Rail between 1968 and 1996, is a historic Canadian Class I railway founded in 1881 and now operated by Canadian Pacific Railway Limited, which began operations as legal owner in a corporate restructuring in 2001...
's premier passenger train across Canada between Montreal, Quebec and Vancouver, British Columbia. It began operation June 18, 1899, seven days a week as a seasonal service supplementing the six days per week eastward Atlantic Express and its westward counterpart, the Pacific Express. It catered to travellers wanting to see the scenic Rocky Mountains
Rocky Mountains
The Rocky Mountains are a major mountain range in western North America. The Rocky Mountains stretch more than from the northernmost part of British Columbia, in western Canada, to New Mexico, in the southwestern United States...
and to vacation there. It was these well-to-do people that Sir William Cornelius Van Horne
William Cornelius Van Horne
Sir William Cornelius Van Horne, KCMG was a pioneering Canadian railway executive.-Life and career:Born in 1843 in rural Illinois, he moved with his family to Joliet, Illinois when he was eight years old...
sought to attract in ever-increasing numbers, to travel to Canada, many on Canadian Pacific's ocean ships, then on Canadian Pacific's trains and to stay in Canadian Pacific's chalet
Chalet
A chalet , also called Swiss chalet, is a type of building or house, native to the Alpine region, made of wood, with a heavy, gently sloping roof with wide, well-supported eaves set at right angles to the front of the house.-Definition and origin:...
s at Banff Springs Hotel
Banff Springs Hotel
The Fairmont Banff Springs or simply the Banff Springs Hotel is a former railway hotel constructed in Scottish Baronial style located in Banff National Park, Alberta, Canada. The original hotel, designed by American architect Bruce Price, was built between spring of 1887 and 1888 by the Canadian...
and Chateau Lake Louise
Chateau Lake Louise
The Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise is a Fairmont Hotel on the eastern shore of Lake Louise, near Banff, Alberta. The original Chateau was gradually built up at the end of the 19th and the beginning of the 20th century by the Canadian Pacific Railway and was thus "kin" to its predecessors, the Banff...
. His famous quote was: "Since we can¹t export the scenery, we will have to import the tourists". And import them he did! In ever greater numbers.
Equipped with luxurious sleeping and dining cars it continued the emphasis on comfort that the CPR had offered travellers from the beginning in 1886. It went to year round service in June 1911 at which time it replaced the original trains, Atlantic Express and Pacific Express.
In 1929 it was re-named simply Imperial due to the introduction of the seasonal Trans-Canada Limited which featured new steel equipment. The Trans-Canada Limited was doomed by the Great Depression
Great Depression
The Great Depression was a severe worldwide economic depression in the decade preceding World War II. The timing of the Great Depression varied across nations, but in most countries it started in about 1929 and lasted until the late 1930s or early 1940s...
which struck after only one season. It operated one more season in 1930 and was discontinued, its equipment redistributed or stored.
In the 1931 and 1932 summer season two trains were operated — The Imperial for Montreal-Vancouver service and The Dominion for Toronto-Vancouver.
The name Imperial was eliminated effective June 25, 1933 at which time The Dominion became the premier train. A numbered train continued in the Imperial's absence, lasting until April 28, 1956 at which time the loss of the Royal Mail contract ended the service.
The depression was ended by the coming of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, a time at which luxury train travel was not vital and many first class cars were stored or modified for wartime needs. After the war, new equipment was essential to replace an over-worked fleet. A new material was now available instead of the heavy steel that had in use for decades. Stainless steel, fashioned in a streamlined manner to appeal to the public and outfitted in the best tradition of CPR care for its customers.
This new equipment would be hauled by diesel locomotive
Diesel locomotive
A diesel locomotive is a type of railroad locomotive in which the prime mover is a diesel engine, a reciprocating engine operating on the Diesel cycle as invented by Dr. Rudolf Diesel...
s, not the tried-and-true steam locomotive
Steam locomotive
A steam locomotive is a railway locomotive that produces its power through a steam engine. These locomotives are fueled by burning some combustible material, usually coal, wood or oil, to produce steam in a boiler, which drives the steam engine...
s that had been at the head of the CPR's passenger trains since the beginning. Diesels had already begun handling The Dominion between Calgary, Alberta and Revelstoke, British Columbia
Revelstoke, British Columbia
Revelstoke is a city in southeastern British Columbia, Canada. It is located east of Vancouver, and west of Calgary, Alberta. The city is situated on the banks of the Columbia River just south of the Revelstoke Dam and near its confluence with the Illecillewaet River...
in 1952.
April 24, 1955 saw the introduction of The Canadian
The Canadian
The Canadian is a Canadian transcontinental passenger train originally operated by the Canadian Pacific Railway between 1955 and 1978. It is currently operated as an Inter-city rail service by Via Rail Canada with service between Union Station in Toronto, Ontario and Pacific Central Station in...
as the flagship train between Montreal and Vancouver along with a Toronto-Sudbury section with through sleeping cars. At this time The Dominion became a secondary service between those points.
The Canadian continued until the takeover of CPR passenger train operations by Via Rail
VIA Rail
Via Rail Canada is an independent crown corporation offering intercity passenger rail services in Canada. It is headquartered near Montreal Central Station at 3 Place Ville-Marie in Montreal, Quebec....
in October 1978, when the train was re-named simply Canadian, and it was re-routed, mostly over the Canadian National Railway
Canadian National Railway
The Canadian National Railway Company is a Canadian Class I railway headquartered in Montreal, Quebec. CN's slogan is "North America's Railroad"....
and service continues to this day.