Park series explained

Park series
Interiorimage:Observation car Algonquin Park 2.jpg
Interiorcaption:Interior of Algonquin Park in 1978
Service:1954–present
Manufacturer:Budd
Yearconstruction:1954
Numberbuilt:18
Numberservice:14
Carbody:Stainless steel
Width:10feet
Height:15feet

The Park series or Park car is a fleet of lightweight streamlined dome-sleeper-observation cars built by the Budd Company for the Canadian Pacific Railway in 1954. Sixteen of the cars were named for a Canadian national or provincial park, while one was named for a wildlife reserve, and one was named for what was at the time a private park owned by Canadian Pacific subsidiary Dominion Atlantic Railway, but is now one of the National Historic Sites of Canada. Via Rail acquired the fleet from Canadian Pacific in 1978 and the majority of the cars remain in active service.

Design

The cars were constructed of stainless steel; save for a Tuscan red letterboard bearing the name "Canadian Pacific" they were unpainted. Each car was named for a Canadian national or provincial park; CP assigned numbers in the 15400-series, but the cars did not carry them.[1] The interiors were largely plastic, including the handrails up to the dome area. Inside at the front of the car were four private rooms: three double bedrooms (D, C, and B) and one drawing room (A). A single corridor on the left hand side of the car led past the 12-seat beverage room or "Mural Lounge" (under the dome), and led to the 13-seat observation lounge at the rear of the car; a short flight of stairs was located centrally at the front of the observation lounge which led up to the dome, with seating for 24.

An initial proposal for each car to have its own decorative scheme was rejected on cost ground; instead there were two schemes: "O" and "P"; both of which were developed by Harbeson, Hough, Livingston and Larson, a firm of architects in Philadelphia frequently used by Budd. Additionally, a leading Canadian artist was commissioned to produce two murals for the beverage room: a main mural NaNinchesby41inchesin (byin) for the front wall, and an auxiliary mural 163inchesby45inchesin (byin) for the right hand (window-side) wall. In addition, they were asked to provide a 3feetby5feetft (byft) decorative map for the observation lounge which was mounted above the writing desk to the right of the dome staircase. Both related to the Park the car was named after. At the time of their construction in 1954 the listed capacity throughout the car was 54 persons.[2] Via removed the murals in 1986. Via rebuilt the cars in the early 1990s, converting them to Head End Power (HEP), and renumbering them into the 8700-series. They also added a panel of clocks to the observation lounge showing the different time zones in Canada.

Fleet list

Table of cars[3] ! CP No. !! Via No. (1979) !! Via No. (HEP) !! Name !! Park !! Decor !! Artist !! Notes
15401 15501 — Algonquin Park P Leased to Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum[4]
15402 15502 8702 Assiniboine Park O George Franklin Arbuckle
15403 15503 8703 Banff Park P
15404 15504 8704 Evangeline Park O Harry Leslie Smith
15405 — — Fundy Park O Wrecked in 1959
15406 15506 8706 Glacier Park P Adam Sherriff Scott
15407 15507 8707 Kokanee Park O Featured in the 1976 film Silver Streak
15408 15508 8708 Kootenay Park P
15409 15509 8709 Laurentide Park O
15410 15510 8710 Prince Albert Park P Frederick James Finley
15411 15511 8711 Revelstoke Park P
15412 15512 — Riding Mountain Park P William Arthur Winter Owned by Fort Wayne Railroad Historical Society[5]
15413 15513 — Sibley Park O Owned by Canadian Railway Museum
15414 15514 8714 Strathcona Park O
15415 15515 8715 Tremblant Park O
15416 15516 8716 Tweedsmuir Park O
15417 15517 8717 Waterton Park P Llewellyn Petley-Jones
15418 15518 8718 Yoho Park P Thomas Harold Beament

Operation

Budd delivered 18 Park cars for the Canadian Pacific in 1954 as part of a massive 173-car order which equipped the new transcontinental Canadian and re-equipped the Dominion.[6] The first car to enter service was the Banff Park.[7] Fundy Park was wrecked in a collision on the Dominion at Gull Lake, Saskatchewan, in 1959.[8] [9] Via Rail acquired the remaining 17 Park cars from Canadian Pacific in 1978. 14 remain on the roster. They are always assigned to the Canadian and the Jasper – Prince Rupert train, and can also be found on the Ocean and the Winnipeg – Churchill train.[10] The three cars listed in the Preserved section below were in service until VIA converted the ex CPR Budd equipment to HEP in the early 1990s. They were stored at Ottawa station for many years until disposition by VIA.

Preserved

Several Park cars are no longer in regular revenue service:

See also

References

External links

Notes and References

  1. Book: Railway Passenger Car Annual, Volume I, 1973-1974 . RPC Publications . Randall, W. David . 1974 . Park Forest, IL . 66–67.
  2. The 50th Anniversary of the CPR Stainless Steel Passenger Fleet . Canadian Rail . November–December 2004 . 503 . 211–223.
  3. Canadian Trackside Guide 1990 . Canadian Trackside Guide . 1990 . Bytown Railway Society . Ottawa . 4-12, 4-15 . 0829-3023.
  4. https://www.tvrail.com/equipment/algonquin-park/
  5. https://www.facebook.com/fortwaynerailroad/posts/pfbid02kqo3vpGAzPSNe6MzyzETudoKeVmLTBhY3ff8UdkKGrVy5UBy2K8KEUySSFTwi18Hl
  6. Book: Rails Across Canada: The History of Canadian Pacific and Canadian National Railways . . Murray, Tom . 2011 . Minneapolis, MN . 125–126 . 978-0-7603-4008-0.
  7. Car Banff Park in 2004 . Canadian Rail . November–December 2004 . 503 . 248–249.
  8. News: 69 Injured When Trains Collide at Gull Lake . Star-Phoenix. August 17, 1959. 3. Newspapers.com. June 6, 2019 .
  9. The View From The Top . Elson, Harvey W. . Canadian Rail . February 1976 . 289 . 40.
  10. Web site: Sleeping cars - Park car . . 6 February 2015.
  11. Web site: Hiwassee Premium Service . . 6 February 2015.
  12. Web site: Lynch . Kelly . 2022-11-15 . "Premiere" Observation Car Acquired for First-Class Service . 2023-07-30 . Fort Wayne Railroad Historical Society . en-US.

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