CALGARY, May 10, 2017 /PRNewswire/ - Canadian Pacific
(CP) today announced a summer train tour to celebrate Canada's sesquicentennial while re-connecting
generations of Canadians with the nation's iconic and historic
roots. Through shared stories and celebration, the CP Canada 150
Train will honour the country's past, while acknowledging the
leaders of the present, and looking toward a bright future.
Beginning July 28 in Port Moody, B.C., CP is hosting celebrations
in 13 Canadian cities and towns. The train will travel west to
east, completing a reverse tour of the very first transcontinental
passenger train trip made on June 28,
1886, which started in Montreal and travelled to Port Moody. The final CP Canada 150 Train
event takes place August 20, 2017 in
Ottawa.
"It is my honour to invite communities and citizens from across
the country to join us in celebrating the nation, the railway and
the future of Canada," said
Keith Creel, CP President and Chief
Executive Officer. "CP has been connecting Canada for 136 years, something we consider a
distinct privilege. We are proud to have been a part of building
Canada, proud to employ the
country's best railroaders, and we look forward to many more years
of giving Canadians a reason to be proud of this railway."
Incorporated in 1881, Canadian Pacific Railway (CPR) was an
integral part of confederation. As a physical link between east and
west, the building of the CPR is one of the country's greatest
feats of engineering. As the railway diversified to include
steamships, hotels, and beginning in the 1940s, Canadian Pacific
Airlines, many considered the CPR to be the world's greatest travel
company. CP has since returned to its core business of railroading,
and is the safest railway in North
America.
A key part of the program will be the Spirit of Tomorrow, a
special railcar which, as it moves across Canada, will be decorated with thousands of
handwritten cards from children outlining their dreams for the
future. CP will be inviting kids at every stop to contribute to
decorating this car, which will be included in CP's Holiday Train
program for 2017, giving more Canadians a chance to view the final
creation.
The Spirit of Tomorrow is only part of the splendor of the CP
Canada 150 Train. Iconic F-unit diesel locomotive CP 1401 (1958)
will lead the train, powering more than 10 beautifully restored
Royal Canadian Pacific heritage cars. As the train makes its way
across the country, it will be the exclusive event backdrop for
photographers and admirers alike. Also included in the train is
CP's exclusive retrofitted stage car from which event-goers will be
treated to a truly Canadian performance.
Aboriginal entertainer and world champion hoop dancer
Dallas Arcand will open the stage
show with his world-renowned athleticism and grace, sharing the
symbolism of the hoop dance and its significance in aboriginal
communities. Following Arcand will be a concert from Canadian
country music superstar Dean
Brody.
"I am so excited to be celebrating Canada's 150th by train this summer, playing
towns along the way, experiencing some of the more rugged and rare
routes across our country," said Brody, 13-time Canadian Country
Music Award winner and two-time Juno Award winner, most recently
for 2016 Country Album of the Year.
This family-friendly occasion has something for Canadians of all
ages and there are a number of activities to explore during the
three hour event. History buffs will delight in seeing images and
facts pulled from CP's archives, and kids of all ages can design
their very own conductor's hat as a memento of the day.
To further celebrate Canada's
150th birthday and to recognize the people, families and
communities that helped shape the nation, CP is running a contest
to learn "What's your railway legacy?" From stories of sacrifice,
bravery, ingenuity, even romance, authors of the two most
compelling true short stories will win the experience of a lifetime
including a two-day, two-night, all-expense paid trip for two
aboard the CP Canada 150 Train, with five-star hospitality from the
staff of the Royal Canadian Pacific. Visit cpr.ca to enter.
Today, as part of the Canada
150 announcement, CP also launched a new video higlighting the role
the railway played, and continues to play, in connecting
Canada. For a full list of event
locations, dates and times, including further details on CP's
contest and history, visit www.cpr.ca.
NOTE TO EDITORS: A full backgrounder on CP's Canada 150 train is available here
About Canadian Pacific
Canadian Pacific is a transcontinental railway in Canada and the
United States with direct links to eight major ports,
including Vancouver and
Montreal, providing North American
customers a competitive rail service with access to key markets in
every corner of the globe. CP is growing with its customers,
offering a suite of freight transportation services, logistics
solutions and supply chain expertise. Visit cpr.ca to see the rail
advantages of CP.
SOURCE Canadian Pacific