Our neighbor to the north hosted the
only true
transcontinental railroads to be found in North America during the
streamliner era (and still does). In addition, the Alaska Railroad
provided a commercial lifeline for the development of the city of
Fairbanks in the heart of the Alaskan wilderness.
Note:
This section includes trains with at least one terminal city in the
Canada/Alaska region. Trains which transited Canada through the
Detroit/Windsor to Buffalo corridor, but which had both end points in
the "lower 48", will be found on Track
3.
The
Trains:
Algoma Central Trains 1 and 2
Local train service over the
Algoma Central Railway between Sault Ste. Marie and Hearst, Ontario,
subsidized by the Canadian government as an essential remote service
through a virtually roadless area. Algoma Central
Trains 1 and 2 - June/July 1986
The Atlantic Limited
Canadian
Pacific operated this service from Montreal to St. John via northern
Maine, with connecting ferry and train service on to Halifax operated
by CPR affiliate Dominion Atlantic Ry. Atlantic
Limited/RDC Service - May, 1957
The Gull
Traveling from Boston to Halifax in
the
mid-1950's? You might very well consider this leisurely overnight
service between Boston and Saint John, New Brunswick, with connecting
service and a through sleeper to Halifax. Boston & Maine, Maine
Central, and Canadian Pacific combined on the Boston-St. John
service, while Canadian National operated the service from St. John to
Halifax. The Gull
- July, 1954
The International
Limited
A premium overnight service operated by
the Grand Trunk and Canadian National between Chicago, Toronto, and
Montreal. International
Limited - February, 1955
Canadian National/Grand Trunk
Western's day train between Chicago and Toronto via Port Huron/Sarnia. Maple Leaf
- April, 1971
The Midnight
Sun
Overnight passenger service operated between
Fairbanks and Anchorage by the Alaska Railroad in the 1950s. Midnight
Sun
- November, 1958
The Montrealer/The
Washingtonian
Overnight
service between Montreal, New York, and Washington operated by the
Canadian National, Central Vermont, Boston & Maine, New Haven,
and
Pennsylvania railroads. The Montrealer/The
Washingtonian - September, 1960
The
Montreal Limited
New York Central and
Delaware & Hudson combined on this competing service between
New York City and Montreal. Montreal
Limited - September, 1960
The Mountaineer
Canadian
Pacific and Soo Line combined on this seasonal summer service
connecting Vancouver, British Columbia and the twin cities of
Minneapolis-St. Paul by way of CPR's spectacularly scenic route through
the Canadian Rockies. The Mountaineer - July, 1957 (Part of the Union Pacific 1957 Summer Tours series.)
The
Ocean Limited
An all-Pullman train until
the late 1950s, this was Canadian National's premier service between
Montreal and Halifax, Nova Scotia. Ocean
Limited
- May, 1957
The Ontarian
This
service between New York and Toronto was operated by New York Central;
Toronto, Hamilton & Buffalo; and Canadian Pacific. The Ontarian
- June, 1965
