Downtown Calgary & CPR Tracks 1977-2014

In this post we’re in the shadow of downtown Calgary and at a location appearing in an old photo sent to the Team many years ago. We’re alongside the Canadian Pacific Railway’s east/west mainline and back in 2014 duplicated that shot from 1977. It’s presented below and what a difference a few decades makes!

This is an old article, as you’ve guessed, redone with new and updated information but using all original photos. They just worked out so well and we didn’t think it necessary for a do-over there. One thing of note, however, the skyline has changed even more in the time since, so one day we might be forced to do a reshoot. Even year to year it differs and keeps on changing.

In the old image, sent to us by a reader, we see the CPR’s transcontinental “Canadian” as it continues its journey west. Calgary has not seen a passenger train for almost thirty five years but the Canadian still runs, only it’s via Edmonton now. Even though it looks much the same, for many it’s not the legendary train it used to be.

In 2014 we were lucky enough to almost immediately catch a freight heading out (then in, then out, then in again and we’ll explain). So just as we showed up. Then a hi-rail truck followed, then another, and finally a short maintenance of way train pushed by a converted highway truck lumbered past. It all happened within five or ten minutes of our arrival.

Meanwhile, the first train did some serious car sorting on the far track and passed by too many times to count. Historic Mewata Armoury famed between rail cars looks interesting and scroll down for a Then & Now we did recently with that building.

The Canadian, seen in the old photo, was established in the mid-1950s and to much fanfare. A different breed of train, with a sleek and futuristic profile, it ushered in a new era of rail travel. By the 1970s, however, the shine was off and passenger trains like it, in Canada, were in decline and money losers. The railway wanted out and soon enough that would happen.

Still, during the peak summer season even in the ’70s, the Canadian could swell in size and a train of twenty five cars or so not unheard of. Carded as #1 (westbound) and #2 (eastbound) it had priority over all others on the CPR.

Within a year and a half of the original photo capture, the CPR’s passenger network would come under control of Via Rail Canada. This government subsidized agency allowed both the CPR and rival Canadian National to get of out the passenger business. Via didn’t own the tracks but rather rented them in a way, for their trains.

Via Rail inherited equipment from each of the respective carriers and appearance wise, trains changed little in the beginning. For years, before the cars and locomotives were repainted in Via colours, one would be hard pressed to know anything took place at all.

Via retained the Canadian name but later in 1990, the routing changed to CN tracks further north. They still used the old CP equipment, however and this action left Calgary without any rail passenger service at all. So now the Canadian travelled on a line formerly the domain of the competing Super Continental. The Super came on the scene about the same time as the Canadian but never seemed to have the same mystique.

In summary, the present day Canadian uses CN track, but interestingly keeps the old CPR name and uses former CPR passenger equipment. This could include some of the very passenger cars seen in the old photo.

Leading the Canadian is #1404, a General Motors Diesel Division, London Ontario model FP7A from 1953 and once one of many such engines on the roster. Transferred to Via Rail in 1978 it was rebuilt in 1980 and renumbered it to #6553. In 1995 the Algoma Central Railway of Ontario acquired it for use on their Agawa Tour Trains and it remained in this service until 2002.

It then found its way to West Coast Railway Association Museum in Squamish BC where it’s been ever since. It still wears old Algoma Central colours at last report and in need of much work.

The second unit, #8527, is a GMDD model GP9 built in 1955 as a dual purpose locomotive. So it’d be equally at home in freight or passenger service. Rebuilt by the CPR in the mid-1980s it could be found hard at work as late as 2012, before finally being retired. The railway got good use of it, but then they always do from everything they own.

The passenger consist came from the Budd Company (US) and built specifically for use on the Canadian. Cars from this series, approximately 140-150, were transferred to Via Rail and many, perhaps including some of the ones seen in the old photo, continue in service today.

They are old indeed, but seemingly destined to run forever. That they’re made of near indestructible stainless steel means they’ll likely continue in service for some time to come – not that Via has the money to replace them anyway. Budd cars, incidentally, are used for the Canadian and not any other of Via’s trains. This makes the Canadian a rolling museum, in a way, and that comes with its own charm.

Now onto the city – fast forward and you can see a lot has changed in Calgary. The city has seen explosive growth in the interim and the skyline reflects this. Look at all those towers put up since the original photo capture. Calgary has a young downtown and even in the 1970s photo most even back then were fairly new.

The tallest of them, at the time and from this angle, is Westview Heights and it just peaks out above the twin Continental Towers. Interestingly most skyscrapers in downtown in the ’70s view were apartment blocks, but today there’s far more office buildings.

Recall, our now photo is actually ten years old and if we revisited the spot again, which I suspect some day we might, there would be even more towers in view. Downtown Calgary grows and grows.

All the apartment blocks in old photo as still there, although they are not so prominent now and get lost in the clutter.

The Calgary Tower dominated the skyline back once and sort of off by itself back in 1977, but seems rather insignificant today in comparison. Towers of note in our 2014 image include the Nexen Building (Former Nova Tower), built in the early 1980s, the West Canadian Place Twins (gold colour), also of that era, and the Eighth Avenue Place Twins (slanted roofs), completed just a year or two before the Now photo.

The Ford dealership seen in the old photo only recently moved out after occupying that spot for half a century. Expect something tall to take it’s place, no doubt.

Passenger train are but a memory for Calgarians but the freight continues to move. If one plants themselves near the tracks, on public property of course, you’ll see an endless parade. This is the CPR’s main line and a busy stretch of track. It’s the Laggan Subdivision along this stretch and it opened to traffic in the 1880s.

On arriving at the spot we quickly figure from where the original photo was shot and set up. This position affords a good view of both the east and west facing signal clusters which will give us a bit of warning when a train is due.

We don’t have to wait long and within minutes, one shows. It pulls out, backs up on the second track, pulls out and backs up again. In between there’s that other action mentioned earlier, so it’s for a time it’s a busy spot.

CPR #8788 leads the freight and it’s one of many ubiquitous ES44AC model locomotives on the CP roster. This one came out of the General Electric Locomotive factory Erie, PA in 2006 and is a popular locomotive with many railways. It seems nearly every train you see, around here anyway, is pulled by one or more of this model.

It makes train watching quite mundane in some ways.

The second locomotive is of a type rarely seen in the area so it’s more interesting. CPR #6228 is a former Soo Line (CPR US subsidiary) General Motors SD60 model built in 1989. GM once dominated the locomotive market, but since the 1980s, GE has occupied that position.

The three hi-rail vehicles are simply modified trucks that can travel either by road or rail. That makes them handy for all kinds of maintenance and inspection work. Memo to self: outfit the BIGDoer-mobile this way.

The largest of these hi-rails is a Brandt Power Unit and it’s strong enough handle a small sized train, as you can see. They were picking up scrap metal along the line and did so using a modified excavator with a special lifting magnet.

The original image is thanks to and copyright Glenn Courtney. It an amazing slice of time shot. If you have an old photo like this and would like us to revisit the same location to check out what things look like today and then document it on this website, by all means send it to us. Contact information can be found below and we’d love to hear from you.

Know more about The Canadian today: (new tab): Via’s Canadian.

They’re saying…

“You have more energy and dedication than anyone. This is a magical website!” Johnny Deutch.

Then & Now time…
Fort Motel Fort MacLeod Alberta.
Mewata Armoury Downtown Calgary (as seen in this post).
Emerald Lake & Crowsnest Mountain.
Loverna SK Then & Now (x2).

Something to say and no one to say it to? Go here: Contact Us!

Date of adventure: 1977 (original) and 2014 (Team BIGDoer).
Location: Calgary, Alberta.
Article references and thanks: Glenn Courtney for the then photo, Canadian Trackside Guides, City of Calgary and Calgary Coop for allowing us to hang around.

Downtown Calgary & CPR Tracks 1977-2014 (orig Glenn Courtney).

No waiting for a train this day.

But we didn’t act quick enough so we’ll have to wait for another.

Or so we thought and having switched tracks, it backed up.

Immediately after two high-rail trucks zip by.

Thinking of outfitting the BIGDoer-mobile this way.

More back and forth -Mewata Armoury across the tracks.

Backing up yet again – hang on!

Then this truck powered maintenance of way train heads out.