Keywords: port arthur portarthur thunder bay thunderbay transportation transcontinental cpr cp rail cprail c.p.r. engine 33 cprengine33 trains horses engines wagons animals ceremony canadian pacific railway canadianpacificrailway mayors politics mayor g.h. mcdonnell mayorghmcdonnell pacific express pacificexpress ontario canada history blackandwhite monochrome outdoor black and white Date: 30 June 1886 Description: The historic first sod on the Canadian Pacific Railway's main line was turned four miles west of Fort William on June 1, 1875 in what is now part of the City of Thunder Bay. This fragile band of steel was designed to bind the far-flung territories of Canada into a nation. A decade after the first sod was turned, Canada’s transcontinental railway became a reality when Donald Smith drove the last spike at Craigellachie, B.C. On June 28, 1886, the first transcontinental train steamed out of Dalhousie Square Station in Montreal. She consisted of two baggage cars, a mail car, one second-class coach, two immigrant sleepers, two first-class coaches, two sleeping cars, and a diner. At 4 p.m. on June 30, right on schedule, the “Pacific Express” rolled into the Lakehead. As this picture illustrates, a crowd led by Mayor G.H. McDonnell, met her at the Port Arthur station. She couldn’t linger, however, and the ceremony was short. She had a schedule to keep. On July 4, the “Pacific Express” completed her first transcontinental run at Port Moody, B.C. Accession No.: 972.2.53 Date: 30 June 1886 Description: The historic first sod on the Canadian Pacific Railway's main line was turned four miles west of Fort William on June 1, 1875 in what is now part of the City of Thunder Bay. This fragile band of steel was designed to bind the far-flung territories of Canada into a nation. A decade after the first sod was turned, Canada’s transcontinental railway became a reality when Donald Smith drove the last spike at Craigellachie, B.C. On June 28, 1886, the first transcontinental train steamed out of Dalhousie Square Station in Montreal. She consisted of two baggage cars, a mail car, one second-class coach, two immigrant sleepers, two first-class coaches, two sleeping cars, and a diner. At 4 p.m. on June 30, right on schedule, the “Pacific Express” rolled into the Lakehead. As this picture illustrates, a crowd led by Mayor G.H. McDonnell, met her at the Port Arthur station. She couldn’t linger, however, and the ceremony was short. She had a schedule to keep. On July 4, the “Pacific Express” completed her first transcontinental run at Port Moody, B.C. Accession No.: 972.2.53 |