Canada's 1967 Confederation Train

We all know about the Bi-Centennial railroad festivities of the USA in 1976. North of the border a few years before, a train displaying all sorts of history of the country in the span of a century, ran a 5K kilometer journey across Maple Syrup Land to celebrate the 100th anniversary of Canada as a country.
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© Midland Rail Media.

[@TheWinnipegRailfan]

HEY! Thanks for watching! Feel free to go check out some other awful content here! ...I'm only saying this now cause this video somehow got copyright claimed AFTER KZbin did a check and deemed it okay, so I'll try and fix that but for now check out something like "Canada's Govt. Grain Hoppers" !!

[@yuriygavrylyuk2545]

I just love how out of all the locomotives they could of used they chosen a historic steam locomotive but they choose two FP9 A's

[@marcleslac2413]

It means they chose MANADTED PASSENGER VARIENTS!

[@Sleeper____1472]

The F units were considered premium at the time. Most roads already removed steam by then.

[@SoldierFox1393]

6218 should have been chosen and given a few whistles to play the first notes of our national anthem!

[@heronimousbrapson863]

For those areas of the country not able to be reached by the train, there were tractor trailer trucks hauling around similar centennial displays.

[@Pensyfan19]

Great video on this underrated Canadian classic! Glad to see CUP helping once again with narration and rolling line footage.

[@TheWinnipegRailfan]

Thanks bro!

[@orlandorailfanproductions2010]

Oh so it's the Canadian version of the American freedom train

1967? Long before the "Freedom Train" (1976)

[@Desmaad]

I'd say it's the reverse.

[@michaeledwards8267]

Mapal sirrup Varent

[@Sleeper____1472]

There was one in the 50s I believe

[@SoldierFox1393]

Its the other way around buddy lol

[@rebeccaholgate8166]

At one point you ended up describing my entire Social studies 7 class😂

[@TheSudrianStoryteller]

As an American citizen and KZbinr/internet user, this definitely was the best video hot take talking about the full story and history of Canada's Expo '67 Confederation Train that I've seen. There were things about it that I didn't know before when learning and reading up about it. Most notably their consideration for incorporating steam locomotives at the head of the train, and I'm gonna be honest: I'm glad they made a great move of choosing two diesel locomotives for the train instead as they fit in more better with the consist and the theme of it. I absolutely love how clever of an idea they did back then to make locomotive 1867 sound out O'Canada on its horns. Quite an ingenious idea; especially when you're going through crossing, and all the pedestrians and cars can hear is the first part of the national anthem briefly playing out of no where while a train goes by. And I got to say, the Confederation Train is far better than the Canadian Discovery Train in my opinion. Not only does this train stand out amongst the crowd, and amusing that both rival companies allowed each one of their own respected properties be used together, but it truly stuck to how it was promised to be for the public to admire, explore, and celebrate in their country's heritage and history for how far they've come. Including with the locomotives they were expecting to see in action that were being advertised and promoted. That's true Canadian promise right there. The one thing you forgot to mention was that there was a song written and performed by Hank LaRiviere [Rivers] paying tribute to the train and its centennial celebration. But that's okay, the video still did well without mentioning it, nonetheless.

[@harrisonofcolorado8886]

Nice to see CUP in a The Winnipeg Railfan video!

[@Richard-yt3fs]

Was 14 and remembered seeing the confederation train in Toronto in 67

[@marcleslac2413]

7:33 the only issue of Canadian Narrow Gauge Supremacy

[@mcnudde]

Saw it when I was five years old and it visited Toronto. Thanks for the memory.

[@BNSFrailfan01]

Heads up TWR, CN A439 passed through the iron range last night with a P5 equipped C40-8 leading an SD75

[@dupdrewww]

Funny how this was before the freedom train but most people have never heard of it.

[@Sleeper____1472]

Nope, there was an earlier freedom train. 1946 iirc

[@TrainStreet]

3:46 “on the first day of Christmas my true love gave to me beer” lmao same with 8:12

[@briangraham1024]

Always liked the 50's & 60's livery for the CNR & CP passenger trains.

[@dauphinrailmuseum9485]

Excellent video and love the mix of humour. Much appreciated :)

[@ps.montreal5551]

Thank you for the trip down memory lane.

[@HuntOfficial1776]

Also in 1967, CBC hired Gordon Lightfoot to create a song to celebrate the centennial. He wrote the “Canadian Railroad Trilogy” which is about the construction of the Canadian Pacific Railway across the country.

[@ThePrairiesRailfan]

CN introduced a class of steam named the Confederation class In 1927, Which included a whole bunch of CNs 4-8-4 designed wheel arrangements, It was during this time period to where CN wanted a mixed traffic engine to haul both passenger and frieght, All were built by MLW and had a very good performance, In fact CN would use the confederation classes all the way to the end of the Canadian steam program in 1960, CP eventually made there own confederation class in 1928 by the MLW, These locomotives would survive thru The Great Depression and WW2, Its a shame that the older Confederation locomotives like this Isn’t very well known in history, They were probably one of the best locomotives CN ever had.

[@businessbuilding1]

Fantastic video and I honestly love that purple livery. 1967 was a time when Canada was truly the great WHITE north and her trains looked beautiful.

[@siddithers5356]

For a nine year old it was an amazing experience. Saw it when it went through Medicine Hat in March 1967.

[@julianhudson7811]

Wow I didn't know (or i forgot) there was a Canadian equivalent of the Freedom Train. I love the two tone purple they went with for the livery.

[@stevewolfe6096]

My memory of the train: 1 car display had a simulated river crossing under the aisle. I helped make the grate (summer job at a steel/aluminium fabricating place. The grate was specified incorrectly as the supports were on the cross runners rather than the main runners so it sagged a bit

[@Dexter037S4]

I believe the Baggage car ended up with either the Ontario Northland or Keewatin Railway Corporation.

[@RailfanVal]

We're going back to 1967 with this one! 🗣️🗣️🗣️🔥🔥🔥

[@JimBo-tf1wp]

Thanks for doing this! I was lucky enough as a kid to have visited what we called the "Centennial Train" twice in different towns. At the time it was mind blowing. The first time it was a school trip, & as much as I liked school trips to places like the Royal Ontario Museum, this made a museum look like a trip to the musty attic of some great aunt. This was the first interactive displays any of us kids had ever seen,, cool lighting, & some of the first "Super Graphics" that seem quaint now, but were shocking to see up close. I'd been to Disneyland & the1964 worlds fair in NYC & this was so cool it made those places look like a tacky old carnival in a shopping plaza. Think of it this way: In those days there were still signs with a B&W Graphic of a hand pointing "THIS WAY OUT" rather than EXIT in public buildings, Black & White signs that read "No Spitting" were common on platforms in Railway stations. This thing pulls into town & the graphics on the outside of the train are the most vibrant think one has ever seen. WOW! to be a kid & experience THAT & then a little while later get to go to EXPO 67?!!! I wish I could package the feeling!

[@centredoorplugsthornton4112]

Closest to going to Newfoundland would be running on the Quebec North Shore & Labrador through western Labrador.

[@raymorley8241]

Waited 3 hours in Calgary in the line up to see it. I was in Grade 4 then. I still have the fold out brochure from it.

[@phosfor1872]

I believe the horns were made by Bob Swansons company Airchime. They still exist and sound at noon in downtown Vancouver.

[@jfmezei]

In the early years of VIA rail, there were a number of reports on VIA's dismal performance for various trains, including the Canadian and Super Continental trains. CN and CP locos had incompatible nozzles for fuel and water (for steam gen) and there were instances of CP crews at Sudbury putting water where there was a water nozzle except that water ended up in the fuel tank !!!! So when your video mentioned the mixing of one 1 CP and 1 CN train, I had immediate horror images of that happening to the Cofederation train !!!!

[@TheWinnipegRailfan]

Oh wow! I've always had a feeling the transition from CN/CP to VIA wasn't as smooth as it seems, suspicions confirmed!

[@gencreeper6476]

The Confederation celebration is overshadowed in much of BC by the BC centennials the socreds did in 1958 and 1966 and were basically designed to be bigger then the canadian ones for political reasons. Nobody seemingly remembers this train around here its all about how they remember the queen visiting in 58. The 67 confederation logo is rare I almost get excited to see it. Incidendally all 3 centennials led to preservation of steam engines. BCRail had a steam excursion which lasted all of the 20th century but was popularized by the centennials and the confederation centennial led to heritage parks like Fort Steele or Calgary heritage with steam engine loops.

[@SoldierFox1393]

Happy late 1st of July! Also CN 6218 should have pulled the Canadian Freedom Train 🇨🇦

[@randyfarris775]

Had the fold out pamphlet they passed out until my ex wife threw it out in 2008!! The horn would blow the Oh Canada at 5pm.

[@jacobchun1481]

Now that I think about it, nobody has made a video on the Newfoundland railway. Maybe you could make one someday, just saying.

[@captainhuggyface6731]

no one really makes videos of canadian railroads in general atleast it seems to me

[@MatecaCorp]

The Newfoundland Railway is fascinating

[@randydobson1863]

Hi The Winnipeg Railfan & it's is Randy and i like yours video is Cool & Thanks The Winnipeg Railfan & Friends Randy

[@MisatoBestWoman]

As a Canadian I’m loving learning these interesting obscure historical events

[@cpeast]

Newfoundland was 3foot 6inch Guage so they couldn't run the train there.

[@OntarioTrafficMan]

4:45 The Province of Canada was not Ontario, it was the southern parts of both Ontario and Québec.

[@gencreeper6476]

"Upper and Lower Canada" Newfoundland got to the point at one point where it was a country (Hello Canada & hockey fans in the US and Newfoundland) and British Columbia was mostly settled from the pacific west to east unlike anywhere else which had a lot of repercussions.

[@theoldbayrailfan]

Happy late Canada day. But nice vid

[@theyeeter95]

5:59 a new challenger is approaching!

[@Transitfan2022]

Yay! New member video!

[@michaeledwards8267]

Canada's version of AmtrakGuy365

[@JohnNyren65]

Great video presentation!

[@Viking88Power]

The good old Canada

[@Ohiorailfan205productions]

Nice video TWR

[@AustinRailProductionsOfficial]

Nice video I love the livery of that train.

[@genesisrailfan1507]

Such a nice novelty of Canadian rail history. You know, what magical time when railroads of US/CA were involved in a eye-catching activity like in 1976 with the best American painted engine, or 1967 with Canada's confederation train

[@Shelbythemustang]

this why I like canada

[@toastmd7825]

Your explanation of Canada in the beginning is on point XD

[@SalmanMentos]

Maple Syrup Train

[@Thecanadiannationalrailfan]

The guy with the chair 🪑

[@johnniebellamy5912]

Nice Video

I remember that train in west Vancouver at Ambleside Park

[@SomeTrainThing]

The Confederation train is automatically cooler because it had those epic horns

[@railfanningqc2762]

I’m surprise that people still use my old winter fall map lol

[@DoggoProductions1]

Nice

[@jacobmaurin7549]

10:01 Dude no freaking way! I've seen that locomotive before! It used to run through my area with that Southern Pacific paint scheme when I was a kid. It used to belong to the Washington Idaho Railroad hauling freight. I saw it go through Palouse WA, I've seen it go through Moscow ID. I've always wondered what happen to that locomotive. I always thought a different shortline in Coeur d'Alene bought it. I'm so happy to see something from my area get the spotlight.

[@danielferrovias]

I really wanna make a trip to North America, maybe start with canada, since it's easier to enter

[@rambling_railfan]

The audio is broken past 11:31

[@MilesL.auto-train4013]

I too am also a fan of purple.

[@TheWinnipegRailfan]

Autozam !!!!

[@etm3300]

What is the background music starting at 1:49? Sounds good

[@TheWinnipegRailfan]

Delicious by Jazz Spaztiks

[@xaviersaavedra7442]

4:05 that logo looks like it belongs to another confederation than Canadas. (Separatist from Star Wars)

[@imagreatbigman]

Well......that was something. In a good way 😉

[@yourfellowpancake6335]

yo bro whats the intro song (Also banger video)

[@TheWinnipegRailfan]

TWR intro is You Do Something To Me by Frank Sinatra I forgot the other but it's some instrumental by Jazz Spaztiks

[@yourfellowpancake6335]

@@TheWinnipegRailfan ty

[@patprokopf8961]

I love how you killed cowl unit productions💀

[@amtrakcsxmarcfan]

Whaa da hellllllll O myyy gawwwd🗣️

[@navinmcrazy1]

BUCK CRUMP HAHAHHA WHAT THE

[@GreenlightGlory-Jesuswithus]

Aww, dang, it never made it to the Northwest Territories? Yellowknife needed to see that…

[@TheWinnipegRailfan]

I have a feeling the Confederation exhibit came by truck, there was one I forgot to mention that was a bunch of semi's carrying the same exhibits to where the train couldn't go.

[@GreenlightGlory-Jesuswithus]

@@TheWinnipegRailfan Oh, ok. That’s cool. I thought the CN had a mainline up there though

[@TheWinnipegRailfan]

@GreenlightGlory-Jesuswithus Oh! That's right, CN has a branch to Hay River, NWT

[@GreenlightGlory-Jesuswithus]

@@TheWinnipegRailfan Yep Yep!! Now, I’m from the south USA. But for some reason, I have a weird obsession with Canada. So… I don’t know what to say now. Nevermind.

[@Sleeper____1472]

Canadian Freedom Train no way. (Before you even say it, yes there was a freedom train before this shortly after WWII.)

[@Butterproductions363]

OHHHHHHH CANNNNNAAAAADA

[@Butterproductions363]

OUR HOME AND NATIVE LAND

[@culdeefp4817]

As a Newfoundlander, I’m disappointed they splurged to get it to Victoria island & PEI, but not us. We even still had the bogie swapping yard at Port-Aux-Basque! I will now add this to my book to say NL should be independent lol Nice video! And happy Canada Day!

[@JimBo-tf1wp]

You may recall that the 1960's predates the "fixed link" between NB & PEI by 20+ years & that shuttling rail cars to / from the province was still a common thing. Similarly with trains making their way from the lower mainland to Vancouver Island. What was amazing, was to serve NFLD & other places that would not get the Train there was a series of Transport Trucks with a condensed version. I believe it was called the Confederation Caravan. Well before present ideas of inclusion, the Centennial Committee made sure that as much of the country as possible could share in the celebration. Respectfully, may I ask how many places in Newfoundland & Labrador have a "Centennial Park" or Rec centre or other piece of infrastructure that would NOT have been built had it not been for the Federal Centennial money?

[@culdeefp4817]

@@JimBo-tf1wp as for the bit of Newfoundland independence, I’m just having a bit of lols with that. I know we’d never have anything if not for federation, im more so just joking about with how culturally disconnected NL is from Canada, and the 51/49 vote for Canada/Independence As for getting trains to/from NL, we had a car ferry from Sydney, NS to Port-Aux-Basque to have their trucks swapped with narrow gauge ones, that didn’t go away (if it closed at all) till containerization & Terra Transport in the 70s It theoretically could’ve come here Edit after posting; legit didn’t know about any ‘Centennial parks’, I’ve lived in the northeast Avalon my entire life, and either we don’t have any around here, or they’ve been renamed Second edit; I think I’ve got a little confused about what you was saying. It’s late rn & I should be going to sleep instead lol. Sorry for the disconnection between your comment & mine

[@JimBo-tf1wp]

@@culdeefp4817 All good.

[@CMan-rt9in]

You made a couple of mistakes, Canada's birthday is in March. But it was decided that rather than celebrate in cold March our countries birthday to wait for warmer weather and July 1st was chosen. The Govenor Generals wifes last name is pronunced Van-yeah, made me think u were American but I guess it's your age that gives it away. Bye the way you didn't talk about where the horns ended up. From what I found out a set is on the top of building in Vancouver and it is blown each day at 12 noon local time.

[@Railfan_5514]

ah yes, i sure love P U R P L E . canada is COOKED right now 🔥🔥 (we’re so done 🔥)

[@SP4449Railfan]

Noice video! Thank goodness one of the locomotives is still around! ❤️👍🫡

[@udokampfinger6374]

What's with the big David star?

[@TheWinnipegRailfan]

It looks like it doesn't it? But no like I said it's just a different take on the design of the Maple leaf symbol.