Tag Archives: Park series dome

Railroaders 1958

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The National Film Board of Canada

MERRY CHRISTMAS!! Another austere and homey train documentary from the good folks in the Great White North. This one features the glorious scenery of the Rocky Mountains along the Canadian Pacific Railway in British Columbia.

It’s winter. As the line’s premium streamliner, “The Canadian” transports passengers through the snowy wonderland in luxurious comfort, we go behind the scenes to observe the army of workers needed to keep the right-of-way clear and the trains moving. On time.

This movie short has it all. Meets, Pocket watches, Cab rides, Cabooses, First generation diesel locomotives, Speeders, Semaphores, Clearing Switches, Diner in the diner, and hooping up train orders.

Alllll Aboard!

LET IT SNOW! CPR #1432 (GMD FP7A October 1951 built as #4041) leads train #7, the westbound Dominion approaching Stoney Creek, BC.

Per my October 1959 Official Guide, both The Canadian and Dominion were domeliners that passed through Revelstoke mostly during daylight hours.

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Finders Keepers 1984

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CBS Theatrical Films / Warner Brothers

This movie was originally brought to my attention courtesy of Erik Stenberg (September 2019 email). It’s as obscure as a train movie can get, filmed out in the wilds of Alberta and British Columbia. Canadian locations meant we are treated to a wonderful Budd-built pocket streamliner of ex-Canadian Pacific cars pulled by a couple former-Canadian National, GMD FP9A diesels. All this glorious passenger equipment courtesy of VIA Rail Canada, who also whomped up a garish “AMrail” paint scheme for the F’s.

The plot and storyline are preposterous, but we’re not here to critique that. Similar to Silver Streak 1976, it’s “Let’s pretend Canada is the U.S., cause it’s cheaper to film up there”.

My apologies for the really fuzzy screen captures — taken off a YouTube video, dontcha know. Enjoy!

Our movie train of 7 cars (including two domes) soars high above Old Man River in Lethbridge, Alberta. For comparison, I include this modern day image from Google of a CP freight train.

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