The Canadian

[peteski]

To illuminate the dome section?

From the dome's floor level?

[Angus Shops]

Lights out in the dome except for dim floor level lights for safety, otherwise light reflection would obscure vision out of the dome. Oh Lord, prairie starlight, and maybe even Northern Lights, from a dome...

The models look terrific, but even if I’d planned to wait until I had my 2 sets in hand, I’ll comment that I’d like to figure out a way to fill in the little dark divots around the grab iron holes on the body sides, and I wish Rapido had tinted all the windows on the cars like they did on the HO version. No real complaints though. I’ve often described my model railroad ‘career’ as an attempt to build a decent model of the (T)he Canadian (it was ‘The Canadian’ on the CPR, and the ‘Canadian’ on Via). We’re almost there, but don’t worry, I see this as a step forward rather than the end.

The classic Nicholas Morant photo showing the Park car and the signal lights deserves some background: apparently Morant had been detailed to illustrate the signal lights for the manufacturer or the signals but had been frustrated by the lighting conditions in the mid winter and this was the best shot available. This image became an official CPR Christmas card and somewhere I have and original.

I have a long history with (T)he Canadian, all by sleeping car:

January 1967, moving from Montreal to Winnipeg (age 7).
Summer 1974 Vancouver to Kenora Ont. to visit friends at Lake of the Woods, unaccompanied minor at 14 years.
Summer 1976 Vancouver to Montreal to visit friends for Montreal Olympics, also unaccompanied.
Summer 1980 Toronto to Van. on return from Europe.
Summer 1989 Van Banff return first anniversary with ‘The Bride’. Late on return due to washout in Spiral Tunnel area.
Winter 1995 or so, Van Jasper return with a couple of buddies, Athabasca Hotel!
Summer 2000, Vancouver - Jasper return, eldest child, his Grandmother and myself, Grandmama’s all time favourite adventure at 83 years age.
Summer 2001, Vancouver -  Jasper return, 2nd child and Grandmother (rental car to Banff).
Summer 2003, Vancouver - Jasper return, 3rd child and Grandmother (rental car to Banff).
Spring 2017, Vancouver to Toronto (Montreal) (with bride) air return. 1st ‘current era’ full length trip; absolutely first class.
Winter 2018 Vancouver to Toronto (25hrs late- who cares) to Quebec City Winter Carnival, to Montreal, air return.
Winter 2019 to Ottawa by air return to Vancouver by Canadian, 24hrs late LEAVING Toronto.
Winter 2020 to NYC by air, return to Vancouver from Toronto by train, children 2 & 3 accompanied on train for my 60th BDay.

Next trip ASAP. I can’t recommend this trip enough for fans of classic train rides. Next trip may be to Churchill Manitoba...
Geoff

[CNR5529]

To illuminate the dome section?

From the dome's floor level?

Lights out in the dome except for dim floor level lights for safety, otherwise light reflection would obscure vision out of the dome. Oh Lord, prairie starlight, and maybe even Northern Lights, from a dome...

This! It is a very unique experience to be in those domes late at night, or early in the morning to watch a prairie sunrise, but the views would be ruined if they had the lights on. As Geoff says, they only have some dim floor level lighting on for safety.

The classic Nicholas Morant photo showing the Park car and the signal lights deserves some background: apparently Morant had been detailed to illustrate the signal lights for the manufacturer or the signals but had been frustrated by the lighting conditions in the mid winter and this was the best shot available. This image became an official CPR Christmas card and somewhere I have and original.

Thanks for the back story on that photo, I had no idea there was more to it other than just a cool winter shot of the train! It seems Mr. Morant was rather self critical about his photography, I have heard/read many stories of really good photographs that he was "not happy with".

[CNR5529]

Duluxe Dining Room Car

Splitting the front half of the train from the sleeping cars, the next car in consist provides "a menu featuring Canadian specialties": the 48 seat Duluxe Dining room car. As with all the other cars in the set, the finish and details are top notch. These cars were named after famous CPR dining rooms across the country, from various hotels, resorts and stations. In later years (particularly in the VIA era), the train would need multiple dining cars to provide enough capacity for the many hungry passengers on board.

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The venetian blinds in the dining room area are quite elegant!

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In line with the Baggage-Dormitory car interior, Rapido have gone ahead and tooled up a full galley kitchen in the dining car, which most people will never see. From both sides of the car there is no way to actually see the sinks, cabinets, stove tops and other details they put in there, but they are there! I'll have to remove the light board to be able to get some better photos of it. You can almost smell breakfast being prepared in the kitchen.

One thing I plan on upgrading in this and a few other cars are the windscreens. It should be simple enough to replace the opaque panels with some clear styrene, maybe even include some etching artwork.

[kscessandriver]

I can't wait until mine comes in. I don't model Canada in the least bit, but the quality seems to be amazing to have as a train to run once in a while. I ordered the most modern version, so I'll have to wait a bit more to get power for it.

[Point353]

From the dome's floor level?

I was going to suggest that there could be a light pipe to carry the light up into the dome, but, as others have noted, it could be just floor level lighting.
Depends what effect Rapido was trying to achieve.

[CNR5529]

Manor Sleeping Car

The back half of The Canadian is comprised of a mix of two sleeping car types, Manor and Chateau cars. The most numerous of the two were 4 roomette - 5 double bedroom - 1 compartment - 4 open section Manor Sleeping cars (isn't that a mouthful?). The CPR wanted to recognise and honour both the English and French heritage of the nation, so these cars were named after prominent anglophones of historic importance to Canada.

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The car name plates on these and other named car types are made in various lengths per the prototype, to accommodate different length names.

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On the corridor side of the bedrooms, Rapido have installed separately applied internal safety rails, which just barely show through the windows. Nice little touches like this for passenger comfort are found throughout the train.

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The full interiors include things like coves for the wash basins in each compartment, the mini toilet rooms, the car attendant's room, etc. Of course for anyone who has traveled in a Manor car before, you will be happy to know that the compartment, or "cabin F" in VIA days, is 18 scale inches bigger than the other double bedrooms. Oh and although I hadn't mentioned this before, the light boards in all the various car types have LEDs strategically placed to illuminate every compartment, room/roomette, aisle, corridor and galley, for nice even lighting.

[CNR5529]

I was going to suggest that there could be a light pipe to carry the light up into the dome, but, as others have noted, it could be just floor level lighting.
Depends what effect Rapido was trying to achieve.

Great shot of what appears to be "The Skeena" laying over in Jasper. The domes on the prototype do have full on interior lighting, however they are often dimmed when the train is in service.

[BCR751]

That looks like the 'SKEENA', VIA's Train #5 holding in Jasper on its way to Prince Rupert, BC.

Doug

[CNR5529]

Chateau Sleeping Cars

Less numerous of the two sleeping car types, though in my opinion more iconic, were the 8 duplex roomette - 1 drawing room - 3 double bedroom - 4 open section Chateau Sleeping cars, named after distinguished francophones of historic significance to Canada.

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What more is there to say, other than these look fantastic. Take a look at the simulated duplex roomettes, an ingenious way to maximize space usage in pretty cramped quarters.

Something I can add here is all the cars have a certain heft to them compared to many other models. That said, the axle cone pickups for the lighting make the trucks incredibly free rolling, so any set of locomotives one uses should have no problem hauling a full consist (up to 16 cars in my era, 20-30 cars in modern VIA times).

[peteski]

It is good to see Rapido started using a proven type of electric pickup, which also makes the cars free rolling.  They didn't do that on the Osgood-Bradley cars (hose had the battery-powered illumination, which a dislike intensly).  The Canadian - no more leaky batteries!

You mentioned something about the red markers on the car ends.  So far I have not seen an example of that.  Do any of the cars in this set have those markers?  I assume that the observation car does, but how about others?

[CNR5529]

It is good to see Rapido started using a proven type of electric pickup, which also makes the cars free rolling.  They didn't do that on the Osgood-Bradley cars (hose had the battery-powered illumination, which a dislike intensly).  The Canadian - no more leaky batteries!

You mentioned something about the red markers on the car ends.  So far I have not seen an example of that.  Do any of the cars in this set have those markers?  I assume that the observation car does, but how about others?

Agreed, the older PS/CC&F cars also have batteries, which are not my favourite either. This set, along with the LRC and I believe the Comet/Horizon cars are a welcome improvement.

You assume correctly, only the Park car in my set has markers. On the VIA Rail sets though there are markers on all cars. Unfortunately I dont have any of those to show.

[craigolio1]

It is good to see Rapido started using a proven type of electric pickup, which also makes the cars free rolling.  They didn't do that on the Osgood-Bradley cars (hose had the battery-powered illumination, which a dislike intensly).  The Canadian - no more leaky batteries!

You mentioned something about the red markers on the car ends.  So far I have not seen an example of that.  Do any of the cars in this set have those markers?  I assume that the observation car does, but how about others?

You'll see the red markers on all of the cars that represent the upgraded HEP I (II?) card that took place in the early 2000's.  Someone with more knowledge should confirm, but I believe that will be the VIA Rail cars with the terrible looking giant "Canada" on the side.  Ugh.  We know where we live - plain stainless looked soooo good.

Craig 

[CNR5529]

You'll see the red markers on all of the cars that represent the upgraded HEP I (II?) card that took place in the early 2000's.  Someone with more knowledge should confirm, but I believe that will be the VIA Rail cars with the terrible looking giant "Canada" on the side.  Ugh.  We know where we live - plain stainless looked soooo good.

Yep, it happened during the HEP I conversion from steam heat to head end power (HEP II was for all the second hand ex US cars that VIA bought). Funny thing is in recent years, all markers on VIA equipment (including LRCs) have been blanked out, and they use a EOT device instead.

[muktown128]

Gosh, these cars look incredible and the level/attention to detail is amazing.  I'm tempted to get a set, even though I'm a Pennsy guy.  I'm intrigued by the lighting system.  I had a Rapido smoothside passenger car before and was impressed by the quality and level of detail on that car.  These seem to be even better.