The Super Continental was a Canadian transcontinental passenger train that ran from 1955 to 1981 and 1985 to 1990. It was originally operated by Canadian National Railway, but was taken over by VIA Rail Canada in 1978. The train ran daily service from Montreal to Vancouver, but faced competition from Canadian Pacific Railway’s The Canadian, which had a more impressive fleet. The Super Continental’s ridership declined due to the Trans-Canada Highway and air travel, and it was eventually discontinued in 1990 after a fatal collision with a freight train.
The Super Continental was a Canadian transcontinental passenger train that ran from 1955 to 1981 and 1985 to 1990. Originally operated by Canadian National Railway (CNR), the Super Continental was operated by VIA Rail Canada starting in 1978. The train originally it ran daily service from Montreal to Vancouver, with stops in Ottawa, Toronto, Winnipeg, Saskatoon, Edmonton and Jasper.
The Super Continental has its origins in the post-World War II years, when the CNR responded to a need for modernization by purchasing 75 new light cars and refurbishing 211 old heavy cars. In 1952, when they realized their refurbished equipment would not be enough to remain competitive, CNR placed large orders for light equipment from Canadian Car and Foundry in Montreal and Pullman-Standard Company in Chicago. These new cars, along with the refreshed ones, would form the Super Continental fleet.
The CNR’s new transcontinental line shared its opening date, April 24, 1955, with a competitor, Canadian Pacific Railway (CPR) The Canadian. The Canadian’s new fleet was far more impressive than that of the Super Continental, particularly in its use of panoramic dome cars, which were not used on the Super Continental until 1964. These steadily lost business during the 1960s and 1970s, largely due to the Trans-Canada Highway, which officially opened in 1962, and the growing popularity and availability of air travel. In the mid-1970s, the train was running at a loss.
In 1978, the newly formed VIA Rail Canada took over operation of all passenger services from CNR and CPR, including Super Continental and The Canadian. The latter was converted into a Toronto-Vancouver line and became the primary transcontinental passenger train in Canada. Although ridership increased in the 1980s due to inflation and high gas prices, the 1981 federal budget resulted in the elimination of 20 percent of VIA’s route miles.
The Super Continental was restored under new government leadership in 1985, but service was significantly reduced, running only from Vancouver to Winnipeg via Edmonton. On February 8, 1986, the Super Continental collided with a CNR freight train in the worst train accident in Canada since the 1940s, killing 23 people. As a result, the railway operating rules have been completely rewritten. On January 14, 1990, the Super Continental made its last voyage. Now, Canada’s only transnational passenger line, The Canadian, follows the original CNR route.
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