About Canada’s Railways
With its vast territory and abundant resources, Canada is one of the countries where railways play a central role in logistics. Unlike Japan’s railway system, the focus is on freight transport rather than passenger transport.
Canada’s largest railway company is the freight railroad Canadian National Railway (Canadian National Railway). In addition to connecting Canada from east to west, it extends its network into the United States and Mexico and handles logistics across North America. It is abbreviated as “CN,” using the initials of its name.
Canada’s second-largest railway company is also the freight railway Canadian Pacific Kansas City (Canadian Pacific Kansas City). Its operating subsidiaries are Canadian Pacific Railway (Canadian Pacific Railway) and Kansas City Southern Railway (Kansas City Southern Railway). The two companies are abbreviated as “CP” and “KCS.”
Canadian Pacific Railway is also known as the railway company that built château-style hotels throughout Canada from the latter half of the 19th century to the first half of the 20th century.
On the other hand, Canada’s passenger rail service is operated by the national railway VIA Rail Canada. Unlike private freight rail companies, it specializes in passenger transport as a public transportation service.
Canadian railway cars
CN U-1-a steam locomotive
This is a steam locomotive formerly operated by Canadian National Railway (CN). The U-1-a type is preserved only at Jasper Station.
CN ET44AC
Canadian National Railway (CN) is Canada’s largest railway company.
Japanese freight trains are at most around 650 meters long, whereas Canadian freight trains can be about 6 times longer, sometimes reaching a total length of 4 kilometers. However, their average speed is lower in Canada, at roughly half that of Japan.
Freight trains slowly make their way without interruption through Canada’s magnificent wilderness, as if stitching their way across the land.
VIA Rail F40PH
VIA Rail is Canada’s passenger railway company. “VIA” is pronounced “via.”
VIA Rail F40PH-2D
This is a diesel-electric locomotive manufactured by GM-EMD.
VIA Rail Park Car
A Park car is a railcar that VIA Rail inherited from Canadian Pacific Railway. It was manufactured by the Budd Company. Each car is named after a national or provincial park in Canada, and the series is called the Park series.
VIA Rail P42DC
It is a series of diesel-electric locomotives manufactured by GE, known as Genesis.
GO Transit MP40PH-3C
GO Transit is a medium-distance passenger rail operator run by the Province of Ontario and centered on Toronto.