In order to handle the waves of new immigrants to the Canadian Prairies that were responding to the advertising campaigns in Europe, the railways of Canada needed an economic means by which to transport these new citizens to their future homes.

The solution was to create the 'Colonist' cars. These passenger cars were to provide basic transportation at a low cost to the railway. The first Colonist cars were downgraded former wooden first class cars that were re-built at minimum cost to provide the service. First class amenities were removed and in their place only the most basic of interior fittings were provided. Interior walls were paneled in inexpensive woods and faux grained to improve their look. Floors were of oiled wood planks. Wood slat seats that folded down into lower berths were installed and utilitarian upper berths were provided. No mattress or bedding of any kind was provided, as the immigrants were required to bring along his or her own. Gas lanterns in the ceiling provided lighting in the evening. There was one Men's and one Women's toilet to serve the 72 passengers carried in each car. At one end of the car was a stove for the preparation of meals from food provided by the immigrants. This stove also provided the heat for the car in the winter. Ventilation was by means of the clerestory windows and the side windows that served to let in fresh air generously laden with cinders from the locomotives smoke. Going through a tunnel must have been a nasty experience!

As the tide of immigrants increased, the CPR found it necessary to construct new colonist cars at the Angus Shops in Montreal. As well it was necessary to have outside builders such as the Pullman Company in the United States construct further cars to the plans provided by the CPR. These new cars followed the same basic principles of the earlier cars and, although utilitarian, were well built and lasted in service for many years after the immigrant waves diminished. Other Canadian railways such as the Intercolonial Railway, the Grand Trunk Railway and the Canadian Northern Railway followed similar programs to accommodate their needs.

Starting in the 1920's as the old wood cars began to end their useful lives the railways began further programs to convert older sleeping cars to 'Colonists' as there was still a need to provide low cost service to developing areas of the nation. Indeed, the Canadian Northern placed a large order for modern all steel colonist cars in the years after World War I. As it turned out many of these cars were not needed by the successor Canadian National Railways and they were converted to other configurations. The last conversions of older sleepers to Colonist Cars occurred just prior to, and just after World War II. These cars were not as spartan as the old wood cars but followed the same basic principles. These cars at least had heat provided from the trainline steam system and were generally more comfortable having upholstered lower berth seats rather than the wood slat seats of their predecessors. Most of these cars were in service until the late 1950's, however in diminishing numbers as the travel patterns of the nation changed and immigration slowed.

Colonist cars were not restricted to the carriage of immigrants for they were capable of providing basic transportation at a low cost to a wide range of customers. The cars were popular for day excursion services such as employee picnics as well as for transportation of large numbers of patrons to religious festivals and national events. Extensive use was made of the colonist cars in both World Wars to carry troops across the country to training areas and to embarkation ports on both the Atlantic and Pacific coasts (photo below, Colonist Cars load troops at Penticton, courtesy Interior Photo Bank). In these services the Colonist cars were to be seen all across the country and were not assigned to any one region or route, as were many of the other passenger cars of the time. At the end of their service lives many of the Colonist cars were converted to work train accommodation cars and some survived into the late 1970's before finally being retired and scrapped.

Only two of the older wooden Colonist cars survive today. Canadian Pacific Colonist car #2653 is preserved at Heritage Park in Calgary Alberta, and Canadian Pacific Colonist car #2514 at the West Coast Railway Heritage Park in Squamish B.C. We should all appreciate just how valuable a piece of our Canadian Heritage our #2514 is.