History of CNR Colonist Sleeper Cars

Canada’s huge land mass and sparse population presented our railways with tremendous challenges. An early response was a major campaign to bring settlers, or “colonists”, from Britain and various European countries. They would be given low-cost fares, a land grant, and the bare essentials to start a new life farming in the Canadian West. The number was so great that a new type of rolling stock was developed to carry them. The “Colonist Sleeper” was a solidly-built, thoroughly modern car of robust steel construction. It was similar to sleeping cars on other trains, but without the frills of first-class sleepers. The accommodation consisted solely of upper and lower berths. The upper berths folded up against the ceiling, while the lower berths folded up into seats. Passengers provided their own bedding on these cars, and cooked their own meals on the coal stoves provided. The interior was of attractive stained mahogany, but without the elaborate inlay work common on first class sleepers. As built, the colonist cars could accommodate 72 passengers in 18 open sections. The floors were grey battleship linoleum, which was easily cleaned and would last for decades. The picture below provides you an overview of a CNR Colonist Sleeper car. 

The Pullman Car Company and Canadian Car & Foundry Ltd. together delivered a total of 130 nearly-identical colonist sleepers to Canadian National Railways in 1919. These two orders were the earliest group of new passenger cars received by the CNR. It was also was the largest number in one group until CNR’s massive order of streamlined coaches and other passenger cars in 1954.

Note that the car was ordered by CNoR, but before it could be delivered, the company became part of the government-owned Canadian National Railways. This car was delivered as Canadian National #7212. It was delivered wearing Canadian National lettering, but with its assigned Canadian Northern number.

Canadian National soon rationalized its fleet of cars from its many railways. This car was renumbered in March 1920 to CN #2762, a CN class PE-73-B Colonist sleeper. As a colonist sleeper, this car spent 37 years providing basic, economical transportation across the country. Thousands of new Canadians arrived at their new homes aboard the car. Its most active service would have been during the Second World War when colonist sleepers were pressed into troop service. After the war, a flood of European immigrants escaping their war-ravaged homelands would keep the colonist sleepers busy for several years, but by the 1950’s the cars were seeing little use.

Many colonist sleepers were converted to other uses over the years as CN sought to find more productive uses for them. This car, Colonist sleeper #2762, was part of a second group converted to combines. It was released as Combine #7195 in February 1956, class CA-73-C2. Seating capacity was listed as 34, but the existence of a coal stove indicates 29 is the correct figure. The “modern” baggage doors with sealed windows presently on the car are original to the 1950’s conversion.