Dear HO Modelers:

6 years ago we had Rapido make for us a special Run of 25th Anniversary British Columbia Railway passenger cars that were pulled by the famous 2860 Royal Hudson.

The train consisted of 11 coaches, 2 Cafe Bar Lounge, and one Baggage Car.

As many of you already know by now, Rapido has just announceed the engine to with the cars today.

We have been asked many times "when is someone going to make the Royal Hudson to pull my 25th Anniversary cars?". Well now you can stop asking.

We have had a few e mails tonight from customers regarding the passenger cars to go along with the 2860. There are 1 complete train set left (There were 9 sets this morining), and few misc single passenger cars, cafe bar lounge cars, and baggage cars for those who want to run less than the full 14 car consist.

To be fair to others who want to buy some of the remaining misc cars we will be imposing some restrictions on which cars can be purchased. i.e. you can't call us and buy all the Baggage cars, that wouldn't be fair to others.

So if you hurry you can get the cars to go with your engine if act fast. Remember Rapido promised us they would not reprint the 25th Anniversary cars they made for us.

This is an important piece of Canadian Railroad History - don't miss out.

All customers who have previously ordered the Baggage Car have priority reservations in place for the car. We have a limited number of complete 11 car sets available and we will make enough to ensure any of you who order an 11 car set will also be given a priority reservation as well. The "Shalalth" Baggage car should be available for shipping by January 2009.

Many of you will be pleased to know the two Cafe Bar Lounge cars to round out the entire train should be available in late Spring or Early Summer 2009.

So, for your enjoyment here is the official Artwork for the Baggage Car. And a close up image of the 25th Aniversary Logo.

   The Royal Hudson steam excursion train from North Vancouver to Squamish was inaugurated in 1974 and quickly became one of the province's top tourist attractions. By 1993, however, the ex-CPR passenger coaches comprising the train were exhibiting signs of structural deterioration and required replacement. Prior to the 1993 season the railway replaced the four worst cars with an ex-CNR/VIA cafe-bar lounge car and three day coaches leased from IA Rail. For the 1994 season another cafe-bar lounge car and three day coaches were leased.   

These eight cars ran in VIA paint with white overlays to conceal the yellow VIA lettering. At the end of the 1994 season the eight cars were purchased as well as a matching baggage car. Five additional day coaches were purchased in 1995 to complete the replacement program and provide a consist of fourteen cars. Following their sale to BC Rail, the coaches were repainted in Tuscan livery and named for locations along the BC Rail line, commencing with the PORTEAU in February 1995.

   The new consist comprised the baggage car SHALALTH, the cafe-bar lounge cars HORSESHOE BAY and LIONS BAY, and the day coaches BRUNSWICK, PORTEAU, SUNSET BEACH, BIRKEN, WHISTLER, CAPILANO, EXETER, SETON, CHASM, DRAGON, and KELLY LAKE. For the 1999 season the cars received a special logo commemorating the Royal Hudson's 25th anniversary of operation in excursion service. In addition to ex-CPR Royal Hudson No. 2860, the train also ran behind ex-CPR Consolidation No. 3716 and ex-CPR FP7A No. 4069. The excursion train made its last trip on September 23, 2001.

   The day coaches purchased in 1994 and 1995 were built originally for the CNR by Canadian Car & Foundry in 1954. The two cafe-bar lounge cars were converted from day coaches by the CNR in 1964. The baggage car was built by National Steel Car in 1955. All were acquired by VIA Rail in March 1978. These coaches match the Super Continental Line passenger cars produced in HO Scale by Rapido Trains Inc. They have also recently been announced in N Scale as the Panorama Line. These fine models make it possible for a limited run of the post-1994 Royal Hudson consist to be produced accurately in HO and N Scales. The Royal Hudson locomotive has been offered several times in brass by various importers, and the FP7A diesel locomotive is currently available from Intermountain lettered for CPR in HO and N Scales.

Timothy J. Horton
Author & Historian