Dominion Atlantic Railway Vans

CP Vans at the Kentville Station, circa 1988.

The Dominion Atlantic had three basic styles of cabooses, generally called "vans" on the DAR following traditional English railway usage.

Converted Passenger Cars

The oldest DAR vans were converted passenger cars which had a cupola added. They were sometimes nicknamed "combooses". Some of these cars were used as combines serving as both passenger and caboose. Others were converted to stricly caboose and baggage functions. Examples include: No. 91, No. 92, No. 95, No. 97, and No. 98.

Rhodes Curry Vans

The DAR purchased several vans new from the Rhodes Curry Company of Amherst, Nova Scotia in the early 1900s. These vans rode on passenger style trucks and can be recognized by a distinctive style of roof overhang and four-pane cupola windows. They initially had a small side loading door for supplies but it appears to have been replaced with a window later in their career. The Intercolonial Railway, Cumberland Railway and Coal Company and the Maritime Railway also bought this style of van from Rhodes Curry. They were at first give single digit numbers on the DAR, but later re-numbered in the 90 series. Examples include No. 3, No. 4, No. 94, No. 96, No. 97, and No. 99.

C.P.R. Wooden Van with Tall Cupola

In later years, the DAR used many of CPR’s classic wooden cabooses. This design goes back to about 1905. Many series were built until 1945 with the same basic dimensions. Construction technics changed over the years and many were modernized in 1960’s and 70’s with plywood sides. Beginning in 1912 steel center sills were used. In the side were three windows and the cupola had eight windows. In the mid 1920’s the end beams were beefed up and one side window in the cupola was sheeted over. During the depression (1930’s) no new cabooses were built, but existing ones were rebuilt. The third side window was removed and the center window in the cupola end was sheeted over. Most received storm doors to keep out the draft and the inside warmer in the wintertime. The roof was now painted black and the side numbers reduced in size. For safety reasons the steps were changed for longer ones and the end railings heightened.

Traffic increase in WW2 faced CP with a shortage of cabooses, because no new cabooses were built since 1929. Beginning in 1941 new ones were built to the old design but they had welded double beam center sills and steel end beams. After 1943 the truck centers were increased by one foot. Hand rails and grabs were painted yellow during WW2. All CP wooden cabooses were built with tongue and grove siding.

Starting in 1960’s CP rebuilt many with plywood sides. On some the plywood was nailed over the tongue and groove siding, on others the T&G siding was removed before the plywood was nailed on. Some had their wooden end beams replaced with ones made from steel. From 1959 on the script logo was used, after 1968 the CP Rail logo was put on. In the early 1970’s they were painted yellow and the roof walks and ladders were removed. All wooden cabooses were removed from service in the early 1980’s.^[1][2] Today a restored CPR wooden caboose that served on the DAR is preserved at a private home in Grafton, van No. 435459.

Almost all the CPR style cabooses were lettered CPR, with one interesting exception. Van No. 435786 was lettered for the DAR.

Heritage Railway Miniatures C.P.R. Wooden Van Gallery^[1]

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  Heritage Railway Miniatures C.P.R. Wooden Van

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  Heritage Railway Miniatures C.P.R. Wooden Van

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  Heritage Railway Miniatures C.P.R. Wooden Van

Interior Views

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  Barry Buchanan and Doug Robison having supper on Dominion Atlantic Railway mixed train between Windsor and Truro, Nova Scotia, September 1, 1977.

References and Footnotes

External Links