Circa 1950 Unknown Photographer.

Built in 1922, the steel-framed, wooden-bodied, automobile/furniture car CP 297345 was used to transport Christmas trees because its doors were wider than those on traditional boxcars. Each car held approximately 2,200 trees and the wide doors allowed them to be loaded undamaged. CP started planning for the Christmas tree season in early October and cars were at the receiving points by November 1. Trees were transported from company points in Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Quebec, and British Columbia, to other Canadian destinations and as far south as Georgia, Florida, and Louisiana, USA.

In the 1930s, trees were shipped on open flat cars with the belief that cold air preserved them. However, closed cars were introduced when trees arrived damaged and dirty from engine smoke.

EDITORS
 
Martin Cej, Breanne Feigel, Steven Noble.
 
WRITERS
 
Andy Cummings, Vanessa Difruscia, Melissa Murray, Steven Noble, Nick Richbell, Melanie Sortland, Jade Wong.
 
PHOTOGRAPHERS
 
Andy Cummings, Kristopher Grunert, Todd Korol, Matthew Liteplo, Scott Lothes, Ewan Nicholson, Matthew Plexman, Melanie Sortland.
 
SPECIAL THANKS
 
Jeff Allen, Peter de Campos, David Carroll, Dave Doig, Carmen Gross, Ruthanne Kenyon, Lionel Johnston, Kevan Proudlock. The Winnipeg Blue Bombers and the CFL, Malteurop, Dan Sewell, Carlie Turco, Shelly Thompson, and everyone else who put up with a camera, answered a phone call or email from us, contributed an idea, or went out of his or her way to help us get an interview, photo or for any other off-the-wall request.