What was Riding the CPR Actually Like?

P. (1886). A winter trip on the Canadian Pacific Railway: Christmas and New Year in the snow, 1885-6 : written for private circulation at the request of his friends after an absence of 22 years from the old country. Canadiana, https://www.canadiana.ca/view/oocihm.15532/6

After all of the surveying, construction, and advertising, how did people react to the Canadian Pacific Railway? It opened in 1886, one year after it was initially finished because of snow conditions that rendered the railway unusable across certain areas. The author of this book writes about his trip to the eastern provinces of Canada on the CPR during the winter season. Getting stuck along the railroad due to the snow, he mentions the unease and of the passengers and how to train staff got the train unstuck before nightfall. The author even describes Calgary as having about 2000 people living there! M.P. notes the construction of the train cars being warm and cozy despite the cold weather, also that the train cars are beautiful in design and “simply superb”. When M.P. and the other passengers arrive in Winnipeg, they note their displeasure at being kicked out of the train into the cold while they wait for their transfer train. The transfer train gets stuck in more snow around Ontario, and the author leaves to walk to the next train station 107 miles away. M.P. finds the station and leaves for his final destination, which is where he concludes his experience with the CPR.