CN 100th Anniversary

USPA NEWS - CN has created A Moving Celebration to commemorate the 100th Anniversary of a railway that has been instrumental in connecting our nation from coast to coast.
Be prepared to be engaged in learning through the latest in audiovisual technology and a cast of characters that will guide the audience through a century of CN's contributions and significance to our great land.

A Moving Celebration has been designed to celebrate the past, to look at the importance of CN in today's world and to look at the future of this Canadian icon. It is a great place for rail fans, history buffs or anyone who wants to learn about CN's place in bringing Canada closer  together as a nation. This moving exhibit uses converted shipping containers which display CN artifacts including photographs, videography and audio clips which provides a fun way to learn of all things CN. Throughout this exhibition the audience will interact with talented actors that take on the role of various CN employees from the past and present. These characters portray the many duties of the people that made CN the company that it was and is today.

In an interview with Jim Feeny ,CN Retiree and Media Spokesperson for the CN 100 Tour, I asked, " What can an attendee of A Moving Celebration expect to see and how can they expect to feel the history of CN. He replied, "These exhibits are containers that are turned into museum quality displays that tell the history of CN and how CN was founded. These are the same type of containers that we move across Canada and the US everyday.

What visitors will see here, are stories told in a variety of ways using some of the most modern and up to date technologies. It tells stories of what CN has done in it's history. It also tells stories of things that people might not know about,such as the fact that the Canadian Broadcasting Coporation started on CN when CN began broadcasting radio programs on their passenger cars that were crossing the country. It talks about the foundation of Trans Canada Airlines which then became Air Canada, but again was founded by CN. It talks about the modern technology that we use now to safely move products across our 20,000 mile network.

More importantly, it is a story about people. We have one display where 20 different people talk about their jobs with CN. Some these stories include present day people talking about moving grain, while others share stories of the 1920's when farmers would come from over seas to Pier 21 in Halifax and then get on a CN passenger train which would travel across Canada to the Prairies where they would start farms.You will also hear stories of women taking dispatchers and mechanics jobs with CN in the 1940 when their husbands went over seas to fight in the war. These were jobs traditionally held by men."

I had a chance to speak with Dr. Eric Paul Parent who has taken on the role of Conductor and is the MC for the event. He proudly pointed out the fact that all of the volunteers wearing the red shirts are retired CN employees who have given their time to ensure that the story of CN can be told. 

A Moving Celebration will be traveling to cities throughout Canada and the United States over the next year. The tour began in Quebec City and then moved on to Halifax, Nova Scotia. After the first two successful events, this moving exhibition is now making it's way  to Calgary, Alberta. For a complete list of tour dates please visit www.cn100.ca .

Don't miss the chance to take  this epic journey through CN's past, present and future. A journey which has been 100 years in the making!