Canadian Pacific Railway Coast Service
Encyclopedia
The Canadian Pacific Railway Coast Service, also known as the British Columbia Coast Steamships (BCCS), was a division of Canadian Pacific Railway
(CPR) which began operating Pacific coastal shipping routes in the late 19th century. The development of coastal passenger and cargo shipping routes extended from British Columbia to Alaska and to Seattle, Washington in the United States.
. Over time, CPR became a railroad company with widely organized water transportation auxiliaries including the Canadian Pacific Railway Upper Lake Service
(Great Lakes), the trans-Pacific service, the British Columbia Coast Service, the British Columbia Lake and River Service
, the trans-Atlantic service, and the Ferry service. In the 20th century, the company evolved into a transcontinental railroad which operated two transoceanic services which connected Canada with Europe and with Asia. The range of CPR services were aspects of a integrated plan.
Many of CPR's coastal ships came to be called "pocket liners" because they offered amenities like a great ocean liner
, but on a smaller scale. The names of these vessels began with the title "Princess"; and the Princess fleet
developed as an eponym
in the first half of the 20th Century.
In 1913, 10 of the 12 Princess ships in the coastal fleet had been built to the orders of James William Troup, who was superintendent of CPR's Pacific coastal division. Troup's leadership marked the growth of BCCS until his retirement in 1928.
Among the highlights of Princess fleet's service was in 1915 when the 30th Battalion of the Canadian Expeditionary Force
(CEF) embarked from Victoria, British Columbia sailing to the War in Europe.
Canadian Pacific Railway
The Canadian Pacific Railway , formerly also known as CP Rail between 1968 and 1996, is a historic Canadian Class I railway founded in 1881 and now operated by Canadian Pacific Railway Limited, which began operations as legal owner in a corporate restructuring in 2001...
(CPR) which began operating Pacific coastal shipping routes in the late 19th century. The development of coastal passenger and cargo shipping routes extended from British Columbia to Alaska and to Seattle, Washington in the United States.
CPR overview
In 1884, CPR began purchasing sailing ships as part of a railway supply service on the Great LakesGreat Lakes
The Great Lakes are a collection of freshwater lakes located in northeastern North America, on the Canada – United States border. Consisting of Lakes Superior, Michigan, Huron, Erie, and Ontario, they form the largest group of freshwater lakes on Earth by total surface, coming in second by volume...
. Over time, CPR became a railroad company with widely organized water transportation auxiliaries including the Canadian Pacific Railway Upper Lake Service
Canadian Pacific Railway Upper Lake Service
The Canadian Pacific Railway Upper Lake Service, also known as the Canadian Pacific Railway Upper Lake Steamships, was a division of Canadian Pacific Railway which began operating passenger and cargo shipping routes in the Great Lakes during the late 19th century.-CPR overview:In 1884, CPR began...
(Great Lakes), the trans-Pacific service, the British Columbia Coast Service, the British Columbia Lake and River Service
Canadian Pacific Railway Lake and River Service
The Canadian Pacific River Lake and River Service, also known as the British Columbia Lake and River Service, was a division of Canadian Pacific Railway which began operating passenger and cargo shipping routes along British Columbia's inland waters during the late 19th century.-CPR overview:In...
, the trans-Atlantic service, and the Ferry service. In the 20th century, the company evolved into a transcontinental railroad which operated two transoceanic services which connected Canada with Europe and with Asia. The range of CPR services were aspects of a integrated plan.
British Columbia Coast Steamships
In 1901, CPR purchased the Canadian Pacific Navigation Company and began to expand its fleet, its routes, its infrastructure and its integrated rail service and trans-Pacific connections.Many of CPR's coastal ships came to be called "pocket liners" because they offered amenities like a great ocean liner
Ocean liner
An ocean liner is a ship designed to transport people from one seaport to another along regular long-distance maritime routes according to a schedule. Liners may also carry cargo or mail, and may sometimes be used for other purposes .Cargo vessels running to a schedule are sometimes referred to as...
, but on a smaller scale. The names of these vessels began with the title "Princess"; and the Princess fleet
Princess fleet
The Princess fleet is an eponym for the coastal vessels of the Canadian Pacific Railway in the first half of the 20th Century. The names of these small ocean liners began with the title "Princess."...
developed as an eponym
Eponym
An eponym is the name of a person or thing, whether real or fictitious, after which a particular place, tribe, era, discovery, or other item is named or thought to be named...
in the first half of the 20th Century.
In 1913, 10 of the 12 Princess ships in the coastal fleet had been built to the orders of James William Troup, who was superintendent of CPR's Pacific coastal division. Troup's leadership marked the growth of BCCS until his retirement in 1928.
Among the highlights of Princess fleet's service was in 1915 when the 30th Battalion of the Canadian Expeditionary Force
Canadian Expeditionary Force
The Canadian Expeditionary Force was the designation of the field force created by Canada for service overseas in the First World War. Units of the C.E.F. were divided into field formation in France, where they were organized first into separate divisions and later joined together into a single...
(CEF) embarked from Victoria, British Columbia sailing to the War in Europe.