It is 'all aboard' on the 2006 CPR Holiday Train for its journey across Canada in support of food banks

After more than seven months of planning, the 2006 CPR Holiday Train is again ready to raise awareness, money and food for Canadian food banks. Today, the magical 'train of lights' begins its spirited cross-country journey from Beaconsfield, Quebec, eventually completing its trek in Port Moody, British Columbia on December 19th.

In all, thousands of people in communities in Quebec, Ontario, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta and British Columbia will again experience the Holiday Train's important mission in the fight against hunger.

At the same time as the Canadian Holiday Train, a second identically-decorated Holiday Train will be rolling across the United States' Northeast and Midwest with the same goal for food hamper programs in the U.S.

In total, over 70 towns, villages and cities in six provinces will experience the Holiday Train spirit in Canada while another 40 American communities will benefit from North America's only rolling fundraiser for food banks. In addition to the official stops, the Holiday Train will hold mini-performances in many other communities along its route.

Bringing holiday cheer as well as the important message supporting food banks, are popular Canadian rock group Wide Mouth Mason and Canadian singer Lisa Brokop, while in the United States legendary folk-rocker Willy Porter will be joined by country-music favourite Tracey Brown and Nashville singer/songwriter Pat Flynn and rising star Kelly Prescott. Visit the Holiday Train page at www.cpr.ca for their bios and photos or their websites at: www.widemouthmason.com and www.lisabrokop.com www.willyporter.com, www.patflynnmusic.com and www.riproar.ca

Since launching in 1999, the Holiday Train magic continues to grow with an increase in crowds reaching in the thousands that greet the train at every stop to enjoy the festive show, but more importantly to support their local food bank programs. In the first seven years about $2.4 million (Cdn) has been raised and close to 1.3 million pounds of food collected.

Some facts and states about the CPR Holiday Train Program.

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- Each Holiday Train is about 1,000 feet in length with 14 decorated

rail cars, including a modified box car that has been turned into a

traveling stage for performers. The two trains are assembled and

decorated by CPR employees in Montreal, Chicago and Calgary.

- The musicians live on the train for the entire time of the U.S.

Holiday Train, which cross six States and a total of 39 communities.

- Each live performance takes place from a box car converted to a

professional stage.

- Crowds donate money and nonperishable food, and the railroad presents

a cheque at each stop to top off whatever is donated.

- Everything collected in a community stays in that community for local

distribution.

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About the Canadian Association of Food Banks

Founded in 1985, the Canadian Association of Food Banks (CAFB) is a national umbrella organization representing a network of regional and community food banks, including provincial associations and food distribution centres. CAFB is the voice of food banks in Canada, with members and their agencies serving approximately 90 per cent of people relying on emergency food programs nation-wide. CAFB operates the National Food Sharing System, coordinating the shipment of food donations through voluntary transport to food banks across the country. In addition to food received from the CAFB, food bank members distribute an estimated 150 million pounds of food per year to the less fortunate in their communities. In March 2005, over 800,000 different people accessed food banks, including more than 300,000 children. While CAFB provides food daily for people in need, its ultimate goal is a hunger-free Canada.

About Canadian Pacific Railway

Canadian Pacific Railway is a transcontinental carrier operating in Canada and the U.S. Its 13,500-mile rail network serves the principal centers of Canada, from Montreal to Vancouver, and the U.S. Northeast and Midwest regions. CPR feeds directly into America's heartland from the East and West coasts. Alliances with other carriers extend its market reach throughout the U.S. and into Mexico. Canadian Pacific Railway is marking its 125th anniversary in 2006. For more information, visit CPR's website at www.cpr.ca.

Editor's Note: For the schedules, the musicians' bios and photos, a route map and downloadable pictures of the train, visit www.cpr.ca and click on the Holiday Train icon. The schedule of Canadian stops follows at the bottom of this news release.

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Backgrounder

CPR Holiday Train

History

- The CPR Holiday Train Program began in 1999 with a handful of

communities and a few lights on a freight train. Today, with

its hundreds of thousands of Christmas lights and a live show

featuring well known performers, it's one of CPR's main ambassadors

in working with communities in Canada and the United States and is

the only fundraiser of its kind for food banks in North America.

- Planning for the Holiday Train begins at least seven months prior to

the fundraising kick off.

- Hundreds of CPR employees volunteer for the special fundraising

journey every year - many taking their vacations to work on each

train.

- Since its launch in 1999, the Holiday Train program has raised over

$2.4 million CDN and close to 1.3 million (1,285,622 pounds or

584 tons) pounds of food for North American food banks. All donations

collected in a community remain in that community for local

distribution. In 2005, More than $500,000 CDN ($515,331) and

454,022 pounds (206 tons) of food were raised by concerned Canadians

and Americans.

- In the first seven years of working with food banks, the Holiday

Train has visited over 500 different communities.

- In the first seven years of the Holiday Train Program, more than

200,000 candy canes and about 100,000 souvenir train whistles have

been handed out by Holiday Train volunteers.

2006 Holiday Train

- Two Holiday Trains raising awareness and collecting money and

donations for hunger relief, crossing six U.S. states and

six Canadian provinces for a combined distance of about

10,000 kilometers (approx. 6,000 miles).

- This year, the two trains will visit more than 100 communities in

Canada and the United States Northeast and Midwest, in addition to

many other stops along the way.

- Each Holiday Train is about 1,000 feet in length with 14 decorated

rail cars, including a modified box car that has been turned into a

traveling stage for performers. The two trains are assembled and

decorated by CPR employees in Montreal, Chicago and Calgary.

- The U.S. and Canadian Holiday Trains are each decorated with hundreds

of thousands of the most up-to-date LED Christmas lights available.

Both Holiday Trains are powered by GE-built 4,400 hp high-

performance locomotives with four diesel generators to power the

light systems.

- In addition to an even brighter train, this year's Holiday Train

program features a more user-friendly and interactive website and the

release of a special CD-DVD featuring songs and video of this magical

train and the entertainers who help make the whole initiative a

reality. The CD-DVD will be available by early December.

2006 CPR Holiday Train Schedule-Canada

(*) Schedule is subject to change

(*) All times are local

Friday, Dec. 1

Quebec

Beaconsfield - 7:30 p.m., Beaconsfield Commuter Station

Les Cedres - 8:45 p.m., CPR crossing at Chemin St. Dominique

Saturday, Dec. 2

Ontario

Smiths Falls - 5:30 p.m., Smith Falls Train Station, 64 Victoria St.

Carleton Place - 7:30 p.m., 149 Moore St., near old wood mill

Almonte - 9 p.m., Little Bridge St.

Sunday, Dec. 3

Ontario

Belleville - 5 p.m., South Church St. crossing, south of

Dundas St. East

Trenton - 7:15 p.m., RCAF Road crossing, north of 8 Wing Base

Monday, Dec. 4

Ontario

Toronto - 6 p.m., Location to be finalized

Vaughan - 8 p.m., Northwest corner of Nashville Road, near grain

elevator.

(*)Hamilton - 8 p.m. (U.S. Train show), area of Kinnear Yard, opposite

Gage Park

Tuesday, Dec. 5

Mactier - 4 p.m., Old CPR Station

Parry Sound - 5:45 p.m., Museum Train Station

Shawanaga - 7 p.m., near Band office beside crossing at Village Road

Sudbury - 9:45 p.m., VIA Train Station, Elgin St.

(*)Cambridge - 5:45 p.m. (U.S. Train show), former Galt Station,

10 Malcolm St.

(*)Woodstock - 8 p.m. (U.S. Train show), area of 199 Winnett St.

(*) London - 9:45 p.m. (U.S. Train show), CPR Yard in area of

Central Ave. at Elizabeth St.

Wednesday, Dec. 6

Cartier - 11:15 a.m., CPR Train Station, 3 Spence St.

Chapleau - 5 p.m., CPR Train Station, 50 Dufferin St.

White River - 9:30 p.m., CPR Train Station, 102 Winnipeg St.

(*)Windsor - 4 p.m. (U.S. Train show), CPR Yard, Erie St. W &

Janette St.

Thursday, Dec. 7

Mobert - 9:15 a.m., across from Band Office

Heron Bay - 11:30 a.m., old CPR Train Station, beside Esso Building

Marathon - 1 p.m., beside Curling Club parking lot, Stevens Ave.

Schreiber - 3:45 p.m., CPR Yard at Cenotaph, beside Harvest Food

Cupboard building

Nipigon - 6:30 p.m., CPR Yard, across from Nipigon Inn

Thunder Bay - 9:45 p.m., CPR Train Station, 440 Syndicate Avenue

Friday, Dec. 8

Ignace - 9:15 a.m., CPR Train Station

Dryden - 12 noon, CPR Yard Entrance, Queen St. and Earl Ave.

Kenora - 4:45 p.m., CPR South Yard, across from Wholesale Store -

8th Ave. entrance

Manitoba

Whitemouth - 7:45 p.m., Railway Ave. across from Whitemouth Hotel

Winnipeg - 9:45 p.m., Molsen St., between Panet Road and

Munroe Ave.

Saturday, Dec. 9

Portage La

Prairie - 12 noon, 301-3rd St. NE - opposite Centennial Arena

Brandon - 6 p.m., across from CPR Station, 1000 Assiniboine Avenue

Sunday, Dec. 10

Saskatchewan

Broadview - 1 p.m. CPR Train Station

Indian Head - 3:15 p.m., in area of behind Shell station, between

buildings and Highway 56 crossing.

Regina - 5:15 p.m., Taylor Field, stadium parking Lot

Moose Jaw - 7:15 p.m., west of CPR Train Station,

3 Manitoba St. West

Monday, Dec. 11

Swift Current - 11 a.m., just east of CPR Train Station, 3rd St. & North

Railway Ave.

Maple Creek - 2 p.m., CPR facility

Alberta

Medicine Hat - 5:30 p.m., just east of CPR Train Station, Queen & North

Railway St.

Tilley - 7:45 p.m., Southeast side of crossing at Highway 877

Brooks - 9:15 p.m., 1st Ave. behind Civic Building

Tuesday, Dec. 12

Lacombe - 3:15 p.m., Between 46 Ave. & Highway 2A

Ponoka - 4:45 p.m., 50th St. and 47th Ave.

Leduc - 6:45 p.m., Extra Foods, 3915 50th Ave.

Edmonton - 8:15 p.m., location to be confirmed

Wednesday, Dec. 13

Red Deer - 5 p.m. CPR Yard

Didsbury - 7:30 p.m., 19th St. and 18th Ave.

Airdrie - 9:15 p.m., Nose Creek Park

Thursday, Dec. 14

Calgary - 5:45 p.m., Location to be finalized

Cochrane - 7:45 p.m., between River Ave. and 4th St.

Banff - 10:15 p.m., CPR Station

Friday, Dec. 15

British Columbia

Golden - 4 p.m., across from 7-11 Store, 10th Ave.

Revelstoke - 8:45 p.m., Area of CPR Yard, follow signs

Saturday, Dec. 16

Sicamous - 2 p.m., northwest corner of Highway 1 at Silver

Sands Road intersection.

Salmon Arm - 3:45 p.m., CPR Train Station, 51 Lake Shore Drive

Notch Hill - 5:45 p.m., west of Tappen-Notch Hill Road crossing

Sunday, Dec. 17

Chase - 5:45 p.m., north side of Shuswap Ave., across from

Chase RCMP Detachment

Kamloops - 6:30 p.m., Location to be finalized

Ashcroft - 9 p.m., in area of CPR facility on Railway Ave.

(xx)Saskatchewan (U.S. Holiday Train Shows)

North Portal - 12 noon, Town Centre

Estevan - 5 p.m., east of CPR Station at vacant lot off 7th St.

Weyburn - 7:45 p.m., 512 Railway St.

Monday, Dec. 18

Lytton - 5:15 p.m. in area of CPR facility on Station Road

North Bend - 8 p.m., east of CPR Terminal

Tuesday, Dec. 19

Agassiz - 5:30 p.m., west of Highway 9, across from Agra Centre,

Pioneer Ave.

Maple Ridge

(Haney) - 8 p.m., across from Billy Minor Pub

Port Moody - 10 p.m., on Queen St. at Clark Ave.

>>

For further information: Canadian Media Contacts: Canadian Pacific Railway, Breanne Feigel, (403) 319-3932 (office), (403) 589-6949 (cell), breanne_feigel@cpr.ca; Canadian Association of Food Banks, Micky Fraterman, (416) 203-9241 ext. 28 (office), micky@cafb-acba.ca; U.S. Media Contact: Ed Greenberg, (612) 851-5659 (office), (403) 319-3686 (office), (403) 540-8106 (cell), ed_greenberg@cpr.ca

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