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Types of CP Rail Cars

The Canadian Pacific Railway (CP) was incorporated in 1881. As railway tracks were laid, a country was built. The different types of CP rail cars played an important role in this process. Rail cars carry passengers, but they also transport freight, contributing to the economic lifeblood of a country. CP Rail freight cars come in many different forms, starting with the boxcar.

The Boxcar
- Boxcars are used on rail systems all over the world.
  
  All manner of cargo is moved by the boxcar, the most common type of rail car worldwide. In Canada, the outside-braced, single-sheathed boxcar was introduced in 1909. Steel framing made the cars durable enough for transport over long distance of boxes, crates or pallets filled with freight of all kinds.
Refrigerated Boxcar (Reefer)
- Refrigerated boxcars are used for carrying perishable freight.
  
  Canadian Pacific's rolling stock also includes the refrigerated boxcar. All perishable freight is transported in boxcars cooled by some form of refrigeration. Refrigerated boxcars were first developed in the mid-1800s in the United States. Various forms of refrigeration were tried as a way to counter the costs associated with transporting live animals. While early refrigerator cars used ice for cooling, by the mid-20th century, mechanical refrigeration took over. The reefer is especially important in Canada, where trains carry perishable goods over long distances.
Covered Hopper
- Covered hoppers carry grain across the Canadian prairies.
  
  The covered hopper is a rail car designed for the transport of dry goods. The hopper car will carry free-flowing dry bulk commodities such as grains, industrial minerals, plastic pellets, crushed rock, gravel and sand. Hopper rail cars bulk-load from the top, and then bulk-unload through hoppers on the bottom. This type of car is especially important on the Canadian prairies. Dedicated grain carriers are an integral part of the Canadian wheat harvest.

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