Throwback Thursday - Grey Cup 100 Tour

Via 6445 and its train visited Sarnia on Nov. 03, 2012.

By Peter Mumby.

The Grey Cup was first awarded in 1909 as being emblematic of the "Canadian Dominion Football Championship."  The trophy had been donated by the Earl Grey, who was Canada's Governor General at the time.  Although there had originally been no such stipulation, this gradually became an East vs West competition.  Initially only amateur teams were involved, but by 1954 only professional teams played for the cup.  In 1958 the Eastern and Western leagues amalgamated to form the Canadian Football League (CFL), and subsequently the Grey Cup game existed as the CFL championship.  Since competition had been suspended during the latter years of the First World War, the 100th edition of the Grey Cup game took place in 2012.  In honour of this occasion a special display train toured the country pulled by specially wrapped Via 6445.  The accompanying coaches were loaded with displays and featured exteriors wrapped with CFL team logos and Grey Cup scenes.  As much as possible, the train visited each community where a Grey Cup winner had been based.  

A Sarnia team had twice won the national championship in 1934 and 1936.