In the mid 1970s the passenger service in Canada was rather tattered. In order to improve service, CN offered up a new marketing slogan &quot;VIA CN&quot; complete with a fresh blue/yellow distinctive paint scheme. In January 1977 the government decided on a wholly owned subsidiary that would operate CN and CP passenger trains, which became effective in June as the new VIA RAIL Canada took over all the main passenger services in the country. March 31, 1978 VIA took over all CN pass. equipment, next day VIA became a Crown Corporation and in Sept of 1978 took over all CP passenger equipment. This image of mid-April 1977 of a westbound at Cornwall was my first sighting of the new paint scheme, and one of the very few seen with the &quot;full dress&quot; paint on the nose. This leaves me wondering which unit was painted first, and when.