Except as a first-round start, there is no advantage to starting the CPR in 1830 over the NYC. The CPR starts in Montreal, on the edge of the map, and its four stations often cannot come into play if someone blocks it in Albany. The NYC also has four stations, and starts in Albany, while the CPR takes two turns to get to Albany and is not guaranteed a station lay there.

In a four-player game of 1830, if you have the C&SL and no other private, the CPR can be a good first-round start. You will be able to set the par at $90, which is important because you will need a lot of cash. On the first turn, lay a sharp curve southwest of the starting hex and buy three 2-trains. On the second turn, lay the large city in Ottawa, buy the C&SL, lay the C&SL track, and place a station in Ottawa. You can now run three trains for 10+20, 20+40, and 40+10, totaling $140, which is more than any other corporation except the B&O can get on its second turn. Buy a 3-train on this turn. You'll then have a chance to build to Albany, place your third station there to run Boston-Albany-NY for $140 with the 3-train and $180 once the 5-trains come out, and have one spare station to set up a good Diesel run. The corporation will have spent $160 to cross two rivers, $140 for stations, $420 for three 2-trains and a 3-train, and $80 for the C&SL less about $20 returned by the C&SL at that point, a total of about $780; this is why you need the high par. The NYC can do all of this except for the good initial run; it will only run for $30 until it has a 3-train, and cannot run multiple trains until a lot of track is laid. In return, it will have one or two extra stations to use. It's normally my first choice to start at any time other than the first round.

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