During the westward advance of the Canadian Pacific Railway (CP) transcontinental during the early 1880s, the alternatives of crossing the Selkirks or following the Big Bend were examined. Since the immediate capital costs were similar, the additional operating costs expected from the increased mileage eliminated the latter. During 1902-1907, Moberley pressed CP to bypass the gradient problems of Kicking Horse Pass and Rogers Pass by rerouting via the Big Bend to Howse Pass and Red Deer. The existing route could remain for lighter traffic or be abandoned. However, the loss of benefits developed with communities along the existing route, and the cost of route realignments for even shorter schemes, far outweighed the cost of reducing the existing deficiencies.