CP 2816 Steam Tour Across B.C. June-July

[Bruce Kelly]

Scanning through recent posts I found no mention of what will probably be one of the biggest steam events of the year. Canadian Pacific is helping celebrate B.C.'s 150th anniversary by having their 2816 lead a mostly vintage consist from town to town, carrying historic displays, starting in Sparwood on June 12 and ending in Vancouver July 6. This will include several days of side-tripping south from Cranbrook to Yahk and west from Yahk over Goatfell Hill to Creston, Nelson, and Castlegar into territory that hasn't seen main line steam in quite a while. Doesn't surprise me that this has gone largely unnoticed by the U.S. fan press. A couple summers ago, my family was up in the Banff/Lake Louise area during the week of the Calgary Stampede, and CP had steam runs going every which way around the Rockies for over a week (via Kicking Horse AND Crowsnest passes), and it barely made a blip on the railfan radar during the weeks leading up to it. Details at www8.cpr.ca.

[athelney]

We are very secretive of our steam up here in Canada ! - As well on the steam loco front #2860 will be steamed up for the BC150 celebrations at its base in Squamish BC - Sat 28th June, it will be running small trips around the West Coast Heritage Park site . 2 CPR Hudsons in steam within 50 miles of each other - how good is that !