kgbw49 Well, then, in a dreamer's world I would love to see the Big Three of CP steam back in steam someday - 4-6-4 2816, 1948-built 2-8-2 5468, and 1949-built 2-10-4 5934. CP really knew how to do steam with style and class! One can always hope!
Well, then, in a dreamer's world I would love to see the Big Three of CP steam back in steam someday - 4-6-4 2816, 1948-built 2-8-2 5468, and 1949-built 2-10-4 5934.
CP really knew how to do steam with style and class!
One can always hope!
I assume you mean CP #5935? #5934 was scrapped in 1959. Unless of course, you mean #5931, which is outside Heritage Park in Calgary and was, for a long time (incorrectly) numbered 5934. If either of these locomotives could be restored to operation, it would be #5935, as it is in far better condition, both mechanically and cosmetically. #5931 would have to be disassembled on-site and trucked to the CP mainline and/or the repair shops, and it's boiler, running & valve gear, bearings, and at least 8 of her 10 drivers would have to be completely replaced.5468, is a good candidate for restoration though. She's been displayed indoors, and is in very good condition.
Regarding 2816, I am confident we will see her on the rails again, though it might not happen until after the depression the Alberta (and, to a lesser extent Canadian) economy is going through.
5935 would be just great. They are great-looking locomotives.
T1b Selkirk 2-10-4...
P2k Mikado 2-8-2...
H1a Hudson 4-6-4...
Methinks it's time to bump this thread, with EHH no longer at CP are there any new updates on 2816 and her situation? They can't keep her stored indoors at Ogden forever...
Greetings from Alberta
-an Articulate Malcontent
Only until the roof caves in. Then maybe somebody will have some ideas of what to do.
Trains, trains, wonderful trains. The more you get, the more you toot!
CP should send it back to Steamtown where it would at least have a chance to run.
Her boiler certificate has expired, so a fair bit of work will be required to put her back in service, even at Steamtown. At the moment CP's priority is trying to win customers back after EHH lost them. We can only hope for better times for both CP and the Empress in the future.
Is there any place in Canada where big steam is running anymore?
At least 2816 was probably, to borrow a Santa Fe term, laid up in good order.
So perhaps there is a chance. Maybe they should send it to the Friends of the 261 in Minneapolis so they can work on it gradually and have it ready for when 261 has to go down for its next 1472.
2816 is not as powerful as 261 but it could probably do pretty well pulling a dozen cars on the terrain around the Twin Cities.
They might have to cover the name on the tender, though, for trips on lines other than the Twin Cities & Western.
But I suppose now that it has been repatriated to Canada, it will be tough to get it moved, however semi-permanently, back out of Canada.
2816 is a great locomotive and it would be great to see it running again somewhere.
kgbw49 Is there any place in Canada where big steam is running anymore?
I don't think so, and there aren't even that many smaller engines running either. Going from east to west:
Nova Scotia, P.E.I, Newfoundland & Labrador: None (the latter two have few or no railways).
New Brunswick: Formerly the Salem & Hillsborough operated an ex-CN ten-wheeler, but they went cold years ago.
Quebec: Delson (Canadian Railway Museum/ExpoRail) have never had a large engine running, and even the John Molson replica has been down for at least a year. Over in Gatineau the Hull-Chelsea-Wakefield railway suffered washouts in 2011 and ceased operations then. Last I heard their equipment (including an ex-Swedish steam engine) was for sale.
Ontario: The South Simcoe Railway operates ex-CP 136 (of National Dream and 'Tripleheader' fame) and Waterloo Central has a 0-6-0 switcher. SSR also has a CP 4-6-0 (1057, also part of the Tripleheader) but she has been cold for nearly 20 years. No big mainline excursions since CN 6060 returned to the west circa 1980.
Manitoba: Prairie Dog Central's ex-CP 4-4-0 is the only steam here. I believe the two privately-owned 4-6-0's that were shipped up from the Eastern U.S. not too long ago are stored here, but of course would require a lot of work to run again.
Saskatchewan: None.
Alberta: Several operations here. Calgary's Heritage Park operates three ex-U.S. Army switchers (0-6-0?) on a loop, Fort Edmonton Park has a 2-6-2 originally from the deep South, the Alberta Railway Museum (where I volunteer) operates our ex-CN 4-6-0 1392 on a 0.5 mile demonstration track, and finally the Alberta Prairie Railway runs ex-Mississippian #41 (2-8-0) 20 miles from Stettler to Big Valley, which by my count is currently the longest steam run in the country (eek). Alberta Prairie also plays host to 6060 (now owned by the non-profit Rocky Mountain Rail Society) when she is running, but unfortunately that has not been the case since 2011 due to much-needed boiler repairs. Last I heard RMRS had raised about 2/3 of the money needed to fund the repairs, but will not be up and running until summer 2018 at least. She is the largest operating steam engine in the country when running. Oh and I almost forgot the now moribund 2816 in Calgary.
British Columbia: Near Cranbrook Fort Steele has two engines, a 2-6-2 and a Shay (down for repairs) which run on a loop, in the okanagan the Kettle Valley Steam Railway has ex-CP 3716 (2-8-0) on a small section of remaining track, in Kamloops their heritage railway runs ex-CN 2141 (2-8-0, recently back in steam) on a CN spur (formerly they ran all the way to Armstrong before Kelowna Pacific went bankrupt and EHH came to CP), and to round out the mainland the West Coast Railway Association maintains Royal Hudson 2860 in Squamish, but they have not gone on a major run since before the Winter Olympics (2009?). Over on Vancouver Island there are numerous logging engines preserved at Alberni Pacific (2-8-2T and a Shay) and the B.C. Forest Discovery Centre in Duncan, which has (!) seven (Shays, Climaxes, 0-4-0T). Not sure how many are operable though.
Finally last (but certainly not least) is the most remote operation of them all, but also easily the most popular: The bi-national White Pass & Yukon with their 2-8-2's and steam powered rotary plow.
I never thought about it much until now but the Great White North is pretty bleak for steam, especially once you get east of Alberta. I think that about rounds them out, let me know if I forgot any.
SD70M-2Dude, thanks so much for the comprehensive update north of the border.
In a way it is a bit of a bummer, though. Canada had some of the best looking 2 cylinder steam power ever, really across the board.
CP with the Selkirks, Mikados and Hudsons, vestibule-cabbed Consolidations, G3 and G5 Pacifics, Jubilees and Ten Wheelers - all locomotives that looked classy while at the same time looking like they mean business. And the two CP Northerns looked like up-sized versions of the H1 Hudsons - again, just downright classy.
CN with Hudsons, multiple classes of Mountains both streamlined and semi-streamlined, and practically more Northerns than Her Majesty's Army had regiments, all well designed engines of commerce that did the job very well and looked good doing it.
We will keep our fingers crossed that at least one of those robust steeds will again gallop the rails of The Dominion.
The story of 6060, some featured in this video are dead, I have met some others, who all retain their passion for steam. Ever the dreamer, Harry Home is still plugging away at her, raising money and arranging work. He even found some spare time to organize a repainting of the 6015 which is displayed in his hometown of Jasper, on the same spot where 6060 sat cold and dead for years. Video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o6BYhSyqv4I
6015:
Alberta Railway Museum engines, 1392 operates each summer, vestibule-cabbed Consolidation #73 (last surviving N.A.R. engine) needs $500,000 of boiler work, photo of her is in happier days after being saved from a scrapyard and restored:
A bit off-topic, but you'd think if us dreamers and volunteers can spare some of our money, time, sweat and tears to keep steam alive that a multi-billion dollar Class I railroad could find a way to justify using one of their own as a P.R. tool (see I'm staying on topic ). Guess we'll see whether Creel's CP still has a heart, or if Hunter killed it off forever.
I would like to bring an update regarding 2816. She is still stored under lock and key in Ogden, however, she has been maintained, and CP has no plans nor desire to get rid of her. Her boiler certificate is expired but her tubes, flue and tube sheets, superheater elements, and other internals are well within their operating lifetime, as all were replaced in 2001 and she hasn't operated much in her post-restoration career (or at all in the last 6 years). Very few people are allowed to see her, and even fewer are permitted to take photographs. However, until the economy (and CP's customer base) turns around, we won't see her running. Her prospects are much brighter now, though, with He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named gone.
I saw this program over the weekend on our local NBC affiliate. I features some great shots of 2816 running through the Sellkirks while they tell the story of the building of the transcontinental railroad.
http://www.nbc.com/the-more-you-know/exclusives/journey-with-dylan-dreyer/video/3517455
There was a picture published last week after their annual shareholder meeting showing Mr. Creel walking past a "locomotive".
http://www.cbc.ca/beta/news/business/cp-rail-keith-creel-teamsters-1.4108518
Penny Trains I saw this program over the weekend on our local NBC affiliate. I features some great shots of 2816 running through the Sellkirks while they tell the story of the building of the transcontinental railroad. http://www.nbc.com/the-more-you-know/exclusives/journey-with-dylan-dreyer/video/3517455
The full video is the IMAX production by Stephen Low, Rocky Mountain Express. You can buy it on Blu Ray/DVD from Amazon, or from iTunes.
I highly recommend it, not just for the great scenes involving 2816 herself, but also for the greate camerawork and cinematography of the scenery surrounding her. It looks fantastic, even on a TV screen. I can only imagine what it's like on a full IMAX screen.
It was shot in 2008-2009 (She wore the "Spans the World" shield 2007(ish)-2008, and got her beaver shield back in 2009...You can see her with both in this movie). Someone on YouTube even caught her when they were shooting the helicopter footage on the Lethbridge viaduct.
Penny TrainsI saw this program over the weekend on our local NBC affiliate. I features some great shots of 2816 running through the Sellkirks while they tell the story of the building of the transcontinental railroad. http://www.nbc.com/the-more-you-know/exclusives/journey-with-dylan-dreyer/video/3517455
Illuminating!
Never too old to have a happy childhood!
Just another quick update to this post.
I had the chance to speak with the Canadian Pacific Steam Crew last weekend. 2816 is in full operational condition. She's got engineers, mechanics, and firemen that baby her and are just waiting for the go-ahead. The only thing she's waiting for is the higher-ups to say "light her up."
She's stored in Building 3 of the Ogden headquarters facility (The Royal Canadian Pacific pavilion), right next to the corporate headquarters building (Building 1).
https://goo.gl/maps/2q9nzmsXiLF2
When asked about her state of readiness, and more specifically, how quickly she could be out on the line, the crew told us, "Once we got the go-ahead? Days. Two, three days maybe."
That might well be true in one sense, that mechanically she is ready to go. The running gear repairs that halted her in 2011 were completed (replacement axles) but by then the new management (EHH) arrived, and she stayed parked.
Unfortunately paperwork says quite another since by now her boiler time has expired (by elapsed time, not days in steam). Fifteen years from 2001 means that happened in 2016. So although the boiler is most likely still in good shape, lots of labour will be required to open it up and prove it.
But are Canadian boiler rules as strict on this issue as USA rules? Perhaps in Canada time in service is the only criterion?
Boiler rules are effectively the same both sides of the 49th parallel, even if the wording may have slightly different phrasing and references. In specific situations you might be able to use a provincial boiler inspector rather than complying with federal rules, which may provide a little more flexibility. That's primarily for operations at amusement parks and heritage villages. I believe such may also be the case in the USA.
That's true. Here in the US there are instances of steam-powered equipment such as locomotives, stationary steam engines, steam tractors, and portable steam engines (they're like the steam tractors but not self-propelled) operating under state inspection only.
Where the "split" is between state and Federal regs and what does or doesn't apply when and where I don't know. Possibly one of our "Forumites" can tell us.
That depends. CP is self-insured. Technically, 2816 wouldn't be allowed to operate at all in Canada, thanks to the way her tubes were installed in Oregon, if it were a museum locomotive. However, because no third party is insuring the locomotive, she is granted exemption.
Or so I am told.
Time for another bump. 2816 was spotted out and about Ogden recently, being towed by a diesel switcher:
Just like my home care nurses! Taking me out to stretch the old legs and get some air. Looking good!
Somebodys monkeying around, the 6711 was a SW9, which became the Ogden Shop switcher, and is listed as retired. The newest picture on CPRDieselRoster.com is from 2015. It seems to have worked in Edmonton back in the day.
Bruce
So shovel the coal, let this rattler roll.
"A Train is a Place Going Somewhere" CP Rail Public Timetable
"O. S. Irricana"
. . . __ . ______
Ah ha .. duped?
Well, here is one from days gone by...
https://railpictures.net/photo/653315/
Where did CP come up with the design for the auxiliary tender? It's absolutely hideous (and this is coming from a diesel fan).
If my memory serves me correctly, I think it is a conversion from a former articulated locomotive’s tender, perhaps even from a D&H 4-6-6-4. But I must admit I am a little foggy on that.
If I remember correctly there are multiple D&H 4-6-6-4 tenders in preservation, although I don't know if as many as L&N 'Big Emma' tenders. I'm sure someone who reads this will have exact numbers and perhaps an extended history.
I'd happily contribute to an effort to build a replica Big Emma using one of the latter. That was perhaps the best of the Berkshires: a full 4-8-4 designed slightly shorter to fit available turntables.
Our community is FREE to join. To participate you must either login or register for an account.