Belleville Illinois USA - Bellevue folks were treated to a unique sight this past Monday morning.
 
"The Empress," a steam locomotive built in 1930, rolled through Bellevue at about 11:30 on Monday, 1 Jul 2024, on its way north to St. Paul, Minnesota.
 
The 4-6-4 Hudson-type steam locomotive was built in December 1930 by Montreal Locomotive Works.
 
Originally intended for fast freight and passenger service, the locomotive worked primarily in Eastern Canada for nearly 30 years before retiring on 26 May 1960.
 
Canadian Pacific Railway (established in 1881) which runs mainly west-east across Canada (on 12,500 milies of track) merged with Kansas City Southern (established 1887) which runs mainly north-south through the USA over about 4,000 miles of track to become the first transnational Class I railway in North America.
 
The ceremonial "final spike" for this new (CPKC) railway was driven about a year ago on 14 Apr 2023.
 
To celebrate the occasion, rail line officials took Empress CP 2816 on tour across North America.
 
The 93-year-old Empress is the last surviving example of her kind and is running under her own power on the special tour.
 
Author unknown.