|
VOLUME THIRTY-ONE
|
NUMBER FOUR 2001
|
Debut of an Empress
Dave Jones C&PA Calgary
Calgary - CPR locomotive 2816 came steaming out of the past in mid-September to the sheer
delight of all who managed to catch a glimpse of the reborn iron horse. Dubbed "CPR Empress", the
fully restored Hudson-type locomotive was saluted by the click and whir of a thousand cameras as
it performed a flawless inaugural run from Vancouver to Calgary, leaving a wash of ear-to-ear
grins in its wake.
"It was simply beautiful", said Calgary citizen Dave Marshall, as he joined the many members of the
public who lined the route.
At every stop along the way, employees and public came out in droves to witness the passing of one of only a
handful of the 48 preserved CPR steam locomotives in North America where the flames still burn brightly in
their fireboxes. In Salmon Arm, B.C., alone, more than two thousand people, form infants to grandparents,
crowded the station platform to witness the historic occasion and breathe the excitement in the air.
At every strategic viewpoint along the route, camera bugs and videographers vied for position, to capture the
"classic" shots that would define the moment.
Few human inventions capture the imagination like the steam locomotive; and old 2816 was strutting its stuff.
Gerry Cook, CPR administrative assistant at Revelstoke, was escorting a group of VIP's between Revelstoke and
Golden.
"I got the opportunity to ride in the cab of the locomotive. The experience was incredible!"
"In Revelstoke, hundreds stood in awe of the spectacle. Everyone was talking at once about how impressive
it was."
And not all of the steam train fanciers were local. Just a fax from a Canadian rail-buff friend
was enough to get Berlin, Germany, resident Klaus Hoenow on a westbound jet, leaving wife and kids with mouths
agape. "I love Canada", he enthused, standing on the platform of the Lake Louise station in Alberta.
"Beautiful scenery; beautiful trains".
Canadian Pacific owned and operated 3,257 steam locomotives from 1881 until 1960, more than 1,000 of which
were built in our own shop in Montreal. When the steam era ended and diesel-electriclocomotives
ushered in the modern age of railroading, those who had fussed with and tended to the mechanical beasts
mourned the passing of old friends who - though they were temperamental and difficult to deal with at times -
were loved for those very qualities which led railroaders to regard them as living, breathing creatures.
To the travelling public and train watchers of every stripe, they were an endless source of fascination;
huffing, puffing, and snorting, each with its own quirks and idiosyncrasies.
Locomotive 2816 underwent an extensive three-yearoverhaul and rebuild, including a fuel
conversion from coal to oil, making it cleaner and easier to operate, CPR Empress rolled out looking much as
it did in the 1950s, with some accessories from the '30s and '40s.
"The railway is working on an operating plan for next season, which will cover May through October
2002", said Jonathan Hanna, CPR's corporate historian.
"The inaugural run went well, with the train running on or ahead of schedule".
"Judging from the letters and feedback, the trip was a smashing public relations
success".
This Canadian Pacific
Railway News article is copyright 2001 by the Canadian Pacific Railway and is reprinted here
with their permission. All photographs, logos, and trademarks are the property of the Canadian Pacific Railway
Company.
|
|
