Canadian Pacific # 2816 circa 2002

Ah yes, she was a beautiful sight to see that year - particularly at speed - when I saw her rolling through Ontario!

Thanks for posting, great pics! I still have great memories of getting to ride behind a 'pure' (no diesels) steam doubleheader a few years later pulled by 2816 and Milwaukee Road 261 along the Mississippi River.

I hope she may be returned to service some day. She is a classic beauty.

Just my opinion, but I find her appearance much more attractive than the later Royal Hudsons. I never cared much for the CP's streamlined steam look.

Nick Chillianis posted:

I hope she may be returned to service some day. She is a classic beauty.

Just my opinion, but I find her appearance much more attractive than the later Royal Hudsons. I never cared much for the CP's streamlined steam look.

Unfortunately Nick, I fear that with perhaps the exception of Union Pacific, there's so much emphasis being put on 'Precision Scheduled Railroading' (ie. the bottom line) these days among the other Class 1 railroads that we may never see the 2816 run again; which would be such a pity. Come to think of it, even with the Challenger and the Big Boy in the UP stables, apparently the UP shareholders are rattling their swords for better financial results. YIKES!!!

Followed 2816 from Kenora, ONT all around Lake Superior, through Schreiber, Thunder Bay, Sudbury, etc. on that run.    A great time!   A Canadian Pacific highway truck was shadowing the train, and my vehicle and their's drove through a long stretch of forested land.  We both stopped for gas later, and one of the friendly CP crewman asked, "Eh, see the bear back there?" !!     

In Kenora, I was waiting for the train and had a conversation with a chap who turned out to be a reporter from the local Kenora newspaper.  I had mentioned to him that I had seen the 2816 in the St. Luc/Montreal roundhouse, under steam, in 1960. Overnighted down the line in Schreiber, and, low and behold, picked up the paper the next morning, with a by line "Chicago business man up to see steam train".  Heh heh, "Mr. Business Man" !