A Rainy Day with Canadian Pacific 2816

Canadian Pacific 2816 is a 4-6-4 built by Montreal Locomotive Works in Dec 1930 and retired in 1960. CP reacquired the engine in 1998 and had it fully rebuilt at BC Rail. It returned to service in 2001 and served as a special excursion engine for a decade. In 2012, it was mothballed as part of E. Hunter Harrison’s infamous hack-and-slash management – euphemistically called “Precision Scheduled Railroading” but more correctly “let’s jack up the share price through unsustainable cutting.” Yeah, I have opinions…

To celebrate the merger between Canadian Pacific and Kansas City Southern to form CPKC in 2023, the railroad decided to make a public relations run across the system from Calgary to Chicago and then southward to Mexico City. Canadian Pacific 2816 was brought out of storage and given a full refurbishment for the task.

The schedule brought it from Chicago to Davenport (Iowa) on May 9, and then put it on display in downtown Davenport on the 10th. That happened to work out with when I’d be back home, so I spent a day out chasing it around.

There’s not a lot else to say… I wound up chasing from Savanna, IL, down to Nahant Yard in Davenport, and then visiting the train while it was on public display the next day. It did, however, remind me why I hate chasing mainline steam and generally try to stay as far away from the gaggle of goons as possible. However, for an engine that hasn’t run in years and was coming right through my home town, I suppose I have to make an exception.

Some days the hours spent standing around, getting soaked and freezing, are totally worth it.

While waiting for 2816 to make its way across Illinois, there wasn't much BNSF traffic. One except was 8279 with a grain empty. — While waiting for 2816 to make its way across Illinois, there wasn’t much BNSF traffic. One except was 8279 with a grain empty.

KCS 4174 came in with a local job from Sabula, and was blocking cars for other freights to pick up. I worried it wasn't going to clear up in time, but by the time the steamer was ready to leave, it was out of the way. — KCS 4174 came in with a local job from Sabula, and was blocking cars for other freights to pick up. I worried it wasn’t going to clear up in time, but by the time the steamer was ready to leave, it was out of the way.

Finally, after much waiting for a service stop and much rain, 2816 gets the signal and heads for the BNSF crossing.

Sometimes you stand in the rain for three hours and think you're going to get screwed by a local blocking the shot, but at the last minute everything comes together. — Sometimes you stand in the rain for three hours and think you’re going to get screwed by a local blocking the shot, but at the last minute everything comes together.

Across the diamonds and headed towards Iowa

CP 1401, one of the rebuilt FP9As accompanying 2816. This was originally a CN engine - the real CP 1401 was wrecked in the 1960s. My understanding is that they're essentially GP38-2s internally, with 16-645E power plants and upgraded electricals. — CP 1401, one of the rebuilt FP9As accompanying 2816. This was originally a CN engine – the real CP 1401 was wrecked in the 1960s. My understanding is that they’re essentially GP38-2s internally, with 16-645E power plants and upgraded electricals.

Rounding the curve in downtown Clinton, just before crossing the UP. Shortly after this, a trackside employee would call in a sticking brake and give me time to get ahead of it again.

With brake issues fixed, the special makes good time through Comanche, just south of Clinton.

Rolling along through Davenport, under the Centennial Bridge

2816 rolls into Nahant Yard, where it'll be stored and serviced for the night before shoving back into Davenport the next day for display. — 2816 rolls into Nahant Yard, where it’ll be stored and serviced for the night before shoving back into Davenport the next day for display.

On May 10, 2816 was displayed to the public in downtown Davenport on the main line.

Another view of 2816 on display under the Davenport Skybridge.

CP 2816 in downtown Davenport with the Government Bridge in the background.

Not that it particularly goes with the trip, but one other interesting CP unit was in town - 7021, the Desert Forces unit. — Not that it particularly goes with the trip, but one other interesting CP unit was in town – 7021, the Desert Forces unit.

Inside the Exhibit Trailer

The line to go through the CPKC exhibit trailer was reasonably long, so I didn’t have a lot of time to spend inside, but I tried to snap off cellphone shots of a lot of the material so I could examine and read it later. I figured I’d share some of what was inside.

The exhibit trailer that CP had set up as part of the event.

The interior of the trailer, showing the timelines of the three railroads along the wall (NdeM/TFM, KCS, and CP) along with several cases of artifacts.

A case of early CP artifacts, including the original "last spike" from Craigellachie, BC. — A case of early CP artifacts, including the original “last spike” from Craigellachie, BC.

Of course the end of the timelines on the wall shows KCS merging into CP and becoming CPKC

Being a modeler myself, there were two interesting models in the display cases. One was this SD60F that CP had converted to a hydrogen fuel cell test locomotive.

An HO scale CPKC ES44, showing off the new paint scheme. The real thing would be unveiled the next week in Kansas City

The ceremonial final spike from the merger celebration at Knoche Yard in Kansas City, where CP and KCS connect end-to-end.

This work is copyright 2024 by Nathan D. Holmes, but all text and images are licensed and reusable under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike license. Basically you’re welcome to use any of this as long as it’s not for commercial purposes, you credit me as the source, and you share any derivative works under the same license. I’d encourage others to consider similar licenses for their works.