It was reported first by Railway Age when Canadian Pacific and Kansas City Southern finalized their merger to create CPKC, North America’s first and only single-line transnational railroad: Steam locomotive 2816, a Canadian Pacific 4-6-4 Hudson type nicknamed The Empress, will haul a special excursion train through Canada, Mexico and the United States.
On April 24, CPKC’s historic Final Spike Anniversary Steam Tour will get under way in Calgary and spend the next few weeks operating to Mexico City, concluding on June 4, “bringing the story of CPKC’s uniquely North American railway history and compelling future to life for railfans and visitors as it travels across CPKC’s network.”
“Our combination on April 14, 2023, brought together two railroads with long and proud histories that together created the first and only railroad network connecting North America,” said Keith Creel, CPKC President and CEO. “This special cross-continental journey of the 2816 steam locomotive serves as a reminder of our past and a celebration of our future. We are excited to share this extraordinary experience with communities across our network as we mark the one-year anniversary of our CPKC journey. The Final Spike Anniversary Steam Tour will be the first ever steam-powered passenger train in North America to traverse Canada, the U.S. and Mexico in a single trip.”
The train will make 11 stops between Calgary and Mexico City:
- Calgary, Alta. | April 24
- Moose Jaw, Sask. | April 28
- Minot, N.D. | April 30
- St. Paul, Minn. | May 3
- Franklin Park, Ill. | May 8
- Davenport, Iowa | May 10
- Kansas City, Mo. | May 18
- Shreveport, La.| May 24
- Laredo, Texas | May 28
- Monterrey, Mexico | May 31
- Mexico City, Mexico | June 4
Public events will be held in multiple cities across the network, kicking off in Calgary on April 24. Steam tour events will be held in Moose Jaw, Minot, St. Paul, Franklin Park, Davenport, Kansas City, Shreveport, and Laredo. At these stops, the public will have the opportunity to see the 2816 up close, learn more about the locomotive and CPKC’s history and enjoy the Puffer Belly Express mini-train, a quarter-scale steam locomotive model. In Mexico City, the 2816 will be spotted for public display.
For more information and to view the full schedule, visit www.cpkcr.com/en/community/final-spike-steam-train.
