Moose Jaw is one of a dozen places that a historic steam locomotive will visit across North America during the next three months as part of Canadian Pacific Kansas City’s celebration of its history.
The Final Spike Anniversary Tour kicks off on Wednesday, April 24, at the company’s global headquarters in Calgary and concludes on Tuesday, June 4, in Mexico City. The tour will bring to life the story of CPKC’s “uniquely North American railway history and compelling future” for rail fans and visitors across the company’s network.
CPKS explained that, upon the amalgamation of Canadian Pacific Railway and Kansas City Southern Railway in April 2023, they drove a ceremonial final spike into a rail line and completed their continental connection. Hence, the name of the tour.
The Empress 2816, a 4-6-4 Hudson-type steam locomotive built in 1930, will make 11 stops between Calgary and Mexico City.
The machine will chug into Moose Jaw on Sunday, April 28 and remain here from 12 to 4 p.m. Residents can check out the locomotive at CPKC’s office at 3 Manitoba Street, learn more about each company and enjoy the Puffer Belly Express mini-train, a quarter-scale steam locomotive model.
The steam engine then heads south to North Dakota, Minnesota, Illinois, Iowa, Missouri, Louisiana and Texas before finishing in Mexico.
The company said it chose the name “The Empress” because it wanted a title that conveyed elegance and nobility while tying into CP’s history. CP’s premier passenger liners were all titled “Empress” — such as Empress of Australia, Empress of Russia and Empress of Britain — and the call sign of CP Air Lines was also “Empress.”
“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/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,” he continued.
“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.”
Repairing the engine
It’s not hard to find nostalgia aficionados, but it is difficult to find a group of old souls skilled enough to take on the physical work of bringing the past to the present for everyone to experience, CPKC said.
The company was fortunate to have a special group of railroaders committed to restoring The Empress for a once-in-a-lifetime cross-continent trip to celebrate the first anniversary of CPKC.
Their job descriptions were anything but straightforward, with each team member bringing a unique “jack-of-all-trades” set of skills to the project. For this group, the steam locomotive restoration project became personal — a connection to the past and a chance to add a piece of themselves to the 2816’s story, the company said.
Unlike diesel locomotives, no two steam engines are the same. Each hand-built locomotive bears the markings of its makers: tons of steel and plumbing that begins as a product in the shop and transforms into a story on the rails; a synthesis of science and art.
“Two steam engines can be built somewhat identically in the same shop,” said Jim Scott, a long-time crew member and water treatment specialist. “But like twins, within a year on the rails, they have completely different personalities.”
CPKC added that it will not be offering locomotive rides during the cross-continent trip.