Revenue service

No. 2816 was one of ten H-1b-class (the "H" meant the 4-6-4 wheel configuration, the "1" was the design number and the "b" meant it was the second production run) 4-6-4 Hudson-type built by the Montreal Locomotive Works in December 1930.^[2] It was first assigned to the line between Winnipeg and Fort William, Ontario.^[2] Later, it was transferred to service between Windsor, Ontario, and Quebec City, and finally it ran a commuter train between Montreal and Rigaud, Quebec.^[2] The engine was retired from revenue service on May 26, 1960, after more than 3.2 million kilometres (2 million miles) in active service.^[3][4][5][6]

Steamtown ownership

In the early 1960s, F. Nelson Blount wanted to expand his Steamtown, U.S.A. collection, and one of the locomotives he wanted to preserve was a 4-6-4 from the New York Central Railroad (NYC). However, since all NYC 4-6-4s were scrapped by that time, Blount improvised by purchasing No. 2816 from the CPR in January 1964 as the only 4-6-4 in the collection. The locomotive was out on static display at Steamtown in Bellows Falls, Vermont, for several years before it was moved along with the rest of the collection in 1984 to Scranton, Pennsylvania, where the name was changed to Steamtown National Historic Site under the ownership of the National Park Service in 1986.^[2] During 2816’s time on static display, the locomotive started to deteriorate because it was unprotected from the elements. No. 2816 remained in that condition for some 35 years in New England and Pennsylvania. ^[7]

Restoration

In September 1998, the Canadian Pacific purchased No. 2816 after hearing of its availability from the crews who were running the Royal Hudson No. 2860, who had been looking for parts for 2860 and were offered the entire locomotive.^[8]

The locomotive was transported from Scranton to Montreal via Binghamton and Albany, New York, before being shipped cross country to the BC Rail steam shops in Vancouver for restoration. The locomotive was completely stripped down and rebuilt, "the most thorough out rebuild undertaken on a steam locomotive in North America since the end of their era" according to CPR News.^[9] The restoration team was able to use over 800 technical drawings of CPR H1b class locomotives from the Canada Science and Technology Museum to completely restore 2816 to its 1950s appearance and to its original specifications.^[9] During restoration, the locomotive was converted to burn oil and equipped with modern amenities such as a radio and a diesel control unit. The restoration took over two years and cost over $2,000,000, making it one of the most costly locomotive restorations in Canada. CPR was confident in the restoration enough to announce on April 19, 2000, that 2816 would become an ambassador for the railway in the railway's new heritage steam program.^[3]

First excursion service

On August 16, 2001, restoration work was completed and the engine moved again under its own power for the first time in forty one years in a test run.^[5][6] In September 2001, the locomotive made its first trial run from the BC Rail steam shops to its new home of Calgary.^[5] It then rejoined the Canadian Pacific fleet as a special excursion locomotive and for public relations. Among other uses, No. 2816 is used to raise money for school lunch programs and the Children's Wish Foundation.^[10]

Between 2001 and 2011, No. 2816 travelled across Canada and the United States. On May 16, 2002, the locomotive pulled two excursion trains for the West Coast Express. On September 27, 2003, No. 2816 participated in a doubleheader excursion with Canadian National No. 2141.

At the end of the 2008 season, Canadian Pacific put the steam program on hold (with exception of previously promised engagements) due to financial issues caused by the poor economy. No. 2816 did not operate at all in 2009, although the steam program was able to take advantage of this down time to do some extensive maintenance work on No. 2816 and its passenger car fleet. No. 2816 returned to operation on June 6, 2010. It was used in Rocky Mountain Express, a 2011 IMAX film which follows the locomotive on a journey from Vancouver to Montreal while telling the CPR's history. In 2011, the No. 2816 had the honour of pulling a special excursion train called the “Royal Canadian Pacific”. The engine made its last run in the summer of 2011 to promote the Children’s Wish Foundation.^[11]

Disposition

In late 2012, Canadian Pacific CEO Fred Green stepped down and E. Hunter Harrison succeeded him.^[11] The latter had no interest in steam locomotive operations and discontinued the steam program,^[11] forcing No. 2816's excursion operations to be ceased and the locomotive placed in storage in Calgary.^[11] Even after Harrison stepped down in early 2017, being succeeded by Keith Creel, the engine remained in storage.^[12]

Second excursion service

On November 13, 2020, No. 2816 was fired up for a steam test and moved around the Calgary Yard with a railroad representative saying the test was to assess the engine's mechanical condition with "no plans to operate the engine on the main lines." It was subsequently announced that the locomotive would make a run as part of filming a Holiday Train video.^[13][14]

In 2021, Creel said that if the United States Surface Transportation Board approves the CPR's merger with the Kansas City Southern Railway, the railway would celebrate it by bringing No. 2816 back under steam to lead a tour from Calgary to Mexico City, making No. 2816 the first steam locomotive to run through Canada, the United States, and Mexico. However, the locomotive was in need of an overhaul, which was completed in June 2023. Canadian Pacific Kansas City plans to begin No. 2816's tour in spring 2024.^[15][16][17] As of June 2023, the locomotive was under testing,^[18] and on July 11, the Empress made a run from Calgary to Carseland and back as part of her shakedown runs. Further shakedown runs and tests were performed in August, from Calgary to Coalhurst and back. In October of 2023, 2 back-to-back test runs from Calgary to Edmonton and back to Calgary then from Calgary to Medicine Hat and back to Calgary concluded testing for 2816.^[19]