1930 locomotive will steam into Quad Cities
Canadian Pacific Kansas City (CPKC) has announced the dates for its historic Final Spike Anniversary Steam Tour – and one of them is in the Quad Cities., according to the CPKC website.
The tour will kick off April 24 at the company’s global headquarters in Calgary, Alta. and culminate June 4 in Mexico City. The tour will bring the story of CPKC’s uniquely North American railway history and compelling future to life for rail fans 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 Empress 2816, a 4-6-4 Hudson-type steam locomotive built in 1930, 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.
For more information and to view the full schedule, visit here.
About CPKC
With its global headquarters in Calgary, Alta., Canada, CPKC is the first and only single-line transnational railway linking Canada, the United States and México, “with unrivaled access to major ports from Vancouver to Atlantic Canada to the Gulf of México to Lázaro Cárdenas, México,” according to its website.
Stretching about 20,000 route miles and employing 20,000 railroaders, CPKC provides North American customers unparalleled rail service and network reach to key markets across the continent. CPKC is growing with its customers, offering a suite of freight transportation services, logistics solutions and supply chain expertise.
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