by Steve Jessup/photos as noted
Two major steam events took place in 2024 with CPKC and Union Pacific putting on their shows. CPKC was first to take to the road with its April 26-July 10 Final Spike Tour from Calgary to Mexico City and return. Public events were held in several cities along the route including Moose Jaw, Minot, St. Paul, Franklin Park, Davenport, Kansas City, Shreveport, Laredo, Mexico City, and Winnipeg.
The star was CP H1b 4-6-4 No. 2816, The Empress. The Hudson steamer was built in December 1930 by Montreal Loco-motive Works and was retired in May 1960. CPKC also put on FP9A locomotives 1401 and 4107. There were some scenes where CP heritage SD70ACU 7013 made an appearance in the motive power consist. The trip was a success, and fans lined about every mile of track to see 2816 run. It had not powered a train since it was put in storage in 2012.
ABOVE: With a 15-car train in tow, CP H1b 2816 is about to duck under the Trans-Canada Highway west of Maple Creek, Saskatchewan, on April 27, 2024. Trailing the locomotive were two auxiliary tenders for extra water (including one borrowed from Southern Pacific 4449), two CP F-units, and a mix of cars from the CP and Kansas City Southern office car fleets. The former KCS cars were painted in CP’s classy maroon livery ahead of the trip. —Justin Franz photo
During the latter half of CPKC’s tour, Union Pacific’s Big Boy started the first of two lengthy journeys. The first commenced June 30 as it departed Cheyenne on the “Westward Bound Tour.” The destination was Roseville, Calif., and included a stop in Salt Lake City plus a trip down Western Pacific’s main through the Feather River Canyon. Following festivities in Roseville, Big Boy climbed Donner Pass, returning to Salt Lake City through northern Nevada. Originally, this tour was to include Portland with other stops in Oregon and Idaho. Instead, UP skipped Oregon and later decided to clip a very small portion of southeast Idaho — up only as far as McCammon.
After resting in Cheyenne, Big Boy took off for the Heartland of America Tour, hitting Chicago, then traveling down into Texas as far as Houston. It returned to Cheyenne October 23. Big Boy 4014 has now covered every part of UP’s system except for Oregon, Washington, and nearly all of Idaho, much of which is original UP territory. Northwest railfans have been waiting, wondering when.
ABOVE: Union Pacific Big Boy 4014 has reached the Chicago area on its Heartland of America Tour. On September 9, 2024, construction workers acknowledge Big Boy’s passing as it slowly makes its way through the Geneva work zone. This new bridge will be com-pleted and will carry the third main track over the Fox River. The right-of-way through the Geneva passenger station is clearly visible. Interestingly, UP tagged on SD70M 4015 to assist on a portion of this tour. This past April, 4015 emerged from the North Little Rock shops as UP 1616, the Abraham Lincoln unit. See pages 86-89 for the story. While 4014 had a diesel in tow most of the time, the picture on page 83 shows Big Boy without assistance into Houston. —Michael W. Blaszak photo
ABOVE: Big Boy 4014 steams it up as the train comes through Reno on July 14. Its overnight stop is just ahead at Sparks. Big Boy was on display the next day for all to see before its July 16 departure for Winnemucca, Nev. —Elrond Lawrence photo
