Canadian Pacific No. 2860, also known as the 'Royal Hudson', is a class H1e 4-6-4 "Hudson" type semi-streamlined steam locomotive built by the Montreal Locomotive Works (MLW) in June 1940 for the Canadian Pacific Railway. The locomotive was taken out of revenue service in 1959, and was restored in 1973. It pulled excursion trains from 1974 to 1999 in British Columbia, Canada, becoming the only regularly scheduled steam excursion over mainline trackage in North America. Since 2010, it has been on static display in Squamish, BC at the Railway Museum of British Columbia.
History[]
Canadian Pacific No. 2860, an H1e 4-6-4 "Hudson" type steam locomotive, was built by the Montreal Locomotive Works (MLW) in June 1940 for the Canadian Pacific Railway. It was the first locomotive of five to be built brand-new as Royal Hudsons and delivered with painted cast-brass crowns affixed to their skirts. The H1c-H1e locomotives were semi-streamlined, unlike the earlier H1a and H1b classes, but later became known as 'Royal Hudsons'. In 1939, No. 2860's sister, Canadian Pacific No. 2850, pulled the Royal Train carrying King George VI and Queen Elizabeth across Canada, earning the 'Royal Hudson' title for these locomotives.
This engine, along with the other H1e's (numbered 2860-2864), were built as oil-burners to haul transcontinental passenger trains in British Columbia, between Revelstoke and Vancouver. They were popular locomotives until they were replaced by diesels.
On September 25, 1956, No. 2860 was damaged in a mudslide in Burnaby, BC, near the Shell Oil Refinery. A news article states that the engine hit a mudslide and jumped the tracks. The crew were unharmed, though the engine faced serious damage. In 1957, it had been re-instated, repaired, and was transferred to Winnipeg for prairie service. No. 2860 was withdrawn from service once again in May 1959 and sat on the scrap lines of Winnipeg for five years.
The Vancouver Railway Museum Association purchased No. 2860 from the Canadian Pacific Railway on October 30, 1964, and they brought the locomotive to Vancouver from Winnipeg.[1] The association had plans to establish a railway museum near Vancouver's Burrard Bridge, which would have included No. 2860 in its collection. Although funds for the project were being raised, the museum never came to be. Unable to find a place to display the locomotive, it remained in storage at the Drake Street shops in Vancouver. In 1970, the locomotive was sold once again, this time to a businessman by the name of Joe W. Hussey. Hussey sold the locomotive to the government of British Columbia in 1973.
On November 25, 1973, restoration began on No. 2860 in Vancouver's Drake Street shops by the Robert E. Swanson Railway Appliance Research Limited team and the staff of the Canadian Pacific Drake Street Roundhouse. Robert Swanson was a prominent figure in the restoration of the locomotive.
Once restored, No. 2860 was operated by the British Columbia Railway. The railway began a steam excursion service which commenced on June 20, 1974. During the first season, it would leave the B.C. Rail terminal (1311 West 1st, North Vancouver) at 9:50am, Wednesday through Sunday between May and October, and would arrive at Squamish at approximately noon, completing a 40 mile journey. The excursion made a revenue of $158,460 and a total of 46,000 fares by the end of the first tourist season. The train became the only regularly scheduled steam excursion over mainline trackage in North America. The excursion significantly boosted British Columbia's tourism and became one of the main tourist attractions in the province.
Having transportation and communication as the main theme during Vancouver's Expo '86 World Exposition, it was quite appropriate to have an event on locomotives. This is what happened exactly, as a special Steam Expo took place from 23 May to 1 June 1986, showcasing several operational steam locomotives, including over 20 locomotives from both Canada and the United States. This event is considered to be the largest gathering of operating steam locomotives since 1948's Chicago Railroad Fair. Some of the locomotives apart of the event included John Bull (replica), Tom Thumb (replica), Stephenson's Rocket (replica), Canadian National No. 6060, Canadian Pacific No. 1201, Canadian National No. 1392, Union Pacific No. 4466, Great Western Railroad No. 51, British Columbia Railway No. 1077 and Alberni Pacific No. 2.
It was restored and was operational between 2006 and 2010, albeit only for special events and not for the public.
The locomotive is seen today on static display at the Railway Museum of British Columbia in Squamish, BC.
Trivia[]
- This was the first locomotive of five to be built new as 'Royal Hudson' and delivered with painted cast brass crowns affixed to their skirts.
- It was sold to the Vancouver Railway Museum Association in 1964.
- While the engine was being prepared for Christmas trains at the end of the 1999 tourist season, No. 2860 was found to have serious leaks from the superheater elements.
- Currently No. 2860 is still owned by the British Columbia government but is on permanent loan to the West Coast Railway Association (WCRA) and is housed at the West Coast Railway Heritage Park in Squamish, though it has been seen on the CNR line from Squamish to North Vancouver since late April 2009.
- The Boostville Express from Kid vs. Kat was also based of CP Royal Hudson, but instead it is a 4-6-6 and doesn't have a tender.
- The locomotive was in the game TrainStation for a limited time.
Gallery[]
References[]
- ↑ https://media.proquest.com/media/hms/FULL/2FasF?cit%3Apg=8&_a=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%3D%3D&_s=m1Ss7AaCfhM%2BbXDHLljPJws21mQ%3D