By Kathy Feist
The Empress 2816, a 4-6-4 Hudson-type steam locomotive built in 1930, will pass through Grandview on Tuesday, May 21 after it leaves its three-day layover at Union Station in Kansas City. It is scheduled to leave its train yard downtown at 7 am.
Canadian Pacific Kansas City (CPKC) is celebrating its first anniversary of the merger between Canadian Pacific and KC Southern with a Final Spike Steam Anniversary Tour traveling throughout North America.
“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 will make 11 stops between Calgary, Alberta, Canada and Mexico City.
The tour kicked off on April 24 and stopped at Kansas City’s Union Station on May 18 for a day of celebration.
The free events give the public the opportunity to see The Empress 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.
On the morning of Tuesday, May 21, Empress 2816 will leave Union Station at 8 am and head south to Shreveport, Louisiana for its May 24th stop, according to CPKC spokesperson Terry Cunha. (The Telegraph will keep you updated on specific times via social media postings.)
The best viewing location is at 5th and Main Street. For safety reasons, viewers should remain 12 feet from the tracks.
For more information on the tour, go to www.cpkcr.com/en.