I was checking out the Friends of the Milwaukee Road #261 webpage today and saw the following annoucement regarding a steam excursion with the CP #2816 in the midwest.
RARE MILEAGE! RARE MILEAGE! RARE MILEAGE! From July 7th thru July 10th 2004 the Friends of the 261 and the Canadian Pacific Railway will team up to operate public excursions over the Ex-Soo Line mainline from Minneapolis to Portal ND! The one-way trips will be powered by the Canadian Pacifics Hudson Type steam locomotive #2816 pulling the Friends of the 261’s classic Milwaukee Road matched consits including open window and air conditioned coaches including our concession car "Shoreview. Detail will follow this week-end with prices and additional info.
This is going to make the midwest the place to be for steam this summer. With the Grand Excursion and the visit by CP #2816 and also TrainFestival 2004 in Ohio this is going to be a “Steamy Summer”.
We are green with envy out here in the west !!! Although we were able to see #2816 earlier in the month looking positivley excellent leaving Vancouver area with her train bound for places east and the US. It departed here on May 12th with F7a #1401 , F7B #1900 & GP38 #3084 ( heritage colurs) together with the full trainset & extra tender. Hope you guys out east treat her well – we want it back !!! - cheers, enjoy – PS when are you going to send #261 out to the west coast ?
Big Girl and I will be riding behind 261on July 2nd. We plan to chase and photograph the double header with 261 and 2816 on the 3rd. Look for photos here when we get back.[swg]
Does anyone out there have any information on its schedule while it is in the US? I believe it will be arriving in Chicago on NS on June 14 and leaving for Portage on June 16.
If you haven’t seen 2816 yet, take the time she is an impressive machine. I got some pictures of her last week and tried to chase her a bit but man she was moving fast (40 mph +) Luckily 2816 is back in Toronto for an excursion on June 12th, which my family and I are going on. Can’t wait. (It’s for the kids… lol)
I think 261 Big boy mentioned will be in the Wisconsin area on Father’s day. It’s supposed to leave at like 10:30 from St. Paul area. It’ll be down my way in the after noon, near Portage WI. It’s supposed to make all the amtrack stops along the way.
Lucky guy, I got to see the 2816 when it was running here in Mission/Coquitlam but never got to ride behind it.
I rode behind her sister, the 2860 Royal Hudson back when it used to run on BC Rail, but the 2860 is now sitting in Squamish in a RR museum, they’re trying to raise the money to get her running again. [:(]
W e have over $100.000 promised through grants etc towards #2860 's restoration , but of course we will need more - some parts have been ordered for it’s repair … Steam from #2860 will come again .