PART 1 (May 1-2, 2024): https://youtu.be/OoB3qkqOP7Q
The Final Spike Tour involving Empress CP 2816 was on its return trip from Mexico City heading back to Calgary, AB. I decided to catch this train on July 1 & 3, 2024 as they made their way through the Minnesota portion of the return trip. The chase began in far southeast Minnesota near Brownsville, where I waited for several hours for the train to arrive. This was because the train had been moving quite slow through the day, only making it 150 miles in 10 hours out of Davenport, IA. From there, I chased the train up to Minnesota City, MN along the River sub, where it then became too dark, thus ending that days chase.
The second day of the chase started west of Maple Lake, MN and continued to South Haven, where a maintenance stop occurred. I then continued from there all the way up to Henning, MN where it then became to difficult to follow the train without a dedicated road nearby. In all, I caught this train at 15 different locations across Minnesota, so I hope you enjoy the video!
Train Details:
CPKC 41B
Type: westbound "Final Spike Tour" train
18 cars (including fuel/water tenders), 109 axles, 1627', 1923 tons
Power:
-"Empress" CP 4-6-4 Hudson-type #2816 ("mountain type" 5-chime air whistle/6-chime steam whistle, built December 1930)
- CP SD70ACU #7013 (ex-CP SD9043MAC #9126, CP Heritage Maroon and Gray "Script" Scheme)
-CP FP9A #1401 (ex-CN FP9A #6541, built July 1958)
-CP FP9A #4107 (ex-CN FP9A #6526, built March 1957)
Rolling stock (excluding fuel/water tenders) :
-CP boxcar #29114 (built July 1937)
-CP baggage car
-CP crew sleeper car ("Vaughan")
-CP generator car
-CP sleeper car #110 ("H.B. Bowen")
-KCS sleeper car ("San Louis Potosi")
-KCS sleeper car ("Veracruz")
-CP business car #73 ("Mount Royal")
-CP dining car ("Glacier")
-CP bar/lounge car #103 ("Major Rogers")
-CP dome/lounge car #3605 ("Selkirk")
-KCS sleeper car ("Baton Rouge")
-CP business car #70 ("Assiniboine")
-CP coach car ("Bonfield")
-CP coach car ("Sandford Fleming")
Timestamps and locations:
7/1/2024:
0:00 Brownsville, MN
0:50 south of La Crescent, MN
2:13 La Crescent, MN
3:41 Dresbach, MN
4:23 Homer, MN
5:15 Minnesota City, MN
7/3/2024:
5:45 Maple Lake, MN
6:52 Maintenance at South Haven, MN
9:45 Watkins, MN
10:27 Belgrade, MN
11:46 Pacing west of Brooten, MN
13:05 Sedan, MN
14:03 Departing Glenwood, MN
15:38 Alexandria, MN
17:03 Pacing north of Alexandria, MN
17:43 Parkers Prairie, MN overpass
18:45 Henning, MN
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