THE STORY OF CANADIAN PACIFIC ROYAL HUDSON #2860
- by Don Evans
1. Canadian Pacific's Royal Hudson's
The Canadian Pacific Railway received its first "Hudson class" locomotive in 1929, when builder Montreal Locomotive Works delivered #2800. The big 4 - 6 - 4 wheel configuration locomotives were the latest in high-speed passenger mainline locomotives for the railway, and were successful from day one. The class name "Hudson" came from the New York Central Railroad in the US, the first to use the 4-6-4 wheel arrangement, naming the class after the Hudson River. The first 20 CPR Hudsons were conventional in style, and were built in 1929 and 1930, numbers 2800 through 2819.
In 1937, the railway opted for more Hudson class locomotives, and this time changed the appearance of the external design to a streamlined motif, with rounded and smooth lines. Many have called them the most beautiful steam locomotives in North America. Again the design was successful, and in 1937 and 1938 the railway took delivery of 40 streamlined Hudsons, numbered 2820 through 2859.
In 1939, a streamlined CPR Hudson #2850 was assigned to handle the Royal Train from coast to coast, for King George VI and Queen Elizabeth (the Queen Mother). The Royal Train was impressive, and the Royal couple was impressed that a single steam locomotive could handle the train such a distance without engine changes (as would have been common practice in that era). CN, for example, on the return trip eastward used three different locomotives. The CPR's streamlined Hudson operated flawlessly the entire distance.
Following the Royal tour, Canadian Pacific applied for and was granted permission to designate the entire class of streamlined Hudson locomotives as "Royal", with permission of the Royal family for these magnificent engines to wear the Royal family crown on their running boards. They have been "Royal Hudsons" ever since, the only locomotives outside of Great Britain to be permitted the Royal designation.
2. Royal Hudson #2860 on the CPR (1940 - 1956)
Royal Hudson #2860 was one of the last group of five more Royal Hudson locomotives for the CPR, built in June 1940 by Montreal Locomotive Works. These last five were numbered 2860 through 2864, and incorporated the latest in steam technology. Royal Hudsons now were operating all across Canada, but the last five were built as oil burners (vs coal) for use in the mountains and forests of the west. #2860 spent most of its career on the CPR mainline, operating between Revelstoke and Vancouver. The career on the railway was short-lived, as steam was retired in 1956 and these great engines were relegated to the scrap line, replaced by modern streamlined diesels. They represented, however, the last great modern steam technology on the railway, and were assigned the highest profile passenger service roles, usually on the transcontinental trains.
3. #2860 Is Saved (The First Time - 1964)
Most steam locomotives were scrapped, and such was the fate of the Royal Hudsons as well. CPR's corporate records showed them all as gone by 1960, save the famous #2850, which was saved (although not operational) for a museum.
In the early 1960's, a group of railfans visited the scrap line in Winnipeg and discovered - to their amazement - Royal Hudson #2860 sitting forlornly in that line, not yet cut up for scrap. Efforts were started to see if the engine could be saved, and a museum group in Vancouver formed with the intent of rescuing the engine. They had to convince the CPR with photographs that it really did still exist, and with the help of the City of Vancouver as well, #2860 was saved from the scrap line and brought to Vancouver.
The locomotive was cosmetically restored and painted, and was displayed on several occasions in Vancouver, but things never went any further, political winds changed, and #2860 once again found itself languishing - this time in CPR's Vancouver roundhouse.
4. Royal Hudson in Tourism Service (1974 - 1999)
In the early 1970's, British Columbia Premier Dave Barrett had an idea for a new tourist attraction for the Province, a revival of the steam era with a tourist train run on the provincially owned British Columbia Railway. The Province assembled a team of people, led by Robert E. Swanson, to oversee the project. CPR steam crews at the Vancouver roundhouse carried out restoration work, and in June 1974, the Royal Hudson steamed back into service on a five day a week round trip excursion between North Vancouver and Squamish, B.C.
The excursion was immediately successful, and for the next 25 years the summer season service operated regularly carrying over 1 million happy passengers and generating an estimated $300 million in economic benefit. The Royal Hudson became a tourism icon of British Columbia, known around the world, and one of the Vancouver area's top ten attractions.
After a charter trip in 1999, operated
by the West Coast Railway Association
for a convention, the locomotive was
once again put away for the winter.
This time, however, her winter
inspections were not successful and
the beautiful locomotive was deemed
unfit for further service until a rebuild
could be done. As the BC Rail steam
shop was fully engaged on a major
steam contract job, the Royal Hudson was
set aside for a rebuild slated for 2001
/ 2002 after the contract work was completed.
5. #2860 Is Saved (The Second Time - 2002)
A change in government in British Columbia again brought a change in plans. The new government took a decision to not continue to support the steam program at BC Rail, and further, as the railway's sole shareholder, changed the railway's course as a business. Suddenly, anything not directly economic was shelved. While the Royal Hudson steam tourist operation could be shown to create positive economic benefit overall, it did generate direct immediate financial return to the railway.
The "Hudson Excursion" train operated with vintage diesel locomotive #4069 (leased from the West Coast Railway Association) for the 2000 and 2001 seasons, then BC Rail announced that the excursion train would not operate at all in 2002. The Province of British Columbia decided to put the Royal Hudson up for disposition; meanwhile the locomotive sat in storage in North Vancouver.
The West Coast Railway Association got to work and, with partnership from the District of Squamish and strong support from the Vancouver tourism community, developed a private proposal to acquire and preserve Royal Hudson #2860 for restoration and return to operation. Presentations were made to the Ministers responsible in January 2002, and in March the Province of BC agreed to the proposal. On May 13, 2002, the WCRA's vintage diesel #4069 went to North Vancouver and pulled the Royal Hudson to Squamish, and into the West Coast Railway Heritage Park where it was immediately cleaned up, painted up and preserved from further deterioration, and went on display to the public.
The Royal Hudson Preservation Fund was announced in July of 2002, and had amassed $20,000 in initial donations by year-end.
6. Restoration Plans
While Royal Hudson #2860 enjoyed its new public life as a primary attraction at the Heritage Park, efforts began to assess the work required to return her to steam. After careful review by many steam experts, it has been determined that the current boiler can, in fact, be repaired and the estimated costs for this work plus the re-bricking of the firebox is $500,000. This has been set as the target for the first phase restoration, and should allow the 2860 to return to steam operation for a period of at least ten years.
Major corporate sponsorships are being sought in 2003 to support this work to return our Royal lady of steam to the rails.
Plans are to then generate further funding while the engine operates again under steam, for a future major overhaul project estimated to cost up to $2 million. This would be anticipated to be done in the 2012 time frame, and would then render the engine operable for at least another 50 years. Royal Hudson #2860 is the only operable Royal Hudson, and would thus be preserved for future generations as a working icon of the steam era in Canada.
7. The Future
Royal Hudson #2860 is now secure and faces an exciting future. As part of Canada's second largest collection of heritage railway rolling stock, she has a place of prominence at the head of the WCRA's collection. With a full service restoration shop on site, her future looks bright. And, WCRA's self supporting business model assures her preservation for future generations.
Plans are to use the Royal Hudson #2860 on specialty rail tours (something the WCRA has 40 years of experience with) starting in 2005 and also for the classic engine to play a major role in the planned 2010 Winter Olympics as both a promotional vehicle as well as a unique transportation service during the Games themselves.
It is important that the era of steam railroading in Canada be preserved, and an operating steam locomotive is the only was to truly appreciate this era of technology and what it meant to the development of our country. That's the story the West Coast Railway Association tells at its attraction and in its educational programs, and Royal Hudson #2860 is the lead part of that story.
The steam locomotive remains the most fascinating machine ever developed by man, and draws crowds wherever it goes. Royal Hudson #2860 will remain a prime example of this technology for millions to enjoy.
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