Canadian Pacific Railway Class H1-b Hudson No. 2816 continued its Final Spike Steam tour on Thursday, May 9, operating over former Milwaukee Road trackage into Iowa following a display day in Franklin Park, Ill., on Wednesday. The 4-6-4 and the CPKC executive train rolled west across the former Milwaukee Road D&I (Dubuque and Illinois) Division line to Sabula, Iowa, and then south along the Mississippi River line to Nahant, Iowa.
The engine built by Montreal Locomotive Works in 1930, returned to operation after several years in storage, departed Calgary with the Final Spike Steam Tour on April 14, the one-year anniversary of the merger of CP and Kansas City Southern.
Thursday’s trip between Franklin Park and CPKC’s Nahant Yard outside of Davenport, Iowa, operated in an almost constant rain, leading to a delay west of Byron, Ill., when the train hit a fallen tree. The onboard crew, using chainsaws, made quick work of the remains of the tree, with no damage to the Hudson, its two trailing FP9s, or the rest of the consist.
About 50 to 75 fans shadowed the train during Thursday’s trip. A fan from Iowa rear-ended a vehicle in Lanark, Ill.; fortunately, no injuries were reported.
The train is slated for display today in downtown Davenport at Quinlan Court, 101 East River Drive, from 2-5 p.m. On Saturday, No. 2618 will depart Nahant Yard for Kansas City, where it is set for a stay of more than a week, including display on May 18.
The train is working its way south to Mexico City, where it will be displayed on June 7 — a change from the originally announced date. Details on time and location are available at CPKC’s Steam Tour page. One display date is also planned for No. 2816 on its return trip from Mexico, June 30 in Winnipeg, Manitoba.
I think the signal issues and subsequent speed restriction did more to delay the train than the tree did.