Locomotive No. 29 had been on display outside its corporate headquarters at Gulf Canada Square in downtown Calgary since the 1990s. In 2012, the railroad moved its offices out of downtown to Ogden Yard. CP spokesperson Andy Cummings tells Trains News Wire that CP has planned on moving the locomotive to its new corporate campus for a couple of years and it will be put back on display. Cummings says the locomotive will also receive a new coat of paint.
Locomotive No. 29 was built by the CP in 1887. It and two other 4-4-0 locomotives gained notoriety among railroad enthusiasts in the 1950s working on a rural branch line in New Brunswick, even attracting Trains Magazine’s David P. Morgan and Philip R. Hastings during their iconic Steam Safari that was chronicled in the magazine. In November 1960, No. 29 became the last CP steam locomotive to operate on the railroad during the steam era when it led a special excursion in Montreal. The locomotive was put on display soon after.
No. 29 was briefly restored to operation in the 1980s on the Salem & Hillsborough Railroad in New Brunswick. Unfortunately, its time back in steam was cut short in 1994 when it was heavily damaged in a shop fire. After the fire, CP purchased the locomotive and put it on display in Calgary.
I have several photos of #29 that I took about three years ago. Is there a way to post them here?
Add me to the short list who thinks a photo of the engine in question would be a far more appropriate graphic than the current CPR logotype.
Unlike the previous regime,this is good news
The locomotive belongs to the Canadian Railroad Historical Association. The CRHA loaned it to CP in the 1990s (unwisely in my opinion) but CP never purchased it from them. In my opinion, it should be back in the CRHA museum at Delson (Quebec) where it would be seen by more people than will ever visit it in the Ogden yards.
136 is still operating on the South Simcoe Railway as of June 2017. Check out Chris Walker’s YouTube video of June 18th, 2017. Enjoy the ride and help preserve this 4-4-0.
Keith Creel is doing quite well, and he’s making quite a few railfans happy.
Can someone out there please post some pictures of these locomotives. If any one or all of them are in good enough condition, then some sort of restoration effort should be put forth. Possibly even to “operating” condition. An operational steam locomotive is always preferable to a static display when possible.
Correction: The locomotive was donated to the Canadian Railroad Historical Association in Montreal in the early 1960s, and was displayed for many years there at what is now known as Exporail. It was subsequently loaned out to a CRHA Division in New Brunswick, where it was involved in the building fire. About 1996 CPR leased it, NOT a purchase, although probably for a token amount with an indefinite term, for display at its Calgary headquarters. As to the other two 4-4-0s, Exporail still has the 144 and the South Simcoe Railway near Toronto has the 136. All three were preserved.
Pictures??