Canada's most beautiful steam locomotive Royal Hudson

Canadian Pacific, Royal Hudson, 4-6-4, #2860, makes a rare appearance in White Rock, British Columbia on April 15, 2007. The locomotive came to White Rock for the towns 50th anniversary celebration. Many people consider this 1938 locomotive to be one of the most beautiful steam locomotives ever made. I would have to agree. The BNSF, SD9 was required for the trip across the border. The last of the old jointed rail to Vancouver was being removed shortly after this video was taken.
Later we see the train in rain drenched downtown Vancouver, BC. I have seen a lot of rain in Vancouver, but that day it was really bad and decided not to chase the train back to Squamish. Unfortunately this locomotive has only seen a few minor trips since 1999 and is currently in overhaul status at the West Coast Railway museum. It is likely this amazing locomotive will return to excursions in the near future. This locomotive is equipped with dual whistles.

[@kkhagerty6315]

The last engine I ever saw go by my place in Lawrence Station Ontario, got a nice farm that’s right on the tracks, used to watch these beasts go by all the time. Great uncle Ernie was an engineer, great grandad was a baggage man

[@bradcase6121]

You’re right, that engine is beautiful.

[@Spencer067]

Didn't realize Canada still operates steam. Bloody hell I live 15minutes from white rock. Beautiful living beasts running in my own backyard. Why did nobody tell me?

[@keatonsparksvideoproductions]

Haven't ran anay steam locomotives in canada in mainline track since 2009. The empress 2816, royal hudson 2860, and cn 6060 Haven't run in years because past ceo's of both cn and cp put them in storage and permanent display. Cp 3716 still runs in the kettle valley neer summer land bc though

[@blacquejacqueshellaque6373]

@@keatonsparksvideoproductions I think CP is planning on doing a run with 2816 this year if the KCS deal gets finalized. Here is hoping.

[@vettebecker1]

Loved the old F unit as well!

[@ArkansasLocomotiveWorks]

This was a trip my father chased. Thanks for sharing this.

[@Graulas]

i am honored to live in a country with this beauty

[@travelingtom923]

I wish they would get it running again. Been a long time now.

[@BritishColumbianSteamEthousias]

proud to be british columbian myself, really beautiful here

[@kevp9601]

This is Why I Love Steam Locomotives. :-D

[@MrMASSEYJONES]

I’m neither a foamer nor a purist, but the lashup of 4069 and 2860 gets to me, granted that extra power is needed. Te 4069 in this case, should have remained silent, but it sometimes takes the lead, in a fantrip which is mostly geared around the 2860, eg STEAM. The other part which gets to be, is the ditch light positioning. I photographed F units, when they didn’t have ditch lights yet and thereafter. The ditch lighs are not above the grab bar, but as low as possible over the anticlimber, to light the ditch. What can I say about the 2860 coupled backwards? It’s a railfan sacrilege, but today’s railfan will put up with anything. I go back to railfanning in Montreal behind the CN 6167 (coal fired), then behind the CN 6218, followed by the CN 6060 extensively in Quebec and Ontario and the CP/BCR 2860 out of Vancouver to Squamish. Leading to the fact that, in runpasts at least, the 2860 or the 4069 should be the main attraction, and the other one left out. Ideally, the run would have had the 2860 ahead, a silent 4069 as extra power and, dig that multitude of passenger cars in various pains, which at least, the organizers had the foresight to keep together. Back in the days, we called this lashup “a circus train”.

[@mardatron]

They had no choice seeing as they couldn't access the Y (which is on the other side of the border at whiterock.)

[@denislee6122]

Lovely to see steam on the White Rock line. Pity the insurance requirements caused the end of the “Royal Hudson’s” reign in B. C. Travelling from Vancouver up to Squamish was a “must do” for steam enthusiasts. We are fortunate to have that memory!🥰🇨🇦

[@mikewhitney8615]

Traveling Tom, I didn't know this great loco had been preserved. This, along with Milwaukee Road Hiawatha and Norfolk & Western #611, are the 3 most beautiful steam engines in North American history.

[@travelingtom923]

I would agree. There is actually four Royal Hudson's out there. This is the only operational one (it is down for repairs). If you get the chance its worth the trip to ride behind one of the Hudson's. Beautiful sounds and fun to watch.

[@mikewhitney8615]

Thanks, Tom. I have an O gauge brass model of Royal Hudson (Weaver Models) and a big Standard gauge Lionel model of Hiawatha, as well as models of Britain's Flying Scotsman and LMS Princess Elizabeth. I got everything I wanted except the Norfolk & Western 611. Love to ride behind the magnificent Royal Hudson. Where does she call home?@@travelingtom923

[@travelingtom923]

@@mikewhitney8615 It is at the West Coast Railway Park in Squamish, BC Canada not too far away from Vancouver. They should have it up and running again in a few years or less.

[@jimmcdiarmid7308]

This is not dedicated track, it is mainline from Vancouver to Seattle, that’s why they run with diesel backup. Can’t risk breakdown.

[@kieranbricker3278]

2860 deserves another chance

[@michaelbozzini900]

Miss the 2860.

[@72dodge340]

Thank you for uploading this!

[@tedharrison4522]

2860 didn't go across the border that day. She didn't have the FRA certifications required to allow her to operate in the US. 2860 and 4069 ran around the train on the siding at the Peace Arch. BNSF, like most (all?) Class 1 railways, required a BNSF diesel to be in the consist.

[@EngineerDaylight]

What certifications would those be?

[@Delilaah57]

I would like to see the inside of this train. Haven't seen any videos yet of the interior.

[@maxwellwalcher6420]

is 2860 and 2816 gonna be steamed in the CP and Southern railway.

[@bradcase6121]

What a beast.

[@wilfstor3078]

I already asked this question but on a much older video. But anyway, that urban tunnel in Vancouver, just whereabouts is it. I walked by it and was fascinated by it when I went to Vancouver back around 2007/8. But since I was quite young back then, I don't remember where it was. And as of yet my hunts for it on google maps have been unsuccessful.

[@evanf1293]

shame when she returned in the mid 2000s it was only for 4 years and who knows if 2860 will ever run again

[@TheWolfsnack]

thanks to one of BC's worst politicians.....Gordon Campbell.

[@evanf1293]

@@TheWolfsnack wait, that's the reason why 2860 saw steam again back in the mid 2000s?

[@colleensymes4399]

0:03 kinda sounds like Sierra number 3

[@MilwaukeeRoadJames]

Well the original whistle is a CP 5 chime. Whistles that have the same chimes usually sound the same.

[@robertnielsen2461]

Has anyone noticed that Marx toy co.borrowed the sleek beauty of this loco to pattern their best pressed steel locos prewar?

[@jimmcdiarmid7308]

Robert Nielsen I have one of those Marx locos. It is the likeness of the Royal Hudson, but is 0-4-0 rather than 4-6-4. My daughter worked in the concession stand on the excursion train to Squamish in the 80s.

[@MrMASSEYJONES]

what a mishmash of motive powers and cars. When I started serious railfanning with a group, back in the 1960s, we called this sort of lashup “a circus train”. For heaven’s sake WCRA, leave the diesel at home when 2860 is running on the mainline or separate it, with its own runpast, away from steam power; it takes away from a great steam run. Yes, I know that the diesel is necessary for traction, but, as rail enthusiasts, try to keep to “period”, at least during runpasts.

[@terencemurdoch9689]

2860 Royal Hudson took the King and Queen across Canada before the war 1938

[@tedharrison4522]

Not quite. Hudson #2850 was the power on the Royal Train in 1939. 2850 is preserved at the Expo Rail museum outside Montreal. Following the trip, all Canadian Pacific streamlined Hudson locomotives received the "Royal" designation. In all, there were 45 Royal Hudsons (2820-2864), of which 4 have survived (2839, 2850, 2858, 2860).

[@MilwaukeeRoadJames]

@@tedharrison4522 And the non-streamlined ones, never received the "Royal" title. Which some people don't know when they call 2816 a Royal Hudson.

[@CENsystem]

2860 wasn't built in 1938 it was built in 1940