After months of planning and preparation, I finally caught up with "Empress" CP 464 #2816 in Hankinson, ND on the afternoon of May 2nd while on her "Final Spike Tour" to celebrate the CP and KCS merger. I then chased her down the CPKC Elbow Lake Sub to Glenwood, MN, where the train would tie down for the night. The next day, I would see the Empress pass through my hometown of Maple Lake, MN, with the rainy conditions making for a beautiful show of smoke from the funnel. This, as far as I can recall, is the first time in 17 years that a steam engine has passed through Maple Lake. I then went to Medina, MN, where I caught the Empress one final time before she entered the Twin Cities metro on her way to Union Depot in St. Paul. Hope that everyone enjoys the video and be sure to like and subscribe for more!

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Train Details:
CPKC 40B
Type: eastbound "Final Spike Tour" train
18 cars (including fuel/water tenders), 103 axles, 1519'
Power:
"Empress" CP 464 Hudsontype #2816 ("mountain type" 5chime air whistle, built December 1930)
CP FP9A #1401 (exCN FP9A #6541, built July 1958)
CP FP9A #4107 (exCN 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
KCS sleeper car ("Veracruz")
CP sleeper car #110 ("H.B. Bowen")
KCS sleeper car ("San Louis Potosi")
CP business car #73 ("Mount Royal")
CP dining car ("Glacier")
CP coach car #103 ("Major Rogers")
CP lounge car ("Selkirk")
KCS sleeper car ("Baton Rouge")
CP business car #70 ("Assiniboine")
CP coach car ("Bonfield")
CP observation car ("Sandford Fleming")

Timestamps and locations:
5/1/2024 (all mileposts CPKC Elbow Lake Sub):
0:00 Hankinson, ND (MP 203.05)
1:01 Tenney, MN (MP 187.01)
2:09 Nashua, MN (MP 175.99)
2:54 Elbow Lake, MN (MP 158.99)
3:41 Kensington, MN old wooden bridge (MP 142.35)
4:18 Driveby between Kensington and Farwell
4:54 Glenwood, MN startup and stop (MP 121.37)
5/2/2024 (all mileposts CPKC Paynesville Sub):
8:21 Maple Lake, MN (MP 44.1)
9:09 Medina, MN (MP 16.93)


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