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In 1939, King George VI and Queen [[Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon|Elizabeth]] visited Canada, arriving at [[Anse-au-Foulon|Wolfe's Cove]], Quebec, on 17 May 1939. This was the first time that a [[Royal tours of Canada|reigning monarch had visited Canada]]. The King and Queen took a tour of the country by rail. The CPR and the [[Canadian National Railway]]s (CNR) shared the honours of transporting the royal train across the country, with the CPR undertaking the westbound journey, from [[Quebec City]] to [[Vancouver]].
The steam locomotive that the CPR used to pull the train was numbered 2850, a 4-6-4 built by Montreal Locomotive
==Regular service==
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==Excursions==
{{Unreferenced section|date=January 2023}}
One Royal Hudson, {{abbr|No.|number}} 2860, was later used in excursion service. A class H1e Royal Hudson, it was built for the CPR by MLW in June 1940. It was the first locomotive of five to be built new as Royal Hudson and delivered with painted cast-brass crowns affixed to its skirts. Between 1940 and 1956, it hauled [[Transcontinental railroad|transcontinental]] passenger trains between Revelstoke and Vancouver. It was damaged in a [[derailment]] outside
In 1973, Hussey sold No. 2860 to the British Columbia government. The locomotive was restored by Robert E. Swanson's Railway Appliance Research Ltd. team and the staff of the CPR's [[Drake Street Roundhouse]] shops beginning on November 25, 1973, and then operated by the British Columbia Department of Travel Industry with the cooperation of the [[British Columbia Railway]]. The BCR commenced a Royal Hudson steam excursion service between [[North Vancouver, British Columbia (city)|North Vancouver]] and [[Squamish, British Columbia|Squamish]] on June 20, 1974. By the end of the 1974 tourist season, 47,295 passengers had been carried and the excursion was deemed successful. It was the only regularly scheduled steam excursion over mainline trackage in North America. The excursion operated between May and October, from Wednesday through Saturday.
In 1986, from May
The display site for
In October of 1988, the Royal Hudson Steam Society, along with the Rocky Mountain Rail Society, operated the longest steam-powered double-headed excursion train ever attempted in North America. The excursion service on BC Rail between Squamish and North Vancouver has ended for the year of 1988, making it possible for the 3716 and the 2860
This special excursion run was also historic, because this was the 'homecoming trip' for CN 6060, which had been staying Vancouver since her visit to Steam Expo 86, and her long-time stay at the BC Rail steam shops in Squamish, having been used on roundtrip excursions between North Vancouver and Squamish. During 6060's stay, she often doubleheaded with 2860 and 3716 on excursion trains on rare occasions.
The consist for the steam special was made up of several Tuscan red and maroon coaches from the 2860 group and BC Rail, as well as a couple of blue and yellow [[Via Rail]] coaches. ▼
The first two days of the "Great Canadian Steam Excursion" special featured 2860 and 6060 pulling the train from North Vancouver to Kamloops and Jasper. On the first day, 2860 was on the point of the train. On the second day, 6060 was on the point from Kamloops to Jasper. For the third day of the excursion, the 6060 developed a problem with a crosshead bearing and could not be used on the run to Prince George. Since Jasper was the home base for 6060 and the Rocky Mountain Rail Society, 2860 led the excursion train, solo to Prince George. This portion of the excursion took the train through the scenic [[Yellowhead Pass]], on the Canadian National's transcontinental mainline, just west of [[Jasper National Park]]. The remainder of the trip from Prince George to 100 Mile House and North Vancouver; featured the 3716 on the point with 2860 behind the 2-8-0's auxiliary tank/water car. This was done while following standardized railroad practice, the small 2-8-0 was the pilot engine, followed by the biggest locomotive 2860. The rest of the excursion was on BC Rail trackage for the remaining 466 miles back to Vancouver.
The trip, however, was plagued with a few problems along the way. On the first day of the trip, 2860 and 6060 led the train to Kamloops. Several hours into the trip, while passing through [[Chilliwack|Chilliwack]], the rear wheel-set on the last passenger car of the train, picked a switch and derailed. Luckily, no one was hurt. The steam special was delayed for about four hours, before the derailed coach was re-railed. The following morning, at the Kamloops Rail Yard, 2860's front and leading driving wheels came off the tracks, while being turned on the wye. This resulted in the excursion train being delayed again for several hours until the 2860 was re-railed. On the fourth day, 3716 suffered a mechanical lubricator failure during the midway portion of the journey to 100 Mile House. However, a crew member of the locomotive cautiously stood on the running board of 3716 and lubricated by hand for the journey to 100 Mile House. On final day of the trip, 3716’s lubricator was successfully repaired.▼
▲The consist for the steam special was made up of several Tuscan red and maroon painted coaches from the 2860 group and BC Rail, as well as a couple of blue and yellow painted coaches, supplied by [[Via Rail]]. The first three days of the trip, had the train made up of about 16 coaches. For the last two days of the excursion, the special consisted of just 10 coaches.
Despite the mishaps, the rest of the trip for the rest of the day and the remainder of the two days that followed were uneventful. The steam excursion was a successful event for the crew of the 2860 and BC Rail. ▼
▲The trip, however, was plagued with a few problems along the way. On the first day of the trip, 2860 and 6060 led the train to Kamloops. Several hours into the trip, while passing through [[
▲Despite the
[[File:Vancouver Hudson No.2860 09.06.96R.jpg|thumb|Royal Hudson 4-6-4 {{abbr|No.|number}} 2860 at North Vancouver station before departure to Squamish in 1996]]
While the engine was being prepared for the Christmas trains at the end of the 1999 tourist season, 2860 was found to have serious leaks from the [[superheater]] elements. The superheaters and the arch tubes were known to be life expired and some other fairly major boiler work was required. A variety of factors prevented BC Rail from carrying out the repairs immediately, including the fact that [[Canadian Pacific 2816]] was in the BCR shop being rebuilt under contract, and that all BC Rail passenger services were under threat in the lead
On September 28, 2006, the Royal Hudson steamed into the WCRA Squamish station under its own power for the first time since October 1999. The restoration took just over one year with a cost of over $250,000. Money for the restoration was provided wholly by donations. The WCRA also had difficulty locating missing parts. Some of the major components, such as the [[Trailing wheel|trailing truck]], were borrowed from sister engine 2850. The borrowed parts had to be returned when 2850 was put on public display. WCRA replaced the borrowed tailing truck with one that was being used at a mine, which had salvaged the truck from a Royal Hudson due for scrap. The truck turned out to have been taken off of 2860 when it was sitting on the scrap line in the 1960s. The association plans to operate 2860 on excursion runs and at special events. Due to the strict "no steam" policy that CPKC and CN have, the excursions are restricted to special occasions only. 2860 is steamed up regularly for publicity and to salute passing passenger trains.
On December 9, 2010, the
{{As of|2010}},
==Southern 2839==
Line 86 ⟶ 90:
==Preservation==
{{
[[File:Royal hudson.jpg|thumb|No. 2850 in the [[Canadian Railway Museum]]]]
Four Royal Hudsons have been preserved (Hudson {{abbr|No.|number}} 2816 is not streamlined and thus is not "Royal").
*2839: Operated in the 1970s and 1980s. Now at the Nethercutt Collection and Museum, [[Sylmar, Los Angeles|Sylmar, California]]. Good cosmetic shape, displayed outside.
*2850: The locomotive that hauled the
*2858: Preserved at the [[Canada Science and Technology Museum]] at [[Ottawa]]. Good cosmetic shape, displayed inside.
*2860: Preserved at the [[West Coast Railway Association]] at [[Squamish, British Columbia
==See also==
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