Canadian Pacific 2816, known as the “Empress,” is a historic class “H-1b” Hudson-type steam locomotive built in 1930 by Montreal Locomotive Works and preserved by the Canadian Pacific Railway (CPR). It served heavy passenger routes until retirement on May 26, 1960, was displayed at Steamtown, USA, and underwent extensive restoration before returning to service in 2001 for excursion runs.

Despite a hiatus from 2012 to 2024, it has been restored to operational condition, making it the only non-streamlined H1 Hudson in existence and the sole operating 4-6-4 Hudson in North America as of 2024.

In 2023, Canadian Pacific Railway merged with Kansas City Southern Railway. This merger created the only railway that reaches from Canada to Mexico. To mark this historic merger, the newly branded CPKC is sending the Empress out on a tour from Calgary to Mexico City, with multiple stops along the way.

To prepare for this trip, CPKC has made several trips on trackage around Calgary. I was lucky enough to be trackside in Balzac, Alberta when the Empress was making its return run from Edmonton to Calgary.