Canadian Pacific switched to diesel overnight, fueled by corporatism, and saw locomotives like this—dirty, disgusting, and depressing. Only four remain. Canadian Pacific later acknowledged, after public outcry, that steam became a history worth preserving. In the early 90s and 2000s, Canadian Pacific attempted and somehow successfully rebuilt and restored a locomotive to operating condition. The project was plagued by issues. When they searched for documents, they found almost nothing—maybe a single cabinet file worth of documents. Out of desperation, they asked former employees, railfans, and any museums to share anything they had to rebuild the Hudson. In 2024, it ran, spanning all three nations, and at the head of it all? None other than Hudson 2816, pulling what little survived. This event is known as the Final Spike.

https://www.cpkcr.com/en/community/final-spike-steam-train (link to the tour)

Canadian Pacific 2816, also known as the "Empress", is a preserved H1b class 4-6-4 "Hudson" type steam locomotive, built by the Montreal Locomotive Works in December 1930 for the Canadian Pacific Railway. It is the only non-streamlined H1 Hudson to be preserved.

@MonsNotTheMonster @LunarEclipseSP @Boeing727200F @FeiGe3 for your dedication your names are on 2816's Tender!