The Canadian Pacific G2 class 4-6-2, part 01
Turning the clock back to 1905 and a few years beyond
Under sullen skies, the temperature is 40ºF around the St. Luc shop tracks on Saturday, March 29, 1958.
The atmosphere reflects the bedraggled steam locomotives we see clinging to life. Positioned near the cinder hoist, G2 Pacific 2539 has months to live. From her days on Lakeshore commuter trains, she’s equipped with a second dynamo to provide electricity to coaches. She was bumped by newer and more powerful sisters.
But we’re getting decades ahead of ourselves…
Where to begin, in documenting the more than five decades of operating assignments for a class of 166 steam locomotives on the Canadian Pacific?
Where indeed? I defer to Lewis Carroll’s White Rabbit, asking The King a similar question and receiving this response:
Dear Reader, we shall follow The King’s advice. Back to the year 1905 on the World’s Greatest Travel System we go.
It’s 1905
The Canadian Pacific comprises railways, ocean liners, hotels, telegraph, land development. Two rival transcontinental lines are in the planning (soon to be building) stage. The CPR’s new Angus Shops in Montreal began constructing locomotives last year. The signature steam locomotive of the CPR—the D10 class 4-6-0, of which eventually 502 will be built—has gone into production this year.