RRHMA 2024 - The Empress Meets the Centennial (Redux)
The Railroading Heritage of Midwest America held its annual "Walk Amongst Giants" fundraiser on June 29, 2024. The fundraiser allows visitors to go inside the former Rock Island steam shops in Silvis, IL to view the progress of restoration efforts on UP 3985 and UP 5511 (for a fee).
This year, the organization's Centennial diesel locomotive, UP 6936 (formerly owned by Union Pacific before being donated to RRHMA two years ago and now newly restored to operation), was assigned to a short three car train for an onboard Operation Lifesaver presentation.
Incidentally, CP 2816, the "Empress" steam locomotive, was on her way back to Canada after leading CPKC's business train to Mexico as part of CPKC's "Final Spike Steam Tour" to celebrate the 1-year anniversary of the CP-KCS merger and was laying over in the Quad Cities for a couple days. Originally the locomotive was going to lead an excursion out of Silvis on Iowa Interstate trackage, but that was subsequently cancelled, so the CPKC crew offered to put the locomotive on display in Silvis during the RRHMA event.
So here we are, two iconic locomotives of two historic railroad companies meeting face to face, likely for the first time in history. Pretty neat.
See this link for a view on the other side of the track:
www.flickr.com/photos/133078587@N08/53869724869/in/datepo...
RRHMA 2024 - The Empress Meets the Centennial (Redux)
The Railroading Heritage of Midwest America held its annual "Walk Amongst Giants" fundraiser on June 29, 2024. The fundraiser allows visitors to go inside the former Rock Island steam shops in Silvis, IL to view the progress of restoration efforts on UP 3985 and UP 5511 (for a fee).
This year, the organization's Centennial diesel locomotive, UP 6936 (formerly owned by Union Pacific before being donated to RRHMA two years ago and now newly restored to operation), was assigned to a short three car train for an onboard Operation Lifesaver presentation.
Incidentally, CP 2816, the "Empress" steam locomotive, was on her way back to Canada after leading CPKC's business train to Mexico as part of CPKC's "Final Spike Steam Tour" to celebrate the 1-year anniversary of the CP-KCS merger and was laying over in the Quad Cities for a couple days. Originally the locomotive was going to lead an excursion out of Silvis on Iowa Interstate trackage, but that was subsequently cancelled, so the CPKC crew offered to put the locomotive on display in Silvis during the RRHMA event.
So here we are, two iconic locomotives of two historic railroad companies meeting face to face, likely for the first time in history. Pretty neat.
See this link for a view on the other side of the track:
www.flickr.com/photos/133078587@N08/53869724869/in/datepo...