One could have made a representative train to accompany the 2900s. There was a streamlined combination car from one of the 3000 trains at Ottawa, and used behind ex-CPR No. 1201. Not sure where that car is now? Also, there used to be plenty of the ex-CPR 2200-series, plain steel, streamlined coaches around. They are scattered around now.
All just a dream, of course! But one can still dream.

GWR - Up until recently the Cranbrook museum had a 4 car set of lightweights assembled to represent the 'Chinook/Stampeeder', but unfortunately they were marked for de-accessioning in 2020.

https://www.traingeek.ca/wp/scaling-down/

73
RwC

It bears noting that one of the top contenders for 'cost-effective replicas (along with 999 and finishing NYC 3001) is a Milwaukee A Atlantic. You can see a 3000 easily from there... ;-}

The only great problem with either class is that to "make it pay" you'll need to run more trains within a four-coupled engine's performance envelope. That might involve building the four-wheel trailing truck with boost motors... perhaps a strict preservationist's semantic no-no.

Any word on where the four-car Chinook set might be going?

I was in Cranbrook a few months ago and took a tour of the museum. None of the deaccessioned equipment has been moved yet, and the Chinook set is still there. It doesn't appear to have gotten much if any maintenance during its time in Cranbrook (like so many railway museums they currently have a far larger collection than they can care for) and a couple of the cars could use a lot of work. One of the cars still contains a diesel generator and some old posters or flyers from its time on the CP 1201 excursions.

My understanding is that a group from Alberta is interested in it, and they are working with at least one other buyer of equipment in Cranbrook to have their respective acquisitions moved in the near future. No further details at this time.

RwC - Is there any truth behind the other rumour that Buck Crump had set aside a 3000 in Montreal for preservation, and the shop cut it up by mistake?

I have not heard that one before. Generally what NR Crump wanted, he got and if he said 'set aside #3XXX', it most certainly would have been done and wrapped up with a bow, especially in Montreal. And the way the Angus shops were run, nobody but nobody would cut up a locomotive without an authorization signed by somebody in triplicate. We're talking about a shop facility where you needed a note signed by the foreman if you had to use the bathroom outside of break time..

The 3000s were a radical departure from the CPR dogma (streamlined, small class,dedicated equipment, special purpose), but they made sense at the time. It was the height of the depression and Corporate saw the tremendous publicity the American roads were getting with their hot new streamliners and the CPR wanted in. Couple that with Canadian Locomotive Works and Canada Car and Foundry offering cut rate deals just to get the work, it was a fantastic opportunity that the PR dept. milked for all it was worth (including paying the Marx toy co. make an electric trainset).

Despite them being the most beautiful locomotives ever to grace the rails of the CPR, the F2A class were pretty much one trick ponies designed for a single purpose - moving a lightweight consist at blistering speeds from terminal A to terminal B and looking good while doing it. 80" drivers with the main rod coupled to the #1 driver, large diameter/short throw pistons and a 4-4-4 arrangement really just limited them to 3-4 car intercity expresses and nothing else.

Add to the fact that all those gorgeous curves were sheet metal supported by complex framework over top of the important bits the shop boys needed to work on frequently and they were a bit of a nightmare in the backshop. Those streamline panels required care and attention to remove, store and re-assemble. And here's the thing most people don't know or realize - the way the shrouding was designed on an F2A, the panels supported each other for strength. That means (with a few exceptions), there were not 'easy access' panels to parts that required frequent servicing, so even little jobs required removing multiple panels, in a shop with an overhead crane.

Their limitations really showed through during WW2 when everything that could make steam was thrown into the war effort. Light weight, low tractive effort, high maintenance speedsters just didn't fit with either the demands or emergency maintenance programs placed on the railway.

Pretty little things, lightning fast, but it was all just high maintenance makeup and they were only good for one thing. (There's a life lesson in there somewhere...or at least a country song).

As soon as CP took delivery of their RDCs the F2a class was done. The whole fleet was out of regular service by 1956 and with no other useful purpose, they were razorblades before the CRHA (Canadian Railway Historical Assoc.) gained enough credibility/traction to do anything about it by 1958/59. The only one that had a chance was #3001 in Calgary, but there was more interest in preserving a 2-10-4 Selkirk than the #3001, so unfortunately it got cut up at Ogden and that was that. (Fun fact, one of the big aluminum 'Chinook' nameplates came up for sale at an antique mall in Edmonton a few years back for $1K (CDN Pesos). No clue who wound up with it...maybe that person is reading this now...

The F1s were slower, had better traction, better throttle response at lower speeds, burned less coal more efficiently with frequent starts/stops, they were easier to maintain/service and more versatile so they stuck around in Montreal commuter service to the bitter end in '59. #2928 was the best condition of the lot so that went to the CRHA followed by #2929 to Mr. Cranberry so they got preserved, the rest the torch and that was the end of that.

73
RwC

Fromage Royale,
Thank you for the information on the 3000s. Monsieur Lavallee has some good information on them in his excellent book on CP Steam Power.
There were reports the 3000s could damage rods when reversing a "heavy" train -- although what a heavy train would be in their case is not stated. No.s 3000 and 3002 worked southwestern Ontario into the late 1950s. Near the end, there were photos taken of them hauling short, conventional trains with the RDCs tacked on the tail end! To their credit, the 3000s gave many years of service.
I grew up seeing the last years of CNR steam on the Dundas Subdivision. The CPR Galt Subdivision was several miles north so we never got that far from home, but could have seen the 3000s running in the 90mph range! We had to be happy watching CNR Hudsons and streamlined Northerns at high speed!
The 2900s were certainly more versatile and gave good service. As mentioned by another commentator, as excursion engines today, the 2900s probably could not pull enough coaches to warrant the expense of overhaul, but I do know a piece of track where one would be perfect! CPR had two earlier 2900-series 4-8-2s. They were good looking engines, but too early in the game to be saved.

I can't imagine what a terrible childhood you had, being forced to watch a parade of CNR 5700s and 6400s go by at speed every day.


Me too pal, I just have to convince the boss ;)

Cheers Rick
RwC

Yes, it was a struggle. No. 5702 was a common sight. However, the more memorable passenger engines were Mountain 6069 and Northern 6234. One had to just muddle along! There was a triangular sign across from our farm on the Dundas Sub. that showed the number 80 over the number 60. The CNR passenger power, including 4-6-2s and standard 4-8-2s, surpassed the 80 commonly. The hoggers on the heavy freight 4-8-4s must have longed for passenger duty and practiced daily! The 60 mph was only a suggestion.