CANADIAN PACIFIC RAILWAY

2010 OLYMPIC EXPRESS

CPR 2010 OLYMPIC EXPRESS

On 26 January 2010, Canadian Pacific Railway operated Train 31B-26, the ‘Olympic Express’ from Calgary, AB., to Revelstoke, B.C., to participate in the Olympic Torch Relay. The train carried a cauldron which was to be lit at Revelstoke on 27 January; the train was to carry that lit cauldron on to Craigellachie, B.C., the location of the driving of the last spike on the trans-continental railway on 07 November 1885. From Craigellachie, the train continues on to Vancouver with its guests for the 2010 Winter Olympics. The consist of the Olympic Express was:

CP 8875, an ES44AC in Olympic Livery CP 84 Banffshire

CPPU 630070 on CP 507192 Flat Car CP 79 N.R. Crump

CP 99 Display Car CP 82 Strathcona

CP 100 Baggage-Observation Car CP 77 Van Horne

CP 110 Crew Sleeper H.B. Bowen CP 78 Royal Wentworth

CP 95 Generator Car CP 85 Craigellachie

CP 73 Mount Royal CP 74 Mount Stephen

CP 71 Killarney

Report and images by: C. van Steenis, Chestermere, AB.

CPR 2010 OLYMPIC EXPRESS

SD40-2’s # 5648 & 6058 back the Olympic Container Car plus 10 cars from the Royal Canadian Pacific from the Pavilion in downtown Calgary to Ogden Yard; at Alyth, Calgary 25 Jan 2010.

CPR 2010 OLYMPIC EXPRESS

SD40-2’s # 5648 & 6058 with the Olympic Container Car plus 10 cars from the Royal Canadian Pacific wait for CP 1401 to complete switching before backing into Ogden Yard; 25 Jan 2010.

CPR 2010 OLYMPIC EXPRESS

CP FP9A # 1401 has just moved three cars of the Empress consist from their compound out to the

Ogden Yard leads where they will be combined with the RCP cars for the Express; 25 Jan 2010.

CPR 2010 OLYMPIC EXPRESS

The container CPPU 630070 on CP flat car 507192 is painted with an Olympic motif reflecting

Canadian Pacific’s heritage and involvement with the Olympic movement; at Ogden, 25 Jan 2010.

CPR 2010 OLYMPIC EXPRESS

The switchers complete the marshalling of the Olympic Express at Ogden Yard; the 14 car consist

will be tied down here overnight before leaving with CPR ES44AC # 8875 in the early morning.

CPR 2010 OLYMPIC EXPRESS

On a cloudy January day, CPR 8875, with Train 31B-26, the 14 car consist of the Olympic Express,

departed Calgary at 07:00 on 26 January 2010 and easily climbs the modest grade along the Bow

River three and a half hours later at Morant’s Curve; Mile 113 on the Laggan Subdivision.

CPR 2010 OLYMPIC EXPRESS

The sun is barely lighting up the mountains in the background below the overhanging clouds and

fog as the Olympic Express rounds Morant’s Curve and heads to Lake Louise, only 3 miles distant.

CPR 2010 OLYMPIC EXPRESS

Having climbed from Lake Louise to the Great Divide, the Alberta-British Columbia border, the

Olympic Express has just left Stephen and has started its 12 mile downhill run with 14 cars through

the Kicking Horse Valley to Field, B.C.; 26 January 2010, M 124 Laggan Subdivision.

CPR 2010 OLYMPIC EXPRESS

The ‘Big Hill’ is only two miles ahead as the Olympic Express crosses the Lake O’Hara Road; the

ES44AC unit has more than adequate power and dynamic braking capacity for the 1200 foot train.

CPR 2010 OLYMPIC EXPRESS

With the tail end of the train still on the ‘Big Hill’, the Olympic Express has split the switch onto the

station track at Field, B.C. at 11:35 on 26 Jan 2010; 136 miles after leaving Calgary. The sun is still so

low at this time of year that the Kicking Horse Valley floor remains in the shade most of the day.

CPR 2010 OLYMPIC EXPRESS

Leaving the Laggan Subdivision behind, the Olympic Express, after a 20 minute stop at Field for a crew change and resupply, here crosses the Ottertail River at M 6.3 of the Mountain Subdivision on its way to Golden, Revelstoke and Craigellachie.

CPR 2010 OLYMPIC EXPRESS

ON TO CRAIGELLACHIE !

With Mr. & Mrs. Graham Booth on the observation deck, Business Car MOUNT STEPHEN brings up the tail end of the Olympic Express as it heads to the Olympic Torch ceremony at Craigellachie.