Canadian Pacific 3716

Canadian Pacific 3716
No. 3716 with an excursion train, June 11, 2007
Type and origin
Power typeSteam
BuilderMontreal Locomotive Works
Serial number51628
Build dateNovember 1912
Rebuild date1929
Specifications
Configuration:
​
 • Whyte2-8-0
 • UIC1′D
Gauge1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in)
Leading dia.36 in (0.91 m)
Driver dia.63 in (1.60 m)
Length75 ft 5+1⁄2 in (23.00 m)
Height15 ft 3 in (4.65 m)
Adhesive weight211,000 lb (96 t)
Loco weight236,000 lb (107 t)
Tender weight139,000 lb (63 t)
Fuel type
Fuel capacity12 short tons (11 t) coal
Water cap.5,000 imp gal (23 m3) water
Boiler pressure190 lbf/in2 (1.3 MPa)
CylindersTwo, outside
Cylinder size23 in × 32 in (580 mm × 810 mm)
Valve gearWalschaerts
Valve typePiston valves
Train heatingSteam heat
Loco brakeAir
Train brakesAir
CouplersKnuckle
Performance figures
Tractive effort43% 43,400 lbf (193 kN)
Career
Operators
ClassN-2-b
Numbers
  • CPR 3916
  • CPR 3716
Nicknames
  • Port Coquitlam
  • Spirit of Summerland
Retired
  • 1960 (revenue service)
  • April 2001 (1st excursion service)
PreservedApril 1966
Restored
  • June 10, 1975 (1st excursion service)
  • May 22, 2005 (2nd excursion service)
Current ownerKettle Valley Steam Railway
DispositionOperational
References:[1][2]

Canadian Pacific 3716 is a preserved N-2-b class 2-8-0 "Consolidation" type steam locomotive, built by the Montreal Locomotive Works (MLW) for the Canadian Pacific Railway (CPR). It is currently owned and operated by the Kettle Valley Steam Railway (KVSR) in British Columbia.

After operating for over 30 years, it was retired in 1960 and kept in storage until it was acquired by the Government of British Columbia to be restored. No. 3716 began operating under BC Rail in 1975, and ran excursions for the British Columbia Provincial Museum Train. It also assisted Canadian Pacific 2860 with The Royal Hudson excursion train, which ran from 1974 to 2001.

In 2003, No. 3716 was purchased by the KVSR in Summerland and began pulling excursions in 2005.

History

Revenue service

The locomotive was originally built as No. 3916 by the Montreal Locomotive Works (MLW) in November 1912 for the Canadian Pacific Railway (CPR) as an N-2-b class locomotive.[1][3][4][5][6] It was renumbered to No. 3716 in 1929, when it was converted from burning coal to oil.[1][2][6]

No. 3716 was retired from revenue service in 1960, later being purchased by the City of Port Coquitlam in April 1966 for a planned display, also being nicknamed Port Coquitlam at this time.[5][1][4] The display never materialized, and the engine was stored at the Drake Street Yards in Vancouver until 1970, when it was purchased by the Government of British Columbia with plans made for an extensive rebuild to run it in excursions for BC Rail.[3][5][7] The Government of British Columbia were in need of a steam locomotive to haul its Provincial Museum Train, and, as the restoration of Canadian Pacific No. 2860 was completed, the Drake Street crew were able to undertake the assignment.[8][9][5][6]

BC Rail career

No. 3716, adorned with regal features, hauling the Provincial Museum Train in the 1970s.

The locomotive made its first test run on June 10, 1975, running from Vancouver to Coquitlam.[5] The following month, the engine ran a special eight-car excursion train on Vancouver Island; however, it was too heavy to cross any of the bridges and was replaced by MacMillan Bloedel & Powell River Ltd. 1077 for the rest of the excursion.[3][10]

No. 3716 then toured British Columbia in July and August pulling an eight-car train, once again travelling across the province in 1977 and 1978.[1][3][5] Operated by the British Columbia Railway (BCOL), the locomotive primarily served as a backup locomotive to No. 2860, which hauled The Royal Hudson train from North Vancouver to Squamish.[1][5][11][12] The two also frequently doubleheaded trains for special occasions or events, such as the ten-day Steam Exposition event as part of Expo 86 and the 1988 "Great Canadian Steam Railway Excursion".[13][14]

The BC Rail Steam Program was shut down in April 2001, after passenger service on the railway ceased, and No. 3716 was withdrawn from service after it suffered some major firebox damage during an excursion run.[1][15]

Kettle Valley Steam Railway

In 2003, it was purchased by the Kettle Valley Steam Railway (KVS), a heritage railway in Summerland.[1][4] The locomotive was repaired and hauled its inaugural run on May 22, 2005, being nicknamed the Spirit of Summerland.[1][4] In October 2012, the engine celebrated its 100th birthday.[4] As of 2026, the locomotive continues to haul excursions for the railway.[1]

Appearances in media

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 "Our Locomotives". Retrieved 17 October 2023.
  2. 1 2 Lavallée, Omer (1985). Canadian Pacific Steam Locomotives. Canada: Railfare Enterprises Limited. p. 324. ISBN 0919130348. Retrieved 31 January 2026.
  3. 1 2 3 4 "Waybills" (PDF). Canadian Rail (290): 24–25. March 1976. Retrieved February 6, 2026.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 "Engine still on track 100 years later". Kelowna Daily Courier. October 9, 2012. Retrieved February 6, 2026.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "The Cariboo" (PDF). The Cariboo (24): 21. April 1996. Retrieved February 6, 2026.
  6. 1 2 3 "BCRAIL" (PDF). Branchline: 13. January 1993. Retrieved March 1, 2026.
  7. ↑ "Waybills" (PDF). Canadian Rail (265): 31. February 1974. Retrieved May 2, 2026.
  8. ↑ "Cariboo - Issue 24". Retrieved 31 January 2026.
  9. ↑ "Remembering B. C. Rail" (PDF). Canadian Rail (547): 8. April 2012. Retrieved February 6, 2026.
  10. ↑ "The Locomotives" (PDF). The Cariboo: 21. April 1996. Retrieved May 2, 2026.
  11. ↑ "Royal Hudson 2860 May Be Retired" (PDF). Canadian Rail (479): 33. November–December 2000. Retrieved March 1, 2026.
  12. ↑ "West Coast Rail Tours" (PDF). Branchline: 20. September 2000. Retrieved February 6, 2026.
  13. ↑ "Tribute to Betty" (PDF). Branchline: 17. December 1988. Retrieved February 6, 2026.
  14. ↑ "The Rocky Mountains By Daylight - Behind Doubleheaded Steam" (PDF). Branchline: 12. September 1988. Retrieved February 7, 2026.
  15. ↑ "CPR 2816 Reborn for 21st Century Steam" (PDF). Branchline: 9. October 2001. Retrieved March 1, 2026.
  16. ↑ "Elsewhere" (PDF). Canadian Rail (290): 88, 89. June 1995. Retrieved April 24, 2026.

Bibliography

  • Trainer, Mary (October 23, 2015). Whistle Posts West (1st ed.). Heritage House. p. 129, 131. ISBN 978-1-7720-3044-0.
  • Cline, Teresa. Hidden History. Lulu.com. p. 14. ISBN 978-1-3654-9491-8.

Further reading

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