NPS Photo
Canadian Pacific 2317 looms high in this photograph. Visitors are often surprised at the size of locomotives and railroad cars. The CP 2317 is considered a medium-sized locomotive - about 450,000 pounds (including the tender).
Canadian Pacific #2317
Owners: Canadian Pacific Railway, #2317
Builder: Montreal Locomotive Works, June, 1923
The Canadian Pacific #2317 was built in 1923 as a heavy passenger locomotive. It was built as the eighteenth locomotive of the G-3-c series. (On the Canadian Pacific, "G" stood for the 4-6-2 "Pacific"-type locomotive. The "3" means it was the third design of this wheel arrangement, and the "c" means it was the third production run.) Ultimately, it proved a good design and CPR eventually acquired 173 G-3 4-6-2 steam locomotives. (Only two survive.) It remained in operation until 1959, when after 36 years of service, it was placed in storage.
F. Nelson Blount acquired the locomotive for his Steamtown Foundation. After Blount's death, the Foundation did bring the 2317 back to operation in 1978. It moved -- with the Steamtown collection -- to Scranton, PA, in 1984, and was donated to the National Park Service in 1987.
CP 2317 is in the Roundhouse, awaiting it's call to service for the 2009 Operations Season. This locomotive will power the short train rides on select days this season. At the end of the 2009 season, this locomotive will be due to undergo it's 1,472-day FRA-mandated inspection. The Park is in the process of administratively preparing for this huge project.
