I don't have permission to post the video, but several days after the lady was killed taking a selfie, a drone captured an astonishing sight in San Luis Potosi as the Empress crept through town. It looked like somebody was stirring an ant hill with a stick as the slowly moving train was surrounded on all sides by the agitated, teeming crowd. CPKC employees walked on the ends of the ties ahead of her with arms linked and orange flags pinned to their sleeves, pushing people back to arm's length distance from the equipment. Some sharp dressed caballero rode his horse up and down between the mainline tracks and circled the consist. Tents for T shirt, cowboy hat, and all manner of Empress souvenir vendors were set up maybe "25 feet back from the track". As the train began to pick up speed, somebody grabbed ahold of the handrail on the last car, but missed the step as he attempted to hitch a ride.

The only footage or photos I've seen of the #2816 special in Mexico, which was shot in nice light, with good scenery, and nobody in the composition other than train crew, was a few sublime seconds taken by a drone just as they entered Queretaro Canyon. I'm glad I stayed home !!!

A new video I just saw shows the 2816 dead in tow, rods disconnected, and being hauled by the F units making a good clip headed northbound. Looks like the Mexico trip was a failure.

San Luis Potosí Shops, June 4, apparently measures taken to protect the jewelry from flying stones. It could happen here too. Juan Viladrosa photo:

So far what I've seen is the F units leading with the steam locomotive at the end of the consist but still under steam and whistling.

Now I'm REALLY glad I stayed home...

I just pulled up 3 different videos, 2 on Facebook, 1 on YouTube; all three showing the GE leading the F units, which was leading the 2816.

Rods were in place and doing their thing.

I don't think they have had the time to even consider pulling the rods. With the amount of staffing they've got, they can handle keeping 2816 hot and letting the diesels do the work.

It will be interesting to see if 2816 retakes the lead once it crosses the border into the US.

I saw a couple videos of the diesels leading 2816, but the rods are connected and the engine appears to be working light steam. I wouldn't say the journey into Mexico was a failure. A logistical nightmare maybe, but the number of people who came to see the train was staggering. As a PR machine it definitely did its job. Also of note, there was never a published schedule for the operations in Mexico other than the Mexico City public display. Clearly CPKC wanted to keep things fluid down there. I wouldn't take a non-advertised move with diesels in the lead as a sign of anything.

I don't see how you can say that; it was enormously popular.

There was a picture on fb of No. 2816 on a dead end track in Mexico City and captioned as the farthest south they could go. So perhaps the above-mentioned back up move is simply related to pulling the train out of that section of track for turning after the display period was over?

As much as I enjoy seeing steam at speed - this is a reason that mainline steam should be limited speed wise - especially in areas that will attract crowds.

If large crowds are close to the tracks - the crew needs to slow down - safety first always!

I’m of course not suggesting the CP crew did anything wrong and I feel terrible for them - but if we want steam on the mainline to continue we have to take the safest route always.

This just showed up on facebook. It was an honest question and an honest answer. There have been the usual batch of negative nellies about the 2816 tour, but Canadian Pacific set out to show the flag -- or flags, actually! -- and they did it amazingly well.
The combined railways will offer the company many challenges, but many great positive opportunities. Hopefully we will see changes of government in Canada and the US soon (not sure about Mexico?) and a return to North America first economic policies. If that can be accomplished, even partially, CPKC stands to have a greater future.
Congratulations to the company and the 2816 crew for a job well done. Best wishes to them for a safe and successful trip bringing 2816 home.

From the CPKC Empress facebook page:

The Empress: CPR 2816
Daniel (last name removed)
Hi yall, I apologize if this isn't an appropriate thing to post but I thought I'd bring it up considering the number of people constantly bringing it up on YouTube
Many videos have made statements which (personally are a but hurtful), are saying how the Steam Tour was a "Mistake" or "They never should've gone to Mexico". The fact they're saying this without any remorse is just downright painful to watch, so I have to ask. What's the crew's response to these statements made?

Adam Meeks
Moderator
Top contributor
Let me be clear that the following is my personal opinion and I’m not speaking on behalf of CPKC when I say this, but it bothers me greatly to hear people say “they never should have gone to Mexico” or “they were crazy to take the engine down there”.
Mexico was tough in some ways but overall was an incredible experience for all of us. The reception we received was amazing and the enthusiasm of the people was overwhelming. Obviously there were concerns with the size of the crowds in Mexico because the sheer number of people along the tracks created some challenges, and the fact that the prevailing attitudes toward rail safety down there are very different from Canada and the United States created some stressful moments for all of us. Most people by now are aware of the unfortunate fatality involving the woman standing too close to the tracks as she took a selfie. This was the low point of the tour for most of us and made it difficult for the crew to enjoy what should have been a triumphant occasion.
The one positive (if you can call it that) coming out of that situation was that it made people pay attention and seemed to spark a conversation about keeping a respectful distance and being safe around trains. To be clear, this event was caused by one person’s tragic decision and it is just as unfair to paint everyone in Mexico with the same brush as it would be if the same things had occurred in Canada or the US.
I would ask people to remember what this tour is all about, and that’s a celebration of CP’s acquisition of KCS and KCSM to create CPKC. The whole reason this is such a compelling thing is because this new network is the first one in history incorporating Canada, the United States, and Mexico into a single line railway. All three of those countries and the CPKC employees based there play an equal part in the continued success of this company, so it only makes sense that all three be included in this celebration tour. People in Mexico are no less deserving of the Empress than their counterparts north of the border, and the hundreds of thousands of people who came to see the engine are living proof that this locomotive and this tour have created a meaningful legacy for this company. For my part anyway, it has been a privilege to play a role in making that happen.

Well! There is video on fb of No. 2816 backing into the shops at Calgary yesterday. The amazing trip is over.
Congratulations to Canadian Pacific and the entire steam crew. It was a very successful trip. It appears that No. 2816 did extremely well, running at main line speeds, and entertaining thousands. If the main goal was to show the flag for the newly constituted CPKC, that was accomplished in spades. Perhaps this journey helped cement together the parts of the new company.
From a business point of view, there are just monetary outflows. Like Union Pacific, CPKC can hope, that with exercises like this, all the good will and positive public relations will pay dividends for the future. Sadly, they are always one serious derailment away from the whole thing being forgotten. C'est la vie, ou, peut-etre, c'est la guerre.
Now, can the company be talked into bringing her east next year? There is, after all, the reunion of the line to Saint John to celebrate.