By: Chuck Miller
Writing

So are we talking “Canadian Pacific Kansas City Holiday Train” here?

Well, this seems to be some news. Apparently the Canadian Pacific Railway is in major talks with the Kansas City Southern Railroad for a merger. This would create the Canadian Pacific Kansas City Railroad, which would be the first rail service to operate entirely within Canada, the USA and Mexico.

That’s something impressive. And it comes at a time when more and more materials – food, metals, produce, all of that – is shipped via rail.

But here’s the thing. Do you know where and why I heard of this news?

I heard it on my Canadian Pacific Holiday Train Facebook fan group page.

Yes, there is a Canadian Pacific Holiday Train Facebook fan group page, don’t give me grief about it.

CP Holiday Train over Cohoes-Waterford Bridge 2018. Nikon Df camera, Nikkor 28mm f/2.8 lens. Photo (c) 2018 Chuck Miller, all rights reserved.

So let’s make things clear.

There’s no guarantee that COVID-19 will have cleared up enough for the Canadian Pacific Holiday Train to run in 2021. I mean, I can hope and pray for it. Because I’ve scouted this train for four years, and I have the perfect photo spot for this year. It will be my best image of the Holiday Train ever.

But will the train pass through there, or is it going to Kansas City and Mexico this year?

Remember, the Holiday Train runs exclusively on CP-owned track. That’s why they stopped running a Holiday Train show from Cobleskill to Schenectady some years ago, when CP sold that track line off. Now more track means more train travel. Or maybe they’ll build a third train that would be exclusively designated for the Midwest, all the way down to Mexico. That could be fun.

Just please, please, I’m begging you, CP, please with Timbits and CTM cash and all that that entails, please don’t pass New York away for the Holiday Train. This train needs to come through Albany and Mechanicville and Saratoga and Fort Edward and Plattsburgh and Rouses Point. And I need to get the most excellent photo of it.

So if you have to make another holiday train for the Kansas City spur, that’s fine. I’m good with that.

But let’s make this Holiday Train happen again. Please. It’s only eight months away to the possible day when the Holiday Train comes through New York.

I’ll be at that special spot when the train goes by.

I just hope that in 2021 … that train does go by the special spot.