Canadian Pacific 1201

Canadian Pacific 1201 is a G5a class 4-6-2 "Pacific" type steam locomotive, built in 1944 by the Canadian Pacific Railway's (CP) Angus shops in Montreal, Quebec. It is preserved at the Canada Science and Technology Museum (NMST).

No. 1201 was built in June 1944 by the Canadian Pacific Railway's (CP) Angus Shops.^[2] It was also the very last steam locomotive built by the CP shops.^[2][3] No. 1201 was used to pull passenger trains across Ontario and Quebec until being retired from revenue service on April 16, 1960.^[4] After the Canadian Pacific removed the locomotive from service, the railway put No. 1201 in storage at the Angus Shops yard, and it was donated to the Canada Science and Technology Museum (NMST) six years later in 1966.^[2][4]

In May 1973, No. 1201 was selected to be restored to operating condition to run excursions for the Bytown Railway Society (BRS) over the Gatineau Valley line.^[5] It was moved into CP's John Street Roundhouse on June 1, 1973, where restoration officially began by the Ontario Rail Association. During the restoration progress, it was also converted from coal to oil.^[1][4] No. 1201's restoration was completed on June 6, 1976, and moved again under its own power for the first time in sixteen years, doubleheading with Canadian Pacific FP7A No. 4038 on a return trip to Ottawa.^[4]

Throughout 1976 and 1985, No. 1201 hauled various passenger excursion trains for the NMST each year, assigned by the Bytown Railway Society.^[4] It also hauled a special excursion train to transport Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip from Ottawa West through Wakefield on October 16, 1977.^[4]

In the fall of 1985, No. 1201 travelled to British Columbia to participate in the Last Spike Centennial Ceremony on November 7.^[4]

In 1985 and 1986, No. 1201 sat in storage in New Westminster until May 1986, when it travelled to Vancouver, British Columbia, to participate in a ten-day Steam Exposition event as part of Expo 86.^[4][6][7] In July 1986, it returned home to Ottawa and was placed in storage for an uncertain future.^[4]

Throughout 1987 and 1990, the Bytown Railway Society operated No. 1201 on excursion trips to Pembroke, Hawkesburry and Brockville as well as a two-hour roundtrip between Ottawa and Hull.^[4]

In June 1989, the engine travelled to Saint John, New Brunswick, to participate in the ceremony of the inauguration of CP's short line between Montreal and Saint John, the Canadian Atlantic Railway.^[4]

On October 14, 1990, No. 1201 operated in its final excursion run from Ottawa to Hawksbury and return. It was returned to the Canada Science and Technology Museum and moved into a warehouse for storage.^[4] As of 2023, No. 1201 is stored out of service at the Canada Science and Technology Museum in Ottawa.^[4] It is the oldest survivor of the Canadian Pacific's G5 class locomotives, and the last remaining locomotive of two prototypes of the class to be preserved.^[1][8]

• No. 1238 is in storage at the Prairie Dog Central Railway in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada.
• No. 1246 is in storage at the Railroad Museum of New England in Thomaston, Connecticut, United States.
• No. 1278 is on static display at the Age of Steam Roundhouse in Sugarcreek, Ohio, United States.
• No. 1286 is in storage at the Prairie Dog Central Railway in Winnipeg.
• No. 1293 is on display at the Age of Steam Roundhouse in Sugarcreek, waiting for a rebuild.

• Canadian Pacific 2317
• Canadian Pacific 2816
• Canadian National 6060
• Canadian Pacific Railway § Steam locomotives

• Railroad Magazine. Vol. 100–101. 1976. p. 40.
• Railroadman's Magazine. Vol. 104–105. 1978. p. 19.
• Bill Yenne (1986). The History of North American Railroads. BisonBooks. p. 142. ISBN 978-0861242726.
• Railfan & Railroad. Vol. 18. Carstens Publications. 1999. p. 52.
• Railfan & Railroad. Vol. 18. Carstens Publications. 2004. p. 12.