Steam Locomotive!
The Empress 2816
Historic train brings out fans to photograph as it passes through Stilwell
by Renee Fite
City of Stilwell Director of Public Relations and Media
Trains are a passion for lots of people, because when word spread that a refurbished steam locomotive was passing through Stilwell on Wednesday, May 22, 2024, there were many on hand to capture the moment and wave as it whisked past the KCS Depot.
Some people traveled from as far as Fayetteville and Stigler to view the rare sight which finally happened quickly at 4:40 p.m.
Sheryl and Wayne Pearson consider themselves “train people.”
“We thought we would miss it go by Decatur and heard it might
stop here,” said Sheryl. “We’re belong to a model train club,
which went to Decatur and we thought we might get a better
view here.”
Trenton Ballinger drove from Stigler with his grandfather to film the Empress 2816 Steam Locomotive as it passed through Stilwell.
photo by Renee Fite
They enjoy promoting trains to children. “We want children to have fun with trains and thought we’d get better pictures here to share, and have bragging rights,” she said.
Also traveling to see the train were Trenton Ballinger, from Stigler, and his grandfather Carl Wegert from Spiro.
“He’s had the train bug all his life so I guess I caught it from him,” said Wegert.
People started waiting at the KCS Depot around 2 p.m. to see the Empress 2816 Steam Locomotive.
photo by Renee Fite
They travel a lot on the weekends to see trains. “We go to Heavener or Van Buren where the big train yard is. I enjoy our time together, and trains are cool,” Wegert said.
A junior at Stigler High School, Trenton knows all about trains and plans to attend a college in Overland Park, Kansas where he can become a train engineer.
“I grew up with trains. My grandma bought me a DVD of Thomas the Train and my interest grew exponentially from there to wooden trains and model trains,” said Trenton.
In 2023, Kansas City Southern and the Canadian Pacific merged. They restored 2816, now known as The Empress, he said.
“It got new drivers,” said Trenton.
The Final Spike, as it’s called, is more of a corporate thing to celebrate the merger, said Trenton.
“It has a new red paint scheme for the merged trains,” he said.
The seven big Class 1 trains merged into five and now four, they were: Southern Pacific, Union Pacific, Kansas City Southern, Chicago Northeastern, Norfolk Western, Southern and CSX on the east coast.
Regina McLemore was among the Adair County Historical and Geneologial Association members awaiting the train at the Depot, including Susie Thompson, Emily Thompson and Toni McGee.
“This is a once in a lifetime opportunity,” said McLemore.
Susie Thompson said, “the Kansas City Southern hasn’t seen a steam passenger train since the 1950s.”
Driving to Stilwell from the lake were Loretta and Bob Merritt, with Shortline Produce.
“I’m a big time train nerd. My father corrupted me, he worked for Union Pacific in Seattle and Denver,” she said.
In Denver they lived about a mile from the big shipping yard. “We had to cross the tracks, about 15 of them, to get to downtown, and sometimes we’d climb over the train cars,” said Loretta.
A shortline signifies a private railroad, small rather than a conglomerate. “That’s why I named my business Shortline,” she said.
One local woman who came around 2 p.m. and waited for the
train was Amanda Kimble.
“It seems like I’ve lived near train tracks wherever I’ve lived. This train is old and there are very few of them around, so when will you have another chance to see them,” said Kimble.
Keith and Darrell Neale were also on hand to witness the train pass by. Keith kept a running post to let people know about the event.
“I looked it up a few months ago, and called six places and finally got a recording telling me where to find the information online,” he said.
Darrell said he came because, “it’s a unique experience.”
A closeup of the trains wheels and other details of the undercarriage.
photo: Artie Romero
The train stopped again on a siding north of the depot.
photo: Artie Romero
The train is headed to Mexico City before returning north. For
those who missed the opportunity to see the steam locomotive,
it is scheduled to pass back through the morning of June 16.
“This is the biggest one you can see,” he said.
Keith added,” It was probably past World War II the last time you saw one here.”
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City of Stilwell, Oklahoma
Address: 20 S. 1st St., Stilwell, OK 74960
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918-696-7143
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