Canadian Pacific Railway

3100 K1 class 4-8-4 Northern

Only two K-1 class 4-8-4's were built by Angus Shops. They were the only 4-8-4's on the CPR and were especially designed for the heavy Montreal-Toronto night trains. Following dieselization of those trains the pair were assigned to Montreal-Saint John NB passenger service however, due to a design feature they were restricted from use in the USA and were therefore operated only as far east as Megantic, Quebec. Later still after those trains were also dieselized, they were re-assigned to freight service out of Winnipeg after they were modified in Ogden shops to burn oil using tenders off 2-10-4 Selkirks 5906 and 5910.

"The Miracle of a Locomotive" on You Tube

Building a mamouth new locomotive in 1928. From pattern shop to the rails at the Angus Shops
of the Canadian Pacific Railway in Montreal. The most powerful steam locomotive in the British Empire.

Engineering design and specifications

3101 assignments

Looking off the roundhouse roof. K1 3100 on the table. CPR 8/1928 In the background (left to right) are:
G3's 2457 and 2401, G2 2581, H1's 2827 and 2811. Glen 1947 CPR/Steve Morris Collection

Spotless 3100 heading Number 22 from Toronto at Montreal West.
In the depth of the Great Depression. August 14, 1932
Otto Perry/Denver Public Library

3100 eastbound from Toronto with Number 22 at Montreal West. Now with "elephant ears" and sidepanel with number.
Still in the Great Depression. August 12, 1937 Otto Perry/Denver Public Library

3100 complete with smoke deflectors at John Street. The famous Royal York Hotel in background. Bud Laws Collection

3100 at the other end of its run. Glen in Montreal. 1948

K1a 3101 original appearance. (CPR October 1928) at the Glen June 1933 Bud Laws Collection

3101 with smoke deflectors cut at an angle to better show the number on smokebox.
Toronto June 1936 Hilliard N. Proctor/Bud Laws Collection

3101 races through Vaudreuil closing in on Windsor Station its destination in Montreal. Displaying signals (green) this is likely First 22 and if on time it is just after 6.00 a.m. with an arrival time of 6.55 a.m. Thursday 5/14/1953
Ken Baines/Joseph Testagrose Collection.

3101 in later years with added side trim and number moved off cab. Beaver emblem. Smoke deflectors.

3101 from Megantic, Que. with No. 41 from Saint John, NB at Montreal West. September 6, 1954
Joseph Testagrose Collection

Newly transferred from John Street where it had been stored since dieselization of 21 and 22. (Last run arrived in Toronto March 11, 1954). It was joined by 3100 also off 21 and 22 for a brief period of time before being transferred to Winnipeg
to finish out its years in freight service.

3100 shown at Winnipeg in freight service a sadly neglected looking engine near the end of its working life.
August 16,1959 Bud Laws Collection

NOTE: Both locomotives were preserved, 3100 at the National Museum in Ottawa and 3101 at IPSCO in Regina, Sask.