End of the line for CPR steam program

BREAKING NEWS -- After years of faithfully carrying the torch for the Canadian Pacific Rwy. steam program, Royal Hudson no. 2860 has powered her last train on my layout. As one of the most prominent and most distinctive steam locomotives in North America, no. 2860 recently served as an international ambassador during the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver. Additionally, no. 2860 was the last steam unit in operation on my diesel dominant layout.
CPR officials cite "prohibitively expensive operating costs in these trying economic times" as the chief reason for extinguishing the fire in no. 2860. Although CPR has yet to reveal plans for future fan trips and executive excursions on its private fleet of vintage MTH passenger cars, it is believed that they will continue to operate under the power of vintage CPR diesel F-units (on order -- Lionel ship date of Nov. 2010) or the recently acquired CPR ES44AC Evolution Hybrid unit no. 9860 (Lionel 28320). Alas, no. 2860 will be safe from the scrapper's torch -- she, Unlike previously idled Royal Hudson no. 2851, now sheltered in a Wisconsin railroad museum, CPR's plans to keep Royal Hudson no. 2860 intact are uncertain.