An historic steam train journey traversing Canada, the United States and Mexico ended in tragedy when a woman was fatally injured after being struck by the 96-year-old locomotive in the town of Nopala de Villagran, 60 miles northwest of Mexico City.

The locomotive in question is the recently restored Empress 2816, built for Canadian Pacific by Montreal Locomotive Works in 1930, and operated until 1960.

According to the Calgary Herald, the Final Spike Steam Tour—which departed from Calgary on April 26—was a celebration of Canadian Pacific Railway Ltd.’s US$31-billion acquisition of Kansas City Southern, becoming Canadian Pacific Kansas City (CPKC). The merger was completed on April 14, 2023.

The transcontinental journey included 11 stops en route, taking in towns and cities in Saskatchewan, North Dakota, Minnesota, Iowa, Illinois, Missouri, Louisiana, Texas and Mexico, before its scheduled arrival in Mexico City on June 4.

The historic 8,000-mile trip across three countries had required meticulous planning for two years. More than a dozen crew members accompanied the locomotive on its journey.

Railway enthusiasts turned out in large numbers to see the restored locomotive on what was described by one specialist journal as “the longest steam tour ever featuring a single locomotive.”

According to the Calgary Herald, the Empress 2816 is “capable of a whopping 3,800 horsepower and reaching speeds of up to 145 kilometers per hour.”

The fatal accident in Mexico occurred on June 3, as the Empress passed through the Aragon railway station in Nopala de Villagrán. According to reports, the 28-year-old woman set herself up for a selfie by kneeling close to where the train was due to pass.   Despite warnings to stay well clear of the passing locomotive, crowds swarmed the tracks in order to get a better view.  A video posted online shows how the woman got much closer than anyone else, and was unfortunately struck in the head by one of the pistons.  Reports said she died at the scene.