The much rumoured, oft discussed, trip for the great 4449 has been formally announced. Try the link to the Northwest Rail Museum. She will run from Portland (or Vancouver) to Bend, remain overnight and return. March 23 and 24, Saturday-Sunday. Prices vary from $329 to $439 depending on class, single vs. double motel occupancy in Bend, and include two meals per day plus motel in Bend. A printable sign up sheet is available at: Northwest Rail Museum and she might look like this again
Hey Fitz, if Doyle lets you get your grubby fingers on his throttle, you think he would maybe let me do a little rackkin' and sawin' on it on the way back? Come to think about that though, he gets pretty stubborn when we look too hard at his playthings. He is about the best one to handle that old girl! I think by now she likes him a lot!
Watash, the only way I'm gonna get my hands on that throttle is to sneak aboard when she's overnighting in Bend. Doyle really knows that engine. I have a short piece of video I took up in the Columbia Gorge last year of the engine going past at about 70 mph, and there is very little noise from the exhaust. Full throttle and Johnson bar near the center? Here's a shot of how Doyle leaves Portland, with cylinder cocks wide open (photographers, get back!) and that's the first Chuff exhaust plume. Lighting conditions are tough, but I like the shot. Come on up and ride with me, man.
Today I received my Confirmation letter from Friends of the 4449. The trip is SOLD OUT. We Northwest railfans support our local steam. It is kind of curious that the new photo on the 4449 site is in AFT colors, and they are pushing T-shirts of AFT colors. I wonder..........................
Man, i wish we could do somethin like that round here. Last time 4449 pulled an excursion was in August 1976. She made it up to 80 mph on the SR Main! Ah, the days i never did get to see.....
Hayes, the last time she pulled an excursion was June 2001 here in the northwest. I know, I'm just kidding--1976 was the last time she ran on SR. For that matter, she ran all over the country pulling the American Freedom Train. The photo on my website was taken near Palmdale, CA in 1976 on the (then) SP.
Whoops, looks like I forgot to add "round here" into that. Oh, well, looks like im loosin my mind every day now..........hahahaha anyways thanks fitz and happy railroading/fanning
Yo, BULLETIN!! "Smokebox," a member of 4449's crew, has posted on almost all of the other western RR forums that paint is being applied to the tender, and it's WHITE. Red and blue soon to follow. Yes, railfans, the 4449 will return to the rails this month in American Freedom Train red white and blue. Very appropos in my mind.
It looks like the paint is just about complete. That looks like Doyle on the pilot. Check out: http://www.trainorders.com/discussion/read.php?f=1&i=129304&t=129304
