What a trip. I can't say enough about this past weekend. The locomotive looked and ran beautifully, the crew and the passengers were just great, the scenery was fantastic, and even the Oregon weather took a "sunbreak" as they refer to it here. I left a trail of foam all the way from Portland back here to Waldport. This is a low-res shot from my new (old one quit last week) video cam. Hi res stuff will be coming back in a few days, if anyone is interested. The tender lettering reads "American Freedom Train" and the Aux tender lettering says "Let's Roll" with an American flag. There were more railfans trackside than I have ever seen here in the Pacific Northwest. I loved every second of it. At Portland Union Station March 22. In Deschutes Canyon, March 24.
Fitz, Great stuff ole budy! Did ya get to ride???? Or just a stander by videoing it all??? Looks good tho.. Sadly theirs none of that on the Atlantic northeast! Besides Cass WV and the Western Maryland Scenic RR Both don't run a long mileage run.. I belive Cass runs a total of 12 miles or so.. and WM Scenic runs like 6 or 7 miles.. do you know how long the American Freedon Train run was?
Great Shots Jim...think you might have been in front of me on the platform.... What a beautifull magic flying machine...cause that is what I saw as it blew out of Cape Horn tunnel...think I saw all that foam coming from your dome... [ 26 March 2002, 15:58: Message edited by: satokuma ]
Michael, if I was in front of you on the platform I hope I wasn't in your way! I try hard not to do that. Some guy came out of nowhere and I got a full shot of the back of his head for the first runby at Madras on Sunday. John, you BET I rode this one. Total mileage for the two days was about 500. It's about 105 from Portland to Wishram, then another 150+ to Bend. We overnighted in Bend then returned. Steven Brown has published some great ones on his website and mentioned them here on Railnews and this forum. One is at Cape Horn, on the river side. How did he do that Michael? I can't WAIT to get the prints and slides back. Lady S I told you to come out here and ride.
Fitz you lucky ole.. GRRRRR spit you! Got to ride.. and a 500 mile trip!! WOW In the north east were lucky to have one that travels 30 miles let alone 500!!!!!! I think the East Broad Top might travel 40 or so... I'm not real sure. I haven't looked up that one for what the milage is.. I know its probably the longest tho.... But Cass is probably the best. its slow takes like 5 hours or better to travel 13 miles. Then again, its all done with Shays and Heislers so... Geared loco's powerfull loco's but slow so... And not so much that. But the home of one of my favorite loco's. The Western Maryland # 6 Shay, not so much Western Maryland but the BIGGEST ever made and the very last one made from Lima..... 162 tons of raw power THATS one big Shay!
I got the prints and as usual was expecting professional quality, and darned if instead, they look like they were taken by someone like me. Anyway here are a few: Doyle posting the colors Saturday Runby at Madras Sunday
I've talked to Fitz off TB and I can't think of a nicer guy to have such a great ride! Fitz, your photos are awesome! Can't wait to see more of them!
Hey Johnnie, welcome back from Marion. Hope you had as much fun there as I did in the Deschutes Canyon last weekend. Lots more pix just posted on my web site and more to come as I got the slides back yesterday. First experience with Fuji Sensia--I LIKE it.
Fitz, Marion was a bust due to incredibly bad weather and one hell of an ice storm. I went down to Ed's neck of the woods and we railfanned Cincinnati! Man, it was wild! Ed and I have posted comments in the Ready Track or somewhere. i I I am so tired right now I can't think. I'll be posting my experience as a reserve special rr agent in another forum before I fall asleep!
Alan, I'm sorry I didn't address your reply sooner about being in one of the domes. This was the first time I had been successful in bidding on a dome seat. The ONLY way to go! This photo was taken just as we were leaving Portland Union Station. BTW the empty seats were so because the photographers were elsewhere in the train. It was full.
WOW! Thanks Fitz I have always wanted to ride a dome, ever since a friend who regularly visits Canada (his sister lives in Calgary) showed me his pics. from the cars. Must be an awesome view along the train. By the shape of the windows, that is a Budd dome, right?
Great shots, Fitz! Last time I saw 4449, it was in Tulsa, OK on the point of the AFT in 1976. Wish this ol' girl could come out to Colorado sometime- it would look sweet rolling through Debeque and Glenwood Canyons.
Alan, yes, they are Budd domes. A nearly matched set of three from Montana Rail Link and another that has been repainted as "American Freedom" or something similar. It looked very sharp.
Like someone said in another forum, "the devil made me do it" and he did--I put a whole lot of new 4449 AFT stuff on my site today. Go check it out. Link below.
