SP 4449 Steam Locomotive Arrives - Savanna, Illinois - 07.18.09

The Daylight Special, a private passenger train pulled by Southern Pacifics massive steam locomotive 4449 traveled through northern Illinois on 07.18.09 on its way from Minneapolis to Chicago.

Pulling vintage passenger cars, SP 4449 ran the route of the former Chicago, Burlington and Quincy, now BNSF, through La Crosse, Wis. and the Illinois communities of East Dubuque, Savanna, Chadwick and Milledgeville. The excursion is one leg of a 5,000-mile journey for the restored locomotive making its way across the country from Portland, Ore. to Owosso, Mich. for Train Festival 2009.

The train left Minneapolis at approx. 8 a.m. and was scheduled to be in Savanna at approximately 2 p.m., but was around 45 min. late. It then made a service stop for water. Will arrive in Union Station before nightfall. The special passenger excursion is sharing the rail line with regular freight service so delays are possible. There are no scheduled extended stops, and roadways along the route are expected to be filled with chasers and photographers angling for the perfect shot of this magnificent locomotive.

Southern Pacific Daylight steam locomotive 4449 is operated by the Friends of SP 4449, a Portland non-profit organization dedicated to the restoration, maintenance and operation of the former Southern Pacific 4-8-4 steam locomotive.

A limited number of tickets may still be available for this trip or for the return trip via Milwaukee Aug. 2 and 3. Ticket information may be found at www.261.com. In October, SP 4449 will pull fall color steam excursions from Minneapolis to Winona, Minn., and Winona to La Crescent, Minn. Tickets for these trips are still available in first, premium and coach class at www.261.com or by calling (651) 765-9812 between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m.

No. 4449 was built by Lima Locomotive Works in Lima, Ohio, for Southern Pacific in May 1941. It is the only surviving example of Southern Pacifics GS-4 class of streamlined steam locomotives.

No. 4449 spent its early career assigned to the Coast Daylight, SPs premier passenger train between San Francisco and Los Angeles. Together, SP 4449 and its water tender weigh 433 tons. The oil burning locomotive is 110 feet long, rides on 80-inch driving wheels and weighs 475,000 pounds.

SP 4449 was retired in 1957 and placed on display in Oaks Park in Portland, Ore. In 1974 it was removed from the park, restored and returned to service in 1975 traveling the United States pulling the American Freedom Train.

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[foroke1]

Great, gotta love this locomotive! Man the camera work makes up for the camera quality for sure!

[HeinitzProductions]

@foroke1 Haha, thanks...sucks I had trouble with the tripod though...had the swivel too tight or something...was brand new at the time and never really tested it out until the day the train came though.

[lucabuar]

Beautifull train and locomotive....

[hairball6767]

cool