SP 4449 - The Holiday Express - Oaks Bottom, Portland, Oregon

SP 4449 was built in 1941 as a GS-4 "Northern" type locomotive. A 4-8-4 wheel arrangement, she is 110' long, 10' wide and 16' tall. The locomotive and tender weighs 433 tons, and it operates with a boiler pressure of 300 psi. Her eight 80" diameter drivers and unique booster truck can apply 5,500 horsepower to the rails and exceed 100 mph.

The only remaining operable "streamlined" steam locomotive of the Art Deco era, SP 4449 pulled Southern Pacific "Daylight" coaches from Los Angeles to San Francisco over the scenic Coast Route and then on to Portland until 1955. Retired to static display at Oaks Park in 1958, most thought SP 4449 would never run again.

In 1974, she was selected to pull the American Freedom Train throughout the United States, and was subsequently rebuilt. SP 4449 ran for three years to the delight of over 30 million people. She is arguably one of the most beautiful locomotives ever built -- and kept that way by the all-volunteer Friends of SP 4449!

Category:

Travel & Events

Tags:

• SP 4449
• Steam
• Locomotive
• Train
• Portland
• Oregon
• Oaks Bottom
• Holiday Express

[DanielVolker]

That should've been the last '4' in 4-8-4!

[Nec1228]

how does it apply power? is it using a small steam turbine or is there actually a small cylinder down there?

[DanielVolker]

Yes it's the '4' in 4-8-4, 4449's wheel arrangment. It's was used to help trains get started but was not useful past 10-12 mph.

[Nec1228]

by booster truck, do you mean that the rear truck on the locomotive actually applied power to the rails? nice video by the way, i love this engine.