Pacing SP 4449 @ 70 mph

Southern Pacific 4449 Charges thru Montana at close to 70mph headed to events back east in July 2009. It is the only surviving example of Southern Pacific Railroad's (SP) GS-4 class of steam locomotives. The GS-4 is a streamlined 4-8-4 (Northern) type GS stands for "Golden State" (a nickname for California or "General Service." The locomotive was built by Lima Locomotive Works in Lima, Ohio, for SP in May 1941; it received the Red and Orange "Daylight" paint scheme for the passenger trains of the same name which it hauled for most of its service career. 4449 was retired from revenue service in 1957 and put on static display in Oaks Park, Portland, Oregon, the following year, where it remained until 1974. It was restored to operation for use in the second American Freedom Train, which toured the 48 contiguous United States for the American Bicentennial celebrations. Since then, 4449 has been operated in excursion service throughout the continental US; based at the Brooklyn roundhouse in Portland where it is maintained by a group of dedicated volunteers called Friends of SP 4449. Placed into service on May 30, 1941, assigned to the Coast Daylight, SP's premier passenger train between San Francisco and Los Angeles, 4449 was semi-retired from service on September 24, 1956, then donated to the city of Portland, Oregon, on April 24, 1958 where it was placed on outdoor public display in Oaks Park.. It was evaluated for restoration in 1974 after becoming a candidate to pull the American Freedom Train. Its size, power, and graceful lines made it a perfect fit for the Bicentennial train. returned to operation April 21, 1975, wearing a special paint scheme of red, white, and blue. As part of the American Freedom Train, the engine pulled a display train around the most of the United States. In 1981, 4449 was returned to its original "Daylight" colors for the first Railfair in Sacramento, California. In 1984, 4449 pulled an all Daylight-painted train from Portland to New Orleans, Louisiana, to publicize the World's Fair, making it the longest steam train excursion in US history. In 1986, 4449 went to Hollywood to appear in "Tough Guys", 4449 had another famous moment in 1989 when 4449 and Union Pacific 844 made a side-by-side entrance into the Los Angeles Union Passenger Terminal in 1989 for the station's 50th anniversary celebrations. It returned to Railfair in Sacramento in 1991 and again in 1999. In 2000, 4449 was repainted black and silver for a Burlington Northern Santa Fe employee appreciation special, then was repainted into the American Freedom Train colors again in early 2002 after the events of the September 11th terrorist attacks. 4449 has since been returned to Daylight colors again, this time in its "as delivered" appearance, May 19, 2007, the 4449 made another rare appearance with the Union Pacific 844 in the Pacific Northwest for the "Puget Sound Excursion", This excursion was a tandem run with both steam locomotives pulling a Union Pacific passenger train consisting of three to four dome cars and several coaches.4449 will attend Trainfestival2009 in Owosso, Michigan from . The historic 2500 mile move from Portland to Owosso is being arranged by the Friends of the 4449, Amtrak, Steam Railroading Institute of Owosso, and Friends of the 261. The Milwaukee Road 261 organization will be lending some of their first class passenger cars including a dome car and observation "Skytop" car for the 4449 and for the other excursion trains at the festival. This trip would mark the first time the 4449 has visited the state of Michigan since pulling the American Freedom Train in 1976. The train will leave Portland on July 3rd and return to Portland on October 20. You can watch it run to Owosso, Michigan, & back by going to
www.sp4449.com
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SP_4449

Category:

Autos & Vehicles

Tags:

• Steam
• train
• sp
• 4449

[Drewster327]

It looks like a smooth ride, but that thing is bouncing like no tomorrow. Great vid

[cyanidecn]

Aw that's a beautiful video Skip. Keep up the good work. SP4449 with those massive driving wheels makes 70mph look effortless.

[1225dude]

@cber8860 oh yeah he's right

[cber8860]

@1225dude my grandfather operated locomotives threw the 40s-early 50s he clammed that steam locomotives would easily make it to 90 mph or higher is this true or just soem old man balbblin

[ACLTony]

Burning very clean with no smoke! Amazing, especially considering that she's an oil burner.

[svtraptorfan]

@phillonly me too!

[minorot]

Great vid--you must have a fantastic steady-cam feature on your camera.

[phillonly]

excellent vid... dam im jealous of the engineer

[cozephyr]

Sweet - great pacing with whistle - you had a fine locomotive there! Thanks for sharing!

[chico4449]

So graceful!