A Day Trip to Prairie du Chien to Catch SP 4449 Part 2 - "The Payoff and the BNSF Afternoon Rush"

The distant wail of a steam whistle announced the moment we had been waiting for - Southern Pacific "Daylight" GS-4 class 4-8-4 No. 4449 making a very rare appearance in the Midwest.

The video opens with the view from my dad's tripoded camcorder, as the 4449 blasts through Prairie du Chien's own version of "Grade Crossing Alley," then cuts to his handheld footage from the digital camera. Next is another look at 4449 from my camcorder on the other side of the tracks.

After the steam train passed, we had lunch at the Hungry House Cafe. Shortly after we left there, a westbound manifest raced through behind two ES44DCs - unexpected because all GEVOs were supposed to be bad-ordered due to a systemic problem with the turbochargers - BNSF 7483 and 7339.

Just a few minutes after that passed, I heard the horn of an eastbound in the distance. However, they slowed to a stop as they neared town. Then the nearest grade crossing activated, announcing the approach of yet another westbound. The throaty bark of a K5LA and the flashing ditch lights indicated this was no BNSF GE. Sure enough, CSX SD50 8636 and Dash 8W CSX 7373 were powering a unit ethanol train.

The eastbound manifest started up shortly after the meet, with BNSF 4604 leading 7210, Norfolk Southern Dash 8 8307, and BNSF 5012.

Driving north from town on the scenic Highway 35, we glimpsed two more eastbounds alongside the road.The first was an intermodal led by another GEVO, BNSF 7629. The last was a manifest with three BNSF GEs and another NS unit.

Category:

Autos & Vehicles

Tags:

• train
• railroad
• railway
• railfan
• Southern
• Pacific
• 4449
• SP
• Daylight
• GS-4
• 4-8-4
• Burlington
• Northern
• Santa
• Fe
• BNSF
• CSX
• Transportation
• steam
• locomotive
• GE
• C44-9W
• ES44DC
• EMD
• SD50

[pvilleff33]

Hey how long did u wait total to catch the freight trains?

[HighIronofWisconsin]

@pvilleff33 Not very, it's a pretty busy line.

[CoasterFan2105]

Why did you cut the 1st shot short?

[HighIronofWisconsin]

To cut it back to the shot from the other camera which was further back.

[CoasterFan2105]

Do you have the full first shot?

[HighIronofWisconsin]

Yes.

[pvilleff33]

@HighIronofWisconsin Wish i could have gotten that lucky

[pvilleff33]

Actually I was over yesterday in a couple of the places u had on ur video...damn I sat for 3 hours and never saw a train...then I said screw it, I'm goin back to Postville...all of a sudden 3 seprate trains came thru and I missed one...made me mad :p

[CSXRP]

Awesome shots I love seeing CSX trains traveling at those high speeds!

[joshrailroad]

sp 4449 is in owosso michigan by me right now for the train festival i am going to see it tomarrow