Steam Train Over the Rocky Mountians-SP 4449 @ Marias Pass
Southern Pacific 4449 Glides thru Glacier National Park 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, and clicking, Marias Pass (el. 5213 ft./1588 m.) is a high mountain pass near Glacier National Park in northwestern Montana in the United States.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SP_4449
Duration : 0:8:59
Tags: 4449, locomotive, Mountains, Pacific, railroad, railway, Rocky, southern, SP, sp4449, steam, train, trens, vapour
December 13th, 2009 at 8:08 pm
seems the steam …
seems the steam engine did not work for some sections? no noise and no smoke…
December 13th, 2009 at 8:08 pm
ur absolutley right …
ur absolutley right…i think they should have used the southern pacific diesel engine, which is also a vibrant red and orange…would have looked much better!
December 13th, 2009 at 8:08 pm
She will tow twice …
She will tow twice that load at twice the speed on twice the grade if you ask her to.
She has some truly jaw dropping performance.
December 13th, 2009 at 8:08 pm
You mean the 4449 …
You mean the 4449 can tow that load through the Rockies without the aid of a diesel……….even on the grades? I thought it was there to give it a boost.
December 13th, 2009 at 8:08 pm
or no diesel at all …
or no diesel at all. Its just there for political bullshit. It serves no other needed purpose
December 13th, 2009 at 8:08 pm
If they had waited …
If they had waited for the perfect consist we would still be waiting, so we just take it as it goes
December 13th, 2009 at 8:08 pm
Very nice………. …
Very nice……………but they could have found a less conspicuous diesel to aid the big 4449 along………….Im sure they could find an orange coloured one somewhere that wouldnt ruin the symetry.
December 13th, 2009 at 8:08 pm
Beautiful video. …
Beautiful video. Would like to know what camera you used for this.
December 13th, 2009 at 8:08 pm
This trip was …
This trip was AMTRAK Sponsered! Amtrak requires one of their diesels for dynamic braking and Head End Power for the cars.
December 13th, 2009 at 8:08 pm
Just beautiful work …
Just beautiful work, well done.
December 13th, 2009 at 8:08 pm
Dynamic braking. I …
Dynamic braking. I don’t think you need a diesel for
electrical power. Steamers have generators and can
provide enough power for lighting passenger cars.
See my videos from the 1980s. Lots of passenger cars,
No diesels.
December 13th, 2009 at 8:08 pm
She’s Highballin” …
She’s Highballin” it !!!!
December 13th, 2009 at 8:08 pm
Beautiful locations …
Beautiful locations, if you like scenic locations like these, you will love “The Spot” in Niles Canyon.
Come by and visit soon.
December 13th, 2009 at 8:08 pm
The Amtrak diesel …
The Amtrak diesel unit is for both head end power (electrical to the coaches) and backup power should 4449 have a failure. Also aids in power for climbing hills and adding regenerative braking downhill. You will most likely never see a steam train on a mainline without at least one diesel locomotive in tow.
Great video and super closeups. Nice roll by 4449!
December 13th, 2009 at 8:08 pm
5000 miles away and …
5000 miles away and I was truly moved
great loco ..great country
December 13th, 2009 at 8:08 pm
well, this could be …
well, this could be true in some cases, but they (the diesel) are mainly for dynamic braking down hills, in the rare case the steamer does brake down, & for HEP (head end power) for all of the cars its pulling.
December 13th, 2009 at 8:08 pm
the diesel is used …
the diesel is used to help the engine sometimes so no unnessecary wear or tear is done on the loco when it pulls long trains or goes up hills.
December 13th, 2009 at 8:08 pm
Your guess is …
Your guess is correct.
December 13th, 2009 at 8:08 pm
Words can not …
Words can not express the EXCELLENT, 5 ? ? ? ? ?
December 13th, 2009 at 8:08 pm
I am going to take …
I am going to take a wild guess….I think the diesel behind was more for electrical power to the cars.
December 13th, 2009 at 8:08 pm
When this thing …
When this thing goes on tour do they normally have a diesel pushing behind her? Is that just done as a safety precaution in case old daylight has a breakdown?
December 13th, 2009 at 8:08 pm
Magnificent machine …
Magnificent machine, magnificent country!
December 13th, 2009 at 8:08 pm
Awesome!
Awesome!
December 13th, 2009 at 8:08 pm
Very hard core!
Very hard core!
December 13th, 2009 at 8:08 pm
As always, your …
As always, your videos are very good
5*