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Dec 5th, 2013 Holiday Express
Christmas spirit in the northwest.
| The SP&S 700 engine (a 4-8-4 Baldwin) leads the Holiday Express in Portland, Oregon for all three weekends this year. I took this Saturday night. Normally there is a lot of people standing by the fence but it had begun raining and most had left. |
Lamplighter Friday Dec 6 12:22 AM
If that is the steam engine that lives in PDX, we know well.
The rail yards are on the other side of downtown, about 8 miles away,
and the sound of the steam whistle carries all the way out to us.
Very nice pic...
xoxoxoBruce Friday Dec 6 12:53 AM
It is, retired in 1956 and donated to the city of Portland.
| Spokane, Portland & Seattle 700 is the only surviving example of the E-1 class 4-8-4 Northern type steam locomotive. Nearly identical to the A-3 class Northerns built for Northern Pacific Railway, but burning oil instead of coal. |
Lamplighter Friday Dec 6 08:59 AM
OK. But "retired" doesn't mean "inactive"
We moved to PDX in '75, and saw the train cross the Willamette River on a bridge visible from our house.
I remembered it as being painted in somewhat dark colors.
Wikipedia says that in 1975, it went cross-country as the "Freedom Train", looking like this in red/white/blue:
Attachment 46147
Then we have seen (and heard it) it several more times on the North/South tracks
across the river after it had been painted to these brighter colors:
Attachment 46148
Maybe it is the way sound moves on the river, but quite honestly that is one LOUD beast.
We hear regular diesels daily, and I guess they are required to sound
their horns as they approach each road crossing.
But those horns are puny compared with the steam/whistle horn.
... plus the sound of the steam engine... makes for an exciting sight.
xoxoxoBruce Friday Dec 6 10:18 AM
Hmm, according to Wiki...
| After retirement from service in 1956, the SP&S 700 was donated to the City of Portland, Oregon, in 1958. It was on static public display at Oaks Amusement Park until 1987, then moved to private quarters for the continuation of work to restore it to operating condition. It began making occasional excursion runs in 1990.[2] In 2012, the 700 was moved to a new facility where it can again be viewed by the public, the Oregon Rail Heritage Center. |
| A second freedom train, the American Freedom Train, toured the country in 1975–1976 to commemorate the United States Bicentennial. This 26-car train was powered by three newly restored steam locomotives. The first to pull the train was former Reading Company 4-8-4 #2101. The second was former Southern Pacific 4449, a large 4-8-4 steam locomotive that is still operating in special excursion service today. The third was former Texas & Pacific 2-10-4 #610, which pulled the train in Texas. |
Lamplighter Friday Dec 6 10:36 AM
| Both the red/white/blue and the orange locomotives have different headlights. |
But you're right, I may well have seen different locomotives.
Lamplighter Friday Dec 6 10:57 AM
| A second freedom train, the American Freedom Train, toured the country in 1975–1976 to commemorate the United States Bicentennial. This 26-car train was powered by three newly restored steam locomotives. The first to pull the train was former Reading Company 4-8-4 #2101. The second was former Southern Pacific 4449, a large 4-8-4 steam locomotive that is still operating in special excursion service today. The third was former Texas & Pacific 2-10-4 #610, which pulled the train in Texas. |
The Wiki quote has 3 locomotives, numbered 4449, 2101and 610
Here is a pic showing #4449 with the red/orange paint job.
My pic of the "red/white/blue" train also has numbers "444?" showing.
xoxoxoBruce Friday Dec 6 09:03 PM
This turned out to be interesting... and fun. 
Lamplighter Saturday Dec 7 12:08 AM
Very good research !
xoxoxoBruce Saturday Dec 7 12:43 PM
When something catches my curiosity, I'll spend ridiculous amounts of time tracking down enough information to satisfy me.
Someone recently gave me a "Road Atlas of New England and Vicinity, compliments of Jenny Manufacturing Company, established in Boston, 1812". I barely remember Jenny gas service stations from sixty years ago, and was curious how old this atlas is. No dates on the atlas or the maps in it. I spent a ridiculous amount of time researching Jenny Manufacturing, Jenny gas/oil, The National Survey(map company), and the 32 radio stations listed in the Atlas, to narrow the time frame. Failed.
However, I did discover a Steam Jenny is called that because it was invented by the Jenny Manufacturing Company, so not a total loss. 
Gravdigr Saturday Dec 7 04:41 PM
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Originally Posted by Lamplighter
Here is a pic showing #4449 with the red/orange paint job.
My pic of the "red/white/blue" train also has numbers "444?" showing. |
This pic was taken in Georgia:
Attachment 46156
Gravdigr Saturday Dec 7 04:42 PM
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Originally Posted by xoxoxoBruce
When something catches my curiosity, I'll spend ridiculous amounts of time tracking down enough information to satisfy me.
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