Holy smokebox, Batman! Last night I got an email from a "source" close to the Brooklyn roundhouse operations, stating that the SP 4449 was going to doublehead on fantrips with UP 844 when she arrives here in the Pacific Northwest next month. At first I chalked it up to April 1. Today, Trains Mag online and John MacIvor's website announced that this is actually in the planning stages. I know nothing about when or how tickets will be sold, but I intend to be there, and hopefully riding. I don't know whose tracks this will be on, but if it's UP this will be a major breakthrough, allowing foreign steam on UP rails. There are all kinds of rumors flying now, about 4449 meeting 844 at The Dalles on her inbound trip. I am more inclined to think that the doubleheading will take place on the Tacoma-Everett trips already announced as public excursions for 844 (but no info on ticket sales yet). In any event, this will BE an event. The last time these two locomotives were coupled was at Railfair 99, but they were pointed in opposite directions there. :teeth: :teeth: :teeth:
Speaking of the 4449... I saw her out and about Thursday 4/5, in Tigard, OR. She was at a siding near 72nd Avenue, near where I work. There's a preschool there, and it looked like kids were getting a peek in the cabin. Wish I'd had time to stop and ogle some...
Yep, she was on her way to Albany where the main driving wheels and axle will be dropped for a bearing replacement. mg:
No. The drivers are 80 inches in diameter, and Albany is the closest place that has a pit and drop table big enough to accommodate those monsters. The crew expects to have this done (volunteers) in a week. mg:
For just bearing work they need to "drop" the axles and bearing boxes to clear the frame some 40 to 60 inches the hard part is getting the wedges out and putting them back in around the bearing boxes and hope you dont "drop" any of them and forget what order thay came out!
I'm resurrecting this thread because the Oregon Rail Heritage Foundation, ORHF, announced last night that tickets are on sale via Tickets West. They're pricey, but we're talking about the 844 and 4449 together, here for the first time since 1986. Coach tickets are $299, and dome cars $399. The excursion will operate on Saturday, May 19, from Tacoma to Everett and return. The UP passenger cars which 844 brings with her will accommodate the riders. There will be a private excursion, same route, on Friday for chase photos. The train will leave Tacoma at 1000, be at Everett from 1200 to 1400, and be back at Tacoma at 1630. ORHF site is at; http://www.orhf.com
Bob, yes, and the operative word is "done" as the engine returned to Portland on the 15th, a week ago. Ready to run on the doubleheader. :teeth:
I thought when this was first announced it was going to be some preserved challenger (forgot the engine number, sorry don't shoot me) that was coming to the Northwest. The 844 and the addition of the 4449 make this a can't miss event anyway, but the first one got me really excited. Edit: Apparently I wasn't crazy as I thought. http://www.uprr.com/aboutup/excurs/schedule.shtml lists it as the 3985 on the schedule as I'm writing this. Does anyone know why and when this was changed?
I suspect this was a typo or oversight at the UP website. As far as I know, some of the drivers for 3985 are still at Strasburg, and she is not operational. On the other hand, the 844 has been observed running in Cheyenne using the 6936 for a load, dynamic braking. The trip has always been advertised as the 844/4449. You might drop a line to the UP webmaster. :teeth: In fact, UP seems to have conflicting info on different pages. Check this out: http://www.upsteam.com/schedule.html#schedule
Maybe they were trying to have the 3985 ready and then couldn't get it done in time? Or decided to use the more well known engine at some point? Only reason I say that is because long before I saw the 844 trip mentioned I saw a page on the ORHF site directing you to UP for a 3985 excursion to the northwest and I remember clicking on it because the number meant nothing to me not being heavy into UP anything and then making plans with my dad to go see the train in the Dalles (nothing was mentioned about the 4449). This was about two months ago, maybe it was a slip-up then, I don't know. I'm just going from memory here, and yes they do have conflicting schedules on their site. Ah well, maybe someday I'll get a chance to see really big steam. Before my posts get me in trouble for being too far off topic, is there another route for the engines to take north from portland other than across the bridge into vancouver yard? The wye there has always been a nice spot to watch trains and I was thinking that morning would be a good time to visit and not nearly as crowded with railfans/everyday traffic as downtown portland.
Matt, you are not off topic at all. Here's what I know: The ORHF website had not been updated for a long time until this doubleheader was announced. I saw that notice of the UP 3985 steam trip to the northwest, and yes, it happened, In SEPTEMBER 2005. That's how long since the site had been updated. :sad: I know that the ORHF webmaster is in school back east so hasn't had much time until recently to fix the site. As far as the river crossing, that's the only one I know of, on the BNSF, across the swing bridge into Vancouver, and that is the route that the doubleheader will take on it's move to Fife yard in Tacoma. The 844 and 4449 are supposed to join up at North Portland Junction, which is the end of the line for UP where it joins BNSF for the trek across the bridges to Vancouver. I suspect that it will not be sparsely populated that day (May 12) but will be loaded with railfans. It's one of my favorite places to shoot, too, that shot emerging from the bridge is a great one. :teeth:
Well if ya'll thinkin' it's gonna be crowded I'll just have to get down there early! Never been much of a railfanner, but I can't miss a chance to see something like this. And since returning to modeling been getting the thought in my head to make the 15 minute drive to the Couv (as the kids call it) more often since that is a wonderful spot to watch trains. I envy all you that get the tickets to go on the excursion up in the Puget Sound, should be a great trip.
Matt, the UP schedule says "service the locomotive at Peninsula Junction 10-10:30." I believe that is in sight of the bridge on the Oregon side. "Service engine in Chehalis 12-12:30" might provide a photo op. The last time the 4449 stopped there, Harold Borovec had CCC No. 15 steamed up and out alongside the mainline. I wouldn't doubt that he would do it again. :teeth:
