Vancouver’s BNSF railyard has a venerable visitor for the next few days: a working steam locomotive.
The Southern Pacific 4449 arrived at midday Monday for a few days of video production work, which will see it running periodically through the Columbia River Gorge to Wishram, a railroad town about 100 miles east of Vancouver.
Although there are no public events, and no schedule for the trips has been announced, it’s possible visitors will catch a glimpse of the gigantic orange-and-red locomotive and its plume of steam mixed with black smoke, or perhaps hear the throaty tone of its whistle. If you happen to see the train, officials request that you don’t stop on the highway or trespass onto railroad property.
Built in 1941 at the famous locomotive works in Lima, Ohio, the SP 4449 spent its glory years from 1941 to 1956 with the Southern Pacific Railroad, where it pulled the Coast Daylight passenger train between San Francisco and Los Angeles, as well as performing other service.
Retired in 1957 and donated to the city of Portland in 1958, it was on static display at Oaks Park for many years before being restored to running condition for a 1975-76 bicentennial tour of the United States as the American Freedom Train.
Today the SP 4449, restored to its original SP “Daylight” colors, is carefully tended to and operated by a volunteer group, the Friends of 4449.
The last remaining example of the so-called GS-4 model locomotive, it shares space with other historical equipment including the SP&S 700 steam locomotive. It makes periodic excursions, such as this week’s filming for a promotional video for the BNSF Railway, which owns the rail line from Vancouver to Wishram.
When not on excursion, the 4449 is housed at the Oregon Rail Heritage Center off Portland’s Water Avenue, near the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry. The public is welcome to visit Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday afternoons, with a special Portland Train Day featuring rides, exhibits and food carts scheduled for Saturday, May 19.
The SP 4449 is 110 feet long, 16 feet tall and 10 feet wide, and weighs some 433 tons when coupled to its tender. The tender carries 6,275 gallons of fuel oil and 23,300 gallons of water, according to the SP 4449’s Wikipedia page. With eight 80-inch drive wheels and 5,500 horsepower, it can really haul the freight (or the passengers) and has a top listed speed of 110 mph.
If you want to ride behind the steam locomotive, one of the best ways is to sign up for one of the short holiday excursions from Oaks Park that happen in December. Visit the Friends of the 4449’s web page, http://www.4449.com, for more information about the giant locomotive and its excursions.
