I've heard that 4449 will be leaving Portland on July 3rd, I assume on the old SP&S main along the north bank of the Columbia. I've seen 4449 plenty of times as I live about 100 miles north of Portland and am tempted to chase her a little while out of Vancouver (the highway next to the old SP&S main is a highway in name only) but I have to get my WW2 Jeep ready for a parade the following day so I might not get down there.
Still, had I known a year ago this was going to be this big of an event, I would have changed my vacation plans for the summer!

The 4449 will leave Portland on or around July 3 and arrive in Owosso, MI on July 19th. It will be on display in serveral cities along the route. Several options are being planned out right now for the trip home. We have many options in which we are exploring all of them. Look for the 4449 to head back west in mid October.

More information on the trip will be released next week. We hope to post information about more excursions along the way. This will be the first time the 4449 will be in the midwest and operate excursions. It will most likely be the only time.

Just to think, this whole trip started as a joke last November! It just goes to show what can happen when you put your mind to something. Don't ever think that something is not possible, you just have to want it bad enough!

Jason

This is so damn cool. So cool. SRI and all their people must be so revved up about this event.

Of course, this is the weekend before "Our Little Blue Friend" arrives to kick off RMNE's 7th DOWT event. AARRRGGGHHHH!!!!!!

I should be getting out the 4x5 Speed Graphics for this event, getting them prepped for use again after many years; after all, Lima Super Power must be recorded using proper photographic equipment.

Instead, excuse me while I go bang my head against the wall a few times.

Major props to all who have worked so hard and brought this event along to this point, and I wish you all lots of luck, lots of sunny skies and lots and lots of cash-dropping visitors!!!

Can't wait to see the photos!

Howard P.
Isle Of Sodor, CT

It seems that most good trips do start out as a joke, this will be a great event.

One press release claims that Amtrak will be involved in Eastbound ticket sales, and that Fargo, N.D. will be one of the stops. Could this be an example of one of Amtrak's improvements to the Empire Builder, which does not run over much of the UP?

TRAINS' newswire now reports the following:

OWOSSO, Mich. - Southern Pacific "Daylight" 4-8-4 No. 4449 will travel to Owosso from its Portland, Ore., home this summer for a visit to TrainFestival 2009. The Amtrak-sponsored cross-country trip will operate over BNSF Railway from Portland to Minneapolis;, Canadian Pacific to Chicago; Norfolk Southern to Porter, Ind.; Amtrak to Kalamazoo, Mich.; NS to Battle Creek, Mich.; Canadian National to Durand, Mich.; and Great Lakes Central to Owosso.

There is a photo event scheduled with NKP 765 in Michigan in October. Are both of these large steamers staying the summer in Michigan?

I hear than Norfolk Southern will require that 4449 be dead in tow rather than pulling an excursion. I hope this is not true, but...

I would say that NS will require to be towed but I'm sure she will be under steam. The 765 has been towed under steam by NS since her rebuild.

Heck, I'll be in Owosso for one of the events planned this year, but it looks like I should have moved up there! ;-)

Rob

Ok, because of the economy and just wanting to save some dough I was on the edge of not going to TrainFestival. But 4449 put it over the top, I've always wanted to see her, but I live on the wrong side of the country, so the oportunity has never before presented itself.

So I booked my tickets today, riding 4449 on Friday. My order confirmation number was #611! I'm going to take that as a good omen, another fine lady.

See you in Michigan!

To anyone planning to attend Trainfestival2009 be advised that all the Owosso based motels are full with waiting lists. Go to the event site, click on hotels then click on Lansing area hotels. It's only a 30 minute drive from Owosso and there's plenty of choices and lots of rooms available.

Ross Rowland

Maybe a detour over CN/GTW out of Chicago is in order to avoid NS towing. Amtrak has occasionally done this to get around derailments. But, since this seems to be an Amtrak train and routing, could NS relent?

Won't there be an Amtrak diesel tucked in behind the water car? Doesn't make much sense to tow it when it's already got a helper.

The schedule that is been put on this website and others is not set in stone. So don't make your summer vacation plans around this schedule. We will be making announcements about the trip and complete schedule and route in the next couple weeks. Tickets will be available for many portions of the trip east and west.

We will post info here and on the website when the information is available.

Jason Johnson