Steam & Excursion > Audio of AFT and 4449 in Iowa 7/1/1975

July 1, 1975 American Freedom Train with SP 4449 on the point, left Omaha, Nebraska and headed east.

I went with a good friend of mine who wanted to shoot some film and I was doing the audio.

Here are 2 recordings spliced together. First Runby is from the remote passing siding of Balfour, just east of Glenwood, Iowa. We thought we could get some stack noise on the hill here.
We set up and waited a bit while some GE's idled in the background. Listening in the hills of western Iowa is the only way to tell if there is a train, can't see nothin'. After he went by the chase was on. Fast moving train, 2 lane highway. Passed the train quite a few miles east and set up just before Corning, Iowa. Lot's of whistle, not much else. We did a few more fast runbys and a little pacing near Creston. I'm guessing 5 minutes of sound for a whole day of work. My partner in crime was shooting 16mm film. All these years later it has not been converted to a modern format so I have none to show you.
Anyway, enjoy the sounds from a long ago event. If I ever get that old guy into the computer age, I'll post the results. I don't think there is even a still photo of train from that trip.


Rick

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Really cool Rick. Glad to see you posting on TO
Steve

NI E whistle music! Thanks for posting it here.
She sure sounded great!

Great sound, just like she sounded pulling the 1984 World's Fair Daylight! Be cool to know how her original whistle sounded if it wasn't stolen!