Steam & Excursion > SP 4449 as the "American Freedom Train"

Here are a couple of photos I thought you guys might like--  they're rather colorful, don't you think ?

KRK Archives

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KeyRouteKen ---
NICE photos!  That was a great time.
Did you take those photos?

Ken,

Very nice photos. That, however is NOT the American Freedom Train, but the Amtrak Transcontinental Steam excursion of 1977, returning 4449 back to Portland, OR.

Is that the bridge in the second photo in Redding, Ca.?

-Fred-

YES
KRK

flyingfred Wrote:
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> Is that the bridge in the second photo in Redding,
> Ca.?
>
> -Fred-

Beautiful photos ! What's with the UP tender in the second pick ?

Pianoman7 Wrote:
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> Beautiful photos ! What's with the UP tender in
> the second pick ?

Actually, that UP Auxiliary tender is in both photos. We "borrowed" that from the UP for the long days of the Transcontinental Steam Excursion, and the tender showed up in New Orleans. We spent a day getting the water connections and electric MU connections fully functional in order for it to properly connect to the rear of 4449's main tender. Thus, that "big black UP tank" was the first use of a diesel MU equipped auxiliary tender behind a steam locomotive.

I'm not sure if Amtrak had pushed the issue, but I remember that they had provided more "Amtrak" logos that the two that were put on the tender (just the Amtrak name in it's typeface- no arrows). I can't remember how many more there were, but probably for the pilot and skirts.
I took them home with me, along with the borrowed UP 4014's injector (that I dropped off in Pomona) but I never could think of anything to do with them.
SR

HotWater Wrote:
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> Pianoman7 Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Beautiful photos ! What's with the UP tender in
> > the second pick ?
>
> Actually, that UP Auxiliary tender is in both
> photos. We "borrowed" that from the UP for the
> long days of the Transcontinental Steam Excursion,
> and the tender showed up in New Orleans. We spent
> a day getting the water connections and electric
> MU connections fully functional in order for it to
> properly connect to the rear of 4449's main
> tender. Thus, that "big black UP tank" was the
> first use of a diesel MU equipped auxiliary tender
> behind a steam locomotive.           
And it worked without a single  problem..... Amazing!

I was aboard the train shown in photo 2.  Up in the baggage car.  For me, this was the best steam excursion ever.  AA

Stanford White
Carmel Valley, CA

Just a day to set all that up Jack ?    Man, you just don't see that kind of speed and efficiency these days.   Not sure how many days it does take anymore since we are are still counting.

 

EmpireBuilder Wrote:
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> Just a day to set all that up Jack ?    Man,
> you just don't see that kind of speed and
> efficiency these days.   Not sure how many
> days it does take anymore since we are are still
> counting.

As I recall, we had a three day layover in New Orleans, and we sure needed it! After the famous "cross-over incident" south of Jackson, MS on the IC double track main line, we eventually had to be towed into New Orleans, as we failed for steam account one or two broken small tubes. Thus, most of the guys were "doing boiler work" (plugged a small tube) while I worked on the electrical MU connections, and other stuff, of the big tank. 

Jack, Since not everybody knows that story and you are bound to be asked, why don't you go ahead and tell it.