Steam & Excursion > Lots Of Activity As UP Challenger #3980 Leaves Portland

This is a great scene for many reasons. For one, it shows Steam power in action as an entire City pauses to watch it pass.

Al Farrow was on hand in the late 1940's to capture Union Pacific 4-6-6-4 #3980 as she leads her long pasenger train out of the yards at Portland's Union Station. Traffic has come to a halt as the huge steam giant starts on her way.

Soon her exhaust notes will increase in frequency but at the same time they will fade away as the sounds of the City once again take over as this special steam train speeds out of town.


Martin



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 12/13/14 03:50 by LoggerHogger.

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Nice shot...love those autos!!!

Love everything about the whole picture! Old cars and trucks, trains, buildings and structure's, plus even a semaphore to the right of the picture to boot as well!

John Miller
Conestoga, PA

Was this taken from an overpass?

Another great shot showing surroundings. We don't do enough of that today. The surroundings really make that photo.

Wow - just incredible!

Look at all that trackage by the station - nothing but condos now!

/Mitch

Martin

This is one of your best in your jewel of a collection . . . you can look at this photo for five minutes and still discover little details . . .like the tire billboard ad . . . the old open platform coaches on the left, etc etc . . . wonder what those drum like forms are just to the right of the word 'collection'.

Craig
http://mcmrailvideos.com/

Craig,

Those appear to be wooden cable spools. Glad you like the image as much as I do.

Martin

Martin thanks for posting this pic, its setting and main character are indeed amazing.

Is that a UP office building on right just above the billboards?

I see one truck driver and one pedestrian watching.

I wonder how much that squealed going around the curve on the other side of the bridge. Its bad enough with todays big power. What was the biggest loco UP could get from Albina to Union Station?

Pacific5th Wrote:
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> I wonder how much that squealed going around the
> curve on the other side of the bridge. Its bad
> enough with todays big power. What was the biggest
> loco UP could get from Albina to Union Station?


You are looking at it.

800's would not make it.

The 3980 is equipped with wind wings, as some of them were.
The "old coaches" on the left appear to be railroad business cars.

ajax247 Wrote:
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> Was this taken from an overpass?


Looks like it was taken from the Steel Bridge with the cross street being NW Naito Parkway . . . Is that right, or was Naito Parkway named something else back then?

Steve Utley
Salem, OR

This was Front Avenue back then.

Martin



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/13/14 10:38 by LoggerHogger.

smu Wrote:
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> ajax247 Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Was this taken from an overpass?
>
>
> Looks like it was taken from the Steel Bridge with
> the cross street being NW Naito Parkway . . . Is
> that right, or was Naito Parkway named something
> else back then?
>
> Steve Utley
> Salem, OR

Believe it would have been Northwest Front Avenue back then..GREAT photo....LOVE IT!

Dick Samuels
O P R

up freight house

I would think he is on a signal bridge with the semaphores that close. Be hard to see them with a vehicle bridge that close. And since photos suggest railfans were capable of climbing on anything back then.......
Sweet shot. I think if a picture is worth a thousand words, this one is book .

Posted from Android

Great stuff Martin, thanks for sharing!

The_Chief_Way Wrote:
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> The 3980 is equipped with wind wings, as some of
> them were.

Yes, the oil fired Challengers had the wind wings added when they were converted from coal burning to oil burning for passenger service.