Steam & Excursion > Nearing the end of Long, Hot Day

With Bend, OR just a scant few miles ahead, passengers aboard the train are looking forward to a meal and a cold shower I bet. It's been a long hot day for the crew of the SP 4449 and passengers on this Saturday. The sun is low to the west just hanging above the Cascade Mountains, and the searing heat has started to loose it's bite. At this point the train is close to a childhood home of mine, but I never saw a steam locomotive pass in those days, just green locomotives and cabooses separated by a mix of boxcars and lumber flats.

Ted Curphey
Ontario, OR

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Excellent photo! Thank you for sharing with those of us who were riding the train. We had our 3 year old grandson riding the Silver Splendor, ex Buckle. Wonderful people who own the Splendor. Speaking of those childhood memories, I might have ridden the Silver Buckle on the Denver Zephyr back in the 1950-60 era as a young boy and teen riding from Chicago to our home state Nebraska. I failed to keep detailed notes from those wonderful trips on the Q. My first solo trip was at 9 years old. The Burlington Route crew took good care of me. So your photo location; was that in a hobo camp in the woods north of town?
Steve Rippeteau

Posted from iPhone

Great picture and as I've said before check out Jack's firing, thing could be a Tier IV diesel.

Out

callum_out Wrote:
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> Great picture and as I've said before check out
> Jack's firing, thing could be a Tier IV diesel.
>
> Out

Thanks again Rich, however, my "student" Scott Gordon was firing there, i.e the last 40 or so miles into Bend (50 MPH territory). Scott picked firing up pretty quickly there, don't you think?

Super photo, by the way!

Ted --
That is a beautiful, beautiful photo! Thanks so much
for being in that heat to get it. You do take lovely
photos.

callum_out --
Yes, the 4449's exhaust sure does look as clean as what
a Tier IV diesel emits! Great point! :)

HotWater --
Yes, Scott Gordon did a great job! That clear stack
shows that very well! Huge congrats to Scott for a job
well done, and to you for being a good trainer.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/06/17 16:43 by Margaret_SP_fan.

Does 4449 have a different "signal" light? Mars light, Gyra light, etc? The earlier one had 2 bulbs, while this one has one bulb, like it had as built.

Earlk Wrote:
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> Does 4449 have a different "signal" light? Mars
> light, Gyra light, etc? The earlier one had 2
> bulbs, while this one has one bulb, like it had as
> built.

Yes. Her current appearance, including the Mars Signal Light, is "as delivered in May 1941". Back then the Mars assembly was only the single bulb with larger reflector. For the American Freedom Train, the Mars assembly used the "up-graded to twin sealed beam" bulbs, which she carried through 2008. Since the current painting & lettering on 4449 also represents the "as delivered in May 1941", Doyle back-dated the Mars Light assembly in order to be correct for that time frame.

Also, for what it's worth, the trade name "Gyra Light" was a product of Pyle-National, a lower priced assembly competing with Mars Signal Light Co.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/06/17 16:12 by HotWater.

HotWater Wrote:
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>..."up-graded to
> twin sealed beam" bulbs, which she carried through
> about 2010 or 2012.

Not to split hairs, but when I saw the engine in 2009 headed to Michigan it was already equipped with the single beam oscillating light.

Not nitpicking you Jack, just updating the timeline a little.

Pump

UPTRAIN Wrote:
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> HotWater Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> >..."up-graded to
> > twin sealed beam" bulbs, which she carried
> through
> > about 2010 or 2012.
>
> Not to split hairs, but when I saw the engine in
> 2009 headed to Michigan it was already equipped
> with the single beam oscillating light.
>
> Not nitpicking you Jack, just updating the
> timeline a little.
>
> Pump

Thanks. Couldn't remember when that was done. I'll edit my previous statements.