Steam & Excursion > Jack Holst

Many of you familiar with the history of the 4449 know that there was a gentleman named Jack Holst who took the time to keep the 4449 and the other engines on display in Oaks Park in Portland oiled up, in the hope that one day it might be easier to restore them to service. Jack passed away in 1972, never having any idea that soon his hopes would begin to come true when the 4449 was selected to pull the Freedom Train. Jack had a young daughter named Suzan who occasionally accompanied him "to work on the trains". After his death, Jack's friends lost track of Suzan, but it was believed that she still lived in the Portland area. The 4449 crew placed a plaque in the cab in honor of Jack, and the area NRHS chapter has for many years now given an annual Jack Holst award out to members who have been major contributors to Northwest rail preservation. It has long been a desire of the NRHS and the 4449 crew to find Suzan and show her the results of her father's efforts, but she could never be located.

Fast forward to the evening of July 4th this year, and I'm the engineer on the McCloud 25 at the Oregon Coast Scenic RR. Just before departure I struck up a conversation with a passenger on the loading platform at Garibaldi, and I mentioned how I'm also a crew member on the SP 4449 in Portland. The man then told me his wife was in fact the daughter of Jack Holst, but I had no time to pursue the matter then. Eventually I was able to contact them and, in the end, between myself and Arlen Sheldrake of the NRHS we were able to arrange for Suzan and her family to ride the cab of the 4449 with Doyle and myself this last Saturday. It was an honor to be able to be a part of this occasion and show the family how important Jack's work was. Pictured l-to-r: Ed Immel and John Holloway (of the NRHS and friends of Jack's), John (Suzan's husband), Casandra (daughter), Suzan (Holst) Miller, Doyle and myself.

Photo credit: Arlen Sheldrake
Scott Gordon

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Good on you, Scott, Arlen, Ed, John and Doyle for providing Suzan and her family with a very appropriate Christmas gift. And I hope all of you have a great Christmas.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/14/17 16:11 by nycman.

Yes, very nice. It's great when an endeavor, regardless of size, pays off.

Very cool!
And great to see Ed up and about!
SR

thanks for the posting Scott. I was very impressed and pleased with the support this project received from Pat Tracy, President of the Friends of SP 4449, Doyle, and Scott. I think Suzan was blown away with how much we honor the actions and memory of her father....tears were evident and some of us old guys were close. Every once and a while we get to do something really, really neat........this was one for me. Without Scott picking up on the conversation with husband John, we would still be on the search......... Arlen

Ohhhhh.... thank you, Scott Gordon, for this wonderful
post -- which is a great Christmas present to all of us
who love the 4449. It is incredible how sometimes we
just happen to bump into someone who is a very important
connection to something extremely important.

We all are eternally in debt to Jack Monterrey Holst and
all the others who regularly oiled the 4449, the 700 and
the UP 3200/OR&N 197. They all helped seemingly impossible
dreams to come true.

Merry Christmas to all of the folks at the Oregon Rail
Heritage Center and all who work on any of those locomotives!
Thank you!!!

Well done gentlemen! And thank you for giving credit where credit is due.

-John

Wonderful, and a reminder to look past the machinery and see, hear, and appreciate the people in railroading.

Scott,
Great story, and really nice that you got them to see the plaque
in the cab of the 4449. Also really nice to see Ed up and about again!
Craig