Nostalgia & History > 4449: wherezit? whatzit?

############# WE HAVE A WINNER! Congrats BoilingMan! (see bottom of page 2)###################



This should be an easy one for some of you. Here's a shot of the 4449, obviously in Freedom train garb.

Where is it?
What is the occasion & date?
Why is it filthy?

First Prize: Correct answers will get you the usual nice selection of virtual Bulgarian canned peas seen below.

Grand Prize: Correct answers plus a posted photo of the scene today. I haven't figured out the award, yet.

Super Grand Prize: Proof that you are the guy in the photo lower left. You'll get a virtual copy of the Wx4 Medal O' Freedom!

-E.O.
Wx4.org



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/25/14 17:23 by hogheaded.

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hogheaded Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> This should be an easy one for some of you. Here's
> a shot of the 4449, obviously in Freedom train
> garb.
>
> Where is it?
> What is the occasion & date?
> Why is it filthy?
>
> First Prize: Correct answers will get you the
> usual nice selection of virtual Bulgarian canned
> peas seen below.
>
> Grand Prize: Correct answers plus a posted photo
> of the scene today. I haven't figured out the
> award, yet.
>
> Super Grand Prize: Proof that you are the guy in
> the photo lower left. You'll get a virtual copy of
> the Wx4 Medal O' Freedom!
>
> -E.O.
> Wx4.org


Looks like the canyon 580(?) goes thru to the valley. Dammit, I can't remember the name. If it's true, the WP had a line there, as well.

If I do actually win, I'll take the peas.

Walter



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 10/25/14 11:07 by drumwrencher.

This is in Apr 1977, the Transcon Amtrak trip returning the '49 to Portland after the AFT tour. The dirt is a result of having climbed Cuesta Grade out of SLO. But you got me on location- maybe near Atascadero or Bradley?
SR

Its the FT and looks like it is coming into San Jose , just south of Luther Jct. MP49.3, from Lick, MP51.4 Its black from the Cuesta tunnels.

Nudge



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/25/14 10:28 by spnudge.

spnudge Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Its the FT and looks like it is coming into San
> Jose , just south of Luther Jct. MP49.3, from
> Lick, MP51.4 Its black from the Cuesta tunnels.
>
> Nudge

If it's the Freedom Train, then where are all of the red, white and blue cars???
All I see are Amtrak cars behind the tool car.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/25/14 10:38 by PHall.

Some of you have come up with one, or two elements of the overall correct answer, but have otherwise goofed.

I'm still waiting...

-E.O.

hogheaded Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Some of you have come up with one, or two elements
> of the overall correct answer, but have otherwise
> goofed.
>
> I'm still waiting...
>
> -E.O.


How about the Dumbarton Cutoff?

Walter

>How about the Dumbarton Cutoff?

Nope, no hills around the Cutoff. One of the answers has the correct location.

-E.O.

hogheaded Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> >How about the Dumbarton Cutoff?
>
> Nope, no hills around the Cutoff. One of the
> answers has the correct location.
>
> -E.O.


No prob. I had to try!

Walter

Okay, then I'll change my location to Lick- I just never noticed the bridge there before.


BoilingMan Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> This is in Apr 1977, the Transcon Amtrak trip
> returning the '49 to Portland after the AFT tour.
> The dirt is a result of having climbed Cuesta
> Grade out of SLO. But you got me on location-
> maybe near Atascadero or Bradley?
> SR



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/25/14 11:17 by BoilingMan.

>Okay, then I'll change my location to Lick

Well, you are one heck of a lot closer to the mark than Bradley.


Still waiting...

-E.O.

Pejaro? Near Sargent?



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/25/14 11:29 by BoilingMan.

BoilingMan Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Pejaro? Near Sargent?

I note desperation in your answer, but nope.
As a reminder, to win, you need to include answers to all of these in your message:

Where is it?
What is the occasion & date?
Why is it filthy?


-E.O.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/25/14 11:39 by hogheaded.

Well, the exact date is Apr 27, 1977. And the dirt is from the Cuesta tunnels. And the event is the Amtrak Transcontinental Steam Tour, returning the '49 to PDX after the AFT. But I can't place that bridge. The only other location mentioned is Luther Jct, but I've never been there on the ground- only on the train.

>As a reminder, to win, you need to include answers to all of these in your message:

>Where is it?
>What is the occasion & date?
>Why is it filthy?

AND, if you want to win the undisclosed Grand Prize, you need to include a photo of the spot today.


One of you guys is agonizingly close, AGONIZINGLY!

-E.O.

hogheaded Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> BoilingMan Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Pejaro? Near Sargent?
>
> I note desperation in your answer, but nope.
> As a reminder, to win, you need to include answers
> to all of these in your message:
>
> Where is it?
> What is the occasion & date?
> Why is it filthy?
>
>
> -E.O.

I din't know where, but the date is April 27, 1977, and it is indeed the Amtrak Transcontinental Steam Excursion (returning 4449 back to Portland, OR).

Now, the reason why she is so dirty, is because after the photo run-buy on Cuesta Grade, that damned Amtrak unit refused to with into Forward and resume loading, after we backed up to re load the passengers. Thus, 4449 had to start the whole train on the 2.2% grade and continue to blast through the tunnel at the top of the grade at full throttle. She steam cleaned the entire inside of the tunnel, removing about 20 years worth of diesel snot from the roof of the tunnel. You should have seen what the guys in the cab looked like.

Jeez, okay- so I took a look on Google Earth. There's a little bridge over the track just south (SPRR east) 0f where Cutner Ave crosses the track. It's all built up residential now.
SR

All of the answers are now out in place. Just sort them out properly. It should not be hard to find a present day photo once you figure that out.


HotWater Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> hogheaded Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > BoilingMan Wrote:
> >
> --------------------------------------------------
>
> > -----
> > > Pejaro? Near Sargent?
> >
> > I note desperation in your answer, but nope.
> > As a reminder, to win, you need to include
> answers
> > to all of these in your message:
> >
> > Where is it?
> > What is the occasion & date?
> > Why is it filthy?
> >
> >
> > -E.O.
>
> I din't know where, but the date is April 27,
> 1977, and it is indeed the Amtrak Transcontinental
> Steam Excursion (returning 4449 back to Portland,
> OR).
>
> Now, the reason why she is so dirty, is because
> after the photo run-buy on Cuesta Grade, that
> damned Amtrak unit refused to with into Forward
> and resume loading, after we backed up to re load
> the passengers. Thus, 4449 had to start the whole
> train on the 2.2% grade and continue to blast
> through the tunnel at the top of the grade at full
> throttle. She steam cleaned the entire inside of
> the tunnel, removing about 20 years worth of
> diesel snot from the roof of the tunnel. You
> should have seen what the guys in the cab looked
> like.

This was fun reading.

norm1153 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> This was fun reading.


All that I can say is that Nudge must have fallen asleep at his computer. Anyone got some Geritol for the poor guy?

-E.O.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/25/14 13:48 by hogheaded.