Posted on 07/03/2009 7:45:50 AM PDT by CedarDave
Portland, Oregon to Owosso, Michigan and return! A special train operated by the Steam Railroading Institute, Friends of the 4449 and the Friends of the 261 will travel over 5000 miles across country and return. This special train will be pulled by "The Worlds Most Famous Steam Locomotive" Southern Pacific "Daylight" No. 4449. This beautiful train will operate on an Amtrak special train on various railroads between Portland, OR and Owosso, MI.
Tickets are available for all portions of this trip. TrainFestival 2009 has teamed up with the American Association of Private Railroad Car Owners (AAPRCO) to offer luxury seating and overnight packages. This is a great way to see the American Rockies by luxury train pulled by the "World's Most Famous Steam Locomotive" No. 4449. More information about purchasing tickets are available below.
ALL ABOARD!!
I wish I was there for this.
I’ve ridden the trains at Chama, Durango, and Cass.
Left right at 8 a.m and breakfast brunch was served in the domes. Traveling along the Columbia River gorge right now east of Vancouver, WA. Lots of folks along the tracks; several hundred at the stations in Portland and Vancouver. What fun hanging out at the vestibules watching and waving. Not a slouch in the speed department — will be traveling up to 79 mph on long straight stretches. WA State Patrol is keeping the drivers on the adjacent highway from making stupid moves. Wireless access is spotty here so will sign off for now. Back again near Wishram or Pasco or our first service stop.
Have a safe and wonderful trip, Dave. You deserve it!!
Thanks Fuddie! My office didn’t like me being out of touch this week so they gave me cell phone with wireless internet. What fun to ride and blog. But service is spotty so I’ll try to sign on again later and in the lounge for just a bit this p.m. (BTW there is a real lounge on board and it opened the minute we departed!!)
Can we get pictures at journey’s end?
I didn’t bring my download connectors because I didn’t think I’d have internet access. Two websites to check out right now are Trainorders.com (thumbnails unless you subscribe) and Altamontpress.com may have some links to individual posters websites.
I am going to be up in Owasso on July 20th to see Locomotive #1225 make its day run. This is the locomotive that has been used as “The Polar Express”.
Day 2 –Spokane to Whitefish Montana. Left right at 8 a.m. Had an early morning panic attack when I awakened in my hotel room with the sun shining through the curtains. Not to worry – it was only 5:15 a.m. and my wake up call came through as requested at 5:30. What can I say about the 4th out here in flyover country? Breakfast was served on a white tablecloth with a fresh flower in a vase and a little American flag attached. Outside in the half hour following our leaving Spokane we saw groups of people standing beside the tracks. One group was very vocal with kids waving American flags. Then went down to Sandpoint Idaho and crossed the long lake bridge with boats on either side waving to us.
Then on to Bonner’s Ferry and up a wild river with rafters on it. Mountains and snow capped peaks all around. Through a seven mile tunnel and downhill to Whitefish, Montana where on the lake boaters and fishermen were waving. Whitefish was alive with people even now as I write this. Had an arts and crafts fair in back of the station and everyone came trackside to see us in. Had to be hundreds. Backed into a siding for the night and was served barbeque and corn on the cob. After dinner took a walk back to the station as the Chicago Portland-Seattle train came in from the east. Another mob scene as lots detrained. Here I am in the middle of small town Montana and Mom’s, Dad’s and kids get off to see Grandpa and Grandma.
Here it is 10:00 and still light – fireworks start in a few minutes though as is common throughout the west, locals have fireworks of their own going off as I type. Off again tomorrow at 8:00. The grand journey continues….
Dave, you need to twitter this stuff on twitter.com!
Sorry, Fuddie. I don’t know anything about tweeting. If I can’t see a keyboard without glasses, I don’t do it!
Day 3 — 11:30 am Service stop Cutbank Montana. The climb out of Whitefish to East Glacier Park is not to be missed. Amtrak does it in daylight and we pass through steep-walled canyons, tunnels and snowsheds as we climb. Pass alongside fast flowing rivers while snow-covered peaks dominate the skyline. We climb continuously and the steam engine is barking as it strains to pull the cars up the double-tracked grade. Far below us as we climb is the highway and the number of cars can’t be counted as they follow us and try to keep up. We have fun watching them jockey for position. NASCAR on a small scale. There was a reported wreck yesterday with minor injuries.
At Essex, home of the famous Issac Walton Inn, there are about 100 people, some with lawn chairs and others on the pedestrian bridge waving. We topped out at East Glacier Park and are now on the flat high plains heading east bound for Havre tonight.
Fireworks last night lasted to midnight, or so it seemed. My roomette was made up and ready to go and I sleep with the window shade up and the morning sun woke me up. The car hosts have made up small business cards with our names on them and they put them on the roomettes by the door to identify the occupant. Nice touch.
Using Alltel minutes so next update this evening in Havre.
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