steam611 wrote:No. Hopefully someday soon again.
- Luke
Modeling the Southern Pacific in the 1960's-1980's
Not to be the bearer of bad news, but I would doubt that the 4449 will see Kansas City any time soon. Kansas City is a LOOOONG ways from home for the 4449, and the ORHF doesn't have the kind of resources that the UP has, nor do they own any track. The Headaches of getting the 4449 that far from Portland would be HUGE. BNSF DID give her track time a couple years ago to Montana, so I wouldn't say that it is IMPOSSIBLE, but it is unlikely that she will roam that far from home. She is a BEAUTIFUL Locomotive, and I understand your interest in seeing her, but your best bet would be a trip here to Portland if you wanted to see her in person.
Sorry, but GOOD LUCK, Stranger things HAVE happened,
Doug
May your flanges always stay BETWEEN the rails
challenger3980,
I must have given you the wrong impression. I said maybe someday soon to mean it is not likely we will see 4449 here in KC again, but then again you never know what could happen. I know how far KC is from Portland and the HUGE obstacles the ORHF group would face to get it here. I hope to see 4449 someday, but I know I will have to go to Portland or somewhere in the Pacific Northwest to see her. I am NOT counting on seeing her in KC ever again really. Hell I wasn't even born yet when she came through with the AFT! Thanks for the good luck wishes though.
Hi Steam611,
I TRULY wish that it wasn't such an ordeal for the 4449 to roam so far from home, She is a Beautiful Locomotive, and it would be GREAT if more people got to enjoy and experience such a Locomotive,in both at track speed and at up close enough to touch ways.
Just the Liability, in these times is bad enough, then throw in track capacity that is at or near the limit in most places is another issue. Again I wish that the ORHF had the facilities and resources that the UP has, but they do an incredible job with what they have. Even the Norfolk Southern threw in the towel on their Steam Program, back in 1994 I believe it was. I am just glad that Union Pacific still puts the time and MONEY into their program, which I have no doubts that it is no small investment there.
I would say to enjoy any opportunity that you get to enjoy any operating steam that you can, as they aren't getting any newer, parts are getting harder to come by, with many having to be hand fabricated. Also even though there are some passing on their knowledge, even the know-how is getting to be scarce. Last year I was fortunate enough to get a little throttle time on a privately owned H.K. Porter 0-4-0T and the Nevada Northern's 4-6-0 #40. I have also scheduled to do the "Engineer for a Day" program at the Sumpter Valley Railway here in Oregon, in July. I hope to run their Heisler, but being a wood burner, July may be to late in the Fire Season to run her, but the #19 2-8-2 would be available in that case. There is next year to schedule an earlier chance to run which ever locomotive that I don't get to run this year.
It is too bad that there are so many challenges to sharing Steam with more people, I am 42 years old, and last May was the first chance that I had ever gotten to see the 844, when she came through the North West. If things work out, also in July I will be going to St. Louis, and getting to see a Big Boy for the first time, I am also looking forward to getting to see the AeroTrain while I am there.
I do Hope that someday You do get the chance to see the 4449, whether it is here in Portland, or some place closer to home for You, she is IMPRESSIVE, and not something that You would soon, if ever forget.
I Wish You Luck in getting to see the 4449, may it be SOONER, rather than later,
Thanks challenger 3980. Hopefully I can get to Portland in the next couple of years to see her. Hopefully they'll have a chance to do another run to Bend sometime soon. That would be a fun trip in the Gorge!
John
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