The SP 4449, the star of Portland’s National Train Day celebration last May, arrives back in Portland today after a summer tour of the Midwest.
The only remaining operable “streamlined” steam locomotive of the Art Deco era will be leaving Spokane at 8pm for the last leg of the trip.
Built in 1941, this trains is 110 feet long, 10 feet wide and 16 feet tall and weighs 433 tons. The engine puts out 5,500 horsepower and the train can reach speeds over 100 mph. In 1958 it was put on display at Oaks Park, but was restored in 1974 so that it could pull the 1975-1976 Bicentennial Freedom Train.
I doubt, though, it will reach 100 mph on today’s trip.
Follow SP 4449 on Twitter – I’m hoping they announce the Union Station arrival time soon.
Update: The SP 4449 will be passing through Vancouver, Washington around 5:15pm, so it should arrive in Portland not much later.
I love steam engines. They are so classic. The last time I rode one was between Vancouver and Squamish up in British Columbia. Only 5500 HP? That’s weak sauce! 🙂 A top fuel dragster 500 CI hemi engine burning 90% nitromethane puts out between 7,500-8,500 HP, rocketing the car from a standstill to 1/4 mile in 4.5 seconds at 320+ MPH.