Friday December 7, 2007
Locomotives that will be in attendence During the Holiday Express III
Southern Pacific 4449
SP4449 Homepage
ORHF Homepage

 The Southern Pacific 4449 is a GS-4 4-8-4, built by Lima in 1941.   Southern Pacific began ordering the brand new GS series streamlined
locomotives in 1937 for its elite high speed Daylight Express passenger service in California between Los Angeles to San Francisco and from
Oakland to Portland, Oregon.

For almost 17 years, Southern Pacific used the 4449 and its sister Daylight locomotives for these runs before retiring them in favor of the
new diesels, which were also painted in the Daylight color scheme for a few years.   The 4449 survived the scrapper’s torch by being donated
by the Southern Pacific to the City of Portland.

The Bi-Centennial American Freedom Train Association looked across the country for a steam engine that would be fitting enough to pull the
new American Freedom Train in 1976.   In 1974 the SP4449 was selected. Partly for its large size, its steamlined beauty and partly because
unlike so many display locomotives, great care was taken to keep it maintained and lubricated while it was on display in the park and therefore
it was in fairly good condition.  It was pulled from the park and underwent a restoration at the BN Hoyt yard in Portland.  It was completed
in time for the tour, where it pulled the Freedom Train all over America between 1975-1976.

The 4449 is currently under the care of the Friends of the SP 4449 has made a number of runs over the last few decades, including attending the
last two Holiday Express runs on the OPR.
Last Update:  February 21, 2008
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Flyer of the Holiday Express 2007 courtesy of ORHF.
For Past Holiday Express Pictures and video, check out our Past OPR Events Page.

For a movie of the 2005 Holiday Express on the OPR, click here.
WMV file, 167 Mb, 47 minutes long.
The first day of the Holiday Express III.

The Southern Pacific 4449 departed the Brooklyn Roundhouse at approximately 8am and arrived in East Portland on the
OPR a shortime later.    The 4449 pulled the consist in reverse on the UP mainline.   It shoved the consist into the East
Portland yard, where the OPR 1202 helped to switch the cars so the 4449 could run around and set up.
By approximately 9am, the 4449 was on its way to Oaks Park Station.  The first run was at 2pm and continued through 9pm.

Speeders arrived in the mid morning and also were on hand to give public rides.

The event continues over the next two weekends, so be sure to come out and ride, view the train and support this ORHF
event and its mission to building a new home for Portland's historic steam locomotives.
Video!  Check out video of the 1202/4449 switching at East Portland as  Video!
well as some shots of the maiden run to Oaks Park.
11 minutes, 40Mb
Mr. Samuels watching the 4449, from the Oaks Bottom overlook, on its way to Oaks Park for the first time during this event.
Friday morning about 6:30am.  The 4449 rests
peacefully inside the roundhouse.  In about an hour,
she would be on her way to the OPR.
The OPR's largest active locomotive, the 1202, sits
nears East Portland in the morning, waiting for the
4449 to arrive.
Switching the Holiday Express consist at East Portland as viewed from on board the OPR 1202.
The 4449 on its way to the Oaks Park Station as seen
from the Oaks Bottom overlook parking lot.
The 4449 staging just north of Oaks Park Station as
seen from the 7th street overlook.
Saturday December 8, 2007
The 4449 at Oaks Park Station, all decked out in Christmas lights!
Video!  Check out this video of the 4449 on Saturday during this event.   Video!
Includes numerous action shots of the 4449, with half the video shot during the day and half of the video at night.
18 minutes, 65Mb
The interior of the some of the cars set up for the Holiday Express.  Plenty of comfort for the many passengers to experience and enjoy for the trip.  
Far right photo shows the steam lines attached to each car to keep them warm and comfortable during the winter night runs.
The 4449 at Oaks Park Station.
Departing Oaks Park Station surrounded by steam!
Riders couldn't have asked for a more beautiful winter day and they came out in droves!
Guy Howard is a friend of the OPR and was invited by the OPR to bring along  his speeder and several speeder friends to give passenger rides in
between 4449 runs.   Guy Howard and his speeders have attended every major event on the OPR for the last several years.
The speeders ran south from Oaks Park to 17th street and back, in between 4449 runs.  Pictures are the view at dusk from 17th Street, north, back
to Oaks Park.
The Speeders and the 4449 and the Holiday Express Consist were all decked out in Christmas lights for a spectacular show!
More photos and video
~Stay tuned for more photos and video of this event!~
Sunday December 9, 2007
From left to right, the 4449 as viewed from the bluff above Oaks Park,  Engineer/Conductor George Lavacot gives a friendly wave, and two photos
of the 4449 departing Oaks Park in the late afternoon.
Left to right, one shot of the 4449 approaching Oaks Park Station and two shots of the 4449 preparing to depart
Oaks Park station.
Guy Howard and his speeder friends were out again, giving public rides.  Most runs were to the south towards 17th street, but while the 4449 crew
was on lunch and dinner break, the speeders were allowed to run north to the East Portland.  This is a view of a rare night speeder run to East
Portland.  Note the Southbound UP freight passing the OPR's East Portland Yard with the speeders on the yard track.
More nightshots of the 4449 and the Holiday Express at Oaks Park station.   Note the steam in between the cars.  This was pumped to the cars
from the 4449 to keep them warm...just like in the old days.
Two views of Oaks Park Station and the ORHF/OPR set up.   On the left is the OPR caboose and the loading stairs where passengers board.  On
the right is the large ORHF tent, where tickets are sold, as well as concessions and passengers can get rest, waiting for the next train.
After the Holiday Express completed a very successful weekend, it was time to bring the 4449 and the Holiday Express Consist home to Brooklyn
Yard for the week.    She will come back the following weekend, but will rest at home during the week.    The OPR 1810 needed to be transferred to
Brooklyn as well for the week and it was brought in from the Milwualkie shops to Oaks Park, where it was set in between the 4449 and Holiday
Express Consist and pulled by the 4449 back to Brooklyn with Mr. Samuels in the 1810 engineer's seat.

Views are from left to right:   Mr. Samuels behind the 1810 control stand at Milwualkie, the 1810 at Oaks Park, the 1810 behind 4449 being pushed
towards East Portland, looking north from the 1810 as the Holiday Express get onto the UP mainline to head southbound, heading into the
Brooklyn yard as viewed from the 1810.   The 4449 was cut off just north of the roundhouse, where Mr. Samuels brought the Holiday Express
consist in and tied it down just north of the roundhouse.   Photo of the 1810.
One last photo from this weekend of the 4449 coming into Oaks Park Station in all her glory!
Sunday December 14, 2007
In the early morning hours, both the 700 and 4449 steam up for two different runs.    Both will head to East Portland on the OPR.   The 700 will
then go to Vancouver for BNSF Christmas special and the 4449 will head to Oaks Portland for another Holiday Express weekend.
The 700 backs onto the turntable and hooks up to the PRPA tool car.
The OPR 1810 was at the Brooklyn shops getting work done and is now being set into the 700/4449 consist on its way back to the OPR's
East Portland yard.
The 700 and 4449 along with the 1810 arrive in the mid morning hours to the OPR's East Portland Yard and rearrange the consist.  

The 4449 will cut off and be set out at East Portland.  The 700 will cut off and prepare to head to Vancouver.  The 4449 will cut off and head to Oaks
Park for the Holiday Express.
Some final shots of the 4449 at the Holiday Express III
Sunday December 15, 2007