As luck would have it, I was given the opportunity to attend the NMRA National Train Show, which was held in Portland Oregon this year. The actual show was held August 28, 29 & 30. But with a set-up day on Thursday the 27th, that meant that a travel day was Wednesday the 26th. So my boss, Craig, and I decided to just take a few vacation days and travel around the Pacific Northwest, with some fellow railfan friends from Southern California, and left Saturday, August 22.
Not being one to watch the news, I had no idea the severity of the drought or wildfires in Oregon and Washington. I was told that the drought is worse up north than it is in Southern California, and it shows. Most of Southern California is concrete so you can’t see all the dead grass! But upon landing in Portland, the wildfires were evident as the atmosphere was smoky. Little did I know it would become much worse as we made our way towards Spokane Washington on Sunday, August 23.
For now, I will let my photos tell the tale of my travels. I have plenty to share, so look forward to more next month.
Amtrak Cascades makes a stop at Portland Union Station on Saturday, August 22. If you look close, you can see the rear end of the 4 car Portland segment of Amtrak’s Empire Builder. Once it departs, it will head for Spokane to be added to make up the full Empire Builder, along with the Seattle segment, and depart for Chicago. Did you notice the smoke in the sky?
Portland & Western (a Genesee & Wyoming shortline) GP39-2 #2317 heads south at Vancouver Washington as it passes Amtrak’s Vancouver Station. This train will cross the Columbia River and head south towards Eugene OR.
A Seattle bound Amtrak Cascades makes its way past BNSF’s Vancouver yard as chopped nose SD9 #1550 works a cut of cars in the yard.
At the Oregon Rail Heritage Center, Southern Pacific GS-4 4449 gets a major overhaul. The big Lima-built 4-8-4 is getting its 15-year boiler inspection, and other needed maintenance is being done concurrently. The work was begun in February 2013 and should be completed in Fall of 2015, with the engine ready for use on the Holiday Express in December 2015. When photographed on August 22, 2015, all flues and tubes had been installed, rolling was done on both ends, welding was done on the flues and tube at the rear flue sheet, and firebox work (including installing new steel at the throatsheet and new circular tubes) was underway. A new superheater unit installation will begin shortly, after which there will be a full hyrdostatic test of the boiler. It will be great to see this old Daylight engine operating again – and when it is done, then work begins on Spokane Portland & Seattle 4-8-4 700!
