Train Festival 2009: Update

[RailCanon]

On the flip side, I'll add to Zack's post on the GPS link.
The 4449, as I am typing, is preparing to leave its home at the Brooklyn roundhouse in Portland for an overnight stay at Portland Union Station.
The trip begins tomorrow at 8 AM Pacific time.
The consist, upon departure from Portland Union Station, will be as follows:
4449
Daylight Aux tender
Amtrak Unit
BNSF Baggage car (Tool Car)
Minnesota River (Crew Sleeper)
Milw Super Dome
MKT 403
NYC 3
Caritas
Chappel Hill
Colonial Crafts
Silver Fleet (3 cars)
Photos:
Minnesota River

The Super Dome

MKT 403:

NYC 3:

Caritas:

Chapel Hill:

As I remember it: http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/pictur ... L-KING.JPG
Colonial Crafts:

Silver Fleet (These are three Ex-California Zephyr cars. They will look something like this period photo):


Also, the cars kept with Milwaukee Road 261, including the Skytop lounge Cedar Rapids, are being added at Minneapolis for the trip on to Owosso. These five cars will push the train to 16 cars in length, as well as the Amtrak unit and auxiliary tender.

[TrainWatcher]

She'll have a heck of a consist, I hope to get her after Chicago.....

[RailCanon]

WHOOPS! Spoke too soon. Turns out that most of that consist will not be coming this far east...
Per Jason Johnson on Trainorders:

We will have a new train in Minneapolis, mostly 261 cars and a one or two private cars. The BNSF baggage car will go to Chicago and then be pulled off to return to BNSF. The 4449 will use the 261 crew car from Minneapolis until the fall.

The one private car confirmed going all the way is the NYC 3...so that may be the only other car on the train next to the 261 cars. Both the Super Dome and Cedar Rapids will be with the train into Michigan, though.

[GLC 392]

4449 is on the move for Owosso!

[GTWFRED]

GLC392, I'd been watching it since 330, but at about 410 it refreshed & stopped showing the map/progress. Tried 5 times to reset & got out & back in, but with no luck. Just wondered if you had the same problem?
Fred

[GLC 392]

I have not been on the live feed yet today but i have heard several people had that problem. but it says on the top it may not work at certain times.

[GTWFRED]

Thanks Steve, It'd been working great, with the longet time of 7 minutes between refreshes before it stopped, waited 40 minutes with no luck. Wonder if theres a limit to the amount of people monitoring it, there must be a ton! The good news is she's on her way, running at about 55MPH while i watched!

[RailCanon]

http://steveeshom.com/SP4449/090703-001.mp3
According to this, some of the equipment they are carrying is temporarily limiting their speed. It may pick up at some point though.
I understand that BNSF's Vice President is aboard the train...you can bet they're going to have absolute priority for that.

[RailCanon]

Video of the train leaving Portland and breezing through Washington.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CRCLLeQpK9M

[mikerm19]

That GPS tracking app is awesome!

[~Z~]

7/3 update:
Southern #6133, the visiting FP7 from the North Carolina Transportation Museum, is now in route, having left Roanoke, Virginia via NS at 7 AM this morning.
(one has to guess NS is taking it to at least Toledo then)

[JANGAJONGA]

Will they take it up the AA?

[GTW6401]

Considering the most direct rail route between Toledo and Owosso is what Janga?

[jukeman45]

That GPS tracking app is awesome!

The twitter page is too!! I'm locked in to the Device updates

http://twitter.com/sp4449

[RailCanon]

As is probably well known by now, the 4449 and train are operating as an Amtrak move. That said, I've learned that the official number/symbol for the train is 932. On BNSF, the train is currently operating as A932-1-03 with units SP 4449 and AMTK 23 with 11 Loads/Cars totaling 1,155 feet at 2,000 tons.

[GLC 392]

I know 4449 is the big entertainment but SOU 6133 is nearing Bellvue Oh.

[sd70accsxt700]

Um from what I have heard, its already, north of the boarder.

[GLC 392]

i hope so!

[PAT.C]

WOW !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I WAS SO EXCITED WHEN I HEARD 4449 WAS ON THE MOVE THAT I WET MY PANTS.
THEN I DISCOVERED THAT MY BEER SPILT.

OH MY GOD !!!!!!!!!! I WASTED A HALF CAN OF LITE !!!!!!!!!!

[CamasChris]

My son and I watched it leave Spokane, WA this morning. Boy what a sight!!!! Talked to Doyle McCormick and he said yesterdays trip was good except for all the chasers. Washington State Patrol had to "curb" some of them for driving like idiots. I will try to post pics when I get back home and figure out how to do it.