Private Car #800634
Built by American Car & Foundry in April, 1954 for Union Pacific Railroad, this baggage car was originally numbered UP #5659. In April, 1969 it was renumbered to UP #24427, then in 1975 it reassigned to UP Maintenance-of-Way as #904227. The Friends of 4449 purchased the car in July, 1997. It remained in gray colors and wore the name Better Idea until it was repainted in Daylight colors in August, 2003 and renamed after a dedicated volunteer, Gordon N. Zimmerman.
In 2009, the baggage car underwent an overhaul to bring the car up to Amtrak standards, which included the 40-year truck inspection, installation of HEP cables, new marker lights, new rubber diaphragms, end-car inspection and electrical upgrades. All revenue from leases of this car go towards the all-volunteer Friends of SP 4449.
October 2009: Cross-Country Journey - Minneapolis, MN to Portland, OR
December 2009: ORHF Holiday Express - Portland, OR
December 2010: ORHF Holiday Express - Portland, OR
April 2011: Railroad Revival Tour - Oakland, CA to New Orleans, LA
May 2011: National Train Day - Union Station, Portland, OR
June 2011: NRHS Stampede Pass excursion - Portland, OR to Tacoma, WA to Easton, WA and return.
July 2011: 70th Anniversary/Wishram Daylight excursion - Portland, OR to Wishram, WA and return.
Private Car #800288 - Amtrak Certified
Built by Pullman Standard in 1947 for the Northern Pacific Railway, the Coach/Lounge was rebuilt to a Lewis & Clark-themed Buffet Lounge car in 1955. Designed by Raymond Loewy as part of his project to upgrade NP's premier train, the North Coast Limited, the car was numbered #498 and known as the Travellers Rest. When Amtrak took over most of the nations passenger train service, it operated as Amtrak #8354, and was later retired and sold to private parties who then operated it in charter service.
The car was donated to the Friends of 4449 in 2010, and volunteers have gone to work to bring the car up to Amtrak standards. Leases of this car help raise funds for the maintenance and operation of this car by the all-volunteer Friends of 4449.
June 2010: Deadhead move - Redwood City, CA to Portland, OR
May 2011: National Train Day - Union Station, Portland, OR
Amtrak Certified
Built as a tender to Southern Pacific's AC-10 class 4-8-8-2 cab-forward steam locomotive #4219, it was later used to provide water for the rotary snow plows, and for fire-fighting service in the remote areas of the railroad.
Purchased in 1984 by the Friends of 4449, the tender was aesthetically modified to conform to 4449's tender, and serves as an auxiliary tender for steam excursions.
Trip log:
July 2009 - Train Festival - Portland, OR to Owosso, MI to Minneapolis, MN
October 2009 - Cross-Country Journey - Minneapolis, MN to Portland, OR
Other pieces of equipment that we own or frequently use:
#9021 - "Magnolia Grove" SP Sleeper Car
#2955 - SP Observation Car
#1210 - "Plum Creek" GN Coach Car
#9201 - "Clackamas River" Sleeper Car
#231 - Amtrak F40 Locomotive
