Bringing Daylight to Michigan

Southern Pacific Daylight 4449 bangs the diamonds in Durand, Michigan, as it arrives during a ferry move down from Owosso where it appeared at Train Festival 2009.

Southern Pacific 4-8-4 No. 4449 was one of the three headliner steam locomotives that appeared at Train Festival 2009 held in Owosso, Michigan.

Also appearing were a pair of Berkshires, Nickel Plate Road 765 and Pere Marquette 1225.

The 1225 didn’t have far to travel given that the Steam Railroading Institute of Michigan in Owosso is its home base.

But the 4449 had to travel several thousand miles from its home in Portland, Oregon.

The striking locomotive in its bright red and orange colors turns heads wherever it appears.

This photo essay features images of the GA-4 class Daylight leaving to return to Oregon.

The consist of the train included an Amtrak P42DC, and passengers cars painted in the orange livery of The Milwaukee Road. On the rear of the the train was former Milwaukee Road Skytop Lounge Cedar Rapids.

The photographs were made on July 30 leaving Owosso and on July 31 in and west of Durand, Michigan, on former Grand Trunk Western tracks.

Photographs by Robert Farkas

Everything on This Trip Was a Highlight

Sierra No. 3, which was the Hooterville Cannonball from Petticoat Junction and my second favorite TV show of all time, Green Acres.

Keddie Wye on the former Western Pacific is just a unique location.

Southern Pacific 4-8-4 No. 4449 is my western favorite as Norfolk & Western 4-8-4 No. 611 is my eastern favorite.

During my 1991 trip to California and Railfair it was difficult if not impossible to narrow down the highlights because there were so many steam locomotives, including Union Pacific Nos. 844 and 3985 and Southern Pacific 4449.

There also were the vintage F units, the Napa Valley Wine Train, the Feather River Canyon and the collection at the California State Railroad Museum.

But here are the three I chose as my favorite memories from this trip.

Photographs by Edward Ribinskas

Catching the Daylight and a Special Memory

During April 1991 I rode Amtrak’s California Zephyr to Sacramento to meet up with friends Craig Darasko and Kenny Vendlinger, who are also from Lake County.

Our plan was to drive all night to Klamath Falls, Oregon, to intercept Southern Pacific Daylight 4449 on its way to the Sacramento Railfair at the California State Railroad Museum.

I had a hotel room reserved for after my arrival and slept that afternoon and evening.

I would do the driving north since Craig and Kenny had spent all day chasing the inbound Union Pacific 844 and UP 3985 doubleheader from Cheyenne, Wyoming.

Here are a few of my favorites of the Daylight starting with the top image, which was made at Grass Lake, California on April 28.

The next image (below) was made at Dunsmuir, California, while the final photograph was made at Hooker Creek Road at Hooker, California.

The last location will always be remembered because after getting photographs at Redding, California, while driving on Interstate 5 I spotted Dave McKay’s Spectrum.

I suggested to Craig and Kenny that we should follow Dave, knowing he would be headed to a good to great location.

We did and it was. The lighting was perfect.

It also turned out to be a Northeast Ohio reunion thousands of miles from home.

From what I remember the photo line consisted of Craig, Kenny, myself, Dave, Al Clum, Dave Shepard, Don Woods and others I can’t remember.

Years later every time I saw Al Clum at meetings, train shows, train chases the first thing he said to me was Hooker Creek Road.

That’s how special it was.

Article and Photographs by Edward Ribinskas

Bringing Daylight to the Midwest

For the 2009 steam festival held in Owosso, Michigan, Southern Pacific Daylight No. 4449 traveled from its home in Portland, Oregon.

The streamlined 4-8-4 pulled excursions during its time in Michigan.

No. 4449 was not too far from Lima, Ohio, where it was built in May 1941.

It is shown above pulling an excursion in Owosso on July 30, 2009.

Photograph by Robert Farkas