Like many Americans I first fell in love with ex Southern Pacific GS-4 steam locomotive #4449 way back in 1976 when it was chosen as one of several restored such locomotives to pull the American Freedom Train on its tour of the country.
Known to many as the Queen of Steam #4449 rolled off the assembly line at Lima Locomotive Works in Lima, Ohio eighty years ago this week. Within ten days of being delivered to the Southern Pacific Railroad in California the locomotive was put into service pulling the lines prestigious 'Daylight' passenger trains traveling between Los Angeles and San Francisco. The famed locomotive would continue to pull these twice-a-day passenger trains until the early 1950s when diesel locomotives began to outnumber steamers. 4449 would spend the twilight of its service on the Southern Pacific pulling less famous passenger trains and an occasional freight train in California's central valley area until it was retired in 1956.
In 1958 the locomotive was donated to the city of Portland, Oregon where it stayed on display in a local amusement park until it was selected in 1974 to be restored in preparation for service on the American Freedom Train to celebrate the nation's bicentennial.
Freedom Train History:
A second freedom train, the American Freedom Train, toured the country in 1975–76 to commemorate the United States Bicentennial. This 26-car train was powered by three newly restored steam locomotives. The first to pull the train was the former Reading Company T-1 class 4-8-4 #2101. The second was the former Southern Pacific 4449, a large 4-8-4 steam locomotive that is still operating in special excursion service today. The third was the former Texas & Pacific 2-10-4 #610, which pulled the train in Texas. Due to light rail loadings and track conditions on the Louisville and Nashville Railroad, diesels hauled the train from New Orleans to Mobile, Alabama. Diesels were also required in Chicago after the steam locomotive derailed attempting to negotiate tracks by the Chicago lakefront.
