Photo and Article by Ken Liesse

As part of Cascade Rails 2011 (the National Railroad Historical Society’s annual convention) in Tacoma, WA, the group chartered ex-SP 4449 and train for a trip over Stampede Pass on Saturday, June 25. This was the culmination of a week of various tours and charters to railroads and museums around the Puget Sound area, much like that of an NMRA or PNR convention. Despite leaving Tacoma about 30 minutes late, it appeared that all on board weren’t too bothered with the delay. The train ran up the BNSF Seattle Subdivision to Auburn, where they turned east onto the Stampede Sub for the trip over the pass to Easton.

SP 4449

SP 4449 Pauses in Easton, WA

Once in Easton, the power was cut off the train and run around the wye before rejoining the train for the run back to Tacoma. The train had actually been pulled backwards over the pass on the eastbound leg so that it would be headed the right direction for the westbound run. This also put it in the right direction for the run home to Portland after the convention. The run over the pass started under cloudy skies, but the sun broke through east of the Cascades and remained for the rest of the trip.

It’s not often we get to see mainline steam in these parts, so it was a treat to see 4449 on this run. Several photos and videos of the trip are now online. Google 4449 and see what comes up.