User:Mackensen/Amtrak Transcontinental Steam Excursion

The Amtrak Transcontinental Steam Excursion was a special excursion train operated by Amtrak in 1977. Southern Pacific 4449, fresh from pulling the Freedom Train and still in Bicentennial colors, led the excursion. The train traveled from Birmingham, Alabama to Portland, Oregon by way of New Orleans, Louisiana and Los Angeles, a distance of 3655 mi. The journey encompassed nineteen days. The train carried thousands of passengers, and thousands more visited during its many intermediate stops.

Background
SP 4449 had been out-of-service since 1957 and on display in Portland, Oregon since 1958. It was restored to service in 1974-1975 in order to pull the Freedom Train, which it did in 1975-1976 as part of the United States Bicentennial. The conclusion of these activities found the locomotive in the Southern United States.

Schedule
The excursion was scheduled to begin at Birmingham, Alabama on April 13 and conclude in Portland, Oregon on May 1. Multi-day stops were scheduled for New Orleans, Louisiana, San Antonio, Texas, El Paso, Texas, Los Angeles, and Oakland, California:


 * April 13: Birmingham, Alabama–Jackson, Mississippi
 * April 14: Jackson, Mississippi–New Orleans, Louisiana
 * April 16: New Orleans, Louisiana–Houston, Texas
 * April 17: Houston, Texas–San Antonio, Texas
 * April 19: San Antonio, Texas–Sanderson, Texas
 * April 20: Sanderson, Texas–El Paso, Texas
 * April 22: El Paso, Texas–Tucson, Arizona


 * April 23: Tucson, Arizona–Yuma, Arizona
 * April 24: Yuma, Arizona–Los Angeles, California
 * April 26: Los Angeles, California–San Luis Obispo, California
 * April 27: San Luis Obispo, California–Oakland, California
 * April 29: Oakland, California–Dunsmuir, California
 * April 30: Dunsmuir, California–Eugene, Oregon
 * May 1: Eugene, Oregon–Portland, Oregon

The total length of the journey was 3655 mi. On average, the train traveled 300 mi per day, its progress slowed by the many stops it made along the way. Passengers could ride individual segments or the entire route; a ticket for the latter cost $299.

Excursion
A huge crowd greeted 4449 and the excursion on their arrival in Portland, Oregon. 3,000 passengers were aboard for the final segment.

Equipment
A wide variety of restored equipment operated on the excursion. Not all cars traveled for the entire trip; equipment changes took place in New Orleans and Los Angeles.