Also on display were a couple of motorcars, or speeders, displayed by members of the North American Railcar Operators Society, a group of private motorcar owners that arrange to operator their vehicles on railroad lines.
Speeder at Union Station in Portland, Oregon on May 8, 2010
This Tamper TMC2 named "Sophia" was built in 1984 for the Southern Pacific Railroad. It is powered by an 18-horsepower 2-cylinder Briggs & Stratton engine with a snowmobile-style automatic transmission. Current owners Kay and Guy Howard of Junction City, Oregon restored it to operation in 2006.
Speeder at Union Station in Portland, Oregon on May 8, 2010
This Fairmont MT-14-M was built in May 1986 for the Union Pacific Railroad. It was last stationed in Pocatello, Idaho and was numbered #2615. It is powered by a 20-horsepower 2-cylinder Onan engine with a 2-speed transmission and has a top speed of over 40 miles per hour.
SP #4449 at Union Station in Portland, Oregon on May 8, 2010
Here are some additional photographs of #4449, the Mount Hood, Oregon Pacific #1202 and the Union Pacific caboose as they were rearranged at the end of the event to return home.
OPR #1202 at Union Station in Portland, Oregon on May 8, 2010
UP #25198 at Union Station in Portland, Oregon on May 8, 2010
SP #4449 at Union Station in Portland, Oregon on May 8, 2010
Here is #4449 positioning itself to lead the consist back towards Brooklyn Yard.
SP #4449 at Union Station in Portland, Oregon on May 8, 2010
UP #25198 at Union Station in Portland, Oregon on May 8, 2010
Here is the train starting over the Steel Bridge.
UP #25198 at Union Station in Portland, Oregon on May 8, 2010
The Oregon Pacific diesel and Union Pacific caboose would be set off at East Portland Yard to return to Milwaukie while #4449 and the Mount Hood would continue back to the Brooklyn Roundhouse.
UP #25198 at Union Station in Portland, Oregon on May 8, 2010
The following video shows #4449 departing Union Station at the end of the day, and Oregon Pacific #1202 returning to Milwaukie with with Union Pacific caboose.
4449 departing Portland Union Station after National Train Day 2010.
Amtrak NPCU #90251 was on display with a Cascades Talgo train used between Eugene, Oregon and Vancouver, British Columbia.
Amtrak P42DC #144 on May 8, 2010
At the other end was P42DC #144, filling in for one of the Cascades F59PHIs. The train was open for visitors during its layover, until it had to be readied for its scheduled departure.
Amtrak Cascades Coach Class on May 8, 2010
These pictures are from the Coach Class section of the Cascades train.
Amtrak Cascades Coach Class on May 8, 2010
The Coach Class section was recently remodeled with leather seating and a new color scheme.
Amtrak Cascades Bistro Car on May 8, 2010
This is the Bistro Car, which offers all of the train's food service.
Amtrak Cascades Bistro Car on May 8, 2010
The Bistro Car has a limited amount of seating around the bar area, and a map of the route on the ceiling.
Amtrak Cascades Bistro Car on May 8, 2010
The Bistro Car also includes the kitchen for the dining car.
Amtrak Cascades Dining Car on May 8, 2010
The Bistro Car connects directly to the Dining Car, which features additional table seating. Interestingly, the seats in the dining car fold up. Renovations of both the Bistro Car and the Dining Car are planned.
Amtrak Cascades Business Class on May 8, 2010
Here is the Business Class section of the Cascades Train, which was also recently remodeled with leather seating and new colors.
BNSF #7400 at Union Station in Portland, Oregon on May 8, 2010
An example of a modern freight locomotive was also on display. BNSF Railway #7400 is a 4,400-horsepower ES44DC built in May 2008 by General Electric in Erie, Pennsylvania. It has 42.5" diameter wheels and weighs 416,000 pounds.
BNSF #7400 at Union Station in Portland, Oregon on May 8, 2010
UP #25198 at Union Station in Portland, Oregon on May 8, 2010
Union Pacific Class CA-4 caboose #25198 was built in November 1944 by the Pullman-Standard Car Manufacturing Company in Michigan City, Indiana as #3898. It was renumbered in April 1959. It spent much of its career in local service out of Union Pacific's Albina Yard in Portland.
UP #25198 at Union Station in Portland, Oregon on May 8, 2010
It was retired on June 11, 1985 and donated to the City of Montpelier, Idaho in March 1986, where it was stored until returning to Albina in 1991.
UP #25198 at Union Station in Portland, Oregon on May 8, 2010
It was donated to the Pacific Railroad Preservation Association and stored on the Mount Hood Railroad in Hood River, Oregon and in Pasco, Washington. It is now owned by PRPA founder Chris McLarney who repainted it in 2009.
UP #25198 at Union Station in Portland, Oregon on May 8, 2010
The interior is also in almost entirely original condition, as seen in the photos below.
Interior of Union Pacific CA-4 Caboose #25198
Interior of Union Pacific CA-4 Caboose #25198
Interior of Union Pacific CA-4 Caboose #25198
Interior of Union Pacific CA-4 Caboose #25198
Interior of Union Pacific CA-4 Caboose #25198
Interior of Union Pacific CA-4 Caboose #25198
Interior of Union Pacific CA-4 Caboose #25198
Also inside the caboose are historical photographs and HO-scale models that depict the caboose's changing appearance over the years.
OPR #1202 at Union Station in Portland, Oregon on May 8, 2010
The caboose is normally stored in Milwaukie, Oregon on the Oregon Pacific Railroad, and was accompanied to Union Station by Oregon Pacific #1202 Walter B. Beebe, which was built in 1953 as Canadian Pacific SW9 #7403 and rebuilt in 1982 as SW1200RSu #1202. The Oregon Pacific acquired it in 2006.
OPR #1202 at Union Station in Portland, Oregon on May 8, 2010
Mount Hood at Union Station in Portland, Oregon on May 8, 2010
The Mount Hood, SP&S #600, is one of two sleeper-lounge cars ordered from the Pullman-Standard Manufacturing Company of Chicago in September 1946 by the Spokane, Portland & Seattle Railway for the Portland section of Great Northern's Empire Builder. It was delivered in February 1950 and was refurbished by Pullman in 1968 as the company's last project before exiting the sleeping car business. When the SP&S became part of Burlington Northern in 1970, the Mount Hood was assigned #1205, and it was leased by Amtrak from May 1, 1971 until early 1972. The Mount Hood logged almost 5.3 million miles between Spokane and Portland on SP&S, Burlington Northern and Amtrak passenger trains.
Mount Hood at Union Station in Portland, Oregon on May 8, 2010
In 1972, Burlington Northern donated the car to the Pacific Northwest Chapter of the National Railway Historical Society. In 1981, the Mount Hood was painted in Southern Pacific Daylight colors to accompany #4449 to the opening of the California State Railroad Museum and on the 7,477-mile 51-day excursion to the Louisiana Worlds Fair in New Orleans in 1984. It was repainted into its original colors, which it still wears today, for the 1985 AARPCO/Union Station neon sign celebration. Mount Hood's sister car Mount St. Helens still exists and is being restored by owner Michael Gelhaus in Spokane.
Corridor inside the Mount Hood
The Mount Hood's sleeping accommodations include six single-person roomettes and three larger 2-person double bedrooms. Here is the corridor between the roomettes.
Roomette inside the Mount Hood
This is one of the roomettes, configured for daytime use.
Roomette inside the Mount Hood
The small room features a chair and a toilet.
Roomette inside the Mount Hood
Here is another roomette configured for nighttime use, with the bed folded down out of the wall above the chair to fill the small space.
Roomette inside the Mount Hood
The toilet is covered by the bed; in order to use the toilet at night, the bed must be folded back up into the wall.
Double Bedrooms inside the Mount Hood
Here are two of the three large 2-person double bedrooms. This pair of compartments can be opened up to form a 4-person room as shown here. A partition divided the space when used as separate accommodations. Each double bedroom features a sink and a folding toilet in the cabinet beneath it.
Double Bedroom inside the Mount Hood
Here are some additional views of the double bedrooms. The left side is configured for nighttime use and the right side for daytime use. In both cases the upper berth is folded up into the wall.
Double Bedroom inside the Mount Hood
The Mount Hood's third double bedroom is similar but can only be used as a single two-person accommodation.
Kitchen inside the Mount Hood
This is the small kitchen for the Mount Hood's lounge section.
Lounge inside the Mount Hood
This is the Mount Hood's 20-seat lounge section with the original Farnsworth radio.
I originally posted this on my old website on the PORTLAND PLACES: Portland Union Station page on May 16, 2010.
SP #4449 at Union Station in Portland, Oregon on May 8, 2010
The third annual National Train Day was held at Portland Union Station on Saturday, May 8, 2010, in conjunction with events at train stations all across the United States.
SP #4449 at Union Station in Portland, Oregon on May 8, 2010
The star of Portland's 2010 National Train Day was former Southern Pacific Daylight Lima GS-4 4-8-4 streamlined steam locomotive #4449, which was on display under steam and offered cab tours for the day.
SP #4449 at Union Station in Portland, Oregon on May 8, 2010
SP #4449 at Union Station in Portland, Oregon on May 8, 2010
SP #4449 at Union Station in Portland, Oregon on May 8, 2010
SP #4449 at Union Station in Portland, Oregon on May 8, 2010
SP #4449 at Union Station in Portland, Oregon on May 8, 2010
SP #4449 at Union Station in Portland, Oregon on May 8, 2010
SP #4449 at Union Station in Portland, Oregon on May 8, 2010
SP #4449 at Union Station in Portland, Oregon on May 8, 2010
SP #4449 at Union Station in Portland, Oregon on May 8, 2010
SP #4449 at Union Station in Portland, Oregon on May 8, 2010
SP #4449 at Union Station in Portland, Oregon on May 8, 2010
SP #4449 at Union Station in Portland, Oregon on May 8, 2010
SP #4449 at Union Station in Portland, Oregon on May 8, 2010
SP #4449 at Union Station in Portland, Oregon on May 8, 2010
SP #4449 at Union Station in Portland, Oregon on May 8, 2010
Also in attendance with #4449 and open for tours were the former Spokane, Portland & Seattle sleeper-lounge Mount Hood and former Union Pacific CA-4 Caboose #25198, which will be covered in their own posts.
I originally posted this on my old website on May 16, 2010.
This post features a brief history of two of the major manufacturers of HO-Scale model trains: Athearn and Model Die Casting (aka Roundhouse Products). Both of these manufacturers were acquired by Horizon Hobby in 2004. This history was compiled from the manufacturers’ own websites, old versions of manufacturer websites found at the Internet Archive, HOseeker.Net and old magazine articles and catalogs of my own.
1938 Musicians Jerry Joice and Perry Bodkin establish a hobby store called Roundhouse at 1301 North Catalina Street in Hollywood, California. The business is soon taken over by part-time employees C.H. Menteer and C.A. Voelckel. Soon after taking over, they are hired to build models for Cecil B. DeMille's film Union Pacific.
Irv Athearn begins building an O-Scale model railroad at his mother's home.
1939 Roundhouse Products introduces its HO-Scale 0-6-0 steam locomotive as a brass and lead alloy kit.
1942 World War II forces Roundhouse Products to suspend operation in February.
1943 After receiving a large response to his advertisement selling his O-scale model railroad, Irv Athearn establishes Athearn Trains in Miniature, selling model railroad supplies.
1946 Menteer & Voelckel's company is now called Model Die Casting, Inc. and resumes production of the Roundhouse Products line by summer.
Irv Athearn becomes a full-time retailer of model railroading supplies.
1948 Model Die Casting relocates to Los Angeles, California.
Irv Athearn moves his business from his mother's home to a separate location in Hawthorne, California.
1951 Athearn purchases Globe Models on July 2. The Globe Models name is retained until 1956.
1952 Athearn introduces the 200-Ton Crane in die-cast metal.
1953 Athearn introduces the all-metal RDC-1, RDC-2, RDC-3 and RDC-4.
1954 The Globe Models F7 is introduced as an unpowered kit. A gear drive is added later.
1955 Model Die Casting relocates to Hawthorne, California.
1956 C.H. Menteer becomes sole owner of Model Die Casting.
1957 Athearn introduces the Hi-F Belt (rubber-band) Drive for the F7, and the GP9 (actually a GP7) and Hustler locomotives. A number of plastic car kits are released including the Cupola Caboose, 40' Box Car, 3-Dome Tank Car, Heavy-Duty Flat Car, 40' Steel Refrigerator Car (with operating doors) and the Streamlined RPO, Coach, Vista Dome and Observation.
1958 Athearn introduces the plastic-bodied RDC-1 and RDC-3, powered by the Hi-F Drive, and a plastic version of the 200-Ton Crane, replacing the metal RDCs and crane.
1959 Athearn introduces the 4-6-2 steam locomotive with the Hi-F Drive, and the 50' Double Door Box Car, Quad Hopper and Pickle Cars.
1961 Athearn introduces a gear-drive version of the 4-6-2 and a gear-driven 0-4-2T and 0-6-0.
1962 Athearn introduces the GP30.
1963 Athearn introduces freight cars with RP-25 wheels.
1964 Athearn introduces the "ring-magnet" motor for diesel locomotives.
1966 Athearn introduces the GP35, SD45, SDP40, DD40 and SW1500 (actually SW7) Cow & Calf.
1970 Athearn introduces the Alco PA1/PB1
1971 Athearn introduces the U28B, U28C, U30B, U30C, U33B and U33C.
1973 Athearn introduces the F45 and FP45 with Athearn's first Flywheel Drive. The Flywheel Drive is also added to most of Athearn's other locomotives. Notable exceptions include the RDCs and Hustler, which still use the Hi-F drive, and the DD40. The F7s are available with or without Flywheels. The S12 and SD9 are also introduced with the Flywheel Drive.
1979 Athearn introduces the H24-66 Trainmaster.
Model Die Casting introduces an N-Scale product line.
1984 Athearn improves the locomotive line with a new drive with new narrower motors and new handrail stanchions. New plastic EMD Blomberg Truck Sideframes are applied to the F7, GP9 and GP35.
Athearn introduces the SD40-2 and SD40T-2 Tunnel Motor. With the new narrow motors, these are Athearn's first hood units to feature scale-width hoods. (All previous diesels, except the F7, PA1/PB1, F45 & FP45 had hoods that were too wide to accommodate the earlier wider motors.)
Model Die Casting introduces the Shay steam locomotive kit.
1985 Model Die Casting introduces the Alco RS3 diesel locomotive kit.
1986 Athearn introduces the GP38-2.
1987 Athearn introduces the GP50.
1990 Athearn introduces the GP40-2, SW1000 & SW1500. The old SW1500 Cow & Calf is now correctly called an SW7.
1991 Irv Athearn passes away.
Athearn introduces the Impack Articulated TOFC Spine Car.
1992 Athearn introduces the 50' Modern Double-Door Box Car.
1993 Model Die Casting relocates to Carson City, Nevada.
1994 Athearn is sold to new owners.
Athearn introduces the MAXI-III and Husky-Stack Well Cars.
1995 Athearn introduces the GP60, GP50 Phase II and C44-9W.
The DD40 is released with flywheels.
In September, the non-flywheel version of the F7 is discontinued. From this point on, the only difference between the Standard and Super-Powered F7s is the large weight.
1996 Athearn introduces the AC4400CW.
Model Die Casting introduces new can motors.
1997 Athearn introduces the AMD-103.
In June, Athearn announces the development of the SD70-series for the Genesis line.
In October, Athearn announces the development of the Bombardier Bi-Level Commuter Cars.
1998 On July 2, Athearn purchases the F-Unit tooling by Paul Lubliner from Highliners to be used in the Genesis line. Highliners retains the rights to sell the F-Units in undecorated kit form.
1999 Athearn releases the Genesis SD70-series.
Athearn announces the Genesis 2-8-2 steam locomotive.
In October, Athearn announces an improved version of the SD40-2 that will replace the existing models.
2000 The Athearn RDC-1 and RDC-3 are officially discontinued due to a damaged frame mold.
2001 Athearn introduces the Ready-To-Roll Line.
Model Die Casting introduces Ready-To-Run versions of some locomotives and cars.
2002 Athearn acquires Rail Power Products.
Athearn acquires the tooling for 4 50' Box Cars from Details West. They are later released in the Ready-To-Roll line.
Athearn introduces the N-Scale product line.
2004 Athearn is purchased by Horizon Hobby.
On June 14, Model Die Casting is purchased by Horizon Hobby. The Roundhouse name will be used only for HO-Scale Pre-WWII products, with the rest of the Roundhouse line under the Athearn name.
2006 On May 31, McHenry Couplers is purchased by Horizon Hobby.
2007 In July, Athearn acquires the tooling for several trailers from A-Line. They are later released in the Ready-To-Roll line.
2008 In September, Athearn acquires the Tower 55 line tooling from Overland Models to be used in the Genesis line.
2009 On October 16, Athearn announces it is discontinuing the production of "Blue Box" kits.
2010 Athearn releases the Genesis SD70ACe based on former Tower 55 tooling.