4449-844 Doubleheader at Kelso

Photo by Cliff West

These pictures were taken by my dad, Cliff West, at Kalama, Washington, on May 12, 2007. Southern Pacific GS-4 #4449 and Union Pacific FEF-3 4-8-4 #844 doubleheaded an excursion consist from Portland to Seattle in preparation for a Puget Sound Steam Special, an excursion train between Tacoma and Everett, Washington on May 19, 2007, to raise funds for the John W. Baringer III National Railroad Library at the University of Missouri in St. Louis. After photographing the train at Kalama, Washington, my dad proceeded north to Kelso to photograph the train under the Peter Crawford-Cowlitz Way Bridge.

Photo by Cliff West

It turned out that the train would end up stopping in Kelso, making it even later than it already was. I was chasing the train but did not stop in Kelso, not knowing that it stopped there.

Photo by Cliff West

As the train departed Kelso, it passed a southbound doublestack train pulled by a pair of BNSF Railway's General Electric 4,400-horsepower Dash 9-44CW locomotives. My dad didn't follow the train beyond this point, but meanwhile I was on my way north to Centralia, Washington, to see the train again there, as seen in this post.

4449-844 Doubleheader at Kalama

Photo by Cliff West

These pictures were taken by my dad, Cliff West, at Kalama, Washington, on May 12, 2007. Southern Pacific GS-4 #4449 and Union Pacific FEF-3 4-8-4 #844 doubleheaded an excursion consist from Portland to Seattle in preparation for a Puget Sound Steam Special, an excursion train between Tacoma and Everett, Washington on May 19, 2007, to raise funds for the John W. Baringer III National Railroad Library at the University of Missouri in St. Louis. I chased the train separately from Peninsula Junction in Portland as covered in other posts, and photographed the train at a different location further north in Kalama. These pictures were taken at the south end of Kalama along North Hendrickson Drive near Interstate 5's Exit 27. The excursion train was originally scheduled to come through Kalama at about 11:00 or 11:30, but was delayed. While waiting at Kalama, my dad saw this northbound Union Pacific freight train. I did not see this train at Peninsula Junction; it had presumably passed through before I arrived.

Photo by Cliff West

This train was pulled by a pair of 4,400-horsepower General Electric ES44AC locomotives, which Union Pacific designates as C45AC-CTE. The lead locomotive was Union Pacific #5283, which was delivered to Union Pacific on April 4, 2006.

Photo by Cliff West

The second locomotive was a sister locomotive to the first locomotive, and they were pulling a long string of gondola cars.

Photo by Cliff West

Later, this northbound double-stack container train passed through Kalama pulled by a trio of Union Pacific SD70Ms. This was the third of the six trains I had seen at Peninsula Junction, and it had passed that point at about 12:00 noon, so it would have been well into the afternoon when it reached Kalama. The three Union Pacific SD70Ms are UP #5132, delivered on September 23, 2004, UP #4620, delivered on April 3, 2001, and UP 3796, delivered June 20, 2004. My pictures of this train can be found in this post.

Photo by Cliff West

It was almost 3:00 when the doubleheader finally came through Kalama.

Photo by Cliff West

Visible behind Southern Pacific GS-4 #4449 and Union Pacific FEF-3 4-8-4 #844 are Union Pacific Water Tender #814 Joe Jordan, Express Box Car #9336, Tool Car #6334 Art Lockman, and Power Car #209 Howard Fogg. The next three cars, not pictured, are Baggage Recreation Car #5714 Golden State Limited, Concession Car #5818 Sherman Hill, and Coach #5486 City of Salina.

Photo by Cliff West

The rest of the train consisted of Dome Coach #7015 Challenger, Coach #5483 Texas Eagle, Coach #5480 Sunshine Special, Baggage Recreation Car #5769 Council Bluffs, Dome Lounge #9005 Walter Dean, Dome Diner #8008 City of Portland, Diner #4808 City of Los Angeles, Dome Diner #7011 Missouri River Eagle, Power Car #208, Business Car #102 St. Louis, Inspection Car #203 Idaho.

From here, the train continued north. I photographed the train further north in Kalama, as seen in this post. Meanwhile, my dad proceeded on to Kelso to wait for the train there.