This Fairmont speeder is formerly Milwaukee Road #7849. It appears to be in its original paint, except that it wears the name Casper, which has probably been added. This speeder also displays its weight: 1,360 pounds.
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This Fairmont speeder appears to be in its original paint. It is lettered P&M 03 in stick-on letters & numbers. This could be original, or could have been added. I have no idea what P&M stands for.
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This covered Fairmont speeder is lettered for the Valley & Siletz Railroad, a small Oregon shortline that shut down in 1992. This could be original paint, or at least an accurate repaint. It does carry the name Cliff on the front in script, which is probably not original. It is probably the name of the current owner, or perhaps the speeder itself has been christened. This speeder also was not running while I was there.
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This topless Fairmont speeder has been nicely restored with beautiful new wood decking. It wears the herald of the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe, which may or may not be the speeder's original owner, as this is not the original, or probably even a fully accurate, paint job. This speeder was not running while I was present.
Speeders parked alongside the excursion train.
In addition to #700's train, a group had a number of motorcars, or speeders, available for rides to Milwaukie. Speeders were used by railroad work crews to travel to remote areas where trackwork needed to be done. As railroad routes became more accessible by roads and work crews began traveling longer distances, speeders were phased out in favor of more expanded use of hi-rail trucks: trucks with the ability to drive or roads and railroad tracks.
Speeders parked alongside the excursion train.
As speeders were retired, they became available to the general public. Private owners of speeders arrange to use them on railroad routes that are out of service or see limited operation. Though several companies built speeders, and some railroads even built their own, most speeders were built by Fairmont.
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Caboose #900 was originally a logging caboose, which has been heavily modified for passenger use, although its basic shape remains the same. It was used by the Oregon Pacific Railroad for SamTrak. SamTrak ceased operating in 2002, and the caboose is now used only for special events. It is equipped with an air horn and lights to allow it to be used as the "front" of a train that cannot be turned around, such as this one.
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Coach #1210, Plum Creek, was built in 1950 by American Car & Foundry for the Great Northern Railroad. It was originally a 60-seat, short-distance coach. 1210 is the car's original number. Unlike many passenger cars, this coach was not sold to Amtrak and remained with the Great Northern's successor, Burlington Northern, who removed the coach seats in 1977 to use the car as a mobile classroom, though the car's original overhead luggage racks and lighting remain. In 1981, the car was sold and was kept in Minnesota, where it was named Plum Creek, until 1999, when it was purchased by the Friends of SP #4449 for use as a parlor/lounge car. Though it wears its original number of 1210, the car's official number, which can be found in small lettering on the side of the car, is PPCX #800235. It is maintained in its original Omaha Orange and Pullman Green of the Great Northern Railroad.
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