I guess we're over here now......

If you remember from our last episode, I mentioned the ex-Southern Pacific "Daylight" 4-8-4 #4449 is scheduled to be in Owosso for Train Fest 2009, along with the ex NKP 2-8-4 #759 from Fort Wayne and the Steam Railroad Institute's ex-Pere Marquette 2-8-4 #1229. It's a fundraiser for 1229's 15 year inspection/rebuild.
http://www.trainfestival2009.com/

Burnsie asked if I knew what the schedules and timeings for the 4449's move from Portland to Owosso were. Well, yes and no. Nothing is cast in stone, and it's not expected that they will be for a couple of weeks, but so far, it looks like this, with the Daylight departing Portland, Ore. on July 3rd:

July 3rd: Portland, Ore. to Spokane [[here's where I'll chase it)
July 4th: Spokane to Whitefish, Mont.
July 5th: Whitefish to Havre.
July 6th: Layover in Havre.
July 7th: Havre to Minot, N.D.
July 8th: Minot to Fargo, N.D..
July 9th: Layover in Fargo.
July 10th: Fargo to Minneapolis

No guess as to when it will travel from Minneapolis to Durand/Owosso, but since the trip is being coordinated by the Friends of the 4449 and The Friends of the 261 [[the ex MILW 4-8-4) along with the Steam Railroad Institute, and run under the auspisus of Amtrak, it will run on a regular Amtrak route from Chicago to Durand, that is....I think, I may need some correction.....Norfolk Southern from Chicago to Porter, Ind., Amtrak from Porter to Kazoo, NS from Kazoo to Battle Creek, then CN from Battle Creek to Durand, where the connection is made with the Great Lakes Central [[ex-TSBY) to Owosso.

Now, I didn't want to retype this whole thing to insert this, but the 4449 is scheduled into Owosso on July 19th, and is scheduled to leave in early October.

A second Owosso/Alma excursion with the Daylight has been added to the schedule. Probably sold out by now. The first one was filled within hours of its announcement. Note too that motels in the Owosso area are fully booked, but Lansing is only a half an hour away.

Sites with information:

http://www.261.com/
May not be much here, but they're doing a lot of the coordination with Amtrak.
http://www.sp4449.com/
The Daylight's website
http://www.trainfestival2009.com/
The Steam Railroad Institute's website for Train Fest.

As more information becomes available, I'll post it for you.

doug