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The day before - May 6, 2011
National Train Day - May 7, 2011
OPR 1413 rolled out of the shops for the first time in months just prior to the event.
OPR 1413 with McLarney's restored UP caboose, preparing to head up the 6% grade to the OPR mainline and East Portland Junction.
OPR 1413, McLarney's caboose and the James J Gilmore former SP round end observation car waiting for the SP 4449 to arrive.
The arrival of SP 4449 from Brooklyn Yard.   The SP 4449 will pull the entire consist to Union Station.
SP 4449 arrives at PEP (OPR East Portland Junction) and backs down the OPR lead and connects to the OPR consist and then pulls out on the
UP mainline on its way to Union Station.
Views from the engineer's side of the 1413 as the consist heads north on the UP mainline.
For the 2nd year in a row, the OPR was invited to bring a locomotive to the National Train Day event at the Amtrak Union
Station, in Portland.   The center piece of the event was again the SP 4449 Steam engine.   Other equipment and cars were
also on hand for visitors to see during the one day event on May 7th.   To see last year's train day event, please click here.

The OPR brought its GMD-1, No. 1413 to the event as well as Chris McLarney's beautifully restored UP caboose.    The
GMD-1 was purchased last year and has a fresh coat of OPR paint.  It had not yet seen regular service, as the OPR crews
embarked on several safety modifications prior to operations.   Other critical projects delayed those modifications, but they
are now completed and one of the first operations of this locomotive on the OPR was its trip to Union Station on May 6th.

National Train Day is an event hosted and sponsored by Amtrak and includes many local rail preservation groups as well as
several local operating railroads.   A number of displays were on hand for the public with the main event being ORHF's display
with the 4449 and their efforts to construct a new museum at East Portland.  

The OPR thanks Amtrak for putting on this event for the public and for inviting the OPR to attend.   Union Station is located at  
800 NW 6th Ave, Portland, OR.  

Despite the rainstorms that plagued the event, there are reports that over 7000 people still attended the event!

For more information on the OPR 1413, please check our OPR 1413 roster page.

For more information on McLarney's restored caboose, check out our UP caboose 25198 roster page.
Views from the engineer's side of the 1413 as the consist begins to cross the Steel Bridge.   Union Station is directly on the opposite side.  Max
speed limit on the steel bridge for all trains is 6 mph!
Arrival at Union Station.  The rest of the evening was spent switching the consist into the proper display order by Amtrak engineers and conductors.
The day of the event - May 7, 2011
A few pictures of the Train Day Event.   I was unable to get good pictures with the crowds due to Train Day duties and these photos are not
indictative of the massive turn out of the event.  Most photos here taken late in the day after the even officially ended.
At the end of the day, more switching had to be done with the 4449 and OPR 1413 to get the consist in the proper order for the trip home.
View from the 1413 on the way home southbound on the UP mainline being pulled by the SP 4449.
Arrival at PEP (OPR's East Portland Junction).   Minor switching had to take place, while the 1413 was cut off from the 4449.
SP 4449 continues on the UP mainline to its home in Brooklyn.   The OPR 1413 then headed home in the late evening hours and falling darkness
to its home at the Milwaukie shops.   It was the end of a very good day..
Additional photos of the pre-event courtesy of Kyle Weismann-Yee.