Built in 1941 as a GS-4 4-8-4 "Northern" by the Lima Locomotive Works, 4449 served with the Southern Pacific Railroad until the mid-1950s, pulling the famed Daylight passenger trains. Painted in the Daylight's iconic red and orange, 4449 served the Southern Pacific well until the dieselization of the Coast Daylight in late 1955. One of the last few SP steam engines still in the Daylight livery, 4449 was finally retired from passenger service and received a rather less inspiring (though arguably still quite attractive) overall black scheme.

Fully retired from service in 1957, 4449 was placed in storage with several other GS-series locomotives in Bakersfield, before being donated to the City of Portland, Oregon, in 1958 (after most of the remaining GS engines had been scrapped). It was placed on display in the city's Oaks Park, but unfortunately was repeatedly vandalized and had many parts stolen.

Fortunately for 4449, a Southern Pacific employee named Jack Holst looked after the locomotive (as well as two others, SP&S 700 and OR&N 197), keeping the rods and bearings carefully oiled in case the GS-4 was ever to move again. Sadly, Holst died in 1972 and never saw 4449 return to operation, but two years later, the locomotive was evaluated for restoration as a candidate to pull the American Freedom Train. Since the engine's rods and bearings had been so carefully maintained, it was determined that 4449 could be returned to operational condition.

Removed from display in December 1974, 4449 was restored at a Burlington Northern roundhouse in Portland. The return to a fully operational condition after two decades took merely four months, and the locomotive took to the rails on April 21, 1975, in a special red, white, and blue livery designed for the American Freedom Train. As part of the celebration of America's bicentennial in 1976, 4449 pulled a display train through much of the western portions of the United States (the eastern portions of the route being pulled by Reading 2101, and the Texas portion being pulled by T&P 610).

After nearly two years of travel, 4449 was returned to Portland, this time in a much more protected and sheltered location where it was safe from the elements. In 1981, the locomotive was repainted in the iconic Daylight livery it wore for the majority of its career with the Southern Pacific. In 1984, the now 43 year-old GS-4 pulled a special all-Daylight train from Portland to New Orleans and back to publicize the World's Fair. This 7,477 mile round-trip set a record for the longest steam train excursion in the history of the United States.

In 2000, the locomotive was repainted black and silver for a BNSF employee appreciation special, in a similar scheme to the Southern Pacific freight livery that 4449 had received when it was retired from Daylight service in 1955. Following the BNSF special, the modern logos were removed and "Southern Pacific Lines" was added to the tender as a nod to 4449's former black SP livery. The white pinstripes from the BNSF excursion were retained however, and the locomotive operated in this quite attractive scheme (which I have referred to as the "Excursion Black" livery) through 2001.

The locomotive was repainted in the American Freedom Train livery in early 2002, after the 9/11 terrorist attacks. It operated in this scheme until late 2004, when it was returned to the classic Daylight livery once again, this time in its "as-delivered" appearance with "Southern Pacific Lines" lettering on the tender.

It was originally planned to repaint 4449's auxiliary tender in the AFT scheme for the 2002 run, but poor weather stalled this plan and the auxiliary tender retained the BNSF black paint. However, a small American flag was added on each side, as well as the phrase "Let's Roll", the famous final words spoken by Todd Beamer on September 11, 2001, before he and other passengers stormed the cockpit of United Airlines Flight 93 in an attempt to regain control of the aircraft from the hijackers.


4449 operated out of Portland for many years, commonly pulling the Holiday Express trains in the winter. However, the locomotive was recently pulled from this service due to increased track wear because of the 4-8-4's great size and mass. While not actively operating, it is maintained and displayed at the Oregon Rail Heritage Center in southeast Portland, Oregon.