Monthly Archives: February 2021

Family, History, Trains

The Daylight’s 4449

I LIKE PASSENGER TRAINS, particularly those of the “streamliner era.” Southern Pacific’s red and orange Daylight trains spent part of their life behind the beautiful, semi-streamlined 4-8-4 of the GS-4 series. One of these, only 4449 still exists.

4449 still exists due to a bit of luck and American history. In 1975 she was chosen for restoration to serve as one of three locomotives used for the American Freedom Train* as part of the US Bicentennial Celebration. In 1999 I needed to go to Seattle, Washington. I flew to Portland, Oregon, on the way. I was able to get a ride to the roundhouse were 4449 was stored at the time. I peeked through the window, but that was as far as I got. I then road Amtrak’s then-new Talgo Cascade to Seattle where my brother Tom (1964-2012) picked me up.

Several years later 4449 was somewhere near Seattle with Union Pacific’s excursion train and 844 steam locomotive. Tom sent me these pictures. I’m pretty sure they are from a May 2007 excursion as described on the modern 4449 website.

Kato made a model of 4449 and matching Southern Pacific Daylight passenger cars. Someday I’ll have a layout to run it on! I’d love to go for an excursion on a train pulled by 4449…

*I saw the AFT pulled by the other locomotive in Columbus, Ohio, in 1975. It was the only day I ever skipped school. The school called my dad, who somehow knew exactly where I was and came to get me. I didn’t get into too much trouble and thankfully had already been through the exhibition cars!

Flying

Flying Milestone – 1,000 Hours

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I reached a milestone last night – passing 1,000 hours of flight time.

I had my first solo flight at age 19, but due to college and military service I either had time or money to fly, but rarely had both at the same time! I became a licensed private pilot at age 29. I once went 91 days w/o flying, and I went w/o flying for a year while I was in Iraq. Otherwise, I’ve remained a current, active pilot for 30+ years.

I am fortunate to get to share my passion for flying with others as an instructor. I’ve been a glider instructor since 2013, and in the last several months have been able to instruct in a Piper Seminole.

I spent the last year working on the multi-engine commercial certificate because I had an opportunity to do some charter co-pilot flying. That was a lot of work, and much of my study efforts overlapped with being a multi-engine instructor, so I did that too. Because of this focus, I fell out of instrument currency, now requiring something called an Instrument Proficiency Check. Training to regain instrument proficiency looked like it would be about 1/3 of the training required to just go ahead and become an instrument instructor, so I am now working on that. Knowledge test passed, and the practical training began this past weekend.

Last night, I flew in the right seat of a Cessna 172 with my instructor in the left and a CAP friend in the back. We launched on what turned out to be 2.5 hours of night cross country under the hood with some actual IMC and three approaches. (The needle deflections were much, much smaller than my flight two days before; I’m feeling much better!) I ended the night with 1,001.2 hours!

Somewhere in the vicinity of Columbia (SC) Metropolitan Airport I crossed the 1,000-hour threshold. I’ve had a lot of fun in airplanes, gliders, and even a gyrocopter. I’ve paid for some. Been paid for some. And sometimes even been upside down wishing I was right side up, but I’ve never wished I wasn’t flying.

I’ve had a lot of great instructors over the years. I hope I can continue give to others some of what I’ve learned.

“This will be a normal takeoff on Runway 35 at KAGS. In the event of an abnormality with runway remaining…”