World's Fair Daylight in the Desert by evangaines on DeviantArt (original) (raw)

On the afternoon of May 19, 1984, we're on SP's Sunset Route outside of Lordsburg NM to chase SP GS-4 4-8-4 #4449 on the World's Fair Daylight from her home base in Portland OR to New Orleans LA for that year's World's Fair. Soon, we caught the Daylight & her train racing along at track speed, heading for the Party City. That day's section was to head from Yuma AZ to El Paso TX, with a photo runby stop outside of Lordsburg. This trip was the GS-4's 2nd time on the Sunset Route since 1977, when she hauled Amtrak's Transcontinental Steam Excursion from New Orleans to Portland, following the American Freedom Train tour between 1975-1976. The cars used in the consist were owned by Sierra Western Rail Tours & the Pacific Northwest Chapter NRHS, which helped the 4449 on this trip. Sadly, since then, some of the coaches were sadly scrapped after being fire damaged by vandals in 2008. The train would arrive in El Paso, that evening, where the consist would be serviced. We'll chase the Daylight throughout the rest of the trip to New Orleans & her return trip to Portland.

@evangaines 2024

TRS22

New River Train Productions