Drew,

Thank you for posting the photo of S.P. 4-8-4 4449 at Ithaca, MI. My wife Diana and I were in the Milw. full dome car on that rainy July 23, 2009. On the return, the sun came out at the Woodland Park photo run.

That was my first and so far only ride behind the S.P. painted 4449. My first encounter was in 1976 in the corn fields of Illinois near Rochelle, IL., when the 4449 was painted for the American Freedom Train. The "small" 4449 could not go east of Chicago, IL. because it was too BIG. When the 4449 came east in 2009, it had to run a freight route from Chicago, IL. to Michigan City, IN., because the skirting was too wide for the Amtrak route to Michigan City. The passenger cars went on the Amtrak route.

I grew up in Holt, MI. which is 8 miles south of Lansing, MI. I rode many fan trips behind GTW U-4-b 4-8-4's including one through Owasso.

The last time I was in California was 1952. Remember seeing S.P. Cab Forwards in Davis, CA. I was 11 years old!

Keep the great photos coming Drew,

Ed Johnson
Peoria, IL.