Track the Steam Engine: Have Video? Contact Us!

WEST MICHIGAN (NEWSCHANNEL 3) - Crowds waited for hours along the train tracks in West Michigan, waiting to see a rare sight pass by. The “World’s Most Famous Steam Locomotive” is on a journey across America. It traveled through west Michigan Sunday on its way to Owosso for TrainFestival 2009.

The Southern Pacific Daylight no. 4449 will travel across country on an Amtrak sponsored trip hauling thousands of passengers on this rare excursion. The locomotive and train will travel through many cities along the way including Spokane, Fargo, Minneapolis, Milwaukee, Chicago, Kalamazoo, Battle Creek and Lansing. A special excursion will be operated on July 24 originating from TrainFestival 2009, tickets are available online. The locomotive will be on display during the event for visitors to photograph, visit with the crew as well as explore the cab.

The only remaining operable "streamlined" steam locomotive of the Art Deco era, No. 4449 pulled the famous Southern Pacific first class "Daylight" passenger trains between Los Angeles and San Francisco over the scenic Coast Route and then on to Portland until 1955. Retired to static display at Oaks Park in 1958, most thought SP 4449 would never run again.

You can track the locomotive's path online. Click the "Track the Steam Locomotive" link through Twitter at the top of this page.