Historic Train to Depart Brooklyn Yard at 5:00 PM Tonight

Photo courtesy: home.europa.com

(PORTLAND) - The SP&S 700 Steam Engine is scheduled to leave at approximately 5:00 PM this evening, Friday, September 1st. It will head to Tigard where it will spend the night on a siding near the Hall Boulevard area.

On Saturday morning, sometime after 6:00 AM, the train will leave Tigard and proceed to Salem where it is on display during the 2nd Annual Salem Safety Faire on Saturday, September 2nd.

Originally, the train was to pull the "Plum Car" passenger car and a baggage car, along with a privately owned caboose. That consist has been changed and will now include the 700 engine, the "Running Crane Lake" and "Casper Mountain", both former GN passenger cars and the caboose.

A Portland & Western railway map can be found at: www.gwrr.com/default.cfm?action=rail§ion=3B4c Anyone wishing to follow the train as it proceeds south can follow the map from Tigard to Wilsonville, using the eastern route noted on the map. Train "chasers" should be encouraged to follow all safety rules and stay off private property.

The Safety Faire will be open to the public from 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM and will feature information from Operation Lifesaver who will also offer free tickets to tour the train's cab. The Salem Fire Department will be onhand to hand out safety information and fill the big thirsty steam engine's tender at about 2:00 PM.