This view makes me so happy.

Monday, May 23, looking northwest from the rooftop garden at work, with these blossoms in the foreground and the Portland Oregon neon sign, topped with the stag, in focus in the background, plus the words Union Station visible on the tower at the station, to the left of the Portland sign--see it there, between the out-of-focus blossoms? Ah, bliss in this small portion of the panorama that is Portland's skyline. The Fremont Bridge in the background is the icing on the cake!

It's special to me, so special that I am able to go to the rooftop garden at my breaks or at my lunch or at all three and take in the beauty, no matter the weather. And this camera, my Olympus OM E-M5II with the zoom lens, these make me so happy that I am finally feeling like learning about the two of them and how to take decent photos. Thanks to each of you for all of the prayers, love, and concern that you showered on me over the period of treatment for the cancer that is now in my past. I am better through your help, my caregivers, and the grace of God.



Here's another shot of the same view, taken on May 17. Fewer buds had opened on that day, six days prior to the top photo.



Here's a closer view, alas, a bit crooked, of the two signs--Portland, Oregon, and Union Station. I don't find it as interesting without those blossoms in the front, but I wanted you to be able to see the signs better so that if you've had any difficult in finding them in the other two photos, this view should help you.

My favorite steam locomotive, the SP 4449 at Union Station

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My brother Howard came to visit on a Friday, flying in from Jackson, Mississippi. The next morning, October 20, 2012, we got up early in order not to miss the SP 4449 steaming out of Union Station, pulling the Deschutes Steam Special vintage rail cars on an excursion from Portland to Bend and back the next day. We stood around for a long time, waiting for a few memorable moments up close and personal with this beautiful machine. It was worth every bit of effort, every bit.

Autumn colors and the not-so-pink Big Pink.

Looking south towards downtown from the pedestrian bridge over the railroad tracks next to Union Station. I thoroughly enjoy looking at The Big Pink, no matter the perspective, even when it's not so pink. I have no idea why all of those posts and cables are on top of that building. Anybody know? I took this photo on October 25, 2008, while on the bridge walk.

Winter Opposites - No. 3 - Traveling Man

This fellow is either headed to his left to Union Station to take a trip on Amtrak. Or he's headed to his right towards the bus station to take a trip on Greyhound. Could be he's just arrived on the bus and is walking around until he comes to a bus stop or a MAX stop or a cab stand. Oh, I just realized that maybe he road on the Greyhound from somewhere east of Portland and is now walking to Union Station to continue on his way to somewhere that he can reach by train.

My best guess, he's going to his left to catch a train, all clean and shiny, unwrinkled, walking with a spring in his step. Take a good look at that rolling apparatus, loaded carefully. And his backpack appears to be packed, too. Plus, I've never seen jeans with pockets made of a different fabric--the one that we can see on his right leg looks stuffed to me. I think he's on his way to somewhere that he's prepared to visit for a while and where he plans to have a good time. I hope he enjoyed himself as much as enjoy seeing this sunny sight. I took this photo across the street from Union Station on July 24, 2010.

Seen on the street, February 16, 2013, No. 7

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I got off the MAX Yellow Line at the Union Station stop so that I could walk a block west to the main post office. As I crossed the street, the MAX train rounded the curve in front of Union Station. Photo opportunity--the juxtaposition of these two types of transit. At BeFunky, I used the HDR special effect, after I had already straightened, cropped and resized at PicMonkey.

Seen from the Portland Streetcar

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Since the streetcar has a dedicated lane for its tracks right beside the sidewalk, taking photos through its windows can result in some good shots, unless the reflection overpowers what you're trying to photograph. Luck was with me when I took this photo on Saturday, September 29, 2012, while riding east over the Broadway Bridge on the Portland Streetcar's Central Line. 

Notice the bicyclist in the lower left? Many Portlanders commute across Portland's bridges, the ones which have bicycle lanes and/or sidewalks and are open to more than vehicles. Lots of folks ride on the weekends, too. And don't think they only ride in blue sky weather. Nope. I see them riding in the rainy, cold days throughout winter.

For me, a highlight of this photo is the 1896 Union Station and its recently renovated roof--an article in The Oregonian identified the work as an upgrade, pointing out that it was the first one since the 1930s and that it was needed because of the roof's condition which meant that buckets could be found here and there inside the station, filling up with dripping rain. 

The Big Pink, the tall building to the right of center, stands within walking distance of the railroad station--seven blocks--or a short ride on the MAX Yellow Line which is the MAX line that I take from downtown to the Portland Trail Blazer home NBA basketball games at the Rose Garden Arena--the MAX Yellow Line crosses the Willamette River on the Steel Bridge which is south of the Broadway Bridge and just out of sight to the left of this photo.

The curving street is NW Broadway, until it crosses West Burnside at about the vanishing point of the pavement in this photo, then it becomes SW Broadway. Burnside divides Portland into north and south, while the Willamette divides it into east and west. 

On the right edge of the photo, the building you see a portion of is the main US Post Office for Portland. 

SP 4449 Steam Locomotive, No. 5

Imagine with me for a few minutes. Forget that you know that the Willamette River is to the left of Union Station, in this photo. Look at the multi-story parking garage to the right of Union Station. See the metal flag flying atop it, at the corner. Imagine the parking garage to be a multi-deck river steamboat, waiting to begin its voyage, much like the train to be pulled by the SP 4449, once they're linked together, waits to begin its journey.



Here's a view of the steamboat American Queen which gives a bit of perspective to my imagination--from the left of that left-most smokestack, that is. I looked and looked at Google Images for a photo with a similar perspective as the parking garage in my photo--this one is the best I found. The steamboat is docked in Memphis due to low water level on the Mississippi River in August, 2012.
 

My brother Howard as he appears sans steam. Notice the rain on his hood and the bill of his cap. Wet we were, as Yoda would report.

SP 4449 Steam Locomotive, No. 4

Steam's heading our way as the SP 4449 continues to back up toward the line of vintage rail cars.
 

Steam enveloped my brother who stood closer to the tracks than I. Through the steam you can barely see the silver and orange stripes at the bottom of the front of the locomotive. Is that a cow-catcher?

Later on when the train pulled out, I myself stood even closer to the track than my brother in this photo.
Surrounded by steam in seconds, I soon realized that moisture covered my glasses and the camera lens. No photos of that--the camera couldn't find anything to focus on, and I was somewhat disoriented.

SP 4449 Steam Locomotive, No. 3

She's just about to stop and then begin to back up towards the line of vintage rail cars. Check out the man at the right edge of the photo--he's got her on his camera. Can't tell if he's shooting stills or video.
 

Steaming up for backing up.

SP 4449 Steam Locomotive, No. 2

Happy Birthday to my brother, Howard!
 

About to pass me by and cross the street in order to get the right amount of space between her and the line of vintage rail cars waiting beside Union Station, it's the magnificent SP 4449, seen through the chain link fence.
 

Coming closer, blowing massive amounts of hissing steam from all sorts of places, the SP 4449. The sight and sound brought a huge lump to my throat.

About this time, the grin splitting my face wide open grew even broader. I wish that I'd had enough sense to take out my iPhone and capture the sounds to share with you, to have to listen to whenever I wanted. My mind just didn't go there, consumed as it was by awe at the power I witnessed.

From the Oregon Rail Heritage Foundation's Web site:

Southern Pacific 4449
Built: 1941
Manufacturer: Lima Locomotive Works, Lima, OH
Length: 110’
Weight: 433 tons
Drive Wheel: 80”
Horsepower: 6,500
Boiler Pressure: 300 psi
Fuel: Oil
Donated to PDX: 1958
Volunteer Organization: Friends of the SP 4449

Built in 1941 as a 4-8-4 GS-4 locomotive, she is 110′ long, 10′ wide and 16′ tall. With locomotive and tender weighing 433 tons and a boiler pressure of 300 psi, her eight 80″ diameter drivers and unique firebox truck booster can apply 5,500 horsepower to the rails and exceed 100 mph.

The only remaining operable “streamlined” steam locomotive of the Art Deco era, this grand Lady of the High Iron pulled Southern Pacific “Daylight” coaches from Los Angeles to San Francisco over the scenic Coast Route and then on to Portland until 1955.

Retired to Oaks Park in 1958 for display only, many thought 4449 would never run again. In 1974 she was completely restored specifically to pull the 1976 Bicentennial Freedom Train throughout the United States to the delight of over 30 million people. SP 4449 has also operated numerous excursions since.

She is arguably one of the most beautiful locomotives ever built and kept that way by the all-volunteer Friends of SP 4449.

SP 4449 Steam Locomotive, No. 1

What can be more American that a vintage steam locomotive on the move? You, on the move to vote, that's what. Get out and vote!
 

On Friday, October 19, my brother Howard had flown into town from Mississippi for a visit. He's a game guy, so it didn't faze him one bit when I suggested that we get up very early on Saturday morning and catch mass transit in order to be at Union Station to watch the SP 4449 pull out with her train of vintage cars. Didn't faze him one bit!



The last car in the line of vintage rail cars. I took this photo at 7:28 a.m. We had arrived well before the scheduled departure time of the Deschutes Steam Special, took a quick and most-likely-not-allowed trek across the rail yard at its south end so that we could get on the other side the train, away from the station, and walk northward.
 

I zoomed in and quickly took this photo at 7:31 a.m. and began to concentrate on successfully following my brother's advice--look like you belong here and keep walking--until we could get away from where we really shouldn't have been, crossing the tracks in an operating railroad station. We looked and listened, then thankfully ended up on a regular sidewalk beside a building and even found somewhere to wait out of the rain.

In a few minutes, we saw people gathering to the north at an intersection between a street and the tracks. Then we decided that the SP 4449 must be on the other side of the line of cars from our vantage point, completely out of sight from our vantage point! By 8:07 a.m., we had hurried north to NW 9th and crossed the tracks heading west, just in time to see the locomotive steaming towards us so that it could make the change from the track it was on to the track it needed to be on in order to be connected with the line of vintage rail cars.

The sold out special excursion left Union Station in Portland, Oregon, went to Vancouver, Washington to pick up more passengers, and then headed east in Washington alongside the Columbia River until time to turn south at Wishram where it crossed the Columbia River so that it could go to Bend, Oregon, along the Deschutes River. Folks were transported from the station in Bend to various lodging sites, then returned to the train on Sunday for the return trip.

Here's the back story: I had contemplated buying myself a ticket, but by the time I made up my mind, the ticket selection I could splurge on had sold out. Still and all, getting to stand beside the tracks and see, hear and feel this locomotive that I love made up for not being aboard. Plus, I would have missed my brother's perfect visit--we had a blast, my sons, my brother and I.

Link to a post from someone on the excursion, with a fantastic photo of the train going over a trestle!

Sunrise and sunset on October 17, 2012

Looking east on SE Hawthorne Blvd., near the intersection with SE Grand Avenue. I took this photo at 7:29 a.m.
 

Looking west from the top floor balcony at the Rose Garden Arena. I took this photo at 6:22 p.m. Notice the bit of blue to the left of the tallest antenna, down in the hillside?
 

Hiding in the sunset photo, it's Union Station. I cropped and altered the photo at PicMonkey so that you could see it, sort of.

Sunshine and blue skies

Close crop of a bit of serendipity--the man's sunglasses reflects the blue sky (see next photo). A bit more serendipity, how the reflected color matches the glowing hair around Jerry Garcia's head. And the last bit of serendipity--how that other man's head almost completely pops out of the guy's dreadlocks, as if he were a two-headed man, current on the right, future on the left. Love it!

You know, I could have taken the time to clone a few of those dreads to completely cover that older dude's shirt, making it look even more like we were looking at a two-headed man. But I decided to only crop and straighten. I'll leave cloningfor another day.
 

Here's the wide shot of our beautiful Union Station. I took this photo on July 14 as I approached to enjoy Union Pacific's 150th birthday event.

Union Pacific Railroad comes to Portland's Union Station

As part of the celebration of the 150th anniversary of Union Pacific Railroad, a special train came to Portland's Union Pacific. All three of the Union Pacific owned Streamliner EMD E-9s--2,400-horsepower (1,790 kW), A1A-A1A passenger train-hauling diesel locomotives--stood at the front of that train. First in line, the 951, next the 963B--a cabless unit doing duty as a head end power car, and finally the 949.

My photos: Union Station against Portland's blue sky; a close up of the 951's brake pads (brownish) and leaf springs (resemble silver-colored thick slices of cheese); looking at the length of the train cars and the locomotives from both directions; there I stand in my sun hat with my hand on the 951; the lady's 1956 and the man's 2012 (period costumed performers, right down to her hose with seams); and the sign which welcomes travelers to Union Station.

From UPRR dot Com:

Union Pacific Railroad Celebrates 150th Anniversary in Portland

UP 150 Express Tour Includes Legendary E9 Locomotives and Traveling Museum Car

Portland, Ore., July 13, 2012 – Union Pacific Railroad began its final 150TH anniversary celebration as part of the Pacific Northwest segment of the UP 150 Express tour today at historic Union Station in Portland. The two-day celebration in Portland is the last of a series of events in Oregon, Washington and Idaho commemorating 150 years since President Abraham Lincoln created Union Pacific by signing the Pacific Railway Act. Three immaculate Streamliner locomotives brought the UP 150 Express to Portland pulling a recently unveiled baggage car that has been converted into a rolling museum that tells Union Pacific's 150-year history using art, graphics and the latest in touch-screen technology. 

Streamliner Locomotives 951, 949 and 963B are the last of Union Pacific's high-speed diesel-electric locomotives built for service on the memorable streamliner and domeliner passenger trains. Also known as E-9s, the Streamliner locomotives pulled famous trains that included the City of Los Angeles, City of Portland, City of San Francisco, City of St. Louis and the Challenger.

"Union Pacific's 150TH anniversary gives us a special chance to celebrate our historic past with the communities that are most important to our future," said Scott Moore, vice president, public affairs – west, Union Pacific. "We are proud to celebrate 150 years of building America with the city of Portland."

As part of the festivities today, Union Pacific officials made Portland an official part of the railroad's Train Town USA Registry. Portland Mayor Sam Adams accepted a commemorative Train Town USA sign that will forever designate Portland as a city that has a historic connection to the railroad.

The Train Town presentation kicked-off Union Pacific's 150th anniversary community celebration as Portland residents were treated to an up close view of the classic E-9's, as well as a tour of Union Pacific's just launched Promontory baggage car that has been transformed into a state-of-the-art traveling museum. The traveling exhibit in the baggage car closely replicates the full-scale Building America exhibit that opened May 12 at the Union Pacific Railroad Museum in Council Bluffs, Iowa.

Period performers walked the halls of Union Station as Portland residents of all ages took a turn operating locomotive simulators and viewed Union Pacific's Heritage Fleet of passenger cars up close with Union Pacific offering the city of Portland a complete railroad-themed experience. The UP 150 Express will be on display on the tracks immediately behind Portland's Union Station July 13-14, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

About Union Pacific

It was 150 years ago that Abraham Lincoln signed the Pacific Railway Act of July 1, 1862, creating the original Union Pacific. One of America's iconic companies, today, Union Pacific Railroad is the principal operating company of Union Pacific Corporation (NYSE: UNP), linking 23 states in the western two-thirds of the country by rail and providing freight solutions and logistics expertise to the global supply chain. From 2000 through 2011, Union Pacific spent more than $31 billion on its network and operations, making needed investments in America's infrastructure and enhancing its ability to provide safe, reliable, fuel-efficient and environmentally responsible freight transportation. Union Pacific's diversified business mix includes Agricultural Products, Automotive, Chemicals, Energy, Industrial Products and Intermodal. The railroad serves many of the fastest-growing U.S. population centers and emphasizes excellent customer service. Union Pacific operates competitive routes from all major West Coast and Gulf Coast ports to eastern gateways, connects with Canada's rail systems and is the only railroad serving all six major Mexico gateways.

My March Madness continued with a trip to, then a wait at, the Rose Garden Arena

My NCAA Division 1 Men's Basketball tickets for both of Thursday's sessions. I'm on the MAX light rail train, making sure for the umpteenth time that I actually have them with me, safely tucked into my wallet which is ensconced in my purse when I decide to take a photo to the two of them. Love how the holograms turned out, especially the one of the left.


Portland's picturesque Union Station, seen from the MAX train window through the rain.

I got off the MAX at the bottom of the slope and walked up towards my goal--the set of building doors closest to the intersection, where there existed a somewhat narrow overhang which I planned to stand beneath for the the 40 minutes until the doors opened.

As I neared the door, I stopped to ask an employee who had just stepped outside the building, "Is it true? What I heard on TV about everyone exiting the Rose Garden after the first two games and then coming back inside for the last two games." The man said, "Yes, but you can just get back in line once you exit." What a relief. And if the rain had stopped then, it would be nigh onto perfect. I figured that the line would be a packed crowd, but I also figured that since I had to do it, I surely did hope that the rain would be gone by then.


After a little while, the rain slacked off, and the wind kicked in. While I waited beneath the overhang at the doors near the fountain, which thankfully was not on because one thing we didn't need was more liquid in our lives, I noticed the trash bag blowing almost parallel with the courtyard. You can see a little water standing here and there, too. I proceeded to watch people in the wind.

Milton and Kay arrived on Thursday afternoon at Union Station, downtown Portland!

Let the visit begin! Milton and Kay had been on the train since Monday evening, beginning in Jackson, Mississippi, and ending right here. They were ready to walk for a while, so each one of us pulled a rolling black bag and wore a backpack. We caught the bus at SW 2nd and West Burnside, went to the apartment to leave their bags, and then walked to NE 28th between Glisan and Burnside to find somewhere to sit down and have a beverage. Oh, I should mention that I took my camera off and put it down on my desk and didn't notice until we were blocks away that I did not have it with me! So, a photo moratorium was declared for several hours. No big deal.

We enjoyed those beverages at Beulahland on NE 28th, then walked up to the corner of it and NE Sandy to catch a 12 bus to Killer Burger where we ate great burgers and fries and enjoyed ourselves immensely, talking, laughing, so happy to be together. We caught the 12 back home and ended up with the same driver that we had on the way to Killer Burger. That happens every once in a while.

Lamont came over a little while later after he'd been bouldering outside at Carver--he stayed and visited for quite a while before heading home.

Ready for fun last Sunday! The ride on the train pulled by the steam engine!

Here I stand, Deuter backpack over my arm, in front of the SP 4449, one gigantic steam engine. A few minutes later I boarded dome car G and found my seat for the ride from Portland's Union Station to Wishram, Washington, out east in the Columbia River Gorge. Despite having an allergy-riddled Saturday, I managed to thoroughly enjoy the entire day-long event. The reason I'm actually in a photo on my blog is that a nice stranger offered to take a photo for me! I'm frantically pulling at my sweater, trying to look neat, and he's clicking away. He did a great job!

Here's some great information from the Friends of SP 4449's Web site:
SP 4449 was built in 1941 as a GS-4 "Northern" type locomotive. A 4-8-4 wheel arrangement, she is 110' long, 10' wide and 16' tall. The locomotive and tender weighs 433 tons, and it operates with a boiler pressure of 300 psi. Her eight 80" diameter drivers and unique booster truck can apply 5,500 horsepower to the rails and exceed 100 mph. The only remaining operable "streamlined" steam locomotive of the Art Deco era, this grand Lady of the High Iron pulled Southern Pacific "Daylight" coaches from Los Angeles to 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.

In 1974, she was selected to pull the American Freedom Train throughout the United States, and was subsequently rebuilt. SP 4449 ran for three years to the delight of over 30 million people. She is arguably one of the most beautiful locomotives ever built -- and kept that way by the all-volunteer Friends of SP 4449!

Here are a few more photos of the SP 4449 and some of the cars that I took before we pulled out of Union Station.










I walked through this car on the way to the baggage car as the train headed east. I wanted to take photos from the open doors and/or look at and/or buy souvenirs. I had a great time in that baggage car, let me tell you! I found online that the Goombay Sunrise is a diner/sleeper car.




The name of the baggage car and the Daylight logo. I read online that the red and orange paint job is on the Southern Pacific 4449 so that it matched the passenger train also known as the Daylight which it pulled for most of its career.

I wish you could have heard the engine like I could when I stood at the open door in the baggage car! What a sound it made as it steamed along at a fast clip. And then there's the whistle, one of the greatest sounds around, ever!

Seen from the MAX Yellow Line, Portland's Union Station

Info about Union Station from Wikipedia:

Union Station is a train station near the west shore of the Willamette River in the Old Town Chinatown section of Portland, Oregon, United States.

The initial design for the station was created in 1882 by McKim, Mead, and White. Had the original plan been built, the station would have been the largest train station in the world. A smaller plan was introduced by architects Van Brunt & Howe, and accepted in 1885. Construction of the station began in 1890. It was built by Northern Pacific Terminal Company at a cost of $300,000, and opened on February 14, 1896. The signature piece of the structure is the 150 ft. tall Romanesque clock tower. The "Go By Train" neon sign was added to it after World War II.

The station was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1975.

Besides serving as an Amtrak station, the building contains offices on the upper floors, as well as Wilf's Restaurant and Piano Bar on the ground level. It also has Amtrak's only Metropolitan Lounge (reserved for first-class passengers) on the West Coast.

Southeast of the station, the tracks make a sharp turn and cross the river on the historic Steel Bridge. To the northwest, they follow the river, passing through rail yards before crossing the river again on the Burlington Northern Railroad Bridge 5.1.
Union Station serves as a transportation hub for Portland. Portland's Greyhound bus station is the next building to the south, having moved to a new building there (from a location in the center of downtown) in 1985.

Union Station connects to MAX Green and Yellow line trains at nearby Union Station/Northwest 6th & Hoyt Street and Union Station/Northwest 5th & Glisan Street stations, as well as local bus service provided by TriMet. Located at the northern end of TriMet's transit mall, the light rail stops are in the Free Rail Zone, which means that trips into downtown are free. In addition, it is only a short walk to the Portland Streetcar, which provides service to the Pearl District or south through the west end of downtown to Portland State University and the South Waterfront.

In 1987, ownership of the station and surrounding land was transferred to the Portland Development Commission as part of the Downtown/Waterfront urban renewal district.[4] Shortly afterwards, Union Station underwent a renovation. It was rededicated in 1996.

The PDC earns $200,000 a year from nearly 30 tenants. Amtrak, the main tenant, has a lease through 2010 with a renewal option through 2015.

In 2004, the roadway in front of the station was reconfigured, providing a new connection to the northwest and a forecourt. In addition, the area is being redeveloped, including new housing where railroad tracks once were.

Additional current info about Union Station:

Portland Union Station - Passenger Train Service

Portland Union Station is served by three scheduled Amtrak intercity passenger trains.

With three daily departures between Seattle and Portland, as well as daily service to Vancouver, B.C., the Amtrak Cascades is a convenient link to the Pacific Northwest and British Columbia. Amtrak Cascades' European-style trains offer laptop computer outlets; bicycle, ski and snowboard racks; and regional food and drink. With service between Eugene, Ore., and Vancouver, B.C., Amtrak Cascades is perfect for both business travel and weekend getaways.

Amtrak's Coast Starlight operates daily, connecting the West Coast's most popular destination cities, including Los Angeles, San Francisco, Portland and Seattle.

Amtrak's Empire Builder takes you on an exciting adventure through majestic wilderness, following the footsteps of Lewis and Clark. The Empire Builder begins in Portland and heads east to Chicago with stops at the following destinations and more: Spokane, Whitefish, Glacier National Park, Minot, Minneapolis, and Milwaukee.

Union Station's tower, reflected in a nearby window

I took this photo last September, and I think it's high time I posted it, don't you?

Thanks to everyone who has visited and commented--I'll catch up with y'all soon, promise--that's one of the neatest things about this CDPBing, visiting all over.