Look Who it Was Random video

UP 844 and the Portland Rose in the Columbia River Gorge

3,597 views · Published 14 September 2010 · 3:52 · Indexed 4 October 2026

Channel: deloreanman14 · 2010 · Autos & Vehicles

Watch on YouTube

I will only get up at 5:00 AM for a few select reasons and this is one of them. With diesel unit #8444 in tow, Union Pacific FEF-3 #844 pulls The Portland Rose through the Columbia River Gorge in Northern Oregon. The weather was beautiful, the traffic was light, the other railfans were polite and courteous and there were practically NO cops...perfect train chasing conditions.

The first shot finds us at Phillipi Canyon (Exit 123) off Interstate 84. After being sent into a siding somewhere near Blalock, 844 was really moving here, probably right around 65 mph. Quite honestly the amazing backdrop on this shot surprised me. I was hoping it would look good but the way it looks was an added bonus. Thanks go to ODOT and their strategic placement of the DO NOT ENTER sign for blocking out the sun and eliminating the lens flare. :-)

Celilo Park is a small recreational area on the Columbia River and made this an ideal place to catch 844 flying by at 70 mph.

The Dalles was the service stop for 844 on her way to Portland and with Steve Lee at the throttle, she blasted out of the hole. Thanks to Steve for blowing the whistle despite this particular crossing being a quiet zone and the stack talk as she moved away was music to the ears!

The fourth clip finds 844 at Viento State Park, a campground about twenty miles from Multnomah Falls. If you listen closely you can hear 8444 giving a toot on the horn, also.

This was the second time 844 played ninja with me. She popped up at the last minute in Cascade Locks before I had time to get the shot so I caught her here. As you can tell, I barely had enough time to get the camera going before I lost the shot. I was initially going to try to get her at Multnomah Falls after this but it was too close and traffic was getting heavy.

Also of note, this was the final chase for my trusty 2004 Hyundai Santa Fe and she did wonderfully. Within a few days of this video being shot, I found out the transfer case needed to be replaced and so I reluctantly let her go. After almost 146,000 miles and countless trains chased with her, I sold her to a friend and bought a brand new 2010 Hyundai Santa Fe.

More from this channel