The VERY last U.S. steam

[Anonymous]

When the Norfolk & Western ended it´s steam operations in June of 1960, this is seen as the end of steam operations in the USA. But was it really the absolute end for steam? I would really like to know if there were still some (regular) steam operations even after that date. I also heard something about the Union Pacfic and Chicago, Burlington & Quincy still operating steam on very rare occasions in 1961 or so. But I´m not sure, maybe it´s just a rumour. Or what about the Durango & Silverton? As far as I know this line was running regular steam until 1967, and it was still no touristic railroad by that time, which is very important factor because otherwise it wouldn´t count as normal, regular steam operation. So when did the last (regular) US steam operations take place? Was it on normal gauge or narrow gauge? On a mainline or a shortline?

[AltonFan]

It can be argued that the last regular steam operation ended with the retirement of Northwestern Wire & Steel Company's 0-8-0s. I believe this occurred in the late 1980s - early 1990s.

Northwestern Wire & Steel Company used three Grand Trunk Western 0-8-0s as plant switchers. It seems that the company had acquired a number of locomotives for scrapping, and even replaced older switchers with more recent acquisitions. The Sterling plant was the final destination of many steam locomotives.

When Sterling ended steam operations, I understand the Union Railway Museum acquired quite a few 0-8-0s, some for preservation, some for parts, and some for trading with other railroad museums.

OTOH, steam operations continued on the narrow guage branches of the DRG&W until those lines were either abandoned or sold to tourist lines.

And the UP says its (remaining) steam fleet has never been retired.

IIRC, a small number of shortlines still had steam locos on their rosters into the 1970s.

[Thanks to cbq9911a for giving the correct name of the steel plant in Sterling, Illinois. The gray matter just doesn't jiggle like it used to...)

[wjstix]

I think...boy, now I'm blanking out on the name, I think it was American Steel and Wire near Chicago, ran 0-8-0's until about 1981. The Crab Orchard and Egyptian started in the 70's as a steam-powered fan line, but later took over a larger railroad's branch line and became (in the mid-seventies) an all-freight, all-steam railroad. That also lasted until about 1981-82 when they started using diesels.

As mentioned, Rio Grande narrowgauge steam was used in regular service well into the 1960's, and many small logging or industrial railroads (like the Duluth and NorthEastern and the Balkan Mining Co. lines in northeast Minnesota) ran steam until 1964 or so. The Burlington's C&S ran some steam in the winter of 1960-61 I think, on the former narrowgauge lines in Colorado. But 1960 was the last year for 'big steam', but the end of that summer the last big holdouts (N&W and DM&IR) had run their last regular service steam trains.

[cbq9911a]

Northwestern Steel and Wire in Sterling, Illinois had the last steam in the U.S.; several ex GTW 0-8-0 switchers. They ran until 1981. The last operating steamer, GTW 8380, is at the Illinois Railway Museum, as is GTW 6323, the last steamer to haul a regular service passenger train.

[Train 284]

I would say the last mainline steam. some shortlines in the south ran steam trains until the late '60's, if that counts.

[txhighballer]

Technically, in a common carrier sense, the Durango and Silverton is the last steam powered railroad. They still technically haul freight but their primary business is passengers. Northwestern Steel and Wire was not a common carrier. Crab Orchard and Egyptian ran steam until 1981.

[Poppa_Zit]

The Strasburg Railroad (Pa.) bills itself as America's oldest short-line railroad, and while much of its activity is as a tourist carrier, still exchanges freight cars occasionally to the old Pennsy mainline in Paradise, Pa.

It runs steam exclusively.

http://www.strasburgrailroad.com/

[wjstix]

The years 1950-53 were the peak years for US locomotive production, and 99.9% of those were diesels - RS-3's, GP-7's, F7's, etc. By 1953 or 54 more than half of the freight and passengers being hauled in the US were being hauled by diesel, and by about 1957-58 almost all the railroads had dropped steam completely. A few (DMIR, N&W, CB&Q/C&S) ran steam til 1960, but after that it was pretty much done for large railroads.

As for shortlines, 1964 seems to be about the very end. There clearly were some very isolated industries that employed steam after that, and the DRGW narrow gauge, but for 'normal' standard gauge RR's that was about it for the US. I believe there were steam engines used on Vancouver Island (B.C.) until about 1971. KIM after 1960 these were very small, isolated operations. They got a lot of attention in the railfan press, so maybe seem to be more common / important than they really were.

That being said, I believe there has never been a year since the beginning of railroads that didn't see at least a few 'ton-miles' of freight being hauled by steam. UP often hooks up some freight cars to 844 or their 2-6-6-4 when moving them to/from a fantrip location.

[Train 284]

QUOTE: Originally posted by txhighballer

Technically, in a common carrier sense, the Durango and Silverton is the last steam powered railroad. They still technically haul freight but their primary business is passengers. Northwestern Steel and Wire was not a common carrier. Crab Orchard and Egyptian ran steam until 1981.

Thats true! And so is the California Western in Fort Bragg, CA.

[Anonymous]

You need to also consider the Arcade and Attica Railroad in upper New York State. It has the same distinction as the D&RGW in terms of hauling passengers behind steam, but is also a common carrier for freight for several small industries along it's line. It interchanges with the NS.

Regards! Michaelson

[daveklepper]

And the Grand Canyon And the White Pass and Yukon

[Anonymous]

The last Class 1 RR to fully dieselize was Illinois Central, in 1961. I believe the last steamer to operate on the IC was a 4-8-2, but I'm not 100% sure on that.

[dlagrua]

In reality most steam trains disappeared in the 1950's but the experimental Union Pacific Coal turbine may have been run in the 1960's

[Anonymous]

Dallas Union Terminal Co. retired the 7-spot in 1961

[CSSHEGEWISCH]

QUOTE: Originally posted by dlagrua

In reality most steam trains disappeared in the 1950's but the experimental Union Pacific Coal turbine may have been run in the 1960's

UP 80 was a coal-fired gas turbine (no steam involved) which made some test runs around 1963-1964 and was considered a failure.

The only steam turbines of which I'm aware are the GE Steamotives (lettered UP 1-2), PRR 6200, C&O 500-502 and N&W 2300. N&W 2300 (Jawn Henry) was the last one built and was out of service by 1958.

[Anonymous]

The Crab Orchard & Egyptian Railroad of Marion, Illinois ran steam in common carrier revenue freight service from October 18, 1977 until September 8, 1986, NOT 1981 as someone else stated. (The COER started as a tourist railroad in 1973, but found a way to make money with frieght service by taking over a branch line they were using and ran mixed trains until October 29, 1978. They became freight only October 30, 1978).

The COER is recognized by the FRA as the last railroad to run a steam locomotive PRIMARILY and EXCLUSIVELY for revenue freight service in the US. The 2-8-0 was used EXCLUSIVELY in revenue freight service. The 2-4-2 did double duty, hauling freight and tourists. The 2-4-2 was removed from service in 1979, retired and sold in 1985, the 2-8-0 quit in 1986 and was retired and sold in 1987.

For all practical purposes, the steam era for freight railroads in the US (aside from the UP 4-8-4 844, which has yet to be retired), ended September 8, 1986.

Edward Bridges
Unofficial Historian of the Crab Orchard & Egyptian Railroad
Conductor
Assistant Roadmaster
CO&E Railroad
Marion, Illinois

[txhighballer]

COER,I stand corrected. As long as somebody throws a match on a bed of coal,or lights off some fuel oil,the last chapter has not yet been written,and hopefully not for awhile to come yet.