last holdouts for steam in america and canada

[Anonymous]

What was the very last North American railroad to use steam engines in revenue service? I remember a Trains article about one West Virginia logging and mining railroad which also served some isolated communities and used them up to about 1965. And there was another article which mentioned a Washington state logging line which used some up to about 1967.

Steam engines sure held on longer than you would expect in many parts of the world. We've all heard about how China and India used them up to the late 1980s, though this might be expected since both are rather poor countries and the latter (I don't know about India) has a large supply of coal.
But even prosperous Europe and Japan continued with them for quite some time. Britain formally retired steam engines in 1968, Japan in 1975 (on the rural northern island of Hokkaido), and the former West Germany also only in the '70s. The former East Germany apparently continued with some steam up to the end of the Cold War, and some steam engines are still run in revenue service in the former East Germany and Poland, though largely for the benefit of tourists, and supported by their and other railfans' donations.

[CSSHEGEWISCH]

While not a common carrier railroad, Northwesten Steel and Wire Co. in Sterling IL used steam (ex-GTW 0-8-0's) to switch its plant into the early 1980's. This was not a small plant and is often considered to be the last big-time steam operation in the United States.

[Anonymous]

Well, some of the last steam in Canada worked at some colliery operations in Nova Scotia and at the Manitoba and Saskatchewan Coal Co. plant at Bienfait, Sask. which used two switchers that are both preserved (see http://www3.telus.net/Doug_Gent/BienfaitVideoLinkPage.html for a video of one of them and also http://members.tripod.com/~DRGent/bienfaittrainstn.htm http://members.tripod.com/~DRGent/bienfaitpic22.html#top of page . This lasted until the late 60's. Also, logging operations in B.C. used steam even into the early 70's.

Actually, China and India used steam much later than the 80's. India retired steam in 2000. China was building brand new steam locomotives until 1989. They've just retired most of their steam now, but there are a couple of remote all steam narrow gauge lines are still running in China. Cuba was big for steam until 2002, when there was a total collapse of the sugar industry there. On the Indonesian island of Java, there are many sugar mills that use steam locomotives.

[mudchicken]

somebody please add the Pig Hoggers at Crab Orchard & Egyptian in far southern Illinois to the list. Shortline ran steam well into the 1980's...

[Anonymous]

The Royal Hudson Steam Engine (4-6-4) had a regular operating schedule for a tourist train in the spring, summer and fall right up into the late 1990s. (98 or 99)
It ran on BCRail lines from North Vancouver to Squamish five to seven days a week. It was a day trip to Squamish and back.

I do believe the Royal Hudson was the last steam engine to run on a regular operating scedule on a class one railway in North America.

Sad to say that the Royal Hudson is no longer in operation because of maintenance problems.

The Royal Hudson is currently being restored to operating condition by the West Coast Railway Association located in Squamish, BC.

You can take a look at some great pictures here:
http://www.wcra.org/hudson/

[Anonymous]

Macguy [:)]

Thanks for the link to the pics of the Royal Hudson. [:)]

It is a fine looking loco. [8D]

I hope it becomes a star in current day steam excursions. [;)]

[jchnhtfd]

It's hardly ordinary scheduled service, but don't forget that dear old Uncle Pete had to press the 3985 Challenger into (rather spectacular!!) revenue service helping a stalled frieght recently!

[Anonymous]

The Crab Orchard & Egyptian Railroad of Marion, Illinois was a steam powered freight railroad from October 18, 1977 to September 8, 1986. The CO&E used two steamers: 2-4-2 #5 (Porter 7995, 1946) and 2-8-0 #17 (CLC 1959, 1940).

The 2-8-0 was used EXCLUSIVELY in REVENUE FREIGHT SERVICE from mid-July, 1979 until September 8, 1986. The reasoning for retiring the steamer was that the drypipe collpased on September 8, 1986 while switching coal hoppers for new traffic that had just started that day.

To my knowledge, the CO&E was the LAST railroad in the United States to run a steam locomotive PRIMARILY and EXCLUSIVELY for reveune freight service.

Edward Bridges
Unofficial historian of the Crab Orchard & Egyptian Railroad
Former CO&E Employee: 1986-1987
Group owner:
http://www.groups.yahoo.com/group/CrabOrchardandEgyptianRailroad

[Anonymous]

That is pretty amazing about the CO&E. Almost as interesting is how Engine #5, built 1946, looks a bit older than that, about 20-30 years older or so. When did most American and Canadian builders stop producing steam locos? The Big Boys were pretty young by steam locomotive standards, with the last built about 1944.

[dknelson]

That CO&E 2-4-2 started as a tank engine, looking a little like the famous B&O "Dockside" and what the railroad did was remove the tank around the boiler and added a tender. I am pretty sure this same locomotive, in its original condition, was once at the MidContinent RR Museum in N Freedom Wisconsin and that I saw it there in the early 1960s. Might even have a Kodak Brownie shot of it somewhere. In addition to its revenue freight service it once headed a passenger train on some politician's Whistle Stop train. Trains had a photo
Dave Nelson

[Anonymous]

Maybe Doggy with his temper and steam coming out of his ears LOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

DOGGY
GO CUBS

[enr2099]

Canadian Forest Products had a 2-8-2, 113 that was used to haul excursions and logs until 1994 when the last steam crew retired. Every month they'd use the steamer to haul about 20 loaded log cars from the Woss Reload to the yard at Woss, BC.

[espeefoamer]

The D&RGW ran the Durango to Silverton narrow gauge trains until selling the line in 1981.They ran the last steam freight,also narrow gauge, in 1968.

[Anonymous]

I have a video with that Candian Logging Steamer is that Railroad still around?

DOGGY

[enr2099]

Yes, the Canadian Forest Products Englewood Railway is still operational, traffic is in a slump right now but much of the second and third growth forest along the line will be harvested in the next few years, meaning a boost in traffic on the last logging railroad in Canada. They have fleet of 4 SW1200's equipped with Dynamic Brakes for the mostly downhill run from the reloads to the booming grounds at Beaver Cove. 3 of the 4 SW1200's have been rebuilt with Caterpillar engines. Canfor operates about 100 miles of track on Vancouver Island, it's not connected to any other railway, it's quite a few miles( about a two hour drive) north of the northern terminus of the E&N Railway at Courtenay.

Here's their diesel roster. the 113 hasn't moved since the late 1990's due to the fact that none of the crews are qualified to run steamers.

301 SW1200RS built by GMDD in 1956. Rebuilt with Cat 3512 engine in 1998
302 SW1200RS built by GMDD in 1956. Rebuilt with Cat 3512 engine in 2001
303 SW1200RS built by GMDD in 1959. Stored serviceable
304 SW900RS built by EMD in 1954. Aquired second hand from Georgia Pacific. Renumbered from 4804. rebuilt with Cat 3512 engine in 1997