TRAINS: Last Run of a Southern Pacific "Cab Forward" Steam Engine Over Donner's Pass (1957)

The audio quality of this video is poor at the beginning, but the video itself is quite amazing: the last run of a "cab forward" Southern Pacific steam engine running eastbound over Donnor Pass back in 1957. Most all the railroads in America had been fully dieselized by 1957, and so "last runs" of steam engines where a common occurence in those days.

It's sad to see these big black steam giants, who were instrumental in helping America win World War II, finally being replaced by diesels. Most of these steam engines were just sent to the nearest scrap yard without a second thought.

Date video posted to YouTube: February 17, 2024
Length: 57 minutes, 26 seconds

- Pseudo Boethius

SCIENCE: The Engine That Powers the World

The most important technology BY FAR of the 21st Century was actually developed in the later days of the 19th: the diesel engine.

2019-01-27  [P-B]

TRAINS: Steam Engine SP4449 passing thru Morton Grove, IL, Sunday, 8/2/09

Believe it or not, I was actually riding in this very train that someone was able to video as it went through Morton Grove!  I was either in the Super Dome, or the observation car at the time. 

2019-01-21  [P-B]

TRAINS: Tornado 101.6mph run 15th May 2017 Prt2

Running a steam engine at 100+ mph in the UK, in 2017.  It's a lot harder than you would think, but this crew did it!  Wow!

2019-01-20  [P-B]