I would guess the IC, as far as class one railroads, I think 1960 or maybe even 1961. For "non-class one", standard gauge railroads, I'd bet it would have been the Buffalo Creek & Gauley RR, in West Va., which was 100% steam well into 1965.

I think the Reader Railroad, in Arkansas, is usually considered the last steam operation.  It lost its last customer in 1973.  The C and O operated three 0-6-0 fireless cookers until 1965. Rio Grand narrow gauge ran steam until 1969.  Although not in the US, the port of North Vancouver handled a lot of sulfur, which caused electrical problems with their diesels.  They converted back to steam and ran shays to switch the port. Not sure of the exact dates, but it would have been late 1960s, maybe even into the 1970s.   I think the N and W ran mainline steam into 1960.   The SP fire train had a steam locomotive available for operation fairly late, but it was never used after 1958. The fire train had tank cars of water to put out a fire in the snow sheds, if one got started.

There are a few still in operation.  Strasberg runs steam freight currently. UP never retired 844 and it has handled freight on repositioning moves. 

Crab Orchard and Egyptian Railway based out of Marion, IL

I was going to school in Carbondale, IL and was witness to several photography session during the last years of steam in 1986 before a fire destroyed the engine house.

The operation is still in business.

Charlie

Strasburg occasionally has a revenue freight move.

Rusty

The Grand Trunk Western and its parent, CN, ran steam until 1960 or so.

The last class 1 steam operation was the D&RGW's 3' gauge lines, which ran a handfull of steam powered freights in the Spring of 1968. Next was Colorado & Southern's 2-8-0 #641, which ran on the Climax Spur in CO, until Oct 1962. The DM&IR ran a handful of ore runs with Yellowstones in the Spring of 1960, plus had a 2-8-0 and 2-8-2 steamed up at the Endion Yard in Duluth, into early July 1960. The last ore run was by 2-8-8-4 #222, just prior to pulling an Illini RR Club excursion on the 4th of July weekend. The N&W curtailed steam operations in May 1960, with Y6's making mine runs and and believe some 0-8-0's were still working at Williamson, WV. Illinois Central fired up a batch of steam locomotives, operating in, and from, Paducah, KY, through the Spring of '60. These included 0-8-0's, 4-8-2's (2524, 2613), a lone 2-10-0, and 2-10-2's. The GTW tied up commuter steam operation on 03-22-60, with 4-8-4's 6322 and 6323. But, 2-8-2 4070 was still working out of Pontiac plus light 4-6-2's were working to Caseville, MI, until very early April. During Jan-Feb-Mar '60, steam powered extra freights ran Durand-Pontiac, with 4-8-4's and 2-8-2's, occaisionly doubleheaded. The actual final steam powered Class 1 passenger train was run after the much heralded GTW run, that being Canadian Pacific's mixed train The Scoot across their International of Maine Division, Brownville Jct to (infamous) Megantic, Que. It was powered by 2-8-2 #5137; this occured approximately 03-29-60.

        Taking it back to 1959, NKP fired up a handful of 0-8-0's prior to the steel strike of that year. DM&IR put back into service a large number of steamers, trying to move as much ore as possible prior to the strike. 2-8-8-4's handled road trips (handling the world's largest steam-powered trains, approx 18,000 tons) and 2-10-2's switched. After the strike was settled in the last moments of the great lakes shipping season, the Missabe used everything that could steam (2-10-2's, 0-10-2's, 2-10-4's, perhaps some Yellowstones) for thawing of frozen ore at Proctor, prior to moving it to the docks in Duluth. Toss in a number of Union Pacific runs with Big Boys out of Cheyenne and Challengers to North Platte in July 1959. Steam operation on the CB&Q terminated in Jan '59, C&S July '59 and FW&D in Mar '59.

        Those were heady times. I was in high school then and word passed around, "IC fired up out of Paducah and Carbondale"; "the Q fired up out of Herrin JCt". No sophisticated internet, etc, then. More like spy-era reconnaisance!

when I think of the end of steam on a major class I US railroad, I think of the N & W.

They ran almost 100% steam in the late  fifties. who can forget the A. J. K and Y class steamers in everyday service with C & O design 0-8-0 handling the light switching duties. That's why there is so much footage of N & W steam locomotives at the end of this era. Lucky for us some of the best film photographers captured these last wonderful days of steam on film.

The last steam powered freight on a Class 1 railroad in the US of A?

There was this spectacular example from 1990.

I believe our own Hot Water was firing in 1996 when UP 844 made an impromptu appearance as a helper on a revenue freight on Archer Hill.

Looks like Ted nailed it! I had forgotten about both of those events.

This is one of my  favorite videos. Beside hauling freight, it also proves the

UP is restoring the wrong articulated. But then, that's just my opinion. I think

the last version of the Challengers were the finest steam locomotives

the UP had.

Ed

I sure can't argue with your statement, Ed. Having work with the previous UP Steam Crew extensively, I have certainly experienced the unmatched performances of two out of your three UP "Big Three of Steam" locomotives. Also, in many conversations with the "old heads", out of the Cheyenne Pool, most felt that the 4000 class locomotives where easier to run & fire, but the 3900 class locomotive where more versatile.

Recall a quoted comment from a Trains/Dave Morgan/Phil hastings piece wherein they rode a Big Boy, a Big Boy fireman said, "Put a little warm water in 'em, and they will run!!"

I've heard the UP Challenger over Big Boy thing from a number of old timers, including a white collar guy off the NYCS !

OK, is this a test? Will you give us the "rest of your meaning" later?

The last US Railroad to operate steam power in regular revenue freight service was Illinois' Crab Orchard & Egyptian.  Look it up on Wikipedia.

May I suggest that you go back up and reread the original poster's question. He did NOT ask about "regular revenue" freight service, he ask about "last revenue", thus the two events on the Unuin Pacific, with 3985 and 844 certainly qualify, in my opinion.

Depending on the definition of "major carrier", the Iowa Interstate doubleheaded QJ freights in 2007 and 2011 would probably be the most recent.

There was also the occasional revenue freight ferry move during the original NS steam program when the engine and passenger cars were in different locations.  NS has put the SR 630 on a revenue freight at least once during the initial mainline testing in 2011 also.

Plenty of tourist line freight service with steam, at least occasionally.  Strasburg and Black River & Western come to mind.  There are probably some more also.

Kevin

The last steam engine in coal drag service might have been an ex READING T1 on the Blue Mountain and Reading RR.

One report that stuck in my mind:  the last standard gauge, class One mainline steam operated in the US was on 3 different railroads - all in the same month of March 1960.  They were the GTW, IC and N&W.  I believe Don Ball put that all together in the forward of one of his books.

Last Class 1 standard gauge steam freights in US, according to Trains magazine, were on the Colorado & Southern and on the Lake Superior & Ishpeming - both in 1962.  They were both considered Class One railroads at the time.

Various shortlines ran steam long after that.  For example, the standard gauge part of the ET&WNC (Tweetsie) ran revenue freight into 1967 with steam.  There were others that ran long after that.

All of those writings were LONG BEFOR the Union Pacific handled the APL Stack Train with 3985, and the Iowa Interstate ran their double headed freight trains.

 Rich,what year was the 765 run on the coal drags over the CSX ?

Were they revenue runs,or paid testing ?

 A friend of mine from the West Moreland part of Huntington,WV says he took pictures in 1962 at Kenova,WV,of an N&W steam engine leading a train across the bridge going to Portsmouth,Ohio.

 His uncle who was a clerk at Kenova Yard, told him the N&W would run engines that were road worthy and were going to scrap on the head end of a train .Sounds like something the N&W would do

 Hokay, HW, the implication is this: a number of older RR contacts have told me over the years,  (I wouldn't know, since I wasn't there) that the 3900s were more useful, versatile, and mebby , cost effective.....than everyone's beloved 4000s.  And they would have a point, as there were lots more Challengers than BBs. The NYCS man was a junior management fellow that many of you knew....Allen Sherry.  AFAIC, they ALL take a big back seat; 4000s, 3900s etc., and 800s (in freight service) to UP's all time killer chooch...#1-30 !  I was there for those guys (a little bit), but they're really a subject for their own thread.   Flame suit ON !

Are you thinking of the American Coal Enterprise tests with Ross Rowland's C&O J3a #614?

UP 844 used to run on Amtrak trains 5-6 to get to/from Denver to position itself.  She does carry passengers for a third party for Frontier Days (Rodeo.)  Remember, because of 844, UP has never completed transition to total diesel power!

UP 3985 was the power on a double stack train, and did help a freight get over Sherman Hill.

Guess one has to define, "revenue service".

Bingo.  Take your pick.

1-Regular, day-to-day scheduled service

2-Standby, seasonal rush service

3-Railfan excursion

4-Contract non-railfan excursion

5-Company excursion

6-Break-in running

7-Ferry move

8-Movie/TV work

All of the above

Most of the above

Some of the above

None of the above

Rusty

SO... The question should be:  On what date did a steam locomotive from the engine roster of a Class 1 railroad tie on to a train and travel down the line, or perform normal switching operations, in revenue service for the last time? 

a. In the US?

b. In Canada?

c. In Mexico (NdeM and affiliates)?

Part II:  Same as above for an other-than-Class-1 Common Carrier?

Part III:  Same as above for a non-Common Carrier?

EXCLUDED: Locomotives preserved or obtained for publicity or excursion service. 

          CO&E, because it began operation as a tourist railroad.

          C&O 614 coal runs in W.Va because the engine was privately owned at the time.

Replies should cite:  1. Railroad, 2. Locomotive type and number, 3. Type of service.

Certainly appears that UP 844 sure has it, in the U.S. AND Canada, since she was NOT "preserved or obtained for publicity or excursion service", but built and purchase NEW for main line passenger service in 1944, and is STILL ON THE UP MOTIVE POWER ROSTER.

NOT!  The ONLY reason 844 and its cohorts etc exist today is for excursions and publicity! I'm talking about nitty-gritty REGULAR revenue operations!

OK, your rules. By the way, just what is the "4912"?

OK, here's one to throw into the mix, but it's not class one:

Northwestern Steel and Wire used ex-GTW 0-8-0's to switch their plant in Sterling, IL until Dec. 3, 1980, when the fire was dropped on the last locomotive.

No excursions, no tourist trains, no photo freights, no spit-shine.  Just good old-fashioned back-and-forth grunt work.

Rusty

I thought the Nevada Northern still does a few revenue runs out of Ely with their steam, but I do not think this was the point of the question.

The rules keep changing.  I am with Hot above.

The last revenue steam run in the USA has not happened yet!  As for N&W steam in 1962...I wish !   Could somebody prove it?   And what of US Class 1 steam operations outside the country?  NYCS / P&LE 0-8-0s class U3(L?)  on the S&L in Canada in '64-'65?   FWIW, the only steam I know of on the N&W actually running in '62, was the GENERAL, a 4-4-0 of ACW fame.

Northwestern Steel & Wire

UP 844 she even once helped a stalled freight train.One of the locomotives broke down.I thought to myself "Never look down on anybody or machine.Because you never know you may need the help."I know some out there don,t like steam.But even they got to admit.They were built tough and got the job done.

 Yes, that's the one I was trying to think of Hot Water.

 I can't say the gentleman's  name here on the site without asking his permission,but I have no reason to question this person.

 And remember not everything that has happened in the past has been documented to a tee about the railroads,new information is found out all the time as in pictures or documents .

 And I can tell you from talking to old heads that I use to work with in Williamson,WV that they used steamers in the yard in 1962.

I kind of thought so. That would have been January 1985, and the sound & photography was SUPURB!