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American Steam Finale 1954-1970 By Lloyd E. Stagener Soft Cover
American Steam Finale 1954-1970 By Lloyd E. Stagener
SOFTCOVER 48 PAGES
Copyright 2001
American Steam Finale 1954-1970 By Lloyd E. Stagener
SOFTCOVER 48 PAGES
Copyright 2001
Class I Railroads 1954-1962
Class II Railroads 1960-1970
Class I steam finale time line
INTRODUCTION
At the start of the 21st century, it is appropriate to recount the final years of steam locomotive operation in regular service on America's common carrier railroads. For the first half of the 20th century, steam locomotives dominated the scene, only to be quickly displaced by diesel-electric units during the next two decades. The machine that had carried the nation through two World Wars was suddenly discovered to be not equal to the demands of the last half of the century, primarily because of rising labor costs and the objections, particularly in urban areas, of the coal smoke nuisance. Other factors affected the demise of steam, but the ability of these picturesque machines to do the job was never in question. Large-scale electrification as a method of moving trains across America was turned aside by the introduction of the so-called "Super Power" steam engines commencing in the mid-1920s. However, even these superb machines were no match for the post World War II diesel-electric locomotives manufactured mostly by a railroad competitor, General Motors.
The subject of when the last steam locomotive worked in commercial or "revenue" passenger and/or freight service in America is fraught with complications and open to debate among railroad historians. No one noticed when the Texas-Mexican Railroad, one of the earliest Class I carriers to dieselize, retired its last steam power in 1939. However, when the Gulf, Mobile & Ohio Railroad, with revenues in excess of $50 million, announced that total dieselization of its system was achieved on September 30, 1949, the occasion was widely publicized. But the GM&O was one of a few instances where such announcements by a Class I carrier proved inaccurate. Steam was later recalled to service, or else its continued use in yard, branch line or non-revenue service was overlooked by the public relations department. (In the case of the GM&O, some steam switchers continued to operate in a joint yard with the Baltimore & Ohio at Springfield, Ill., until January 1950.)
During May 1952, ownership of diesel-electric locomotive units in the U.S. first exceeded that of steam locomotives. And, by 1954, about half of America's 100-plus Class I roads had dieselized. The last steam "holdout" of large American railroads was the Norfolk & Western, which ordered fifteen 0-8-0 switchers to be built in the company shops at Roanoke, Virginia, in April 1952. Completion of this order with engine 244 on December 10, 1953, can be fairly established as the "beginning of the end" for the American steam locomotive. Hence, this survey starts on January 1, 1954, with the number of locomotives of each type reported as being on the company roster on that date.
The text is divided into two sections covering Class I and Class II roads. (During the 1950s, a Class I railroad was one with an annual operating revenue in excess of $1 million; a Class II had $100,000 to less than $1 million.) The report on each Class I carrier takes into account the year in which operations were first fully dieselized. For example, Union Pacific operated steam in both 1958-1959, but 1957 was the first year steam was not employed continuously. Certain non-revenue service such as shop engines is mentioned in terms of explaining where steam was used beyond the date for the final road operation.
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