Among the last steam locomotives used in regular Class 1 railroad service were the Grand Trunk Western's light 4-6-2's on a branchline freight run out of Pontiac to Imlay City, MI, until April 1960. All of the railroads cited by Colorado hirailer ran mixed trains - freight trains with a passenger car or two on the end, behind 4-6-2's. This occurred particularly during the Depression, as railroads consolidated trains to save money.
In the "golden era" of railroading, if you could imagine it, it probably happened! Out on 'tube, a tape exists of double headed New York Central Hudsons, on a coal train !!
