Reply to "Was steam dead by 1956?"

p51OGR Forum Member

I strongly recommend Ron Zeil's book, "Twilight of Steam Locomotives" as it shows the state of steam in the US and Mexico as late as 1961. It shows the Challenger and Big Boy kept in the roundhouse mentioned earlier. Man, if they'd just left each there, 3985's restoration would have been so much easier and 4023 would have been a sinch to get running again...

Originally Posted by Rusty Traque:

The last non-touristy steam operation in the US ended December 3, 1980 at Northwestern Steel and Wire in Sterling, Illinois.

North American Rayon was running their 0-6-0 a full decade after that. She was bought by the plant I think in 1936 and never ran any fan trips ever in her operational life.

She's preserved today not far from the site of the plant. The plant, tracks and interchange is all gone today...

3/17/157:04 PM

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