Steam & Excursion > On This Day These Giants Ceased For All Time Roaming The Earth!

It is bittersweet to recognize anniversaries like the one we recognize today.  On the one hand we recognize the end of an era while on the other we remember what a special time it was.

The date was December 1, 1957 and the place was Reno, Nevada.  Yes, that was 58 years ago today.  There in the clear desert air sat panting for the last time the last SP Cab Forward to ever steam over Donner Pass, the route for which she was first built.

On the day before, L.L. Bonney caught 4-8-8-2 #4274 as she paused in Truckee, California on the first day of her historic 2-day trip over Donner and back.  The low afternoon light shined brightly on her flanks as she prepared to drop down grade to Sparks where she would be turned and serviced for the next and last day of her career.

In Reno the next morning the freshly serviced Cab Ahead stood panting once again as the local citizens gathered around her to witness the passing of the era she represented.  Once the sight of such giants departing Reno for Donner Pass was a common event that took place many times every day.  However, that would be no more after this day.  For after December 1, 1957 Donner pass would never again feel the pounding of a fire breathing giant of a Cab Forward.

The end of an era had come at last.  Bittersweet indeed.

Martin



Edited 5 time(s). Last edit at 12/01/15 06:15 by LoggerHogger.

---

---

Great look back, Thanks!

Bob Jordan

 

Great photos of this event! 

It sure would be great to see one of these in action. I believe 4294 at the California State Railroad Museum is the only survivor unless someone knows otherwise.

Steve Mitchell
http://www.yardgoatimages.com 
 

Again I challenge Martin Hansen  (LoggerHogger) to his continued use of the L.L. Bonney name as a photographer in his many shots.  The last time I did this, he wouldn't respond.  My problem is that I believe "the" L.L. Bonney had passed away years earlier !  C'mon Martin--fess up !!

KRK

LoggerHogger Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> It is bittersweet to recognize anniversaries like
> the one we recognize today.  On the one hand we
> recognize the end of an era while on the other we
> remember what a special time it was.
>
> The date was December 1, 1957 and the place was
> Reno, Nevada.  Yes, that was 58 years ago
> today.  There in the clear desert air sat panting
> for the last time the last SP Cab Forward to ever
> steam over Donner Pass, the route for which she
> was first built.
>
> On the day before, L.L. Bonney caught 4-8-8-2
> #4274 as she paused in Truckee, California on the
> first day of her historic 2-day trip over Donner
> and back.  The low afternoon light shined
> brightly on her flanks as she prepared to drop
> down grade to Sparks where she would be turned and
> serviced for the next and last day of her career.
>
> In Reno the next morning the freshly serviced Cab
> Ahead stood panting once again as the local
> citizens gathered around her to witness the
> passing of the era she represented.  Once the
> sight of such giants departing Reno for Donner
> Pass was a common event that took place many times
> every day.  However, that would be no more after
> this day.  For after December 1, 1957 Donner pass
> would never again feel the pounding of a fire
> breathing giant of a Cab Forward.
>
> The end of an era had come at last.  Bittersweet
> indeed.
>
> Martin

Ken needs to brush up on his dates.  I suggest Ken look up the SP Historical Magazine published just a couple years ago that had an excellent article on the Ralph Demorro circle of photographers that included L.L. Bonney.

That should clear up any confusion Ken has on the dates of Bonney's photogrpahy.

Martin

Ken,  I did not need to respond last time because this gentleman responded for me:

Ken, I think the Leon L. Bonney who took the photo Martin posted was a member of the Pacific Coast Chapter, R&LHS and Cal Nevada.  He would not have been very old (20s or 30s) when this photo was taken in '57.

Scott Inman
Elk Grove, CA
Espee Models



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 12/01/15 09:09 by LoggerHogger.

I bet the rail fans in Reno had a lump in their throat when that engine was leaving knowing such a sight would never be repeated.  It would be easy to recognize that a part of your life had just ended.

I was 10 years old when these brutes stopped running behind my house in North Highlands.  I always took great delight in putting a new penny on the tracks when I felt one coming on the way to Roseville.

A lump in the throat for sure Tom.   I felt it big time along with a bunch of others the last time I pulled 1522 into the museum after our farewell trip knowing it would probably be the last time she would be under steam.   Lotta tears that night.

We also miss them here in Mojave, where as a teen I often went to sleep to the sound of their compressors...

Bill Deaver
Tehachapi, CA

LoggerHogger Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Ken needs to brush up on his dates.  I suggest
> Ken look up the SP Historical Magazine published
> just a couple years ago that had an excellent
> article on the Ralph Demorro circle of
> photographers that included L.L. Bonney.
>
> That should clear up any confusion Ken has on the
> dates of Bonney's photogrpahy.
>
> Martin
>
> Ken,  I did not need to respond last time because
> this gentleman responded for me:
>
> Ken, I think the Leon L. Bonney who took the photo
> Martin posted was a member of the Pacific Coast
> Chapter, R&LHS and Cal Nevada.  He would not have
> been very old (20s or 30s) when this photo was
> taken in '57.
>

    I don't want to get in the middle of a dispute but I like researching this stuff. I did a little digging on Ancestry.com and found that there were two Leon Littlefield Bonney's, father and son. They Lived at 2960 Halliday Ave. Alameda, Ca. L.L. Bonney Sr. was born July 23, 1891, died Nov 12, 1979. As of 1940 he lists himself as a "switchboard operator for power company". L.L. Boney junior was born July 17, 1920. He is living at home (as would be expected) in the 1930 census however, he does not appear in the 1940 census and died on Nov 19, 1967!

  So I suppose either could have been our photographer.

Thanks for the additional information.  I did now know there was a father and son team both known as L.L. Bonney.  I will check with a friend of mine that I got these negatives from. 

After I got your message I checked with the man who knew Bonney the photographer and from whom I aquired the negatives.  He confirmed that these photos were taken by the senior Bonney who did not pass away until 1979.

Martin



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 12/01/15 14:45 by LoggerHogger.

Missed by that much!! I was a whole 5 months old back than!!

Mike

LoggerHogger Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Thanks for the additional information.  I did now
> know there was a father and son team both known as
> L.L. Bonney.  I will check with a friend of mine
> that I got these negatives from. 
>
> After I got your message I checked with the man
> who knew Bonney the photographer and from whom I
> aquired the negatives.  He confirmed that these
> photos were taken by the senior Bonney who did not
> pass away until 1979.
>
> Martin

Thanks Martin. I love unraveling these mysteries.

YG Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Great photos of this event! 
>
> It sure would be great to see one of these in
> action. I believe 4294 at the California State
> Railroad Museum is the only survivor unless
> someone knows otherwise.
>
> Steve Mitchell
> http://www.yardgoatimages.com 
>  


Who says it can't happen?

For anyone wishing to see a film of this excursion, I highly recommend Penxtrex's "Last Run of a Cab Foward Over Donner Pass."  This is one of my favorite railfan videos.  For more information, see:

Pentrex's Cab Forward DVD

YG Wrote:
> It sure would be great to see one of these in
> action. I believe 4294 at the California State
> Railroad Museum is the only survivor unless
> someone knows otherwise.

Yes, 4294 is the only extant SP cab-forward.

~Joe P.
Hainesville, IL

Here's the flyer from the Western Railway Museum Archives.  The flyer doesn't mention it, but I've heard that there was an "authorized motorcade" of a sort on this trip: ticket-holders could opt to ride one portion of the journey on a bus traveling via US-40, which would get ahead of the train, stop, and unload for "runby" shots where the train itself didn't stop.  One of these bus-assisted photo ops was the scene looking down from the highway at Emigrant Gap at the eastbound train.

---

---

Evan,

Thanks for posting the flyer.  I wish the planned "Last Trip On The Clover Valley Lumber Co." had actually happened.  As it turned out they only had the May 1950 excursion on that line.

Martin

I remember riding behind 4449 when she pulled a special train up the Coast Line.  Because of time constraints, I could only go from LA to Oxnard.  As we rolled through the San Fernando Valley, I noticed an industrial plant with what appeared to be the whole staff on the back loading dock.  One can imagine the boss getting on the PA system and saying, "Everybody take a break and go out on the dock. Keep an eye on the railroad. You'll see something you'll never see again."

Well now-- the guy from Bend wins again.  How quaint !
KRK

crackerjackhoghead Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> LoggerHogger Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Ken needs to brush up on his dates.  I suggest
> > Ken look up the SP Historical Magazine
> published
> > just a couple years ago that had an excellent
> > article on the Ralph Demorro circle of
> > photographers that included L.L. Bonney.
> >
> > That should clear up any confusion Ken has on
> the
> > dates of Bonney's photogrpahy.
> >
> > Martin
> >
> > Ken,  I did not need to respond last time
> because
> > this gentleman responded for me:
> >
> > Ken, I think the Leon L. Bonney who took the
> photo
> > Martin posted was a member of the Pacific Coast
> > Chapter, R&LHS and Cal Nevada.  He would not
> have
> > been very old (20s or 30s) when this photo was
> > taken in '57.
> >
>
>     I don't want to get in the middle of a
> dispute but I like researching this stuff. I did a
> little digging on Ancestry.com and found that
> there were two Leon Littlefield Bonney's, father
> and son. They Lived at 2960 Halliday Ave. Alameda,
> Ca. L.L. Bonney Sr. was born July 23, 1891, died
> Nov 12, 1979. As of 1940 he lists himself as a
> "switchboard operator for power company". L.L.
> Boney junior was born July 17, 1920. He is living
> at home (as would be expected) in the 1930 census
> however, he does not appear in the 1940 census and
> died on Nov 19, 1967!
>
>   So I suppose either could have been our
> photographer.