Steam & Excursion > CB&Q Steam

I know that the Q had O-5 4-8-4's running in 1959. What was the last Q mainline revenue steam? O-5's in Illinois or Nebraska? Did the Q outlast UP (July 1959) by running into the fall rush? Did the SD-24 diesels finish off steam, or was Q prepared for seasonal use in 1960?

NRE973 Wrote:
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> I know that the Q had O-5 4-8-4's running in 1959.
> What was the last Q mainline revenue steam?

Technically no. The 4960 Mikado was used to power freights over a flooded portion of track in 1965.

> O-5's in Illinois or Nebraska? Did the Q outlast
> UP (July 1959) by running into the fall rush?

No, but a surprisingly large number of engines were stored ready at Galesburg and several were used on fan trips.

Did
> the SD-24 diesels finish off steam, or was Q
> prepared for seasonal use in 1960?

I think it was the SD9s and the recession of 1957-58 that did steam in. Bob

Lloyd E. Stagner's "Burlington Route Steam Finale" listed only 5632 and 5626 operating in fantrip service in 1959. Three lowly O1a Mikes, 4963, 4976 and 4997 closed the regular steam service on the Burlington on January 27, 1959. The above-mentioned 4963 was overhauled in late 1960 and sent to the Bevier and Southern to supplement sister 4943. 4963 was replaced in late 1962 on the B&S by "Q" NW2 9400A, bringing an end to "Q" steam other than in fantrip service.

As for the last regular service steam in Nebraska, here is what Stagner's book has to say: "Delivery of the new SD9 road-switchers meant steam runs were cut off the Lincoln Division in early November (1959), and steam switching at Lincoln was performed only during the week by engines 5082 and 5084. This ended in December, and when the 5140 was moved from Omaha to Lincoln on a local freight December 31, the Lincoln-Omaha divisions were all diesel." More of the lowly O1a Mikes.

The July 1957 wheat rush prompted the return to service of six O5b oil-burning 4-8-4s out of Lincoln to Omaha, Council Bluffs and Pacific Junction. It appears that this was the final use of 4-8-4s in freight service out of Lincoln and on all of the system.

If you can find a copy of this nice, soft-cover book, it is a great reference source and contains many nice photos.

Silver Sky

IIRC the last Q steam in revenue service was a Colorado & Southern engine on the Leadville branch ... I don't think it dropped the fires until 1962 or so (I'll check my stuff at home at lunch time), making it the last steam in revenue freight service on a Class 1.

Regards & Everywhere West,

Burlington John
American Freedom Train Yahoo Group
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/AmericanFreedomTrain/

John,
You are correct that C&S steam lasted in regular service longer than "Q" steam did. #641, on the Leadville branch, made its last trip on October 11, 1962. That would make it the last Class 1 standard gauge steam in regular use in the U.S. The Rio Grande narrow gauge steam lasted longer, though.

Silver Sky

IIRC, sometime very late in the steam era, one of the Q's roads - either FW&D or C&S - loaned an oil-burning Mike to the T&P for use on flooded track somewhere in eastern Texas. I also vaguely recall that T&P later bought the engine. Can someone with a better memory elaborate on these events? And, what became of that engine? Thanks.

NYCSTL8 Wrote:
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> IIRC, sometime very late in the steam era, one of
> the Q's roads - either FW&D or C&S -
> loaned an oil-burning Mike to the T&P for use
> on flooded track somewhere in eastern Texas. I
> also vaguely recall that T&P later bought the
> engine. Can someone with a better memory
> elaborate on these events? And, what became of
> that engine? Thanks.

'Twas the FW & D 410, renumbered to 400 on the T & P. She was saved & I think is still in Marshall, Texas.

Nitehostler is correct, the 410 was stuffed and mounted in Marshall Texas. If a person didn't know better though, they'd think her to be a T&P engine. I think that she still carries the T&P name and number. I don't mean to slight the FW&D or the Q here, but their Mikes never ever, not even on their best day, were ever as good looking as a T&P Mike or any other T&P steam loco either for that matter.

Con

SilverSky Wrote:

> You are correct that C&S steam lasted in
> regular service longer than "Q" steam did. #641,
> on the Leadville branch, made its last trip on
> October 11, 1962. That would make it the last
> Class 1 standard gauge steam in regular use in the
> U.S. The Rio Grande narrow gauge steam lasted
> longer, though.

Somewhere I thought I read that 638, on the "regular" C&S, lasted into 1962 too. Was that just in excursion service?

Thanks for the 410 info. Any of you recall the dates of her flood service? Could she have been the last Q-Family steamer in revenue service? Did T&P actually operate her in the "T&P 400" guise, and, if so, when? I recall reading many yrs ago that she sounded like a steamboat, churning through the deep at about 2 mph. Thans again.

C&S 638, allegedly the back-up locomotive for the Leadville branch, only ran in excursion service in the last years. Her last trip was a one-way excursion move from Denver to Trinidad, CO, on December 16, 1962.

As for FW&D 410/T&P 400, she was sold to the T&P on 1/29/1958 for the "princely" sum of $9,500. She operated "several" times in flood duty at Shreveport, LA. In 1963 she was donated to Marshall, TX, for display. She is presently locked in a building awaiting or undergoing abatement of the "big A". Maybe someone else can post the date of her final operation on the T&P. If we are including flood service as revenue service, 4960's service at Savanna, IL, in the spring of 1965 beats them all.

Silver Sky

xtra1188w Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Nitehostler is correct, the 410 was stuffed and
> mounted in Marshall Texas. If a person didn't
> know better though, they'd think her to be a
> T&P engine. I think that she still carries
> the T&P name and number. I don't mean to
> slight the FW&D or the Q here, but their Mikes
> never ever, not even on their best day, were ever
> as good looking as a T&P Mike or any other
> T&P steam loco either for that matter.
>
> Con

I have to second your opinion about the comparison between these two lines steam power. T&P, like the Frisco, had some really beautiful machines. Ironically, one of the T&P Mikes made the last passenger run behind steam. Can't recall the number, but she had a full set of disc drivers, rare for a 63" drivered loco.
Tom

During the beginning of the "great flood of the Mississippi" in 1965. The 4960
was indeed used to power freight trains and also both the "North Coast Limited"
and the "Empire Builder" and IIRC "Zephyrs". This was only done for a couple of
days prior to the long lasting re-routes via CNW on the old "Route of the 400" via
Eau Claire and Hudson, Wisconsin.









bnsfbob Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> NRE973 Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > I know that the Q had O-5 4-8-4's running in
> 1959.
> > What was the last Q mainline revenue steam?
>
> Technically no. The 4960 Mikado was used to power
> freights over a flooded portion of track in 1965.
>
> > O-5's in Illinois or Nebraska? Did the Q
> outlast
> > UP (July 1959) by running into the fall
> rush?
>
> No, but a surprisingly large number of engines
> were stored ready at Galesburg and several were
> used on fan trips.
>
> Did
> > the SD-24 diesels finish off steam, or was Q
> > prepared for seasonal use in 1960?
>
> I think it was the SD9s and the recession of
> 1957-58 that did steam in. Bob
>
>
>

#638

---

#641

---

Sorry, memory's not good enough to remember the years, but
the T&P 400 was stored in Marshall until there were only a
handful of mechanical forces left, then it was kept in Shreveport
until it was retired.
The flooding was down around Boyce, La. closer to Alexandria than
Shreveport. Don't remember the exact location anymore.
There were hopes of taking care of the asbestos and moving the
engine from the city park to the old passenger station/museum (and
the current Amtrak station too), but insufficient funds have been
found so far. It has been in the locked tin building for years, with nothing accomplished on it that I am aware of.