Steam & Excursion > Last Steam Trains Like This Bring Out The Kids Of Every Age!

Saying farewell to the age of steam was not easy and no one (other than the railroads themselves) wanted it to end. However, end it did, but not without a few "Last Runs" to celebrate the passing of the steam era.

With new air quality regulations coming into play in Los Angeles, California, steam was ushered out in that town more rapidly than elsewhere in the West. Union Pacific 0-6-0 #4439 did the final steam honors on this June 9, 1956 excursion for the NRHS and their eager passengers.

As we see, when this "last train" passed by local kids and the railfans were both caught up in capturing the moment both on film and in their memories.


Martin



Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 10/12/17 04:17 by LoggerHogger.

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Martin, I continue to be awed by your collection. Fantastic. Thank you for sharing.

This may be the engine that I read about back then that got permission from the city to sand the flues once a day until she retired.

I chased that run both ways, up and down Glendale Ave. on my bike. From Forest Lawn to California St.

Thanks, Martin. I have to ask: where did those cars come from? Open platform wooden cars? From a Hollywood collection?

Lee Hower - Sacramento

Hi,

See prior T.O. discussion:
https://www.trainorders.com/discussion/read.php?10,3759094,3759094#msg-3759094

Specific to the cars asked about:

It sure looks like the three cars that RKO / Desilu Studios owned. Their rolling stock was
lettered U.P. for a special train in 1955 to commemorate a local RR anniversary.
RKO Studios owned the former Virginia & Truckee 2nd # 25, a 4-6-0 now owned
and restored to operation at the Nevada State RR Museum in Carson City.

These three passenger cars are now at Virginia City, Nevada on the V&T RR. The combine
is now used as their Virginia City depot. It was originally a Northwestern Pacific coach;
RKO turned it into a combine. The two coaches are stored unrestored at their shop facility; one is
ex NWP; the other is thought to be ex Tonopah & Tidewater.

Don

What is the location of this depot?
My closest guess is Whittier, Calif, but the neighborhood to left in the photo looks too rough for the Whittier area.
The excursion went on east to La Habra and perhaps Fullerton and Anaheim.

'Shafty', can you elucidate on the routes this trip took?

James R.(Jim) Baker
Whittier, CA



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/12/17 13:49 by JimBaker.

I think it is Whittier, CA. Train just crossed Philadelphia Street. I used to play on the freight deck and remember seeing the "neighborhood" to the west of the station. Greenway trail is now the right of way but you can see evidence of the packing house track grade as it curve of the branch line.

I also remember seeing this train along Lambert Road as I lived off Dittmar Dr. and Gunn Ave as a kid in Whittier.