Southern Pacific 4274: Last Trip Over Donner Pass

On November 30 and December 1, 1957, the era of large articulated steam power officially came to a close on the Southern Pacific when SP AC-11 4274 pulled a fan trip from Sacramento to Reno and return. Sponsored by the California-Nevada Railroad Historical Society, this was the last time, the sound of ear-shattering exhaust and wheezing air pumps would echo through the Sierra Nevada Mountains as they had for nearly 50 years.

This video comes from the 8mm and 16mm cameras of 5 different railfans, and shows the Sacramento to Reno run from end to end with lots of dramatic runby shots and pacing sequences, and are from the archives of the Western Railway Museum.

Enjoy this look at SP 4274, as she conquers the Sierra Nevada Mountains one last time!

[LectronCircuits]

4274 was beautiful. We must build more of them at all costs. Cheers!

[thomasavensjr.]

It's a true shame that SP 4274 ended up being scrapped instead of being preserved for public display observation, the 4274 had the significance of hauling one of the last steam excursion trains on the SP. I am satisfied that the 4294 was preserved for display, but I wish that there were more than one surviving "cab forward" locomotives on display and from different classes such as the ac-8 or 10 variants. I am satisfied that this footage of SP 4274 hauling the steam excursions was recorded on film and is available for personal observation of railfans.

[TexasRailfan-RailfanRyan]

What’s great about this version of filming southern pacific cab forward locomotives is that it shows in depth what the whistle really sounded like. It was very interesting. Is that the whistle on the cab forward was not controlled by a rope it was controlled by an air valve. Very cool and very unique. And truthfully, I honestly wish we could’ve done better to save 4274. It would’ve been great to have two surviving examples of cab forward locomotives

[oceanmariner]

When I was a kid, my family camped in the Sierras near Cisco Grove. About a half mile from the SP mainline. Older cab forwards must have had steam whistles, because that's what I remember. At night you could hear them whistling thru the mountains. Before Interstate 5 went thru Sacramento, when turning from I street to Jibboom street, you crossed the SP mainline heading toward SF. Often there would be a cab forward waiting with cars for the signal to leave. The engine just a few feet from the crossing. The SP yard in Sacramento was huge. They could do major repairs on steam locos. In the steam days, almost everybody knew someone employed by SP. Almost all gone now. Me, too.

[Buck]

I was awed by its size in 1985 when I first saw it in the Sacramento Train Museum. It was truly the pinnacle of steam locomotives. Makes one wonder why they didn't go with the cab forward design long before this last series.

[BrandonWagner]

I love the sound of those air pumps on the cab forwards

[joe-qoqi]

One cannot but have great respect for these old work horses, the lonesome whistle and the mighty legends they created all across America. Gotta lov'em🇺🇸

[mr.sir.]

The SP 6 chime is the most romantic whistle ever

[callumthornelow]

Thank you so much for posting this. 👍 I'm constantly having to remind myself that is going forwards, not backwards. 😅

[adriaanboogaard]

It's a thing of beauty. I've been in it. It's well worth the effort to go see it and the rest of the collection in old town Sacramento.

[BuckeyeNationRailroader]

This trip was extremely difficult to pull off. Southern Pacific was a railroad that was prided on public image, and when the trip was first proposed the Southern Pacific wanted nothing of it. Thankfully though the board of directors voted on allowing the trip and the vote passed and the trip was run. It was the same scenario with Cab Forward 4294, that engine was never supposed to be preserved.

[bobgarske]

I went to see the grand opening of the Sacramento railroad. I've seen this monster in person at the railroad museum and it's worth going to see all by itself. There are still many other locomotives there in the displays.

[dustbowlhammer]

I used to think the Cab forward locomotive was strange, but the more I learned about it, the more it bacame one of my favorites! Such a unique history.

[speedracer]

Wow!! Another excellent vid of SP back in the day...beautiful!!

[TrainmasterSP-qklo]

Thank you for sharing! Such an impressive locomotive!

[railfan]

Southern Pacific Railroad merged with, or was bought out by, Union Pacific Railroad. With the restoration of U.P. 4014, a 4-8-8-4 Big Boy, , wouldn't it be a real bonus to have U.P. take the last remaining cab forward, a 4-8-8-2, and restore it to running the rails again. Can you imagine those two steam locomotives running as a single consist? Thanks for the video. Jon, Railfan 439, on the U.P., Pacific Coast Line, Santa Barbara Subdivision, M.P. 404.5.

[RickyJr]

Many thanks for posting this marvelous footage!

[matthenderson]

I saw this type of locomotive going over Donner Summit at a Norden when I lived there in the early sixties. Love this. Thanks for posting such a historic video for us to enjoy!

[georgebliss]

I love this footage and have never seen it. Awesome job!

[RickyJr]

My uncle George (Janes) was a towerman at the old Bayshore yard in San Francisco. As a lifelong railfan and model railroader, I reckon big George would've been trackside for 4274’s last runs.