National Film Board of Canada

According to our narrator, the years 1955 – 1961 represented Canada’s phasing out of steam, to be replaced by diesels. Today’s short (30 minutes), is mostly interviews with people, both railroaders and those outside the industry, asking how they feel about this transition.

Fortunately, there is a good amount of steam footage as well as a smattering of first-generation diesels to examine. The highlight is a double-headed “farewell to steam” fan trip on Canadian National including several runbys for their fans.

Our feature is mostly steam on Canadian National Railways, but as the ending credits roll, we are treated to pacing shots of Canadian Pacific Railway steamers on two, separate trains.

En voiture!

A classic roundhouse view, with sunlight streaming through the windows, highlights a quiver of steam locomotives resting between assignments.

The opening credits begin with a pacing shot of a CN passenger train. CN #6776 is a MLW (Montreal Locomotive Works – Alco) FPA-4 locomotive built in 1959.

The handwriting is on the wall as CN #8355, a P-5-f class 0-8-0 built in 1929, passes a deadline of old steam engines.

Meanwhile, CN #8401, a P-5-h class 0-8-0 built in CN’s shops takes on water in the time-honored tradition.

CN #8057, a MLW S-4 switcher built in 1956, is juxtaposed with this Kromer-cap-wearing hoghead who started on CN in 1918. That’s some serious “Whiskers”!

CN #9418 & 9416, MLW FA-2 freight engines lead a consist through the yard.

CN #8401 passes some fallen brethren including #1395 (a 4-6-0, H-6-g class, MLW) and CN #8446.

Some locomotives have already been tucked safely way in a roundhouse for preservation. This includes CN #713, a 2-6-0 Class E-7-a (ex-Grand Trunk Railway GTR) and CN #40, a 4-4-0 built by Portland (Maine) Locomotive Works in 1872.

CN #713 is currently preserved at: Canadian Railway Museum, Saint-Constant, PQ. Color photo by Michael Berry from rrpictures.net

CN #40 a 4-4-0 built by Portland Locomotive Works in 1872 for GTR is
currently preserved at: Canada Science & Technology Museum, Ottawa.
Color photo by Mike Cunningham (Duluth, MN 1960) from rrpictures.net.

Here we see a Mr. Omer Lavallee (Corporate Archivist of CPR in Montreal) up in the cab down at the Canadian NATIONAL roundhouse. No doubt, he is getting a look at the sort of hardware his rival railway is preserving.

The big “Box-Pox” drivers are from a CN (unknown number) U class 4-8-2 being fired up in the roundhouse. The link for “U class 4-8-2” leads to preserved sister locomotive CN #6060.

Now, how about that fan trip I mentioned? On May 9, 1959, one of the last steam doubleheaders made a run from Belleville, Ontario to Bancroft, a little over 100 miles.

Two small boys get some great pictures of CN #90 and CN #2649 blasting along the right-of-way. My only color picture of this excursion was found on eBay (photographer unknown).

Both locomotives were later scrapped, but sister locomotive #89 still operates (as of 2023) at the Strasburg Railroad Museum in Pennsylvania.

CN #90 (and #89) were CLC-built in February 1910, E-10 Class, 2-6-0.

CN #2649 was MLW built in 1910, N-4-a Class, 2-8-0, scrapped 3/60 ex-Grand Trunk Railway.

Hey, there’s Archivist Lavallee again, exposing some film during a runby. These are some serious Canadian railfans lined up trackside. 90/2649 blast black smoke at the faithful. Location appears to be one mile from Bird’s Creek, ON, roughly 2-3 miles north of Bancroft, ON.

90/2649 roll past their admirers and pause to have every inch of their mechanicals inspected.

All good things must come to an end and our documentary closes with pacing shots of some Canadian PACIFIC steam. First locomotive shown is CP #2816, a 4-6-4 H-1-b class Hudson, built by MLW in December 1930 which has been PRESERVED.

Second locomotive is CP #2459, a 4-6-2 G-3-h class Pacific, built by CLC in April 1945, scrapped unknown date.

O, Canada!

If you’d like to watch this movie online, the link is here:

https://www.nfb.ca/film/end_of_line/

If you have ANY information about this movie you’d like to share, please contact me at: Lindsay.Korst@gmail.com, or leave a comment.  Thanks and enjoy the blog!

THE END