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 AC11 4274 pulled a fan trip from Sacramento to Reno and return. Sponsored by the CaliforniaNevada Railroad Historical Society, this was the last time, the sound of earshattering 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!