It's been a while since I was here. I have been finishing grad school in Library Science, but I'm back.

Here is something I want to share with you all. I have been fascinated with steam locomotives since I was a year old in 1995. In recent years, I have done a lot of research on Steam locomotive sound recordings and sound films of steam. There were dozens of railroads in the 1940s and 1950s when steam was still around. Over 95% of railfans at the time made silent films and photographs of steam during its final days of revenue service on American railroads. However, there were a few that we're able to make sound recordings and even fewer that made both sound and films at the same time. I have a dozen LP records, tape cassettes, and CDs of steam locomotives during their final years. Of the few individuals that made sound films of steam during its time, a few names come to mind.

1. Fred McCleod
2. Star Lake Films
3. Donald Krofta and Jim Hawk (who made sounds along with the film)
4. Maynard Lang and Elwin Purington (who made sounds along with the film)
5. Joseph Schmitz
6. Henry Preston

As for the railroads that were still using steam at this time, I have compiled two lists below of those that had sound recordings and sound films associated with them.

List of Railroads with steam locomotives in revenue service in audio

1. Union Pacific
2. Baltimore and Ohio
3. Grand Trunk Western
4. Nickel Plate Road
5. Detroit, Toledo & Iron Ton (single recording)
6. Illinois Central
7. New York Central
8. Pennsylvania
9. Santa Fe
10. Colorado and Southern
11. Southern Pacific
12. Chicago Burlington and Quincy
13. Denver and Rio Grande Western (single standard gauge recording most narrow gauge)
14. NdeM (Mexican Railroad)
15. Duluth Missabe and Iron Range
16. Canadian National
17. Norfolk and Western
18. Canadian Pacific
19. FCM (Mexican Railroad)
20. Reading (One T1 recording and two G3 Pacifics)
21. Chicago and North Western
22. Chicago and Illinois Midland
23. Winston Salem Southbound (short line)
24. Southern (three recordings)
25. Gainesville Midland (short line)
26. Western Maryland
27. Wheeling and Lake Erie (single recording)
28. Delaware and Hudson
29. Chesapeake and Ohio
30. Wabash (single recording)
31. Twin Seams Mining Company (short line)
32. Erie (single recording on living with steam podcast)
33. Northern Pacific
34. Milwaukee Road (single recording)
35. Boston and Maine
36. Toronto, Hamilton, and Buffalo (few recordings on Living with Steam Podcast)
37. Pere Marquette (single recording on Living with steam podcast)
38. Western Pacific (single recording with two preserved engines together)

List of Railroads with steam engines in revenue service on sound film

1. Duluth Missabe and Iron Range
2. Grand Trunk Western
3. Nickel Plate Road
4. Canadian National
5. Canadian Pacific
6. Norfolk and Western
7. Union Pacific
8. Bessemer and Lake Erie
9. Reading
10. Rutland
11. Baltimore and Ohio
12. Chesapeake and Ohio
13. Pennsylvania
14. Delaware and Hudson
15. Southern Pacific
16. Illinois Central
17. New Haven
18. Erie
19. Milwaukee Road
20. New York Central
21. Chicago Burlington and Quincy
22. Florida East Coast
23. Delaware, Lackawanna, and Western
24. Boston and Maine
25. New York, Ontario, and Western
26. Santa Fe
27. Chesapeake Beach

This is all I know so far, but I hope any of you out there might think that in someone's attic, basement, garage, personal library, or any obscure place, there are some steam locomotive sound treasures in either audio or sound film that has yet to be discovered. If anyone has information on some steam locomotive sound recordings or sound films that are published or unpublished, please share some on this discussion. I am interested in learning about them and perhaps safely archiving them for preservation.

Alec,

You might want to include companies or producers who offer the sound films you listed. For instance, we produced sound footage by Jim Hawk (Don Krofta films) of NKP, B&O, N&W, NYC, PRR, CN and CP plus some of the sound film by Fred McLeod (C&O and B&O) and more by
Joseph Schmitz (SP, B&O, ATSF and ICRR) plus N&W and ICRR by William H Bauer. All are on DVDs we have produced and a few audio CDs of ICRR and N&W by Mr. Bauer.

-Jim Herron
Herron Rail Video
http://www.herronrail.com

Go. Get. This. Book.

https://www.amazon.com/Sounds-Railways- ... 0715376314

The late Peter Handford was a commercial cinema sound recordist who also became the greatest producer and archivist of railway steam recordings worldwide. Take the greatest you've heard from the likes of O. Winston Link, John Prophet, Brad Miller, and others, and multiply by a hundred.

I talked with Elwin Purington several times in his last years. He told me that his early recordings were made using a wire recorder and a 6v to 110v vibrator inverter!

As you requested Jim, I have redone the list adding some of the names of the producers, film names, and LP records. Let me know if I am missing anything or anyone else.

List of Railroads with steam locomotives in revenue service in audio

1. Union Pacific (Stan Kistler, Mobile Fidelity, Howard Fogg and others)

2. Baltimore and Ohio (John Prophet, Howard Fogg, Railroad Record Club and Others)

3. Grand Trunk Western (John Briggs, GTW Historical Society, Howard Fogg and others)

4. Nickel Plate Road (John Briggs, Railroad Record Club, Howard Fogg, and others)

5. Detroit, Toledo & Iron Ton (single recording from Howard Fogg's Power of the Past LP)

6. Illinois Central (Howard Fogg, Vinton Wright, Railroad Record Club, and others)

7. New York Central (John Prophet, Harold Ludlow, Howard Fogg, Fred Ragsdale, and Eugene Van Dusen)

8. Pennsylvania (John Prophet, Railroad Record Club, and others)

9. Santa Fe (Stan Kistler)

10. Colorado and Southern (Howard Fogg, Fred Ragsdale, and North Jersey Records)

11. Southern Pacific (E.P. Ripley, Mobile Fidelity, and others)

12. Chicago Burlington and Quincy (Vinton Wright, Railroad Record Club)

13. Denver and Rio Grande Western (single standard gauge recording most narrow gauge)

14. NdeM (Mexican Railroad by Ron Ziel and Stan Kistler)

15. Duluth Missabe and Iron Range (Elwin Purington and John Briggs)

16. Canadian National (Elwin Purington, Stan Kistler)

17. Norfolk and Western (O Winston Link, Allen Sherry, Henry Preston, John Prophett featured on Living with Steam podcast)

18. Canadian Pacific (Harold Lewis, Andrew Spieker and Pierre Berton)

19. FCM (Mexican Railroad featured on LP Steam's Last Stand in North America by Stan Kislter)

20. Reading (One T1 recording possibly by John Prophet and two G3 Pacifics from Whistles on the West Jersey by RCA records)

21. Chicago and North Western (from LP by Cuca Productions, Vinton Wright)

22. Chicago and Illinois Midland (sounds from Railroad Record Club and Randolph Sage)

23. Winston Salem Southbound (short line) (sounds by Railroad Record Club)

24. Southern (three recordings) (Two from Railroad Record Club and third from Steam Final Hour CD which I don' have)

25. Gainesville Midland (short line) (recordings from North Jersey Recordings, Mobile Fidelity, and Railroad Record Club)

26. Western Maryland (John Prophet)

27. Wheeling and Lake Erie (single recording from Remember When LP)

28. Delaware and Hudson (featured in Jay Winn CDs and John Prophet)

29. Chesapeake and Ohio (from cd by the C&O Historical Society)

30. Wabash (single recording from Railroad Record Club)

31. Twin Seams Mining Company (short line with recording from North Jersey Records)

32. Erie (single recording on living with steam podcast)

33. Northern Pacific (Elwin Purington and Herb Chaudiere)

34. Milwaukee Road (single recording by Elwin Purington)

35. Boston and Maine (Vanishing Vapor on the B&M by 470 Club)

36. Toronto, Hamilton, and Buffalo (few recordings on Living with Steam Podcast)

37. Pere Marquette (single recording on Living with steam podcast)

38. Western Pacific (single recording with two preserved engines together)


List of Railroads with steam engines in revenue service on sound film

1. Duluth Missabe and Iron Range (Star Lake Films, some of them featured on Green Frog DVDs)

2. Grand Trunk Western (Fred Mcleod and Star Lake Films)

3. Nickel Plate Road (possibly Fred Mcleod, Don Krofta, and Star Lake Films)

4. Canadian National (Fred Mcleod featured in Green Frog Dvd, Don Krofta featured on DVDs by Herron Video Productions, Lang and Purington provided by Greg Scholl and from GPS Videos featuring films made by Jim Van Brocklin)

5. Canadian Pacific (Lang and Purington provided by Greg Scholl and from GPS Videos featuring films made by Jim Van Brocklin)

6. Norfolk and Western (Fred Mcleod, Joseph Schmitz, and Henry Preston)

7. Union Pacific (Fred Mcleod)

8. Bessemer and Lake Erie (Fred Mcleod)

9. Reading (Possibly Fred Mcleod)

10. Rutland (Fred Mcleod)

11. Baltimore and Ohio (Fred Mcleod and Don Krofta from Herron Rail Videos)

12. Chesapeake and Ohio (Fred Mcleod from Herron Rail Videos)

13. Pennsylvania (Fred Mcleod)

14. Delaware and Hudson (Fred Mcleod)

15. Southern Pacific (Joseph Schmitz by Herron Rail Video)

16. Illinois Central (From Herron Rail Video with scenes by Joseph Schmitz)

17. New Haven (From the film "A Great Railroad at Work")

18. Erie (From Fox Movietone Outtake collection and single scene from "A Great Railroad at Work")

19. Milwaukee Road (From 1930s film Danger Lights)

20. New York Central (possibly by Fred Mcleod featured in Along the Water Lever route by Bill Warwick from Pentrex DVD)

21. Chicago Burlington and Quincy (Fred Mcleod)

22. Florida East Coast (From Fox Movietone Outtake collection)

23. Delaware, Lackawanna, and Western (From Fox Movietone Outtake collection)

24. Boston and Maine (From Fox Movietone Outtake collection and from a single scene by Fred Mcleod when on the Rutland)

25. New York, Ontario, and Western (From Fox Movietone Outtake collection)

26. Santa Fe (From Fox Movietone Outtake collection and Herron Rail Video's DVD with sound films by Joseph Schmitz)

27. Chesapeake Beach (From Fox Movietone Outtake collection)

Also timken2626, I am quite surprised that Elwin Purington used a wire recorder for his early sounds. Portable tape recorders were not available until 1955 according to Aaron Heverin in his podcast living with steam.

Aaron still has a working wire recorder which was originally owned by the late great John Prophet. You should listen to episode three which talks about the machine. If anybody else has any information on steam locomotive sounds captured on wire recorders prior to 1955, feel free to explain in this discussion.

One more thing I would like to make clear is that I'll try to update this discussion with each railroad from the 1950s so I can give everyone time to share as much information without being annoying. I learned that two years ago from Trainorders when asking to many questions. So I will try to limit myself here. I am on the autistic spectrum, so I will try to control myself here without making the same mistake.

Alec

I can add 3 railroads to the list of revenue steam audio recordings. A few years back I purchased a large amount of Railroad Record Club items from William Steventon's estate. Included are many audio tapes, not just the masters for the released LPs, but also many hours of railroad recordings that never made it onto a record album. The 3 I can add are:
Virginian, L&N, and East Broad Top (revenue freight not tourist trains.)
I've done a lot of research on Mr. Steventon and his recording associates as well as the history and operation of the club. I found enough information that I compiled it all into an eBook. If anyone is interested in buying a copy, here is the link: https://thetrolleydodger.com/online-store/
Does anyone know what happened to Elwin Purington's vast tape collection? I've looked everywhere I can think of and found very little information. I know he sold cassettes of his recordings titled "Sounds of a Simpler Era" but after years of searching, I've found none. Anyone have a few?
-Ken Gear

One factor limiting sound movies in the pre-1955 era is that sound cameras were 16mm or larger and used optical sound recording on the film. The equipment was very expensive and generally used by professionals only.

Tape sound recording was easier but generally used 1/4 inch reel-to-reel tape on large (and power-hungry) recorders. Most were 110 v AC and needed either an external generator (in a soundproof housing or some distance from the mic) or an inverter to convert 6 v DC or 12 v DC batteries to 110 v AC for the recorder. The battery should be separate from any vehicle battery or have the vehicle parked facing downhill in order to restart it with a dead battery. These were NOT synchronized with movie images.

This is why there are few actual synchronized sound recordings of the late steam era.

Phil Mulligan

I might add that many years ago I became acquainted with a man named Cedric Cooper in St. Petersburg, FL who had some very early sound recordings made by himself and also some by George Pettingill and C. W. Witbeck that he copied for me on cassette tape. Mr. Cooper's recordings included ACL Pacifics on passenger trains at St. Pete in the late 1940's-early 50's, not of very high quality but then ACL is pretty hard to find.

George Pettingill's recordings included FEC 4-8-2's and 0-8-0's at New Smyrna Beach and also CP steam around Mattamawkeg, ME plus the Graham County RR in NC. Also, logging 2-6-2s at Bradenton, FL and Cummer & Sons Cypress 104 at Lacoochee, FL.

C.W. Witbeck recorded ICRR steam and Mississippi Central 2-8-2s, including the last steam run with doubleheaded Mikados.

I had always dreamed of finding a copy of Fox Movietone Newsreel from the '20s with live sound on the Frisco. Several engine runbys and demonstrating how the new Volotone air horns sounded.
Mobile Fidelity made some great sound recordings of Frisco 1522 back in the early 90s.
I'd always hoped to find Frisco recordings of in service steam.

You guys may not believe what I just found yesterday on youtube.

THIS:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4yxSHWWpmeU

If this is from a DVD, what is it called?

I was not expecting this.

Alec

I don't know, but it's the best real sound film I've seen. Sharp, well exposed and good sound. Leaves us hungry for more! Great revenue footage.

Here is a much longer version of the video https://youtu.be/cdsGrhxbsr0
This is footage shot by Fred McLeod and is a compilation of scenes from his movies that were sold by Blackhawk films back in the day. There is also a color version of these films on youtube but they are silent. I don't think they were ever released on DVD in their entirety, but a few are on Green Frog's Blackhawk Films Collection DVDs. Fred Mcleod also sold copies of his films in both sound and silent versions. He also sold homemade records of the sounds from the movies that he cut into Audiodisc brand record blanks.

https://youtu.be/rI99Dvpxo2w

Here's some additional Fred McLeod footage. This is of the B&O and includes two shots in color as well as EM-1 footage.

FWIW there was a film called “STEAM WAS GRAND ON THE GRAND TRUNK WESTERN” which utilized all color film and as far as I can recall had sound. The film mostly showcased locations around Durand, MI and I believe even featured parts of the Ann Arbor railroad’s passenger car/MOW passenger car fleet which happened to be in the yard. Back around 2019 a copy of the film was found, in of all places Australia and uploaded to YouTube. However, it was very quickly taken down before I could copy it. I haven’t been able to find anything online about the film but it might be a Fred McLeod film.

I found these two surprises earlier this year and last week.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6rlxvxaVqpM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6QsAyz0R74E

You will never believe the action here.


Alec