John Bull: Riding the Rails (1981)

In 1981, for the John Bull's 150th birthday, the Museum took the John Bull steam locomotive out to run on nearby train tracks. Take a look at this video to see the John Bull locomotive in action.
Find more transportation history in "America on the Move": americanhistory.si.edu/onthemove/
Also see the Museum's "All Aboard the Train!" activity for kids: americanhistory.si.edu/ourstor...

[@fabiogfeller9071]

2025 is the birth of the Railway the 200 Anniversary of the Stockton and Darlington Railway and in 2030 is the Liverpool Manchester Railway. I hope she come back.

[@JacobWynn-rdr]

She ain't Coming back

[@quasimoto7662]

It’s an American locomotive that happened to be build in Britain. Why would it ever leave the US?

[@Maizerus]

Wonder if the Smithsonian will take it out again in 2031. Kinda doubtnig it but you never know.

[@american4405]

I think it's more likely that the PRR made replica in Strasburg would be more likely to be brought back to steam. The one in the Smithsonian also isn't positioned in a place that would make it easily accessible for "taking her out for a spin"

[@nikerailfanningttm9046]

Highly doubt it, it’s a piece of National Railroading History, it’s the oldest surviving steamer in the states as well. There’s not reason for us to bring back JB to steam.

[@paulissus8974]

I should think it would need a complete disassembly & rebuild after each run, especially if the pistons and boiler are original.

[@lorilevin5345]

Those tracks no longer exist in the city. They are now part of rails-to-trails.

[@hawkerhellfire9152]

Not only is this a wonderful piece of history, it's a wonderful piece of documentary making, if it was made today it would be electric guitars and the camera would be completly focused on the interview.

[@tinocardinale6843]

I love 💗 the john bull 🐂

[@mmandmcb14]

I liked to see it in 4:3 full screen.

[@mmandmcb14]

Seen On The Shining Time Station Episode "Show and Yell".

[@zerozilch]

Grandpa always called me johnny bull ,never knew why.

[@haydendraycott7897]

This is hella cool and as a longtime DC resident it's also interesting to see the Georgetown Branch back when there were tracks down, anyone else have any footage of this line in action with freight??

[@HOTRAILProductions]

I think this was filmed in September, 1981.

[@DeathValleyLumberCompany]

Enchantingly American

[@transportationproductions1794]

Wouldn't be great if John Bull gets fired up again? Maybe John Bull and Big Boy 4014 would meet!

[@CGTGofficial]

Ideas!

[@thecpmr6276]

God I'd LOVE for that to happen, but I'd be very very careful. Imagine the history that'd be lost is it was damaged.

[@MrStevesTrains]

They could have spent a minute and talked abit more about the features of the locomotive 🚂

[@jamesbelcher8509]

2:03 John Bull

[@marty6779]

For a moment i thought this was George Carlin narrating....

[@thecpmr6276]

Oh my God same thought I was crazy.

[@Death524videos]

Cool

[@johnerikson7094]

The whistle sounds like the ones on the day out with Thomas dummies and the Strasburg railroad Thomas locomotive. Wonder what kind that whistle is because it is beautiful!

[@DeathValleyLumberCompany]

It’s a simple single chime, common as can be!

[@mmandmcb14]

Did you have that video in full screen.

[@adamdonnelly3912]

is the original john bull still here today? or was it scrapped

[@lordsnivyofnottingham2948]

Affirmative; same locomotive that left Robert Stephenson's works in Newcastle-upon-Tyne in 1831 (albeit with some modifications over the years), and she is running in the video, 150 years later, in 1981. You can even go see her at the Smithsonian's National Museum of American History in Washington DC.

[@DeathValleyLumberCompany]

It saddens me somebody thinks this way

[@steambom3350]

@@DeathValleyLumberCompany Well, Jake dierking, you are a wh!t3 supr3m@c!st so... Comment invalid. You've also been fired from your previous job at California Western for being a general nuisance as well as a safety hazard. Do with this info what you will, folks (censored thanks to youtube, don't yell at me yell at google)

[@Train_Tok_Man]

Do you honestly think the museum will scrap a locomotive as old as the John Bull? 😂

[@brettcheeseman1154]

music sounds like it was pulled from the sims lol