The dying days of America's steam engines: Incredible photographs from the 1950s capture railroad empire in all its glory

PUBLISHED: 02:14 EST, 28 November 2012 | UPDATED: 11:54 EST, 28 November 2012

An incredible set of historic photographs has captured the dying days of steam engines in the United States.

Taken by photographer O. Winston Link, the collection of images, shows the Norfolk and Western, America's last major steam railroad, as it was switching its operations to diesel in the 1950s.

Mr Link's stunning shots also caught the capture the industry before the triumph of the automobile and the airplane brought an era where railroads dominated passenger travel to an end.

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An electrician, J.W. Dalhouse, cleaning a headlight. Shaffers Crossing Roundhouse, Roanoke, Va. 1955

The fascinating project has been turned into a new book titled 'O. Winston Link: Life Along the Line.'

The book includes more than 180 of the photographer's most famous works as well as rare never-before-published images.

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The superb pictures also capture a small-town way of life that was about to experience massive shifts and, in many cases, disappear completely.

Mr Link's mostly black and white images, which he photographed using moribund technology, offer a moving account of the people and communities surrounding the last steam railroad ever seen in the U.S.

Hawksbill Creek swimming hole. Luray, Va. 1956

Rain #17, The Birmingham Special, arriving at Rural Retreat. Rural Retreat, Va. 1957

Servicing EMD diesel-electrics. Shaffers Crossing, Roanoke, Va. 1960

Highball for the doubleheader. Near Bonsack, Va. 1959

Skutch Stevens smoking a cigarette in a passenger car. Abingdon Branch. 1955

The Birmingham Special crossing Bridge 201. Near Radford, Va. 1957

A young boy covers his ears as he watches a locomotive speed by with his dad

A train puffs along past rushing water

Hester Fringer's living room on the tracks. Lithia, Va. 1955

O. Winston Link photographs young children swimming late at night below the train tracks

O. Winston Link became famous for photographing a moribund technology, lugging his flashbulbs and Rolleiflex around the hills of Appalachia in search of steam locomotives

A train rolls through a railroad crossing at night

A couple and their dog watch from their porch as a locomotive rolls by

Mr Link's flash illuminates an impressive plume of smoke from a locomotive as well as a large tree

VIDEO: A closer look at O. Winston Link's Photographs:

O. Winston Link Museum - The Collection

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Absolutely beautiful photographs.

- Old Geordie , Geordieland, 28/11/2012 16:20

Click to rate Rating 7

Great pictures. One of the reasons I visit DM.

- Joe , Raleigh NC, 28/11/2012 15:58

Click to rate Rating 7

Pictures look HD, very awesome.

- Scottyj10 , Eaton Bray, United Kingdom, 28/11/2012 15:58

Click to rate Rating 9

Look at those trains in that first photo, it's almost like science fiction...Massive snarling beasts....But, men built those, Mankind......Amazing....Ever wonder, who built the first metal lathe? ...I did, then I remembered, I have the power of the web at my fingertips and 'Bing'd it' ..(I don't use google anymore) The Metal Lathe, an amazing invention in istelf.

- Scar , City, 28/11/2012 15:55

Click to rate Rating 5

Stories like these are why I keep coming back to this DM page amongst all the depravity. I'm familiar with Mr Liniks works being a train buff and living in Virginia. The bullet nosed Norfolk and Western J class locomotive you see here in several photos is my favorite. The #611 J class is in a museum in Roanoke and used to run excursions up into the early 90's. There are several awesome videos on Youtube of her pulling excursion trains here in VA. Baron Von Orlock, I live near the CSX mainline and the horns today are not so romantic. We get up to four trains an hour it can keep you from sleeping..

- Andrew_59 , Arlington, United States, 28/11/2012 15:32

Click to rate Rating 13

I've come across this chaps work before - he's a magician with light & composition and all long before the digital age. Wonderfully atmospheric.

- Hellsdonkeys , Chelmsford, 28/11/2012 15:24

Click to rate Rating 17

The first link in the story is missing an "h" at the beginning.

- Tayvl , Arlington, 28/11/2012 15:13

Click to rate Rating 1

Ginestera, I was going to say the same as you. Also he used 4 x 5 inch plate cameras, as can be seen, not Rolleiflexs. Did you know his second wife was twice convicted of stealing and trying to sell his photographs?

- Iron Felix , Cannes, France, 28/11/2012 15:07

Click to rate Rating 8

I used to live about half a mile from active train tracks. There was nothing more soothing and kind of romantic than hearing the distant sound of a train passing by as you lay in bed at night.

- Baron Von Orlock , New York, 28/11/2012 15:07

Click to rate Rating 17

Fab...

- Rusty , England, United Kingdom, 28/11/2012 15:01

Click to rate Rating 17

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