Experiencing Interruptions?

And Then There Was One

And Then There Was One is a feature-length documentary film focusing on the history of a unique steam locomotive and the people who have cared for her.

The documentary follows Southern Railway #4501 from her birth in 1911 all the way to her modern day operation at the Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum in Chattanooga. Along the way, the film tells the stories of the men and women who took extraordinary steps to preserve and operate the locomotive.

The past is alive today because countless people sacrificed their resources to preserve it for future generations. Their stories are always heart-warming, sometimes comical, and downright triumphant.

  • Evan Lofback
    Director
  • Evan Lofback
    Writer
  • Chuck Chambliss
    Producer
  • Chuck Chambliss
    Editor
  • Project Type:
    Documentary, Feature
  • Genres:
    Documentary
  • Runtime:
    1 hour 33 minutes 23 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    September 9, 2016
  • Production Budget:
    0 USD
  • Country of Origin:
    United States
  • Country of Filming:
    United States
  • Language:
    English
  • Shooting Format:
    Digital
  • Aspect Ratio:
    16:9
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    Yes
  • Student Project:
    No
  • Tennessee Valley Railfest
    Chattanooga, TN
    United States
    September 9, 2016
    Global Premiere
    Distinguished Achievement Award
Distribution Information
  • YouTube
    Country: Worldwide
    Rights: Internet
  • Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum
    Country: United States
    Rights: Video / Disc
Director Biography - Evan Lofback

Evan Lofback has been involved in amateur film-making since 2007, mostly focusing on his life-long passion: railroads.

In 2010, Lofback completed his first feature-length documentary film for a railroad museum in Florida. Following the release, Lofback worked on several other short video projects including music videos and wedding features.

His most popular project to date is And Then There Was One, the documentary film starring Southern Railway steam locomotive #4501 and the people involved in its history.

Add Director Biography
Director Statement

And Then There Was One is the culmination of two and half years of hard work and persistence. My Producer and I spent many long nights and weekends filming interviews and collecting material to convey the amazing story of a 106 year-old steam locomotive.

But the documentary is about so much more than a machine; it's about the human side of the story. Countless people sacrificed their time, resources, and energy to preserve this living reminder of the past and share it with future generations. This documentary is their story and we want to share it with the world.

The most remarkable thing about our project is that it was completed with zero funding. Expenses were kept to a minimum, and anything that did come up was paid for out of pocket. However, our lack of funding did not take away from the project in any way.

In fact, everything we acquired and everything we shot was on a volunteer basis. The people that contributed wanted to help, and that made our project so much better in the end. You can sense the strong emotions of those that contributed to this project as you watch it. That is what I am most proud of.