We attempt to compile and run a simple FORTRAN program on our vintage 1959 IBM mainframe computer at the Computer History Museum. FORTRAN is a big stretch for this business oriented machine, with 16k memory and a CPU not meant at all for  scientific applications. Even integer multiply and divide instructions are  an optional feature on the base machine!  Success not guaranteed.

Simulation and programming environment available here: https://github.com/lucaseverini/ROPE.

Mike Albaugh has made a page that explains how to run the same demonstration in the SIMH simulation: http://nulli.us/f1401/package.html

Some pointers on how to start programming the IBM 1401 on my website (work in progress): https://www.curiousmarc.com/computing/ibm-1401-mainframe/ibm-1401-programming

Details on this implementation of FORTRAN: http://ibm-1401.info/1401-IBM-Systems-Journal-FORTRAN.html
IBM 1401 FORTRAN compiler source code: http://ibm-1401.info/1401-FORTRAN-Illustrated.html
E-mail exchanges with the original developers of the…