Heart of New Orleans Train

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nemo
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Heart of New Orleans Train

Post by nemo » Thu Oct 05, 2017 8:33 pm

Many moons ago when I was a kid, I remember playing in the park with friends on a rusty old locomotive. My uncle Bill would tell me stories of when he conducted his train (Union Pacific) from New Orleans to the yard in Shreveport loaded with oil and grain then back with goods and fruits from the west coast. He worked in the "new era" of diesel electric but always loved steam because his father conducted a steam locomotive from 12yo till he died in his 50's. He tracked down the bell from his fathers train to New York where the train was scrapped and bought it, it hangs in his yard till this day - even through Katrina. Fast forward some 25-30 years while visiting back home, my mom tells me that my uncle Bill is working on a train for the Louisiana Bicentennial Celebration that will be used for the event. It was the same train engine in the park we played on for years. I was aboard when it was moved a mile and a half to the restoration spot across Hwy 90 which hasn't seen a train in 20 years. I got to work on the train using a needle scalier to remove rust from the fire box and help set new hot forged rivets to the cab. My uncle was in heaven, he loves anything train and working on one is his passion being 3rd generation railwayman (my Aunt Marie was VERY understanding about the long hours). It did the tour of the state but not under full power and needed help. Well the bicentennial came and went while the project stalled due to money and complications of restoring the old beast. Forward another 10 years of so, last night my mom calls and said Uncle Bill is going to be on the news with his train. The restoration is complete and 745 is fully operational. Wish I could go down there for a ride. I will post more info when I find it. Also I know I have a picture of me and friends circa '72 on the train for laughs!<



br /><br /><br />http://www.fox8live.com/story/36514834/ ... ive-745<br /><br />Article:<br /><br /><span id="WNStoryDateline">NEW ORLEANS, LA (WVUE) - </span></span></span><p>It's 130 tons of rolling steel - a classic 90-year-old oil-burning, steam-powered locomotive that has reclaimed its place on the rails of Louisiana.</p><p>“The engine was actually built in Algiers at the Southern Pacific shops,” said Bill Morris.</p><p>She was built in 1921. And there was 11 of them built in Algiers. She is the only surviving Louisiana-built standard gauge locomotive in existence, and she is on the National Register of Historic Places.</p><p>Morris is no stranger to trains. He's a fourth-generation engineer who worked 27 years for the Union Pacific Railroad. Now he volunteers his time to work on the restored number 745.</p><p>“These two controls here are the brakes,” Morris said. “The upper one is for the whole train, the lower one is just for the engine. This right here is the throttle that controls the steam that goes to the cylinders where they create the power. This over here is a reverser. This is reverse and all the way forward is forward.”</p><p>Sitting across from the engineer, the fireman, Danny Rawinsky, maintains the delicate balance of heat and steam.</p><p>"Time to add water,” Rawinsky said. “Not critical, but it's time to add water. I gave it 15 seconds of water, we've now got about three and three quarters bolts. I added about a quarter of a bolt.”</p><p>If you grew up in New Orleans anytime from the late 1950s to the early 80s, there's a good chance you saw this engine. For nearly 30 years number 745 was on display in the back of Audubon Park. But after years of fun, the old engine deteriorated, was fenced off, and then removed from the park.&nbsp; It was a group of railroad enthusiasts with the Louisiana Steam Train Association who saved the 745 from the scrap yard.</p><p>“It's like anything in history,” Morris said. “She's a big part of history.&nbsp; This is actually an operating museum piece, is what it is.”</p><p>With the help of a federal grant, the New Orleans-built locomotive was put back in near-mint condition and toured the state in 2004 as part of the bicentennial celebration.&nbsp;</p><p>“You've got hundreds of kids out there waving at you going by, there is an emotional bond that that pushes these volunteers to keep the old engine running,” Morris said.</p><p>“I like old things, and I like history,” Rawinsky said. “And their reward is being able to share this impressive, rolling piece of history.”</p><p>You can climb aboard the historic steam engine at Audubon Park's Steam Fest, scheduled for Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 14-15.
Last edited by nemo on Thu Oct 05, 2017 9:39 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Oh, how so high they fly........ only further to fall.

-Life

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nemo
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Heart of New Orleans Train

Post by nemo » Thu Oct 05, 2017 8:38 pm

Here’s a long view and interview with my uncle Bill.

BONUS: time mark 0:17-0:20 the building in the background is Ochsner Hospital where I was born (built up and expanded since then).


https://youtu.be/0_78z-PBXZg
Oh, how so high they fly........ only further to fall.

-Life

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