I wonder if a steam run between Baton Rouge and New Orleans would work?
I have this funny notion that if there an interesting destination then you'd get more riders. There used to be a run between Houston and Galveston with steam, but I never got to ride it. How was the ridership on it?
I agree that you have to have open cars otherwise the riders dont get the benefits of it being steam powered. The Tarantula train has a couple of open cars and you can hear 2248 well.
Another thing, around New Orleans theres several bridges to cross, and I remember there is a line that is elevated way up in the air (I remember seeing a frieght train on it). Now that would make a great ride.
Alan

alan@mcneese.edu

> I wonder if a steam run between Baton Rouge
> and New Orleans would work?

Might be a great ride, but impossible. Traffic density and yard congestion way too great.

> I wonder if a steam run between Baton Rouge
> and New Orleans would work?

As someone else mentioned; the amount of traffic is too great.

My dream ride? To take the round trip aboard the Steamboat Natchez, then catch one of the N.O. streetcars to board 745. Three modes of transportation, two of them steam; with either lunch or dinner aboard the Natchez depending on whether you are riding it at the beginning or end.

> I have this funny notion that if there an
> interesting destination then you'd get more
> riders. There used to be a run between
> Houston and Galveston with steam, but I
> never got to ride it. How was the ridership
> on it?

The Texas Eagle was pulled by a diesel; I think the Transportation Museum in Galveston only operated #555 briefly.

Main problem with that trip was that the Houston end was at a point midway between downtown and Bellaire in the middle of nowhere. It added additional time to the trip; and called for only one trip a day instead of two.

When Minutemaid Park was being built in downtown Houston; there was talk of having a special train come from Galveston and stop at Union Station for the game. Unfortunately, it was not to be; a tremendous opportunity lost.

> I agree that you have to have open cars
> otherwise the riders dont get the benefits
> of it being steam powered. The Tarantula
> train has a couple of open cars and you can
> hear 2248 well.

We have ridden the short ride inside of Ft. Worth; not very scenic but still nice. We have not ridden the longer ride to Grapevine; that will probably be a very nice ride.

> Another thing, around New Orleans theres
> several bridges to cross, and I remember
> there is a line that is elevated way up in
> the air (I remember seeing a frieght train
> on it). Now that would make a great ride.

That would be the Huey P. Long bridge; the longest railroad bridge in the world. (I believe helpers used to be needed to cross it.) It would be nice; but once again, it is too vital a link to tie up with a special like that.

-James Hefner
Hebrews 10:20a

james@survivingworldsteam.com

> I wonder if a steam run between Baton Rouge
> and New Orleans would work?
> I have this funny notion that if there an
> interesting destination then you'd get more
> riders. There used to be a run between
> Houston and Galveston with steam, but I
> never got to ride it. How was the ridership
> on it?
> I agree that you have to have open cars
> otherwise the riders dont get the benefits
> of it being steam powered. The Tarantula
> train has a couple of open cars and you can
> hear 2248 well.
> Another thing, around New Orleans theres
> several bridges to cross, and I remember
> there is a line that is elevated way up in
> the air (I remember seeing a frieght train
> on it). Now that would make a great ride.
> Alan

The train you speak of between Houston and Galveston was the Texas Limited,and the train was only steam powered on Galveston Island itself. The route was on the Union Pacific line between Houston and Galveston.

running steam between Baton Rouge would be next to impossible,due to the fact a Class One(KCS)owns it and the line handles many hazardous chemicals. The insurance requirements would be,well huge if the KCS would allow it at all.

kbcotton@flash.net

> Perhaps someone closer to "ground
> zero" disagree; but I think the biggest
> problem with the former "Big Easy"
> Steam Train was lack of advertising.

> I tried to find the train itself on my way
> to ride the Steamboat Natchez (another steam
> ride in the New Orleans area that appears to
> be doing well.) The were no signs anywhere;
> the train itself was not in New Orleans, but
> on a siding just off LA Highway 1 in Bell
> Chase. There were no signs on Interstate 10
> (the main route for most tourists)
> advertising the train; (not even the blue
> attractions signs!) and you would not have
> just "stumbled on it" accidently.
> The train also shut down in March or April;
> just before the after-school vacation season
> was about to start, but before it started to
> get hot along the Gulf Coast.

> Looking out from New Orleans, I don't even
> know what the nearest working steam is east
> of New Orleans. To the North, there is a
> Crown running in Jackson, LA; but other than
> the Delta Queen and Mississippi Queen there
> is nothing else until you get to Cotton Belt
> 819 in Arkansas. To the west, you got the
> Texas State Railroad in Rusk, Texas; the
> steam engines at Six Flags outside of
> Dallas; a short run by a steam train at a
> museum in San Antonio; and hopefully the
> Austin Steam Train Association in Ceder Park
> next year.

> I find it hard to believe with the
> population centers of New Orleans, Baton
> Rouge, Lafayette, Gulfport and Boluxi(sp)
> within a two hour drive, and the flow of
> tourists through the area that a steam train
> operation cannot work in New Orleans. (There
> is a lot more to do and see in New Orleans
> and along the Mississippi than gambling.)
> The Texas State Railroad in Rusk does well
> without a major city nearby, and it is also
> a pretty hot ride in the summer.

> -James Hefner
> Hebrews 10:20a

Hi, this being my first post to this website, please allow me a simple introduction. I am Mark Vizzini, who at the time of the Big Easy Steam Train operation was then president of the Louisiana State Railroad Museum (Sister organization to the trust that owns SP 745). That being said, I think I can claim to being at least close to "Ground Zero" for 1744. The Big Easy Steam Train was a Godsend to local railfans, though it's chance at success was doomed from a number of circumstances. To begin, plans to open as a late Summer or Autumn attraction were postponed with unforeseen delays in 1744's completion and delivery. About that time, I met with the marketing director and proposed a number of possible joint-ventures between the museum and Big Easy. Then, en route to Belle Chasse, LA from refurbishing, three of four passengers cars were put on the ground in a switchyard mishap. Of the five, newly painted F-units received by the New Orleans Gulf Coast (of which at least one was earmarked for work with 1744), two were mechanically skin and bones with a third needing a disappointing amount of work to make her usable. Lacking turnarounds on either end of the proposed Big Easy excursion route, the plan was for the F-unit to lead in one direction and 1744 for the other, in a push-pull mode. I was there when 1744 was download from a flatcar in near-sleet weather - the dead of winter. When an opening date in late winter was announced, the bulk of advertising was an ad running in the local paper. By that time, creating further fanfare with cooperative efforts from the museum went completely ignored. My phone calls were dodged, my voicemail messages and emails never prompted a single response. And I heard of other such failed efforts of tourism people to welcome the Big Easy, such as the owner/operators of Blain Kern's Mardi Gras World (whose tourism attraction location has the rails of the NOGC literally at its doorstep). I was also there for opening day as The Big Easy Steam Train was an unusual sight. The pretty, burgundy-painted F-10 was led by an older, aesthetically lacking, leased F-7 because at least the F-7 was reliable. Then, because repairs were still ongoing with the derailed coaches, two closed, split-level, commuter cars were leased to provide seating for passengers. Then rounding out the other end was 1744, which never seemed appropriate to be pulled backwards. I'll never understand the expectations to attract ample ridership with pricing to ride in the closed cars through a heavily trafficked industrial corridor with sparse greenery to be set at a whopping $36 a ride. You can ride in the cab of steamer 610 at Tennessee Valley for something like $18-20. Adding insult to injury, riders were allowed little chance to enjoy the end terminus and reversal of direction because it was in the streets of a dirty, blighted area of questionable security. I once took a date and her son on the train and after the ride and T-shirts and such, I was down over $100, not counting a dinner far from the train. Up to the time of the departure of the marketing director, my hopes of involvement with the Big Easy went unanswered. Then, just as New Orleans was heading into its peak tourism season (and this town is a tourism Mecca!), the Big Easy announced its upcoming shutdown, a scant five months into operation. The sad part was that the acting marketing director was solidly building ridership and selling out weekend treks (they also cut the ticket pricing in half).

Looking back, a further bit of shortsightedness has come to pass as the NOGC acquired track rights from the Union Pacific to an area that nearly doubled the shortline, and takes it through the hearts of two wonderful historic areas named Gretna and Westwego that have been striving to attract tourism. THAT, would have been a near-perfect and scenic run for the Big Easy Steam Train! But the premature decision to close came from high-up with little chance of reversal. As 1744 sits under a tattered tarp in Belle Chasse awaiting purchase, I consider it a bargain at $800,000. Mr. Joe Dale Morris who was heavily involved in its rebuild and operation, did a fantastic job and made 1744 one of the finest steamers available. Had he been allowed more control in marketing decisions, things might have been a great success! He is both a railfan AND railroad man. Had the marketing director even know the concept of railfanning, things might also have been different, but who knows? I must also give kudos to the rest of the crews operating the Big Easy. They followed Joe Dale's lead as being friendly, personable and simply loving what they did! I wish the organization in control of SP 745 success, but I now hear it's doubtful if 745 shall even leave the yard. It's possibly another tribute to shortsightedness.

M. D. Vizzini

LocoMotives745@aol.com

> Had the marketing director
> even know the concept of railfanning, things
> might also have been different, but who
> knows?

That doesn't gurantee success. As has been pointed out here time and time again by people who have learned the hard way, targeting railfans is a waste of resources; there are not enough of them to make an operation financially viable.

> I wish the organization in control of SP 745
> success, but I now hear it's doubtful if 745
> shall even leave the yard. It's possibly
> another tribute to shortsightedness.

It seems more like a case of "restore it and they will come, and railroads will welcome us with open arms." That theory and tactic has been disproven more times than I can count, too.