LASTA's website mentions the locomotive being prepared for display "fired" at the Grenta Festival over October 1-3, and thanks Ellsworth Coroporation for sponsoring the trip (presumably movement to and from the festival). Did this actually happen?

Frederick G. Bailey

Here's a link to a slideshow:

http://www.kodakgallery.com/gallery/sha ... s-_-Sharee

After arrival at the Fair, they were instructed to drop the fire due to what some said was excessive smoke. 745 came home using the diesel power. And one of the switcher engineers is 19 years old. He has been with the railroad since he was 17 and loves trains! Who says there aren't any young people interested in trains any more?

Later!
Mr. Ed

Excessive smoke? Look at the pictures.

We've got to stop spoiling the modern public with all these gas-fired power plants and hybrid cars.............let them breath the same smog I did when I was a kid. It builds moral fibre...............:)

What in the world is this place coming too?

Lex. I didn't make the comment without looking at the picture. I made the comment because I was told by one of the crew that is what happened. He told me that as they were dropping the fire and they blew the whistle for the last time. It sounded so-o nice. So relax.

Later!
Mr. Ed

The 745 is making less smoke than my backyard BBQ. Whoever said that needs to be re-educated about a few things.....

Would be interesting to know just "who" ordered the fire to be dropped? LASTA's website, obviously originally written before the "drop fire order", indicated the group was looking forward to making the festival appearance an annual event. Another appearance was planned for May, 2011. Wonder if they'll be able to work things out?

Frederick G. Bailey

Maybe there are other, subtle issues that forced this decision. Maybe the train was parked in an odd location and the wind was just so, and the fumes were drifting toward some particular exhibit. If these conditions remained static for 8 hours, maybe they were too much for the adjoining exhibit. Certainly something that can be corrected for next year.

p.s. I love the smell of hot valve oil, but maybe it is uncomfortable, foreign, and possibly frightening for someone unfamiliar with it.

Umm I have seen videos of 745, going to and coming from, under steam according to their posters.

Joshua

Under steam,but under tow...

OK. Here is the reason the fires were dropped. Although there wasn't a lot of smoke to our way of thinking, you must remember that she is an oil burner. So the smoke that she was making happened to be blowing into the vendors tents who requested the fires be dropped. Now maybe the Monday morning quaterbacks here who weren't there but find it necessary to run up their post totals by responding to every post, will leave it alone.

Later!
Mr. Ed

First, a bit of history. The SP745 was built in 1921 in the New Orleans community of Algiers just downriver a mile or two from the city of Gretna. She is the last remaining Louisiana built steam locomotive. The FRA recertified her in September. The track the 745 was on during the Gretna Heritage Festival was probably the very track the engine travelled when she departed the Southern Pacific yard after her construction and during her service years until 1956. After retirement, she was on display in New Orleans Audubon Park from 1956 until 1984. The engine was finally restored by the end of 2004 under the meticulous oversight of the Louisiana Steam Train Association (LASTA). LASTA knew this engine was part of Gretna's heritage and was honored to bring her back again for the first time in over a half century. Fest officials were adamant about having the engine under fire to mark the occasion. They spent about $20K to rearrange band stages and vendor booths to provide space for us. They even went on the offensive when RR legal counsel recommended not firing the engine because of perceived liability. When it was all settled LASTA kept the engine under fire for nearly the entire fest and was able to blow the whistle early and often as a Heritage Celebration. For the record, late on October 2nd I was requested to temporarily drop the fire by the senior fest official. Without hesitation or question LASTA complied immediately for the rest of the afternoon and evening. This was our first appearance at this very popluar festival and we were not about to question the chain of command. Attendance figures are over 100,000 for this three day event. We had only one chance to make a first impression and I am proud to report we did it without any issues or hiccups due to our GCOR Safety certified crew. If you want more information on the Gretna Fest and other events in our future then please join LASTA (www.LASTA.org) for the rest of the story.

Barry Keegan
LASTA Board
Director of Marketing