> UP 3985 just left Lake Charles, LA a little
> after 8am. On board were the Mayor of Lake
> Charles, DeQuincy, and Westlake.
> You know its a wonderful world! Not only dis
> I have steam in my home town but BIG STEAM!
> Thank you UP! and all of you that keep steam
> running!
> Alan
And arrived in my town of Beaumont, Texas at about 10:30 A.M. Friday. I know there have been dozens of pictures taken of her during this trip; but I took the picture below for Ted Miles, Richard Glueck, and others interested in marine preservation as well.
It shows 3985 crossing the Neches River bridge and about to enter Beaumont, Texas. I took this picture from Riverfront Park; the diamond shaped object in the foreground is the walking beam from the steam engine of the 1861 side wheel vessel Clifton.
It was originally built for Staten Island Ferry service, but was taken over by the U.S. Navy. Renamed U.S.S. Clifton, it took part in several naval engagements in the waterways of Louisiana before having it's boiler holed by the Conferates in the battle of Sabine Pass, Texas. The Conferates repaired her and used her briefly as a gunboat before she was grounded in the Sabine River and burned to prevent recapture.
A "Surviving World Steam" moment from the "Surviving World Steam Project". My family and I also waited on the west side of Beaumont for her depature to Houston. I took what is probably the best picture I have ever taken as she blew through the Dowlen road crossing with the Douget Rice Dryer in the background. I left all of us with astonished grins on our faces; and left me with double-deck goosebumps that did not go away until much later in the evening.
My thanks as well to UP and all of the runners of steam everywhere for giving my family as well as a whole generation a view of what working steam was like.
-James Hefner
Hebrews 10:20a
Surviving World Steam Project
james@survivingworldsteam.com