[ LASTA HOME
] [ ABOUT LASTA]
[ EVENTS] [ GALLERY
]
[ LINKS] [ MEMBERSHIP
] [ MEDIA ] [ STORE
] [ VOLUNTEER
]
Born
of spare parts, Engine 745 worked for the Texas and New Orleans Railroad (T&NO),
a Southern Pacific subsidiary. It was built in 1921 as one of a group of 11
“Mikado” Mk-5 class engines (2-8-2) in the Algiers shop, New Orleans,
Louisiana. By 1956, the steam era was coming to a end. As the diesel locomotives
took over her job, SP 745 was retired and donated to Audubon Park in the City
of New Orleans. Thought to be in her final resting place, she languished for
years and provided a jungle gym playground for many a child. Faded and rusting,
she was eventually vandalized, fenced off and largely forgotten.
In 1984, a group calling itself the Old Kenner Railroad Association (OKRA) managed to get the engine donated to its care and subsequently removed it from the park in hopes of an eventual restoration. Breathing new life into a neglected 70 year-old steam engine isn’t an easy task, but by 1997 some dedicated volunteers formed the Louisiana Steam Train Association to restore 745 and period passenger train cars. Along with some professional help, private and public grants, they finally got the wheels turning. In 2004, SP745 and a restored 4-car consist criss-crossed Louisiana and Mississippi on a “Louisiana Purchase and Exploration Bicentennial Tour”.
The volunteers
at the Louisiana Steam Train Association are dedicated to never letting SP 745
become a run-down, static display again. Her theatre cars are configured to
easily adjust to varied future displays. Local, state, and cross-country tours
are planned for the engine and its train set. Affiliations with local organizations
which assist and entertain sick and disadvantaged children are in process.
Meanwhile, LASTA’s volunteers work to find a new permanent home for its operations; a place where 745 can be publicly displayed with dignity and pride when it is not tour. Eventually, our dreams include a regional Railroad Museum and an annual Railroad Festival. And the plans don’t stop there. Restoration plans are in the works for the group’s other assets, including historic passenger cars and engines. Won’t you help? To join, donate or volunteer, please contact us.
We strive to educate and entertain both our members and the general public about the exciting world of steam railroading. We do this primarily through the restoration, operation, and maintenance of a historic steam locomotive. Proceeds from excursions will go to the continual restoration and maintenance of rail equipment along with helping Louisiana's children who are challenged with disabilities and hardships.
If you can provide a suitable cooler, arrange for the repair of the original cooler, or otherwise resolve our problem, please contact our Yard Superintendent, Wayne (wrm04@yahoo.com or 504-210-5692).
Copyright 2008 Louisiana Steam Train Association, New Orleans
Updated:
April 25, 2008
The Louisiana Steam Train Association (LASTA) is a 501 (c) 3 non-profit corporation.