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Columbus and
Greenville Rwy. Baldwin loco no. 601. Photo from Louis
Saillard
collection. |
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Amtrak No. 58
stops
at
Hammond, La. on a rainy February afternoon to take on passengers. |
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An afternoon
snack
perched in the window of the
Louisiana Steam Train Association (LASTA) tool car. |
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Entering CTC
territory (Hammond, La.) |
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Ever Vigilant -
Tom (left) and Wayne on watch...nothing
shall slip by these wary railfans! |
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This is the
street
side of the Amtrak depot in Hammond,
La. The mainline here is the Canadian National Railroad
(formerly Illinois Central). |
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Ex-SP steam
locomotive no. 745 steams over the Bon
Carre Spillway during its break-in run in December of 2004.
The
engine had just been restored by the Louisiana Steam Train
Association. The 745 is a class Mk-5 Mikado (2-8-2), and was
built in the Espee's shop in Algiers, La. back in 1921. She
operated on the Texas
and New Orleans subsidiary of the Southern Pacific. |
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Keith Bonnette
takes
a turn at firing the ex-SP 745
during its break-in run in December 2004. |
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A close-up study
of
(part of) the valve gear on
ex-SP 745. In 1956, the SP retired the 745 and donated her to
the
City of New Orleans. She resided in Audubon park for the next
28
years. Eventually, she was rescued from park duty, and after
a false start or two, was finally restored to a running state. |
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Ex-SP 745 prior
to
departure from Hammond, La. in May
2005. She is on the return leg of her statewide ramble, the
“Louisiana Purchase and Exploration Bicentennial
Tour”, with the
museum train in tow. |
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It's February of
2007, and the 745 is passing through City Park in Baton Rouge, La.
She has just embarked on the return leg of her shake down run
following fairly extensive repairs. She is headed for New
Orleans, her home terminal. |
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745 sashays by on a
balmy February morning.
She is limiting speed to about 10mph through this densely
populated part of town. She'll pick up the pace a mile or so
further down the track. |
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A nice open end
observation car
follows up the rear of the train, with kerosene marker
lamps resplendently displayed in the traditional fashion. |
