Southern Pacific 745

Last updated
Southern Pacific (T&NO) 745
Steamfest07Choochoo4.jpg
SP 745 receiving visitors at "The Butterfly", Audubon Park, New Orleans, 2007
Type and origin
Power typeSteam
BuilderAlgiers Shops of Southern Pacific Company
Build dateFebruary 1921
Specifications
Configuration:
   Whyte 2-8-2
   UIC 1′D1′ h2
Gauge 4 ft 8+12 in (1,435 mm)
Leading dia. 33 in (838 mm)
Driver dia.63 in (1,600 mm)
Trailing dia. 42 in (1,067 mm)
Length84 feet (including tender)
Axle load 54,200 lb (24.6 t)
Adhesive weight 213,380 lb (96.8 t)
Loco weight285,980 lb (129.7 t)
Total weight442,080 lb (200.5 t)
Fuel typeFuel oil
Fuel capacity3,800 US gal (14,000 L; 3,200 imp gal)
Water cap.10,000 US gal (38,000 L; 8,300 imp gal)
Firebox:
  Grate area70.4 sq ft (6.54 m2)
Boiler pressure200 psi (1.38 MPa)
Heating surface3,974 sq ft (369.2 m2)
Superheater:
  Heating area865 sq ft (80.4 m2)
Cylinders 2
Cylinder size 26 in × 28 in (660 mm × 711 mm)
Valve gear Walschaerts
Performance figures
Maximum speed60 mph (97 km/h)
Tractive effort 51,076 lbf (227.20 kN)
Factor of adh. 4.18
Career
Operators Southern Pacific Lines
Class Mk-5
Retired1956
RestoredDecember 2004
Current ownerLouisiana Steam Train Association
DispositionUndergoing FRA 15 year inspection/overhaul
Southern Pacific Steam Locomotive #745
USA Louisiana location map.svg
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Usa edcp location map.svg
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Location Timbermill Museum, Garyville, LA
Coordinates 30°03′31″N90°37′07″W / 30.0587°N 90.6186°W / 30.0587; -90.6186
NRHP reference No. 98001077 [1]
Added to NRHPSeptember 4, 1998

Southern Pacific 745 is a preserved 2-8-2 steam locomotive that was fabricated at the Southern Pacific Railroad's Algiers Shops at Algiers Point directly across the Mississippi River from New Orleans. With a 2-8-2 wheel configuration, 745 was built as a freight engine for the Southern Pacific Railroad Company. The locomotive returned to service in 2004 after a restoration period. It is currently the only operating steam locomotive in Louisiana. After being located in Jefferson, Louisiana for many years, it was moved [ when? ] to the Timbermill Museum in nearby Garyville.

Contents

History

Historic significance

SP 745 is regarded as a classic among steam locomotives and is on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places. [2] [3]

Revenue service

Although the Southern Pacific’s (SP) Algiers Shops' primary function was the repair and service of locomotives, the demands of World War I caused the Shop to begin limited construction of locomotives. Among these were twelve locomotives that were part of the SP’s Class Mk-5 Mikado-type locomotives, numbered 738 to 749. [5]

SP 745 transported primarily freight (owing to its relatively slow speed capabilities) throughout Louisiana and Texas during its tenure from 1921 until 1956. However, the locomotive was also used to transport soldiers during World War II. Although it was always painted "Southern Pacific" or "Southern Pacific Lines", it actually worked for SP subsidiaries. The state of Texas had a law that required railroads operating in the state to be based there. SP owned the Galveston, Harrisburg, & San Antonio, and sent 745 to work for it. Later 745 worked for another Texas-based, SP-owned line, the Texas and New Orleans Railroad. In these roles, 745 operated mostly between east Texas and the east end of the SP system in New Orleans.

In 1956, the locomotive completed its final journey by its own steam when it retired to Audubon Park in Uptown New Orleans, where it remained until 1984. There are three other surviving Mk-5 class 2-8-2s(Numbers 771, 786, and 794), but No. 745 remains as the last locomotive from the Mk-5s built by the SP’s Algiers Shops.

Excursion service

After Southern Pacific retired 745 in 1956, it was donated and placed on display in Audubon Park in New Orleans. It remained there until 1984, when it was removed to make room for expansion of the Audubon Zoo. Ownership was transferred to the Old Kenner Railroad Association (OKRA). After OKRA disbanded, Louisiana Railway Heritage Trust assumed ownership. The locomotive is currently leased to the Louisiana Steam Train Association (LASTA). In 2001, they had obtained enough donations and grants to begin a several year restoration project with volunteers and professional crews.

In December 2004, SP 745 conducted its first main-line operations in forty-eight years, running to Reserve, LA and back over the Kansas City Southern Railway with William H. Johnson, engineer and David Bartee, fireman, as engine crew. Since then SP 745 has visited many areas around the state of Louisiana and southwest Mississippi as well as Kansas City, Missouri. Each year during Gretna Fest, 745 finds itself only a few miles from its birthplace on the old SP line.

In media

SP 745 has been used in several films, including two major motion picture, the Brad Pitt / Cate Blanchett movie The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, for which it was painted to look like a Southern Railway locomotive, and Jonah Hex, where it took on characteristics of a much older locomotive.

See also

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Southern Pacific 786 is a preserved 2-8-2 "Mikado" type steam locomotive that was constructed at the American Locomotive Company's Brooks Works in New York. It was used to pull mainline freight trains by the Texas and New Orleans Railroad, a subsidiary of the Southern Pacific Railroad, until it was removed from service in 1955, and it was donated to the city of Austin, Texas the following year. Beginning in 1989, No. 786 was leased to the Austin Steam Train Association, who restored it to operating condition, and the locomotive was used to pull excursion trains on the Austin Western Railroad until 1999. Since 2000, crews have been performing an extensive rebuild on No. 786 to bring it back to service, and as of 2023, the rebuild continues to progress.

References

  1. "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places . National Park Service. November 2, 2013.
  2. "National Register of Historic Preservation". National Park Service. 1998. Retrieved 18 May 2016.
  3. "Louisiana Division of Historic Preservation". State of Louisiana. 1998. Retrieved 18 May 2016.
  4. Drury, George H (1993). Guide to North American Steam Locomotives . Kalmbach Books. ISBN   9780890242063.
  5. 1 2 Edward Weinstein. "SteamLocomotive.com". Archived from the original on 12 June 2013. Retrieved 18 May 2016.
  6. 1 2 "SP 745". Louisiana Steam Train Association. 13 August 2018. Archived from the original on January 4, 2019. Retrieved January 4, 2019.
  7. "Accident or Murder? The Paisano Pass Train Mystery".
  8. "Terrellmuseum.info".