Author: 745
SP 745 Historic Freight Pull On The NOGC HAS BEEN POSTPONED!!!
IT’S STILL GOING TO HAPPEN..BUT NOT NEXT WEEK AS WE HOPED!!!
The New Orleans and Gulf Coast Railroad has just told us that they are not expecting a grain train on the property until late October or sometime in November. The NOGC says we will get approximately 5 days notice on when a grain train is on the way and we will give all of you that same notice as well as a projected date and time for this historic run.
Again…those of you who have been sitting on the sidelines waiting to hear if this historic event will happen, now is the time to make that all important donation to help the Louisiana Steam Train Association defray the enormous cost of this freight run. Many thousands of you have seen our post on Facebook and posted your excitement about this rare event. So think about it! If each one of you turns that excitement about our special steam freight excursion into a simple 1 dollar donation on our GoFundMe page…we would have more than enough money to pay for this once in a lifetime railroad event AND, with any extra money above and beyond the cost of this event, we would be well on our way toward the cost of rebuilding SP 745’s boiler next year as required by the FRA.
As previously stated, if for any reason this freight pull does not occur, your request for a refund will be honored. Rest assured, as soon as we get an exact date and time, you will be notified.
So how about it EVERYBODY! Click on our GoFundMe page and donate just 1 dollar and more if you can! Thanks! LASTA (Louisiana Steam Train Association)
SP 745 To Make Historic Freight Pull On The NOGC

So those of you who have been sitting on the sidelines waiting to hear if this historic event will
Many thousands of you have seen our post on Facebook and posted your excitement about this rare event. So think about it! If each one of you turns that excitement about our special steam freight excursion into a simple 1 dollar donation on our GoFundMe page…we would have more than enough money to pay for this once in a lifetime railroad event AND, with any extra money above and beyond the cost of this event, we would be well on our way toward the cost of rebuilding SP 745’s boiler next year as required by the FRA.
As previously stated, if for any reason this freight pull does not occur, your request for a refund will be honored. Rest assured, as soon as we get an exact date and time, you will be notified.
So how about it EVERYBODY! Click on our GoFundMe page and donate just 1 dollar and more if you can.
Thanks!
LASTA
AUG 2018 Steam Up Post Card
Did you receive our recent postcard for the Steam Up? If so, please let us know when it was delivered. This will help us better plan for future events.
745 Freight Run Update
Initial projections that the NOGC would have an empty grain train for SP 745 to pull this spring did not pan out but the railway expects there will be several opportunities for this to happen in the late Summer and Fall when grain season resumes.
As we have stated all along if for some reason the planned steam freight excursion does not happen WE WILL REFUND YOUR DONATION!
In the meantime, we will keep you posted as to exactly when this special steam freight excursion is expected to take place in August or September.
Thanks for your patience and understanding! And THANK YOU for your donations!
LASTA (Louisiana Steam Train Association)
LASTA Website – www.lasta.org
Offical Facebook Page – https://www.facebook.com/745Steam/
Go Fund Me – https://www.gofundme.com/sp745
SP 745 Freight Run
Santa’s North Pole Steam Train
DECEMBER 2017
Santa’s North Pole Steam Train
December 16, 2017 – It was a magical day for a few in the city of New Orleans as SP 745, the last surviving steam engine built in Louisiana, headed out onto the main line. Operated by the Louisiana Steam Train Association (LASTA), SP 745 had a special mission as Santa’s North Pole Steam Train.
Children and adults alike were enchanted with this one-time holiday experience as SP 745 steamed from the Fly (near Audubon Park) to Blaine Kern’s Mardi Gras World. Once there, passengers disembarked and enjoyed a festive holiday party with hot cocoa and cookies along with a special showing of everyone’s favorite Christmas movie, The Polar Express!
After the movie, SP 745 chugged her way to the foot of Canal Street to pick up that jolly old man himself, Santa Claus! As the special train headed back to the Fly, Santa handed out a special gift and invitation to all onboard to come to LASTA’s annual Christmas Party at the railyard the following day. Additionally, each ticket holder received a 2018 LASTA family membership at no charge.
The crew of SP 745 would like to extend special thanks to the New Orleans Public Belt Railroad and its employees who worked with LASTA to make this event a great success. And, a very special thank you to all the passengers for taking a holiday trip!
For more information on SP 745, LASTA and future events, please see www.lasta.org.
Steam Up
Christmas Party
DEC 17, 2016 | 11 AM to 4 PM at the LASTA Yard
- Ride our Steam Train and our new restored Speeder
- Live Music
- Refreshments
- Gift Shop
- Santa Arrives at 12:30 PM
2016 Steamfest
Steam Fest Is Back!!!
After several years on hiatus due to major levee reconstruction on The Fly at Audubon Park, Southern Pacific Steam Locomotive #745 returns! It’s the 2016 Steam Train Festival! The historic engine and her exhibit train will be parked on the rails at “The Fly” for all to see Saturday and Sunday, October 15th and 16th from 9 am to 5 pm both days.
SP 745 is the star attraction of Steam Fest! The nearly 100-year-old steam engine was built just across the river in Algiers in 1921 and is the only surviving Louisiana built steam locomotive. The old girl sat as a cold, static display in Audubon Park from 1956 to 1984 when she was pulled out of the park to make room for the expansion of Audubon Zoo.
Now 745 returns to Audubon Park as a hot, living, breathing, steaming, fully restored blast from the past! Visitors will be able to view this monstrous mechanical marvel and climb aboard 745 to blow her whistle and see how a real steam engine operates. Steam Fest is a rare chance to experience a unique and significant piece of New Orleans and Louisiana railroad history up close and personal.
But that’s not all! Showcased inside our theatre cars will be a special exhibit of the many historical monuments of New Orleans and their creators. The exhibit will cover monuments to real people erected from before the Civil War to the present. There will also be displays on the New Orleans Public Belt Railroad as well as the Louisiana Steam Train Association (LASTA) which maintains and operates SP 745.
As always, music is an integral part of the entertainment at Steam Fest. Hazel and the Delta Ramblers, a Steam Fest favorite, will perform along with three other musical groups…Bob and The Thunder, River Rats and Jenn Howard and Band. There will also be a bounce house and rock wall climbing to add to the excitement for the kids! Of course, Steam Fest would not be the same without good food, liquid refreshments and railroad related gifts!
All are welcome to come out, enjoy and support a special piece of living Louisiana railroad history at the 2016 Steam Train Festival!


2016 Gretna Fest
SP 745 APPEARANCE AT THE 2016 GRETNA FEST HAS BEEN CANCELLED
Due to circumstances beyond our control, historic Southern Pacific Steam Locomotive # 745 and train WILL NOT appear at this year’s Gretna Fest! We regret any inconvenience this may have caused.
Please look for SP 745 and her exhibit train at STEAM FEST! Check back here at www.LASTA.org for the very latest on STEAM FEST, scheduled for Saturday and Sunday, October 15th and 16th, 9 am to 5 pm both days on The Fly at Audubon Park!
Steam Up
If you are in the area, please feel free to stop by the yard this weekend. It will be an excellent opportunity to see the work in progress.
2015 Christmas Party
745 club members will be able to sit in the engineer’s seat and run the locomotive. Not a member – ask us how!
Gretna Heritage Festival
SP-745 Model Train Raffle
On August 5, 2012, the winning ticket for the SP-745 model train raffle was drawn. The winner, Silas Cunningham of New Orleans, was notified and was quite surprised at his luck.
Steam Fest
Christmas Party
- Date: Saturday December 3, 2011
- Time: 1pm to 4 pm
- Place: LASTA Yard 1501 Jefferson Hwy Jefferson, LA 70121
Yard Update
Track one was removed a few weeks ago. Track 3 and 4 have been gone for nearly a year.
LASTA General Meeting
The General Meeting will be held on Thursday, November 3, 2011 in the Jefferson car. The general meeting will be followed by the Board meeting. The meeting is open to all member and begins at 6 pm.