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 Story and Photos By Ken Hulsey During my lunch break, I explored the sites where the old Louisiana & Arkansas (KCS) and Southern Pacific railroad depots once stood, just south of downtown Alexandria. These sites were once bustling railroad hubs, but today only their foundations remain, the structures having been demolished. To the casual observer, the sites would appear to be nothing more than an abandoned parking lot or old car dealership - in fact, I drove by the former Southern Pacific depot numerous times without ever noticing it, until a colleague pointed it out to me.

 While exploring Metairie yesterday, I used Google Maps to find the old Southern Pacific steam locomotive that I knew was stored nearby. The twisting maze of narrow streets and parking lots led me to the Louisiana Steam Train Association, wedged between two hospital parking lots. This organization's vintage railroad equipment was housed on old railroad sidings.

DAYLIGHT SPECIAL - Ready To Run Electric Train Set - HO Scale. There are few trains more evocative of the golden era of railroading than the Southern Pacific™ Daylight. Displaying vibrant tones of orange, white, and red, evoking a Pacific Coast sunset, the Daylight streamliners operated express services between Los Angeles and San Francisco, while locomotives carrying the same scheme could be found across Southern Pacific™ rails, from Portland, Oregon, to New Orleans, Louisiana. With the Daylight Special set, you can relive the glorious era of western streamlined steam in HO scale. Features Include; Southern Pacific™ GS-4 4-8-4 steam locomotive with smoke and operating headlight, 72’ smooth-side baggage car, 85’ smooth-side coach with interior lighting, 85’ smooth-side observation car with interior lighting, 81” x 45” oval of snap-fit E-Z Track, power pack and speed controller, illustrated instruction manual. $333.92 @ Amazon.com - Order Here Complete Ready To Run Passenger Train Set P...

 There is one thing that you can say with 100% certainty, the state and local governments here in Louisiana don't give a crap about this states railroad history. While most states treasure their existing historical artifacts, like vintage steam locomotives, entities in Louisiana are perfectly happy to have them cut up into scrap metal or stash them somewhere they are neglected and rust away into dust.  A couple of years back I wrote a piece about the sad fate of Illinois Central 0-6-0 Steam Locomotive #333 that used to be prominently displayed across from the original state capitol in Baton Rouge that ended up on the grounds of a now closed museum in Tioga. That locomotive is now an abandoned relic that is slowly rusting away . This locomotive is still actually owned by the state of Louisiana who has no plans to move it or restore it. They seem very content to let this piece of Louisiana railroad history rot, which is a tragic shame. Today I learned about another tragedy...

 From The Golden State Railroad Museum On September 4th and 5th, Southern Pacific 2472 will return to the rails for excursion runs on the old Northwestern Pacific Railroad between Schellville and the Napa River. This is a must-attend event as 2472 will be going out of service at the end of this year for her 15 year boiler rebuild. Additionally, this will be the first steam powered passenger train on NWP in almost 70 years! You will have the opportunity to ride behind the engine in either a restored SP commute gallery car or our wonderful art deco tavern lounge car, the 2979 (ages 21 and up). Ticket prices will be $70 and $100 respectively with seating being on a first come, first serve basis. There will be 4 round trips per day on both days with each trip lasting an hour and a half. This is an out-and-back excursion with trains departing Schellville at 10 a.m., 12 p.m., 2 p.m. and 4 p.m. We will also have our Union Pacific RPO car on display where you can find our gift shop and tak...

 Like many Americans I first fell in love with ex Southern Pacific GS-4 steam locomotive #4449 way back in 1976 when it was chosen as one of several restored such locomotives to pull the American Freedom Train on its tour of the country. Known to many as the Queen of Steam #4449 rolled off the assembly line at Lima Locomotive Works in Lima, Ohio eighty years ago this week. Within ten days of being delivered to the Southern Pacific Railroad in California the locomotive was put into service pulling the lines prestigious 'Daylight'  passenger trains traveling between Los Angeles and San Francisco. The famed locomotive would continue to pull these twice-a-day passenger trains until the early 1950s when diesel locomotives began to outnumber steamers. 4449 would spend the twilight of its service on the Southern Pacific pulling less famous passenger trains and an occasional freight train in California's central valley area until it was retired in 1956. In 1958 the locomotive was d...