Louisiana Steam Train Association

08/26/2026

Today, the world lost a true friend, Mrs. Dolly Parton. We are deeply saddened by her passing and have always admired her deeply caring spirit. Dolly inspired millions across the globe through her kindness and generosity.

Most importantly to us, her love of steam trains inspired so many in the steam preservation society, reminding us that any challenge can be met with faith and passion. The authentic steam train ride at Dollywood remains one of the park’s most iconic experiences. While visiting, you can always count on seeing, hearing, and smelling the authentic steam engine as it winds its way up the mountain. Every time that lonesome whistle echoes across Dollywood, we will remember you, Dolly!

Our hearts go out to Dolly Parton’s family and to the community of Sevier County, Tennessee.

08/20/2026

Last Saturday, the crew started by exercising the drums on the Orton crane and preparing it for the upcoming Bisso tender project. The crane will be used to lift the water/fuel bunker back onto the tender frame.

Afterward, we shifted our attention to a preliminary inspection of the roller bearings on the Hankins Crew Car and the Baton Rouge and Orleans theater cars. We are developing a plan to thoroughly clean, inspect, and re-lubricate the bearings as part of our work to prepare the cars for interchange and our move to Garyville.

08/11/2026

It was a busy week of hard work and long hours for the crew, but their determination paid off. Two weeks ago #748 was moved to the back of the yard to clear space for critical track repairs. When the locomotive is not in use, we normally keep the battery system on a continuous charge, but the temporary location left us several hundred feet away from the nearest power source. Unfortunately, during this time, the batteries drained and the locomotive would not start.

The team wasted no time getting to work, spending days putting in the manual labor to run temporary power lines and hook everything up to a generator to start the charging process. By Saturday morning, while the batteries finished topping off, the crew pivoted to tackle much-needed yard maintenance, clearing all the high grass along the tracks caused by the recent heavy rains.

All that collective sweat and determination paid off late Saturday afternoon. Locomotive #748 fired right up, and the crew successfully maneuvered the 160 Ton Orton crane back into its proper position. A massive thank you to the crew for powering through a long, demanding week to get our equipment back where it belongs!

Next week, the team takes on the big task of moving the water and fuel bunker back into the tender frame of the Bisso locomotive. Once this is complete, we can finally move the Bisso locomotive and the Discovery car to a new location.

07/29/2026

Despite the hot weather and a smaller crew, we checked off some projects during another productive work session. Building on the track repairs completed during last week’s session, we added and tamped ballast on the recently repaired section, continuing the progress toward reopening the line. Once our Orton Crane is back in position, we'll be ready for the next major milestone—reassembling the Bisso Tender.

The Takeuchi track loader, generously provided by one of our members, made its official debut at the yard with its new root rake attachment. It quickly proved its value by clearing brush and debris on the north side of the yard, revealing a large concrete pad that extends much farther than we've seen in years. The additional hard-surfaced area will provide much-needed space for equipment and material as we work on moving. Having this extra ground will give us greater flexibility and help maximize our available workspace in the months ahead.

Every work session brings us closer to our restoration goals, and it's exciting to see the progress taking shape.

Help keep railroad history moving forward - lasta.org/volunteer

07/20/2026

07/14/2026

Last weekend, members of the LASTA crew relocated the Orton crane and passenger gondola farther up the line in the yard. This move will allow for much-needed track work on a section requiring new ties, improving stability and access to the Bisso steam engine.

However, work was cut short by a period of heavier rainfall that caused minor flash flooding in the yard. During the storm, crew members sheltered in place until conditions improved and it was safe to resume operations.

LASTA is always accepting new members who are anxious to get their hands onto historical pieces of equipment and help keep the mission alive. If you are interested in joining our team or supporting our mission, visit https://lasta.org/volunteer/ for more information and opportunities to help!

07/11/2026

As we continue working to relocate our equipment, volunteers recently took another look at the New York Central No. 8975, a baggage-dormitory car built in 1948 for the New York Central Railroad as part of their postwar streamlined fleet.

We are open to reasonable offers from qualified museums, preservation groups, railroads, or private owners who can relocate and preserve the car. Could No. 8975 be a good fit for your collection, operating consist, or preservation project? Send us a message—we would be glad to discuss it.

The car remains in fair mechanical condition but its original interior was removed many years ago. Before it could move in interchange service, it would require a mechanical inspection and brake-system repairs or upgrades.

We hope No. 8975 will find a new home where its New York Central and streamlined passenger heritage can be preserved and shared.

07/07/2026

This week at the LASTA yard, volunteers took the first step toward preparing a historic steam locomotive tender for a possible transfer to another preservation organization. The crew repositioned the tender so we can better inspect its trucks, bearings, brakes, couplers, and overall condition before any future move.

Research suggests—although it has not yet been conclusively confirmed—that the tender may have originally served behind Atlanta & West Point No. 430, a Baldwin-built 2-8-2 Heavy Mikado constructed in 1944. In his October 20, 2024, Trains Magazine article, “Atlanta & West Point Locomotives Remembered,” Brian Schmidt describes No. 430 as having a large 12-wheel tender riding on two three-axle trucks. Built to maximize mainline run times, the massive tender held 18,000 gallons of water and 18 tons of coal, making it heavier when fully loaded than the locomotive itself! This massive footprint gives it the imposing look of a tender built for a much larger Berkshire-type locomotive.

By 1954, as dieselization swept the West Point Route, the locomotive was scrapped. However, because steam wrecking cranes required substantial fuel and water support at active jobsites, the tender was reportedly salvaged and assigned to the Montgomery wreck train. There, it supported A&WP No. 2, a 100-ton Bucyrus steam wrecking crane which is also preserved at the LASTA yard.

Years later, both the crane and tender were generously donated, remaining together at our yard for more than four decades. Today, as we carefully assess its condition, this remarkable survivor stands ready to begin an exciting new chapter in railroad preservation. Stay tuned for updates as this project moves forward!