I was born in 1950, right around the transition from steam to diesel. I still remember the sound of those chime whistles in the night.
I was lucky enough to live near Cincinnati, OH, then home port of the Delta Queen. I often heard it’s large 10” Lunkenheimer, whistle, which was made in Cincinnati. I also enjoyed hearing its steam calliope. Although we nearly lost the Delta Queen in 1970 due to a misinterpretation of the Safety at Sea Law, a campaign to Save the Queen prevailed and the Delta Queen was granted an exemption. Cincinnati continued as the home port of the Delta Queen through the 1970s and into the 1980s. Even when the home port was moved, the exemptions have always been granted until this year. I hope that President Elect Barack Obama can reverse Representative Oberstar’s decision.
In 1985, my wife, Patty and I moved to Paducah, KY where she grew up. We now have a son, Stephen, who turned 15 in April. We still got to occasionally see and hear the Delta, Mississippi and American Queens when they passed through Paducah, but it appears this era may be ending. I hope for the sake of future generations that this is not the case. — Richard & Patty Weisenberber