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Photos, Video: Pratt Steam Whistles Bellow Their Final Tunes
By
Scott Lynch
Published Jan 1, 2015
Modified Jan 1, 2015
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Scott Lynch / Gothamist
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By
Scott Lynch
Published Jan 1, 2015
Modified Jan 1, 2015
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A huge crowd joined Chief Engineer Conrad Milster and his able crew of steam masters last night as they blasted in the New Year for the 50th and final time at Pratt Institute.
The Pratt Steam Whistles New Year's Eve celebration has been a local Clinton Hill/Fort Greene tradition for decades, but for this, the event's grand finale, most of the old timers I spoke to agreed that nearly double the usual amount of revelers showed up. Milster's handmade calliope tooted out tunes (or just general noise, depending on who was at the keyboard) starting at around 10:30 p.m., but the real show hit at midnight, when all nine of the Engineer's prized steam whistles roared at once.
Champagne was sipped, ears were plugged, sweethearts smooched, and hundreds of Instagram feeds were filled with clouds of steam. Well after 1 a.m., Milster was still chatting with well-wishers and posing for photos down in his steam room. And while he promises that he won't be leaving Pratt just yet, these beautiful old engines seem to have bellowed out their last Happy New Year.
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Scott Lynch
Photojournalist, food writer, preschool receptionist. Love NYC.
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Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
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