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Re: Crockett Sugar Refinery// Railfan Lou Bradas
Author: KRK
Date: 12-12-2013 - 10:57
Good Morning-- As the subject of the Crockett Sugar Refinery has been brought up on the A-P railfan forum and as it is the Holiday spirit time, I wanted to share a couple of items:
1. Lou Bradas... Lou was a devout railfan for as long as he lived. He could remember riding on the Napa Valley interurban electrics, the Sacramento Northern and so many others.
Lou was a longtime member and past President of the Golden Gate Live Steamers during their 50th Anniversary year.
For many, many years Lou Bradas was one of the top mechanics at the Crockett Refinery for C&H sugar. He took pride in the work he did there.
Today, his oldest son "Lou" carries on the railroad tradition in the Bradas family. Lou is also a member of the Golden Gate Live Steamers, dating back to his childhood. He is a member of PLA-Niles Canyon Railway and is also a locomotive engineer for the Union Pacific railroad.
When the famous "hospital train" of old railroad equipment was finally given permission to move from the Oakland Army Base to the Niles Canyon Railway via Hearst, it was young "Lou Bradas" who was at the throttle. His Dad would have been proud!
2. Regarding the sugar refinery once again... Years ago, C&H made a sugar known as "Magic Frosting"-- it came in a particular bluish-colored box like their other sugars. This was before the days of "canned frosting" for putting on cakes that you find in the stores.
"Magic Frosting" could be mixed up for icing cakes--but it was widely known for making homemade FUDGE !! A receipe was on the back of the box and used in Home Economics class in public schools. Remember that course, Ladies ??
Because of the popularity later on of the "canned frostings", C&H quit manufacturing "Magic Frosting"... Lou Bradas (Sr.) had told me that the equipment for making it was still up on the roof of the refinery.
I spoke to a C&H spokesperson in San Francisco a few years back and asked why they quit making it. His initial response: "Makes a good FUDGE, doesn't it?" So you see, he was evidently old enough to remember one of their famous products. He did tell me what "Magic Frosting" essentially was: He said that if you took one of their C&H sugars that was exceptionally "fine grain" and sift it so that it is absolutely "finer than fine"-- and then, if you went further and had the ability to REMOVE the "Corn Starch" from it, you then had "Magic Frosting" !!!
So--a little historic trivia for everyone out there.. Happy Holidays to ALL !!
KRK
and as Jackie Gleason used to say: "How SWEET it is" !!
1. Lou Bradas... Lou was a devout railfan for as long as he lived. He could remember riding on the Napa Valley interurban electrics, the Sacramento Northern and so many others.
Lou was a longtime member and past President of the Golden Gate Live Steamers during their 50th Anniversary year.
For many, many years Lou Bradas was one of the top mechanics at the Crockett Refinery for C&H sugar. He took pride in the work he did there.
Today, his oldest son "Lou" carries on the railroad tradition in the Bradas family. Lou is also a member of the Golden Gate Live Steamers, dating back to his childhood. He is a member of PLA-Niles Canyon Railway and is also a locomotive engineer for the Union Pacific railroad.
When the famous "hospital train" of old railroad equipment was finally given permission to move from the Oakland Army Base to the Niles Canyon Railway via Hearst, it was young "Lou Bradas" who was at the throttle. His Dad would have been proud!
2. Regarding the sugar refinery once again... Years ago, C&H made a sugar known as "Magic Frosting"-- it came in a particular bluish-colored box like their other sugars. This was before the days of "canned frosting" for putting on cakes that you find in the stores.
"Magic Frosting" could be mixed up for icing cakes--but it was widely known for making homemade FUDGE !! A receipe was on the back of the box and used in Home Economics class in public schools. Remember that course, Ladies ??
Because of the popularity later on of the "canned frostings", C&H quit manufacturing "Magic Frosting"... Lou Bradas (Sr.) had told me that the equipment for making it was still up on the roof of the refinery.
I spoke to a C&H spokesperson in San Francisco a few years back and asked why they quit making it. His initial response: "Makes a good FUDGE, doesn't it?" So you see, he was evidently old enough to remember one of their famous products. He did tell me what "Magic Frosting" essentially was: He said that if you took one of their C&H sugars that was exceptionally "fine grain" and sift it so that it is absolutely "finer than fine"-- and then, if you went further and had the ability to REMOVE the "Corn Starch" from it, you then had "Magic Frosting" !!!
So--a little historic trivia for everyone out there.. Happy Holidays to ALL !!
KRK
and as Jackie Gleason used to say: "How SWEET it is" !!
