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I had unfinished business in Schriever. My last attempt at meeting Mz Sunset Limited had ended in a miserable failure. This one would be different. To ride along and have an idea of what the old railroad had to cross on its way from Schriever to Morgan City,La., CLICK:
I guess that Louisiana is hot and sultry enough in August to keep the riff-raff out, no?
-------------------- David Pressley
Advocating for passenger trains since 1973!
Climbing toward 5,000 posts like the Southwest Chief ascending Raton Pass. Cautiously, not nearly as fast as in the old days, and hoping to avoid premature reroutes. Posts: 4203 | From: Western North Carolina | Registered: Feb 2004
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Thanks David. An outing would not be complete without writing it up.
The heat is not bad since it's a wet heat. Riff Raff? LOL, that's a compliment where I'm from.
OK, here's another one for you in the same area. It was done during the high water I was talking about and fills in some of the blanks in the last one. It was done on May 30, the peak of the flood. Yes, it's another AMTK chase that sorta expands down to MC.
PS: Tomorrow, if it's warm enough and the humidity not too low, I plan on visiting a haunted stretch of rails crossing a strange basin south and west of Jeanerette, La.
I'll have to walk it since there is no road and swamp lies on both sides of the ROW and I might meet a Louisiana and Delta crew. That would be embarrassing on the bike. I have permission to walk it, but my benefactor might frown on his delivery being postponed while I figure out how to reverse my bike within the width of the rails. Stay tuned. Oh snakes? I hate snakes.
Posts: 21 | From: Louisiana | Registered: Aug 2011
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snakes - chased a couple of young ones out of my yard with the lawn mower just last night. I mean them no harm..... just want them to do what snakes do on the next half-acre.
-------------------- David Pressley
Advocating for passenger trains since 1973!
Climbing toward 5,000 posts like the Southwest Chief ascending Raton Pass. Cautiously, not nearly as fast as in the old days, and hoping to avoid premature reroutes. Posts: 4203 | From: Western North Carolina | Registered: Feb 2004
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Great job/ thanks for sharing the day with us. I used to put down the stepbox at Schriever during my Amtrak days; back then it was MP 56 on the SP. Now it's "55" on the UP; wonder where that mile went?
You can feel the heat and sultriness in the photos; really captured it! The culture of South Louisiana is quite a jewel in many ways plus the interesting RR history. Somewhere in there, I think Lafayette? is a long bridge with a railing that features "crossed pistols motif" a reminder of Jean Lafitte and the pirate days. Any plans to shoot around the Lake Charles area? MP 219, if I recall-- New Iberia is another fine locale @ MP 125-7; the ROW trundles along past cemeteries, fine old houses and of course the lesser affluent parts of town. We used to see the big pepper trucks heading down to Avery Island and the Tabasco factory; almost hit one while traveling on a westbound Sunset years ago. Forgive the reminiscing, Steve-- and thanks again for the presentation.
Posts: 588 | From: East San Diego County, CA | Registered: Oct 2004
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Thanks Bob. The folks here are really making me feel welcomed. I'll go through your note.
You can feel the heat and sultriness in the photos; really captured it!
It's not hard to do, the camera sweats.
The culture of South Louisiana is quite a jewel in many ways plus the interesting RR history.
I have a whole blog chasing ghost rails in South Louisiana. It can be caught here: http://oldrrs.blogspot.com/
It is ragged right now, but I will be straightening it up soon.
Somewhere in there, I think Lafayette? is a long bridge with a railing that features "crossed pistols motif" a reminder of Jean Lafitte and the pirate days.
That I WILL check out.
Any plans to shoot around the Lake Charles area? MP 219, if I recall--
I have laborously investigated and documented Lake Charles with help from a historian. The search is called Southwest of Iowa Junction. I'll bet you know the place. I follow the old MP into south LC and then follow the connecting branches to the north. I'd really like some feedback on it if you see anything wrong or wish to add something.
I also followed the SP north to DeRidder and shot all of that. I put a lot of history work into that one. When you get all that read, let me know and I'll find some more.
New Iberia is another fine locale @ MP 125-7; the ROW trundles along past cemeteries, fine old houses and of course the lesser affluent parts of town. We used to see the big pepper trucks heading down to Avery Island and the Tabasco factory; almost hit one while traveling on a westbound Sunset years ago.
The SP use to go to Avery Island. The L&D still uses some of its tracks.
I shoot in New Iberia almost daily. The L&D guys laugh at me and pose. Yes, New Iberia is a gas and the L&D is quite a little railroad. All that can be found here: http://backrdbigpics.blogspot.com/ It's called Chasing Trains, I know, very original, LOL.
Forgive the reminiscing,
No please, that's the good stuff. Thanks for the note Steve
Posts: 21 | From: Louisiana | Registered: Aug 2011
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I pulled out my old Louisiana map- tried to find the true location of the long bridge with the "crossed pistol" railing-- the bridge parallels the old SP viaduct to the SOUTH. I think it's over the West Lake (just west of the Lake Charles Amtrak station?) It's a long, serious major bridge- should be easy to find. You can actually see the metal pistols of the car bridge railing, from the windows of the train. Hope this helps! My memory is dimming with passing years )-:
I will study your blog/site more in the days to come; all good stuff and not easy work, esp. in the "hot" months. Thanks again, RR Bob~~
Steve: Check your PMs~
Posts: 588 | From: East San Diego County, CA | Registered: Oct 2004
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quote:Originally posted by Railroad Bob: the bridge parallels the old SP viaduct to the SOUTH. I think it's over the West Lake (just west of the Lake Charles Amtrak station?) It's a long, serious major bridge- should be easy to find. You can actually see the metal pistols of the car bridge railing, from the windows of the train.
It is the US90/I-10 bridge. Got stuck in traffic on it some 25 years ago. Found it facinationg that this was done. Thought the need for work on the bridge would have made them long gone by now. The size I remember for these makes me wonder if you have telescopic vision to see this level of detail from the train.
At that time, there were two more or less parallel railroad bridges, both with swing spans. The SP bridge, and a little to the north of it a KCS bridge. Sometime after I was through there, the KCS bridge was hit by a boat of some kind and damaged to the point that it was removed in favor of KCS rights over the SP.
Posts: 2808 | From: Olive Branch MS | Registered: Nov 2002
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Thanks for that, George! It's correct the embellishments we're talking about are pretty small;but from the train you can sort of make them out- IF someone mentions it first.
There used to be an Amtrak conductor who reliably pointed it out to the passengers, via the PA system. Nowadays, I doubt if any crews say a word-- I haven't been over that line since the late 90's. Enjoyed working with some "old school" Southern Pacific men, with tons of seniority---one of the legendary conductors, now long gone from the scene, was a Mr. "Rags" Guidry. His son Ron pitched for the New York Yankees for awhile...
Posts: 588 | From: East San Diego County, CA | Registered: Oct 2004
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