History Hunt: The Richland Crossing Weeks Is. Br.

In the last edition, I'd posted a few of my 6 year old pictures of La.83. One yielded a missing wheel on a tractor which I'd never seen but Mike pointed out. Thinking that I needed to take a better look at what else I'd missed, I reviewed the lot. I came up with a rr crossing sign that seemed to have no road. I've seen that before and it is still a mystery. Luisa is not that far from the house. It is only a 106 mile round trip taking the scenic route one way. My wife was headed off to exercise, so I figured I'd get some, too. You think riding a dirt bike 1oo plus miles is easy on the body? It's not. It ain't no Gold Thinger but it will ride cane rows to the rail ROW's. That ability was used today.

Now wouldn't you ride 106 miles to figure that one out?
The sign seemed to have no road?



On the way I stopped and took a shot atop cool and shady Weeks
Island.



I decided to check out the rails on top again. The smell through
here was alpinic.



The old pictures were not up to snuff. The mill is to the right.
This was a small yard and scales before the mill. I almost jumped
the ditch and went into the forbidden area. But, I chickened out.



This is the main entrance.
Vermillion Bay and the Intracoastal Canal lie below.
This is all in the middle of the marsh.



Leaving, I ducked in at the Port.
I looked down the line and what I had hoped to find, I found.
A L&D diesel was switching cars down at the carbon black factory.



I zoomed in and it still got smaller.



I raced to the factory's entrance and caught these award winning
shots.



She was backing the load into the plant. Mark noticed that the
engines are named. I'm wondering what 1501 is. If "Patoutville",
it would be a conincidence.











I headed back to 83.



Just as I got there, here she came, cutting me off at the last moment.



Things were getting confusing. I heard a crash. My bike fell over.
Stuff happens. The brake lever was bent. I carry 300 lbs of tools
and fixed the problem with them. They probably caused the crash.
Lifting the 300 lbs of tools off the ground while on the 340 lbs of bike
was a test.

But, the stop netted yet another award winner.



I love these.



Bet they didn't expect a photographer in the middle of this cane
field.






Ok, that's it.



My interest in railroads is waning. I am now taking up billboards
and local business ads.





That didn't last long. I figure the 15 means 15 miles from Baldwin
on the Cypremort branch of the Southern Pacific RR.



The rails on the right turned right and went to Weeks Island.



There you go. The bumpy rails are exagerated due to being a
telescopic shot. The right rail switched but kept straight also for
the Louisa 2 rail yard.



I decided to go back to the point where the rails turned and
went up into Weeks Island. I got off the bike and walked into
Snake World. I knew I'd encounter the big one and have the
big one.



I stayed with the right of way for a good distance. In winter I'll be
back.



This is where I was. No snakes there.......



What do you think about the Bayou Patout bridge, it is being fixed
or replaced?



Such a pretty span.



And, pretty water.



And, that's it. More later.
PS, I don't know if I mentioned it, but there was no out of place
crossing sign at Richland. Now, that's it.