Train Chase: A Short Fox Trot

I got up this Sunday morning about 5:30. I had told Al I'd give him a call to go riding if I had a pulse. At 8:00, I was still trying to find it and the day was slipping away. Then, I asked my wife if there was something she wanted to do. That got a big laugh. It was getting to be 11:00. She did mentioned that there was no hot water at her mother's place, so I checked on it. Indeed, she was correct. I suggested that her mother put a few more logs under her big brewing pot, stir, and that should fix her up. She also said there was a ghost in her mother's wiring. I remained quiet on that one while congratulating myself on my self restraint and pretended that she actually meant the house wiring. It was something about the bulbs coming on by themselves. I suggested taking the bulbs out of the fixtures and seeing if they still came on. That's when she hit me and told me to take my useless self and leave. I would have left earlier if I'd had a plan. Now I was forced to leave with no plan. No problem, I can whip up a plan. My plans are sometimes very personalized. That's to say they wouldn't appeal to most and you may concur. I figured this ride would not last long due to the weather which was hot, humid and threatening, just perfect weather for the new plan, taking pictures of the railroad tracks linking Lafayette to Morgan City, La. I let Al off the hook on this one since he becomes agitated when the ride gets more weird than he is. He likes to dominate the weird scene and if that is not happening......it was best to do this one alone.

Foxes come in many varieties, this would be a new one. Sure, I've taken pictures of railroad tracks, but never with the purpose of letting them become the queen of the outing. This time I offered the rails a chance to star and I'm not real happy with their performance. Again, as always, it's not the fox but where she leads you that makes the outing. Roads take you places and show you things, bayous and rivers do the same. Railroad tracks are no different. This time I'd let them lead the way, totally. I've done that with old rail right of ways, but never with a set of perfectly good tracks. Well, maybe I have? Admitting to being in a state of redundancy can get to you, over and over. I'd recently completed a page on the Lafayette depot and figured I'd start there.

There would be a diversion on the way to the starting line. The Louisiana and Delta was in town (Breaux Bridge) for the weekend and parked on my way out. Important guest get their mugs shot.



These shots, as you probably know by now, are at Breaux
Bridge Junction, a long lost place in railroading history.



The ghosts of BB Jct still roam these tracks.



Having a pleasant ride down the BB Highway, I arrived at
the Lafayette station to begin the afternoon's attempt at
entertainment, biding my time away from home until the
dust settled.



To visit the depot when the Sunset Limited pulled in,
CLICK HERE.

I zoomed down to 6th Street. BTW, give to Salvation Army.
There are street people, and for many, it is not their fault.
The SA does a great job. The SA is on 6th St. and if you
ever want to feel lucky, drive by at supper time.



The crook in the rails is at this old warehouse. I would
investigate.



It, at one time, had a siding. Local's, you'll never guess
who the warehouse belonged to. Gerami's Floors, which
was, I'll bet, a division of Gerami's Fruniture on Jefferson
Street, a long lost business.



You can see the name on the wall by the white car.



The next building is occupied by a pottery business.
"Hippies, I bet". Just kidding. I never get to say that
anymore.



Continuing south, a "modern" bunch of warehouses are passed.
Notice that they have rail doors, likewise.



Just keeping you straight, we're at Taft St.



Here, the RR has a side track for it's tidy up machines.



A prominent Lafayette lawyer once lived here. Haha,
who'd thunk it?



On the way back to the tracks is a Lafayette landmark,
the Schilling Shack. The Schilling family has the Bud
dealership. This was their rent out party pad. The stories
it could tell. The political gatherings were probably the best.



That's their business, one small part of it. Notice, there
is a spur to more rail doors.



We're at Pinhook, one of Lafayette's historical main drags.



The tracks cross Pinhook and run down the side of what
was Chastant Feedstore. When we got married we lived
in an duplex owned by a Chastant. When we brought
our first child home, that bastard told us to move in one
week. I never did business with Chastant Feed knowing
that they were a relative. Not having any farm animals
made it easy.



This was becoming another trip down memory lane.



Where the old stinky rendering plant was, is now a tannery.
Some places never lose their magic.



Now, we are at Spring Street. What else could I say?



We are on the slope to the Vermillion Bayou off General
Mouton. Did you know that the Zombies played at a dive
along here somewhere. The local blues rock heroes, The
Lemon Blue, played when they took a break. The LB's
crushed the Zombies. But the Z's came back and got it on.
Or maybe..........the music just sounded better after the "break".
We're talking late 1960's, ladies and gentlemen. Maybe
early 70's, my mind has wings.

How many time have I thought this:

"It's too late to say you're sorry, how would I know
why should I care?" It's from this little ditty.

"She's Not There", by the Zombies.

Well, no one told me about her
The way she lied
Well, no one told me about her
How many people cried

But it's too late to say you're sorry
How would I know, why should I care?
Please don't bother trying to find her
She's not there

Well, let me tell you 'bout the way she looked
The way she acts and the color of her hair
Her voice was soft and cool, her eyes were clear and bright
But she's not there

Well, no one told me about her
What could I do?
Well, no one told me about her
Though they all knew

But it's too late to say you're sorry
How would I know, why should I care?
Please don't bother trying to find her
She's not there

Well, let me tell you about the way she looked
The way she acts and the color of her hair
Her voice was soft and cool, her eyes were clear and bright
But she's not there

SOLO

But it's too late to say you're sorry
How would I know, why should I care?
Please don't bother trying to find her
She's not there

Well, let me tell you about the way she looked
The way she acts and the color of her hair
Her voice was soft and cool, her eyes were clear and bright
But she's not there

If you're ever heard Santana do it, you know something
about their genius.

I said this was a ride down memory lane. The hits just
keep on coming. I found myself in a parking lot. This, too,
has happened before.



Heading on down to the bayou.



I came upon a 1955 Oldsmobile. My father had one. It was red
and white. This may be a 98 since it has the trunk chrome.
Yes, they were air conditioned and had window washers.
My father was very proud.



Here's University where it shouldn't be. Lafayette's
roadway designers continue to screw up an already screwed
up design. Roads should run straight. Curving roads are
confusing. Circular roads only lead to themselves.



I'm going to let the excitement grow as you anticipate crossing
the Vermillion Bayou on its infamous high bridge.

Next Page



Wham Bam, I bet that woke you up. The bridge is awing
I do believe the powers that be had proclaimed it the end
of what could have been a course for any large sea going
vessel. I may be wrong.



The General Mouton (look this guy up, he was a dude)
Street bridge was a one lane affair until 1982 when
Lafayette got electricity.

I rode up the one with the dash. It is really Hugh Wallace
Road. My industrial arts teach was Hugh Wallace. No kidding.
Mike, you remember Chrome Dome?
You asked for more memories, sure about that?



The underpass was the only way to the airport from here.



Below was the best radiator repair shop in Lafayette. It
was owned by a huge man who rode a Honda 6 cyl 1000.
He dwarfed it.



We're at Kaliste Saloom and Hugh Wallace. I also knew
Judge Kaliste Saloom. He ran the traffic court in Lafayette.



The airport is on the left.
We're headed south to Broussard.



Don't believe it.



Hey, you are getting to see what Amtrakers had to pay
for, so stop squirming.



These pictures are so you can follow along. Follow this
road south and you'll be in Delcambre, or close?



A little yard appears. Louisiana and Delta Railroad runs
these rails along with UP and BSNF so you gotta be careful.



Not much notice for a catrillion pound train?



These are important pictures for some reason which escapes
me. If you see something important, let me know. It appears
I only stepped forward a few feet? I should have stopped and
been done with it.



Moving on:



This was the historical highlight of the ride. I have always
wanted to be in Elks. Elks, and here I'm going out on a limb,
was where the old Franklin and Abbeville RR connected
with the MLT (Morgan's Louisiana & Texas). This branch
went into Youngsville following the Youngsville highway
and connected with the F&A to go to Milton. I may be wrong.
If I am and you know you are right, let me know different.



ELKS? Were there elk here? Or, Elks, members of the Elks?



There's the old switch.



Here's looking at the Elks switch toward Broussard.
L&D services a company back there.
It's right at the Halliburton property.



I had to follow the rails around.
Here's looking back toward the switch.
My palms were sweaty with excitement
or was it the heat?



Here's looking to the little yard.
These shots are seen nowhere else
on the web and are copyrighted, Virgil.
Just kidding.



So, I went looking. The RR does not cross Pinhook Rd.
Can you imagine stopping traffic on Pinhook. Actually,
most of the time it's stopped already.



Whoa, there was more.



Nope, I was at the yard, previously seen.
Few local people are aware that this facility
even exists. We go about our lives encapsulated.



Unbelievable.
Of course, I didn't either, but I suspected it.



Sampson is the name of the company. I don't know what
they do? Good for them, hope they keep doing it.
How's that for blind faith?



I continued down the line. Ah, I missed that sign.



This is a worthless shot, you can have it.
I've decoded the tracking mechanism.



This picture is good for one thing, showing how much time
can be spent at meticulousnessity.



I can't comment on these anymore.



Just when I was getting ready to pass out with boredom,
Southern Steel & Supply saved the day.



It had a siding.



And we are almost in Broussard where I'll cut this one
off and save the triumphant entrance into New Iberia for
the next page.



I have no idea what KOL stands for. I spent an hour trying.
KVOL is a radio station. Maybe the DOT back in Lafayette
didn't have a V?



Had I backed up? Zoomy cameras can mess up a story.



OK, I think Morgan Street is named after the Morgan
in "Morgan's Louisiana and Texas RR". It did not
parallel the railroad, but crossed it. Of course, we are in
Broussard, now.



Broussard has some beautiful old architecture. I think
Broussard was somewhat of a planter's commune. It was
an art center as well. I think my aunt, the once Poet Laureate
of the state did time here.



I have never figured out where the depot was in Broussard.
I felt I had arrived, parked, and re watered. There was
a light down the rails.



I'm a train magnet.













With the train gone, the street sign caught my attention.
"Eola" is where the SP and T&P cross just south of Bunkie.
There might be more to the name than I suspected.



I'd head south toward New Iberia.







I'll cut the page here. Lots more to come.

Next Page

I had planned to continue the rail ride to Morgan City. My progress only netted 4 or 5 miles. I made the mistake of repeating Williams Street. There is a Louisiana and Delta Railroad yard there. I passed it successfully but got tuned around at the historic depot. This will be 1 page of bizerk nutz as I sat in 96 degree sunshine and watched diesels move cars around. I know the sheriff's department has been notified. I purposely removed my helmet to reveal that I was not a middle eastern Muslim terrorist, but simply a barely gray haired little old man. Being unprotected from the sun's radiation only made me crazier. I think at one point I became molten.

The story begins:
I stopped to shoot the obligatory engine shots
at the entrance to the NI yard. I thought the
train looked pretty good, ready to hit the big
time even though I figured it wasn't. Notice
it's pulling cars which came from the carbon
black plants. They are southeast of New Iberia
down La.83 and the other down 317,south of
Centerville. This train must have pulled them
here.

Cool, through with that.



I mozzied on down the line to the station. Remember,
we did that yesterday. The big UP Roadrunner was still
there, sick? There was one other engine, a Louisiana and
Delta engine, number 1504, Mz Patoutville. The L&D names
their engines. Actually it's just Patoutville. I added the "Mz"
because vehicles of any kind get a lady's name except for
some of mine who are called alternative names.



A fella came out of the L&D office and told the engineer
something. Mz P. took off. She could have gone to the
old MP yard by the once MP shop or gone to where I had
just came from, the Williams St. yard.



Following these beast around is fun on all kinds of levels. My
electric train quit running in 1959 and this is the best thing
since.



Where ya going Mz P.? How bout takin' me?



Bam, she smacked right against the south end of those
carbon black cars. What was going on? I knew, from having
watched the dance up at Ville Platte. She was going to
assist in getting those 2 engines at the head of the long
string of cars back on the south end. Everything just stopped.
I think they had to map a strategy.



I rode back up to the front to see what was running. An
engineer had arrived in that auto.



He was busying around in the cab of 1501. 1500 was
on the back end. I don't know their names though I'm
sure they come from good families.



He went to open a door on the side. The thing seemed ill.
He reached in and a crillion horses complained. It was
like what you do when you bypass the governor on your
lawnmower. The thing revved but it was not hitting on
all cylinders. Maybe that is why there were 2 engines.



I raced back to the other end. I saw this nice tree and
thought it would provide a great frame for my next shot.
In reality there was only this shade tree on the whole
stretch and I was going to use it.



I was temped to stay and watch all the maneuvering,
but I broke lose. I headed back to the station.
I thought the big church looked pretty cool from
behind and figured not everyone took this pose.
So, being one that treads where others fear, I shot it.



I passed the Parish Courthouse and came to the end of
Williams Blvd. where the rails bend toward Olivier and
Jeanerette.



This little place looked like a barber shop of old. I was
near Konrico Rice.



I decided that I'd give the engines enough time
to get something done and then I returned
to the dance. I knew I couldn't leave. It was
getting good. They were going to dance the
Rubic Cube Shuffle.

1504 had 1500 attached to it. 1501 had a gondola
attached to it. All were still facing the same way.

If they had gotten reversed, I'd lost it. But,
there they all were in some kind of titanic
huddle. What's the plan girls?

See 1500 lurking behind Mz. P.? Ya'll getting
a little close there.





This was cute. It reminded of Ville Platte.
There must be some step that includes a gondola.



Next, whoa, there are my two boxcars from yesterday, the
Golden West Service and the Western Pacific. 1501 is sitting
by herself, wall flower. The tank cars are on another track.



1504 and 1500 were at the south end with the gondola.
It's one of the pipe gondolas from the pipe yard at the
Port of Iberia.



My two boxcars were behind the pipe dola.



An open boxcar beckoned me. If I thought it was going
anywhere, I might have been tempted to jump in.



The two engines pulled the line south stopped and backed up.
The two engines pulled the line south stopped and backed up.
The two engines pulled the line south stopped and backed up.



3 of the tank cars were evidently cut lose and placed in
front of 1501. This tale would eventually be played out.
Everything had a reason though it eluded me.



It was going so slowly I had to take a ride. I went over to
the MP yard and low and behold, Mz Mountain Laurel sat
there. I hoped she wasn't sick. Had she lost her invitation?
Pray tell, had she not been given one? No way she was sick,
the L&D has a great shop on the Avery Island branch. She
was fine physically, but could the slight of no invite have
hurt her emotionally? Had the dance been just for those with
the "right" clothes? She still wears her old rags and doesn't
have a new spiffy orange dress like the other girls.

Speaking of the L&D shop, Joe is the boss there.
Lurleen is back. She and Jim Bob at the main office
had a little spat. So said she threw a tie plate at him.
I know how that hurts. I had 43 thrown at me, not to mention
the spike collection.

BTW, the Breaux Bridge Railroad Museum is temporarily closed.



While there, I had to shoot another obligatory
picture of another lost sugar mill.



Our trees are priceless. We'll really see some fine oaks at the
end of this one.



I rode back by the old MP shop just to make sure she was
doing OK.



Past the shop, what is left of the Jefferson Island branch
makes its way to the UP main line. That's Rose Hill Cemetery.



There she makes the curve. It is one half of a "Y" that was
here.



Back at the dance, 1501 was sitting with her 3 tankers.
Was she through dancing?



1500 was hooked up with the gondola.



1504, Mz P. sat by herself. What had happened.
Had there been a fight?



There's a lot of getting in and out for Mr. Engineer.
I have a feeling it's Senior Engineer. Just a hunch.



Mz.P. had backed into the carbon black cars.



1501 fired up. An engineer or brakeman was on the lead car.
The excitement was similar to Elvis joining the band.



1501 pushed the cars across the road and backed up leaving
them there.

Mz. P. pulled forward, strutting to the music.



And hooked up, the brakeman still in position.



She was making a run for it with those tanker boys.
I was in hot pursuit. I saw myself as her chaperon.
Through downtown New Iberia we flew as she tried to elude me.



The tank cars were in front, with that brakeman pointing
the way hanging off the lead car. It was a sight.
He must have felt like Superman. Hope there weren't any
bugs. Did he have cinder goggles?



Past the station she cruised.



My zoom was working for once, so I was able to
keep an eye on them.



Here they are making the Jeanerette bend.



I got stuck a couple of times and had to hustle.
Here, on the south end of town, it got trying.



I raced down old 90 and slid up into a field. She wasn't
getting away from me. I stand for no hanky panky.



That was the last I saw of them until I checked out a crossing
and could barely see her light backing into a siding and sneak
out of sight. They thought they had outrun me and were safely
hidden away.

Better think again. I'm sure you have seen people do a
"double take". The brakeman did just that when he saw me
shooting this at Quachita Feed. I don't know what the name
of the petroleum business was, but Mz P. was dropping the tank
boys off there and then going home. I had not trusted her
and now I felt bad.





I rode back to the dance for one last look. 1501 and 1500
were still swinging.



One was at one end, the other at the opposite end. Wonder
if they were going to "push and pull all night"?
Ya know, I don't make up all this great prose. I steal
a lot of it which brings us to the Rolling Stones Lyrics
Break for this outing. The "push and pull" quote came
from here, "Loving Cup".

Use your best country twang accent while singing this.
Or not, but you'd be cheating yourself if you don't.

(M. Jagger/K. Richards)

I'm the man on the mountain, come on up.
I'm the plowman in the valley with a face full of mud.
Yes, I'm fumbling and I know my car don't start.
Yes, I'm stumbling and I know I play a bad guitar.

Give me little drink from your loving cup.
Just one drink and I'll fall down drunk.

I'm the man who walks the hillside in the sweet summer sun.
I'm the man that brings you roses when you ain't got none.
Well I can run and jump and fish, but I won't fight
You if you want to push and pull with me all night.

Give me little drink from you loving cup.
Just one drink and I'll fall down drunk.

I feel so humble with you tonight,
Just sitting in front of the fire.
See your face dancing in the flame,
Feel your mouth kissing me again,
What a beautiful buzz, what a beautiful buzz,
What a beautiful buzz, what a beautiful buzz.
Oh, what a beautiful buzz, what a beautiful buzz.

Yes, I am nitty gritty and my shirt's all torn,
But I would love to spill the beans with you till dawn.

Give me little drink from your loving cup.
Just one drink and I'll fall down drunk.

Neat song, they were playing it at the dance.



The choreography has to be intense.
I needed to get away. I think some kind of magic was in play there.
Nothing ever happened until I left. The story of my life.
The USL farm seemed the place to go.



What a nice little ride it is through there.



I pulled over in St. Martinville and lucked out with an
almost car less shot. I tried one further down in the really
good stuff but failed. It was 5pm.



North of St. Martinville and St.John is one of the prettiest
places on Earth. It is on a deserted farm which backs on
Bayou Teche. Moss is getting hard to find. This place is
an oak and moss garden. It looks haunted even in the daytime.













Another obligatory shot. Ya have to be good to the one
who brung ya, dances included.



"Good night and thank you so much".
Jagger just said that. So, I guess I'll be
movin' on too. BTW, if you don't have
Exile on Main Street from 1972, the
Stones have re issued it. They threw in
a cd of unpublished songs. Most are great.
One or two are really weird because you
know the music, but the words don't match.
Or, you know the words but not the music.
And, you think that you are glad they
chose the right ones. That's just some
free info I had lying around. Now every-
thing is tidy. We square for this hoedown?