Red River and Gulf Railroad> Page 1

The is a "company collection". It is long but does not tell the whole story.
I pursued it further in other adventures.

The Piney Woods Railroad All
During a recent motorcycle ride, I happened upon Peason, Louisiana. There was a new historical marker there commemorating the town. There was, also, a collection of pictures in a glass case. I was fascinated. I began researching all the terms that I could gleam from the display. This page and the next will be expanded as I put what I can find together.






It was the train pictures that grabbed me.

Then I started combing the web for anything pertaining to the trains or the town. I've written several notes to websites asking for information and most have yet to respond. The source of the most informative information on Peason could not respond because the email address is non existent. I am going to copy it word for word here as it is too valuable for the originating site to control. I feel he would have wanted an insurance policy on his information. This was originally posted by a paper in Sabine Parish. That source is listed, below.

Towns & Communities: Peason & The Lumber Industry, Sabine Parish
Source: Sabine Index, Many, La., Apr 21, 1999
Submitted by: Carl Dilbeck

After the large lumber milling operations in New England and the Great Lakes areas "cut out" during the Civil War, lumbering began
to move southward. By the 1900-1920 period, the lumber industry
began to "boom" in the virgin pine forests of Louisiana, and the
vast acres of unsurpassed pines in the western hills of Louisiana
did not escape. Many sawmills were constructed in the "Calcasieu
District," especially in Natchitoches and Sabine Parishes.

In December 1916, A.J. Peavy, a young logger turned lumberman,
acquired a tract of 40,000 acres in the southeastern section of
Sabine Parish, in Wd. 1. A large cash payment was made at the
time of the sale, with the balance to be paid in 88 promissory
notes. Other land was acquired later. Peavy formed the partnership
of Peavy and Wilson with R.J. Wilson, an experienced lumberman and
mill manager, and the town of "Peason" was planned, the name being
coined from a combination of the two surnames.

The mill site was chosen, and in March, 1917, land agent Thomas
Wingate headed up the task of clearing the ground and preparing for
construction. Two-men crosscut saws were used, with horse and mule
teams to drag the cut logs away. Wright Scarborough and F.G. Tarver
were hired by Wingate for this task. By the fall of 1917, the tract
had been cleared and a temporary wood-shed constructed to house
lumber for the construction. Lumber to build the mill was brought
by wagons drawn by mule and oxen from the D.B. Pate sawmill near
the turpentine camp of Shutts, located near the northeastern corner
of what is now Hodges Gardens. Many timbers were handpicked by a
special representative of Peavy-Wilson Lumber Co., usually ranging
from twenty-four inches to thirty inches in diameter, and about
thirty feet long. These were used for the framing of the mill
buildings and larger public service buildings of the town.

Plans for the whole town were laid out in 1917, with most of the
building being completed during 1918, and lumbering operations
beginning in late 1918. A tap line railroad was constructed, the
Christie and Eastern, running from Sandel on the Kansas City
Southern line some twelve miles to the mill site. It was said that
curves made up much of this mileage, as the track was constructed
to surround steep hills and avoid sharp grades. Later the railroad
was extended east to connect with the Red River and Gulf Railroad
at Kurthwood, with connections to Lecompte.

The town, which was wholly company owned, was dominated by
the lumber mill across the southern end of the town. A large
commissary or company store building also housed the company
doctor's office and the post office. Other public buildings
included the "Office Building," a movie theatre, garage, ice
house, hotel, church, and school at the opposite end of town
from the mill. Ten long rows of houses faced each other on five
streets, with small alleys separating the backs of the houses.
The population of the town ranged from 1500 to 2000 during the
years of full production.

The Peason operation was proudly billed as the largest pine
operation west of the Mississippi during its peak from about
1918 to 1929. Its standard production was about 4,000,000 per
month, with a selling price of about $125,000 gross, and
production costs of about $80,000. During the early to
mid-twenties, the mill often ran a double shift and produces
about 7,000,000 feet per month. W.W. Goode, who worked in the
office operations, has estimated that during the time of the
operation at Peason, about six hundred million feet of lumber
was produced. This would have sold for about eighteen million
dollars gross, with production costs of twelve to thirteen
million dollars.

Spur logging roads were constructed to each part of the forest
as harvesting progressed. Two-men crosscut teams felled the
timber, large "skidders," pulled them near the railroad tracks,
and steam loaders loaded the logs on to flat log cars. The
powerful "Shay" engines brought the trains in to the main
tracks, where the faster but less powerful "Rod" engines pulled
them on into the mill and dumped them in the log pond. From here
the logs were transported to the mill to be sawed, then,
according to the kind of lumber designed, it went through the
planer mill, to the steam kilns, and then to huge storage sheds.
The lumber and timbers produced were sold all over the world.

Employees ranged up to 450. Life in the town was good, even
luxurious compared to the country life in southern Sabine before
the coming of the mill. The company had its own water purification
system, and its own generating plant for electricity. Therefore
the pyramidal or umbrella style houses were equipped with
electricity and running water. Rent for a six room house would
be $12 monthly, including lights and water. Heat was provided by
mill ends, costing $1 per wagon load delivered. The church was a
"union" church, Baptist and Methodist. The Methodist Conference
assigned a minister to preach two Sundays out of the month, and
a resident Baptist minister preached the other two Sundays.

The mill's run ended in 1935, in the midst of the great
depression. A complete evaluation of the life of the town and
the social changes brought about by its existence would be a major
story. I offer these few facts to indicate the scope of the
operation, and conclude with a nostalgic sketch from my own early
life, which has been printed in the SABINE INDEX before, but which
some new readers might enjoy. Much of the factual data on the
production of the Peason mill given in the foregoing paragraphs
was collected by my nephew, Lavell Cole, during a study he made
at Northwestern State University, and I thank him for this data.
Lavell is presently teaching history at the Quachita Baptist
College in Arkadelphia, Ark., and is an eager student of regional
history. I'm sure it is his hope, as mine, that these lines add a
little to the understanding and appreciation of the history of
Sabine Parish.

OLD PEASON

"Old Peason!" What waves of memories the words bring back! They
take us back-back to THE TWENTIES. It wasn't "old" then; it was a
lusty young sawmill town built shortly before World War I, and now
in its hey-day. Rows and rows of bungalow type, steep-roofed houses
stretched from the schoolhouse at one end of town to the huge mill
at the other Main Street, and Railroad Street and Churchouse
Street, among others. Main Street, which led to the industrial
"end " of the town, was lined with sycamore trees. At the south
end of this street were the hotel, barber shop, garage, moving
picture theater, the company "office," the ice house, and the
long commissary building which housed the company-owned department
store, the postoffice, and the doctor's office.

To a little girl accompanying her father on "peddling" trips, the
commissary was the oasis at the end of the trail. Here was the drug
store with its soda fountain and ice cream counter. Best of all,
here were "grab bags" for a nickel. One actually reached into a
gaping hole in a large pasteboard box and selected the small brown
bag. It contained five pieces of assorted candy and a "prize." If
it happened to be one's lucky day, the prize was a nickel, and that
meant another grab bag.

From the long front porch of the commissary one could watch the
log trains puff in to the mill with their flat cars of logs stacked
like matches or the "local" trains taking box cars of finished lumber
over the old Christie and Eastern Railway to Sandel, on its way to
widely scattered markets. The trains were exciting. They had steam
whistles, and bells that rang and they belched forth clouds of
intensely black smoke, for their fuel was pine knots, rich and
"litered."

Beyond the railroad tracks stretched the "mill," where my farmer
father worked during slack seasons, He had taken us over the mill
on a Sunday. We inspected the saw mill, the "planer" mill, and the
loading sheds. Terms such as the "green Chain" and "dry kill"
(it was years before I knew the word was really "kiln") were
familiar even to elementary school pupils.

Since we lived in the country outside of the mill town, I knew
even more about the early stages of the lumber ring operations. I
knew about the turpentine collections that precede lumbering; we
children often examined the curved cups sitting on pegs in a tree
below a wide V-shaped, grooved cut. Sometimes we even "helped" the
workers by emptying the sap in a barrel nearby. Of course we knew
that the men would be around early each morning to collect the
turpentine, for we could hear their melodious calls long before day
on winter mornings.

I was acquainted with the spur railroads, built up with mule teams
and slips, that might occur unexpectedly in any area of the forest.
After that we might be halted on our walk to school by the cries of
"Timber-rr!" and we would witness the fall of a forest giant. Next,
the skidder would use iron cables to drag the logs near enough for
the loader to stack them neatly in place on the cars of the log
trains. I knew, too, of other fringe projects: the "pine knot crew"
who provided the fuel for the log trains and for other boilers, the
crews who made cross ties for the railroads, or peeled pilings for
the trestles.

Of course, childhood memories would inevitably be bound up with
the two-story lumber school buildings at the north end of town. Not
only was it constructed of pine lumber, but both floors were heavily
oiled for dustless sweeping. It was used for years before wooden
fire escapes were added. School boards had not been made so painfully
safety conscious by school tragedies at that time. The building was
overcrowded, and additions had to be made from time to time.

Even the school was dominated by the whistles that ruled the life
of the town, blowing at measured intervals from the pre-dawn hours
until evening. When the noon whistle blew, the janitor rang the
dinner bell, whether his watch agreed or not. Occasionally, a
whistle would blow off schedule and the whole school would gasp
anxiously and listen. Was it the "fire whistle" signal? (a series
of short quick blasts) Whose house was on fire? Was it the "doctor
call?" (a long, monotonous, sad tone) Whose father was hurt or
killed? Some students would burst into tears at the awful suspense.
If it was a fire, the high school boys would be dismissed to go
help the fire fighters, and the elementary pupils would watch in
awe as they sprinted down the street.

Once, we were all taken outside the school to see what was, for
most of us, our first aeroplane, a stray that passed overhead and
made a forced landing in a field a few miles away. During these
years, one of our teachers impressed upon us the headlines in the
daily paper, "FROM NEW YORK TO PARIS IN ONE HOP." Lindbergh, of
course.

The school and the town flourished and grew. Orders for lumber
poured in. Often, during the summer months, the saw mill and planer
mill "Quartered," working extra hours at night. The workers from
outside the town would walk home late at night by the light of
kerosene lanterns. Those were the days of flapper girls, the
Charleston dance, and the hit song "My Blue Heaven." They were
the days when T-models careening along the narrow roads at 25-30
miles per hour alarmed the cattle, as well as the residents.

Memory drifts on, then to

THE THIRTIES.

Not only had the nation-wide depression hit Peason-with reduced
lumber orders, but a more immediate threat hung over the town. Almost
all of the virgin timber was gone; soon the mill would "cut out;"
already the lumber company was planning a transfer to new territory
in Florida. This was accepted as inevitable, a foregone conclusion,
as the order of the day in the lumbering operations of the time. As
is well known in this area, there were a few notable exceptions to
this policy, such as the Louisiana Long Leaf Lumber Company's
operations at Fisher, but the general rule was the "cut out and out"
policy.

An air of uncertainty and foreboding hung over the whole mill town.
The big question for every family was whether they should pull up
stakes and follow the mill to Florida, or attempt to find new jobs
in Louisiana, already plagued with unemployment. My own family had
been there long before the mill came, and "guessed they could live
without it-they had before it came," Privately, however, my parents
mulled over how they would offset the loss of income from selling
vegetables in the mill town, and from the labor my father did at
the mill at odd times.

Many of our classmates bade us a tearful farewell as their fathers'
jobs ended at Peason, and they made the move to Florida, or to
neighboring mill towns. Rapidly, the population of the town and
school declined, In June, 1934, the last class graduated from
Peason High School. This group, sadly depleted by transfers,
consisted of five members: Velma Leach, Agnes Handley, Reba Coins,
Oliver Geeting, Jr., and Floyd Dowden; Principal, F. E. Salter.

The end was now in sight. Soon the last remaining group of tall
pines were felled on Eagle Hill, a historic landmark near the town.
A few weeks later, the whistles were blown continuously for a long,
long time, until all the steam was exhausted. Many people wept at
the lonely "last whistle," I for one. It seemed such a final thing,
the end to a whole part of my life. The fact that I had just
graduated from high school, and faced many other decisions and
changes made it doubly drastic. My whole world was in a state of
upheaval.

And so ended Old Peason, not abruptly, as it seemed at the final
whistle, but gradually, over a period of years, with adjustments
and changes resulting from the mill's closing continuing for a
long while afterward.
It has been symbolic and encouraging to me that the church house,
once in the middle of the town, but now next to open fields, has
remained standing and is in use at the present. It encourages the
hope that many things that were good, and worthwhile and enduring
in the teeming life of Old Peason have perhaps continued to live,
both here and in many far-flung communities. Who could say how many?

That is a treasure.

My great-grandfather had worked for Bentley above Alexandria. He and his family lived in one of the mill towns, Zimmeraman, I feel sure. I have also visited the living museum of southern forestry at Longleaf, the Southern Forest Heritage Museum. By the way, on Saturday, April 19, 2008, they are having a big party there. Attend and learn a bunch about the history of one of our state's largest industries. The place is, to use an overused term, awesome.

That's it for legitimate explanation of why I'm writing this aricle. The real reason
is that I'm a train nut. I love trains. My heart races when I see an old train bed.
I know I need therapy. Since that ain't happening, I calm down by doing these writes.
Actually, my heart is racing again.

At this point I want you to come this way and read about by previous visit to Longleaf and the SFH Museum. CLICK HERE to go there. It starts off at Fullerton but quickly goes to the museum's grounds. It will save me from posting those pictures here. Please right click the link and choose "Open in a new window", so you won't lose your place here. My old trick doesn't seem to work on this site.

Then you can visit my recently written page showing the Peason pictures.
CLICK HERE to go there.

That will get it for an introduction. The emphasis on the trains is next.

If you are a train nut, take an aspirin as things are getting ready to get emotional. Here I'm going to display everything I've found dealing with the Red River and Gulf Railroad, Peason and Long Leaf. Of course, I am limited by what the search engines have provided from my attempts at baiting them. I am sure there is much more out there and I'll continue fishing and adding if I get a bite. I hope this floats your boat. Alright, I'll quit.

Before I forget, I did find a reference to a book, "Up and Down the Red River and Gulf Railroad" by Troy L. DeRamus; 1989 (HE2771.L8.D47). It is for sale for 150 bucks on Amazon, if interested. This write is free, or maybe, cheap.



A Shay Engine, No.108, later, it was renumbered as No.106, built for Peavy-Wilson Lumber Co.

Quoting Carl Dilbeck, "The powerful "Shay" engines brought the trains in to the main tracks, where the faster but less powerful "Rod" engines pulled
them on into the mill and dumped them in the log pond."



The above rod engine is No.106. Why was the "Shay", renumbered? Was the "Rod" sold, crashed, or....?

Here is a little of the history of the railroad. I felt that I should include it as there is so little RR&G information out there. Gleam what you can for it.


RED RIVER & GULF RAILROAD. FROM HERE


The Red River & Gulf Railroad Company was incorporated in April, 1905, and its capital stock, amounting to $101,000, was delivered to the Crowell & Spencer Lumber Company and distributed by the latter as a dividend to its stockholders. The lumber company constructed the track and deeded the property to the railroad corporation. The two companies are, and have been from their inception, identical in interest, and they have the same officers.

The tap line connects with the Iron Mountain at Long Leaf, La., and with the Rock Island, Texas & Pacific and Southern Pacific at LeCompte, the track between those points being about 13 miles in length. The timber has all been cut away along the main line; but the lumber company has an unincorporated track about 4 miles in length, connecting with the tap line and running into the standing timber. The equipment of the tap line consists of 1 locomotive, a combination passenger and freight car, and 3 flat cars. The lumber company itself owns and operates 3 locomotives and about 50 logging cars.

The mill of the lumber company is at Long Leaf, within a quarter of a mile of the tracks of the Iron Mountain. The lumber company loads the logs on its cars in the woods, and with its engines- hauls them over the unincorporated tracks and thence over the incorporated tap line to the mill under a trackage privilege, for which it pays the tap line 25 cents per 1,000 feet, log scale. In other words, the logs are moved to the mill precisely in the manner that they were before the incorporation of the tap line, with the exception that the lumber company goes through the form of paying a trackage charge. Before the incorporation practically all the lumber moved over the Iron Mountain and no divisions were paid. But at the time of the hearing the bulk of the lumber moved over the tap line to the Rock Island, a distance of over 12 miles, the divisions paid by that company ranging from 2-1/2 cents to 4-1/2 cents per 100 pounds. The allowance of the Iron Mountain is uniformly 3 cents, while the Southern Pacific pays 3 and 4 cents per 100 pounds. The Texas & Pacific grants no divisions.

There is an independent mill on the tap line about 5 miles from LeCompte, with a capacity of about 40,000 feet per day. It hauls its logs to the mill by wagon. The lumber traffic of the tap line for the year 1910 amounted to 37,820 tons, with 1,363 tons of other freight. The revenue from the freight was $29,576.56, in addition to which the lumber company paid $5,191.36 for trackage rights for its log trains, and the Rock Island paid $6,666.75 for the privilege of running trains loaded with gravel over a portion of the tap line. The Red River & Gulf runs one train daily in each direction, on which passengers are carried; and its revenues from passengers amounted to $1,213.40 for the year 1910. These figures are taken from the annual reports to the Commission, which show an accumulated surplus on June 30, 1910, of $6,865.74, after the payment of a 40 per cent dividend during that year, amounting to $40,400. In the year 1907 it paid a 15 per cent dividend, with 40 per cent in 1908, and 20 per cent in 1909, making a total of $116,150 distributed in four years to its stockholders, on a capitalization of $101,000.

The allowances paid here are clearly excessive and amount to a re-bate to the lumber company. The allowance by the Iron Mountain to the tap line for switching the product of the mill to its rails may not lawfully exceed $2 a car; and we fix the division out of the rates that may lawfully be made by the Rock Island and other trunk lines on the products- of the mill of the controlling company at Long Leaf at 2 cents per 100 pounds as a maximum.

There was a little info on a couple of the engines.
First is 104, which has made the rounds. I got this from somewhere:

Historic locomotive to move to Southeastern Railway Museum

August 29, 2007
For Immediate Release (Duluth, Ga.).

"The Southeastern Railway Museum is pleased to announce the donation of "General II," Stone Mountain Railroad's locomotive No. 104.

Originally built in 1919 engine No. 104 for the Red River & Gulf Railroad, the locomotive moved to Gulf Sand & Gravel Co. in 1950 to become Comite Southern No. 1.

The Stone Mountain Scenic Railroad acquired the engine in 1961. It became known as "General II" when it was rebuilt and cosmetically altered to resemble the "General," the locomotive made famous by the Andrews Raid and locomotive chase through northwest Georgia during the Civil War".



The display at Peason had this picture. Isn't it ironic that I found No.104, the engine shown in this old photograph.



No.202 at the museum on Long Leaf:



No.400 at the Long Leaf Museum:



Here are some notes I've taken from Carl Dilbeck's masterpiece.

How the mill at Peason was built:

Lumber to build the mill was brought by wagons drawn by mule and oxen from the D.B. Pate sawmill nearthe turpentine camp of Shutts, located near the northeastern corner
of what is now Hodges Gardens.

The line from Peason to Sandel:

A tap line railroad was constructed, the Christie and Eastern, running from Sandel on the Kansas City Southern line some twelve miles to the mill site. It was said that curves made up much of this mileage, as the track was constructed to surround steep hills and avoid sharp grades.



Later, the connection to Longleaf and Lecompte:

Later the railroad was extended east to connect with the Red River and Gulf Railroad
at Kurthwood, with connections to Lecompte.

The RR&G and Peavy-Wilson Lumber Co. connection:

The lumber company constructed the track and deeded the property to the railroad corporation. The two companies are, and have been from their inception, identical in interest, and they have the same officers.

More from HERE.

[To Repeat]The tap line connects with the Iron Mountain at Long Leaf, La., and with the Rock Island, Texas & Pacific and Southern Pacific at LeCompte, the track between those points being about 13 miles in length. The timber has all been cut away along the main line; but the lumber company has an unincorporated track about 4 miles in length, connecting with the tap line and running into the standing timber. The equipment of the tap line consists of 1 locomotive, a combination passenger and freight car, and 3 flat cars. The lumber company itself owns and operates 3 locomotives and about 50 logging cars.

The Red River & Gulf runs one train daily in each direction, on which passengers are carried; and its revenues from passengers amounted to $1,213.40 for the year 1910.

Thankfully I am through with all the educational part of the write. All that I have for now, anyway. The fun part now starts, at least for me. I'm going out there and find all of the bed I can riding the back roads, my personal passion.

Below are the maps as I will work west to east.
A Toonerville Trolly connected Sandel, on US171 with Peason, on La.118. Click the maps and pictures to enlarge. Then hit the back button to return.



Peason to Kurtwood



Kurtwood to Melder:

The names of the places that made this map possible came from Abandoned Rails: The Red River & Gulf Railroad



The next, and last section, is from Elmelhine to Lecompte. I am unsure about this. I've put in a request to the museum to varify it.



Next, I'll supply pictures of the grade that I've found.
This may be a full summer project. Stay tuned.

Armed with the supposed rail route on the bike's GPS, I headed to the area below Lake Cocodrie which was, as my Maps of Louisiana showed, laced with old rail beds left from the hay day of steam engine enabled forestry. The evidence was clear to a believer as I stopped at each intersection of gravel road and dotted line depicting an old route. Amazingly, the map still displayed what I would consider "dummy lines", what I thought were very temporary intrusions into the soon to be leveled forest. The "virgin" forest must have been extremely thick.

Getting exited to see the pictures?

Not quite yet.

As every foray into History Land requires, I did more internet searches trying to find additional information about Peason, the Red River and Gulf Railroad, and by using a new term, "Christie and Eastern Railroad" , gleamed, again, from that roadside display in Peason.

This was last night's catch:

OLD PEASON http://www.sabine.k12.la.us/fhs/peason.htm

"Peason was established in 1918 by a long time logger, Mr. A.J. Peavy. Later, he met Mr. R.J. Wilson, a lumberman, and a mill manager. Together they started the Peavy-Wilson Lumber Company. Peason was a major logging town known to everyone in the area as, "The Peavy-Wilson Lumber Company." It had a movie theater, hotel, saloon, and a main street that was lined with sycamores. The town was located on Peason Ridge, ten miles west of Florien; Peason was at the end of the Christie and Eastern Railroad. People in the Peason Community were farmers before the mill came. After the mill came all the people started working there for better money. When the mill closed down in 1935 in the middle of the great depression, the people either had to go back to farming or they moved to Florida to try to make a living.

In 1894, the "Pine Grove Baptist Church" was established in Peason. In the early 1900's and late 1800's the Peason High School was established. The last class graduated in 1934. During the years between 1918 and 1929, there were 1,500 to 2,000 people living in Peason.

By 1934 trees were getting scarce. The last trees that ran through the mill were cut off the top of Eagle Hill. Later on Peavy Wilson donated all this land to the Peason Community. Then, the Peason Community donated the land to the United States Government for the military bombing range. The range is the most important thing in Peason now, since the mill is gone except for the people that still live there. People from all over the United States come to practice for war at Peason Ridge.

Related Stories

Mr. Otis Westfall, who is now 97 years of age and happens to be Tyler’s great-grandfather, remembers Peason during the booming days. He used to work for the sawmill that was located in Peason. Mr. Westfall and his family also lived there. As a teenage boy he recalls that trains moved the timber into the sawmill town. The trains would carry several hundred trees, called "virgin timber" into the mill. Then the men and young teenagers would unload it and cut it up for lumber. Mr. Westfall, tells that everything that was needed was located in this town. After everyone got paid at the end of the week they would all go to the commissary and spend all their money. The commissary had a long, wooden porch where people would get together and visit each other while they bought their supplies. Mr. Westfall said, "all the money stayed in this town." The men would buy several pounds of supplies that the families needed at home. If other supplies and clothes were needed, they could also buy it there. Everything the people needed was available in the sawmill town. Mr. Westfall also tells that at the Peason Sawmill town he first got a glimpse of his future sweetheart whom later became his wife, Mrs. Sylvia Simmons Westfall. He said, "she wouldn’t pay attention to me at first" but later on they became husband and wife.

Mr. Otis Westfall shared this with our family before he went into the nursing home. He still remembers lots of things that happened in this area. He has always lived in Peason until recently.

Old Peason remembered by Mrs. Exie McInnis, as told to Willie Jones:

The school sat on the front street. Peason School only went to the eleventh grade. The school had many sports including boys and girls basketball. Mrs. Ruby Nicholson was the first principal that Mrs. Exie knew of. Some of the teachers included Mrs. Ivey Jordan, Helen Wiggens who married the postmaster, Mr. Dallas Allen. The primary teacher was Hedi Gardner. The second principal was R.V. Tuck who came from Kentucky and stayed for two years until he moved on. Mrs. Cooper was principal in 1902. Another teacher was Lucy Bolen she taught English. The school also had a home economics class. Mrs. Exie taught sixth grade in 1927-28.

The commissary was a very busy place. It had a long front porch on the front of it. It housed the doctor’s office, drug store, furniture store, butcher’s shop, post office, dry goods and a grocery store. Behind it sat the icehouse. The front street was lined with sycamore trees. There were houses on both sides of the railroad tracks. At one time Peason was the largest town in Sabine Parish. The mill was located by the log pond on the west side of Peason. The mill and town took up about 60 acres. The old pond is still there today; it is located about 13 miles from Florien on Hwy. 118. The large pond covered about five to six acres, it was used to float the logs into the mill. Some of the trees are still standing and if you look close you can even tell where the streets and railroad tracks used to be.

Mrs. Exie continues her discussion about Peason with the following information that was personally handwritten on two sheets of paper. "The first thing Peason had to have was a name so they took the first three letters of Mr. Peavy’s name ‘Pea’ and the last three letters ‘son’ of Wilson and put them together and named it Peason. The company also had an officer that lived in the top store of the pay office to keep order and I’ve forgotten his name but he kept good order. Peason was a quite town.

Peason also gave his people plenty of entertainment. They built a theater for movies every night except Sunday night for the grown ups and a skating rink for the younger set.

It seemed like it was hard to keep a doctor. The first Dr. was E.C. Dillion but he was gone pretty soon nobody knew why. I do not know all their names, but I’ll give you the names I do remember, Dr. Alford, Dr. Ellzey, and Dr. Franklin from Anacoco and he stayed as long as Peason stayed there. Mr. John D. Whittington was the second man to run the drug store and he stayed until they cut out. The railroad called Christie and Eastern is the railroad from Peason to the K.C.S. at what is called Sandel now, but was called Christie before Peason. The motor car was driven twice a day from Peason to Christie to get the mail.

When Peason moved away there was a man and his family Henry Sharp came to sell the houses, railroad steel, and all the things left behind. When the motor car stopped going after the mail Mr. Mack Duggan extended his route and brought Peason mail out to the Peason place until the mail was not very much so they did away with Peason post office and Mr. Duggan had a longer route.

I forgot to tell you that Peason run their railroad from Peason to Kurthwood below Kisatchie so they could ship lumber two ways."

As quoted from a personal letter addressed to Willie on September 17, 1998 by Mrs. Exie McInnis. She also provided a newspaper clipping with additional information.

Information gathered by:

Tyler, Josh, Willie and Cody

[Obviously school kids, way to go, M.History Teacher]

[Ok, a little history and geography of the area]
Florien & The Neutral Strip


"The Village of Florien is located in Sabine Parish in scenic west central Louisiana near Toledo Bend Reservoir. Florien was founded in 1897 and was named for Mr. Florien Giauque. In 1997, the residents of Florien celebrated the centennial of this picturesque village. Florien is the home of the Sabine Free State Festival and beautiful Hodges Gardens. The festival is celebrated every November and commemorates the great historical events leading to the establishment and termination of the "neutral ground" between the territory of the United States and the territory of Spain, west of the Mississippi River.

Events leading to the territorial dispute resulting in the "neutral ground" agreement really began with the French establishment of its westernmost settlement and fort in Louisiana at Natchitoches and the eastern boundary of El Camino Real (San Antonio Trace) at Los Adaes, just east of present day Robeline. In 1803, the United States bought Louisiana from France. This vast territory known as the Louisiana Purchase, included all the land drained by the Mississippi River. When the Americans asked the French about the western boundary of this land, the French were very vague. A definite boundary of Louisiana had not been determined. The Spaniards in Texas considered it to be the Red River. The Americans claimed it to be the Sabine River. Finally, a neutral strip was created in 1806 when no decision could be made. General James Wilkinson, representing the United States, met with the Spanish commander at Los Adaes, the first settlement in the Neutral Strip, to make this agreement.

From 1806-1820, this area was often referred to as "The Neutral Strip" or "No Man's Land". During this time, this strip of land between the Sabine River on the west and the Arroyo Hondo and the Calcasieu River on the east, soon attracted people of all kinds. Outlaws often came to take advantage of a land without law enforcement. In 1810, a joint expedition of Spanish and Americans drove them out. Lawlessness continued until 1822, when Colonel Zachary Taylor built Fort Jesup and brought order to the lawless region. The Florida Treaty of 1819 fixed the western boundary of the Territory of Orleans, among others, but not until 1826 did the so-called "Free State of Sabine" really become part of Louisiana."


The Dover House

[NOT IN PEASON, but it is a bridge from Peason to the extended forestry based communities that I am finding so interesting, Florien and Fisher. I'm either not doing something right in my searches or there is a scant information about this society. What I can find will be posted, back to the Dover House.]

The Joe and Elizabeth Dover family home was built soon after the World War I armistice was signed on November 18, 1917. The family moved into the home during the spring of 1920.

The house is built entirely of "heart" lumber that was purchased from the Peavy- Wilson Lumber Company located near Peason, Louisiana. Many of the other materials had to be shipped to Florien pursuant to special orders. These included the outside columns, the beveled oval glass doors, kitchen sink, electric light fixtures and bathroom fixtures.

The house contains three bedrooms, one bath, living room, dining room, kitchen and pantry.

Exterior features that were unique to Florien in 1920 remain intact today. These include the columns across the front, brick flower planters located on either side of the front steps, a covered car port at the side entrance, porches around three sides and a woodshed containing a workbench and covered clotheslines. There was also an outdoor privy, chicken coop and a large henhouse. There was, at one time, a frame house adjoining the "back" pasture that was built for Willie Ed Porter, a handyman employed by the Dovers. Porter was a colorful individual and was every entertaining with his "jig" dances and other antics. Porter remained with the Dovers from 1920 till his death in 1950.

The house was originally heated with a wood stove which was also the cook stove but in 1940 this was replaced by the second gas system to be installed in the village of Florien (the first was installed next door in the home of Marguerite Dover Dupree).

Originally, the plans for the family home included a provision for adding a second floor to the one story building. To accommodate these plans there is a high beamed ceiling and completely floored attic. Today the Joe and Elizabeth Dover home remains in its original state. Family members have kept the home intact however, in the fall of 1997 family members donated the Dover house to the Village of Florien and the Sabine Freestate.

Information gathered by A. Lee.

Thanks to Ms. K. Arthur for her contribution."


Now for the ride through the forest in search for of train beds.
Sorry, that will be on the next page. I have domestica to attend to.



Above is an example of the maze of old railroad beds that lace the woods south of Lake Cocodrie, my recent haunts. They are too many to highlight. If you look closely, you can see the dashed lines. (click the map with your right mouse button and select "open in new window") The white line is my route from La.13 westward. I turned off La.13, just south of Turkey Creek at the brown sign for Crooked Creek Reservoir and campground. I believe it is Cypress Road. That road dead ends at Red Robert which starts on its east near Turkey Creek. I had coordinated each picture with numbers, like that was important. It was at the time, but that importance has subsided. The following will be a number of pictures of what I believed were some of the lumber train routes through the forest. I understand from the previous writings that the Shay gear driven engines were used (at Peason) because of their pulling power. This was Long Leaf's territory. Then the cars were transferred to rod type engines (familiar steam engines) which took the cars quickly to the mill. Here are the pictures of a few of those old beds. Now try to imagine:







And, along the roads:





And, when the routes have been overlaid with present day dirt roads.





After wandering around south of Cocodrie, and almost becoming a wet place in the road under a lumber truck, I headed for the oasis of all local forestry knowledge, The Southern Forest Heritage Museum at Long Leaf. I walked into the old commissary and no one was there. Everyone was out working on preparations for their big weekend coming up on April 19, 2008. Shortly, a lady appeared and I told her of my problem finding the immediate Red River and Gulf exit/entrance to Longleaf from the west. She found a gentleman who claimed not to be the authority, but he immediately found what I needed. They were both devoted to finding the answer to my question. Pay these people a visit. Their place is AWESOME.

The bad news was this. There are no rails from Longleaf to Lecompte as one website had said was proposed. In fact there is less evidence than in the woods because population, nurseries, and farms have covered them. Below is a little evidence I found along La.112 between Forest Hill and Lecompte. Pipelines have assumed old rail beds because the Right of Ways are intact and easy to access. These pipelines and power lines preserve history. Camp on one and you can hear the engines in the warm humid southern pine forest night.



Another road rides the previous rails.





Being a bit depressed at the lack of rotting rail ties, I rode into Lecompte. There were no humps in the road, nothing. I saw where the cross track had been, in the middle of a neighborhood yard. Should I believe the GPS? Then I looked to the right, across the bayou. There were the remains of the old trestle crossing Bayou Bouef. I heard trumpets blare.






My faith restored, suddenly the vision of of an industrial railroad district came into focus. The "rails" followed the bayou south through town, I was clicking away behind an imaginary lumbering steam and smoke belching beast as it made its way to the junction with the long gone Southern Pacific, now the main Union Pacific line at Lecompte. Below are those pictures. Did you see that puff of black smoke? I did.










The locations of the doors on the buildings told me that I was on the rails. It was a moment. Suddenly, I just had a flash of Peter Pan, saying something about "believing". I think he was onto something.

The historical marker is near the old Methodist Church on the south side of town as I exited. It is a reminder that Lecompte is not new to railroading and that the Red River and Gulf was a newcomer in town compared to Mr.Smith's endeavor.



Here's the last vision of what I believe is the confluence of the RR&G and Southern Pacific RR's. Is that switch set?



That's it for now.



The Bone Yard

Once upon a time, I was hiking in the forest. The trail opened up and before me lay the remains of what seemed to be an old railroad.



The rails beckoned me on.



And on.



Piles of twisted metal lay about. I wondered what had happened here.



Pushing on through the undergrowth, the tangle opened again.



I was overcome, sensing I was in a lost graveyard, a place machinery had come to die.



They were old loggers. The racks were unmistakable.



The forest was having its revenge.



What once was the dominant, lay dominated.



I moved on. Oh my goodness, look at that!



I climbed atop the tender and shot all around.

Its "U" shape interested me.



Behind the tender there seemed to be what was left of a caboose. (a little bird had whispered that to me).



Then I heard a banging and whimpering.
I saw the large hole in the top of the tender.



Looking down into the dark rusty water, much to my surprise, there was C.Al de LaSalle. I had wondered where he had wandered off to.



Yes, Tooty, Al is fine. I fished him out. It wasn't too rough getting him through that hole since he was pretty slimy with all that old oil. He sends hugs and kisses and says he misses you. Please take him back.

In this production, many pictures were donated by E.Leuck of the Southern Forest Heritage Museum at Longleaf, Louisiana without his knowledge.
Both Al and I played ourselves.
For more information CLICK HERE.

Drawing UP the RR&G Tour

First of all, right click those maps, choose "open in new window" so you can download them and follow along. They are priceless. Now on with the article:

What needs to be done?
After resolving my dilemma over the planned LaFouche ride, I sat there in a quandary reflecting on the needs of the exploding, in number, general motorcycling public. Bikes were bought, brought home, hours were spent polishing to impress, then duh? The avoided question of "where to ride it" was waiting at the end of the driveway. After several crashes, the "Ride to the Bar" choice was chucked. After projectile vomiting within a full coverage helmet, the "Ride to Eat, Eat to Ride", idea was also chucked. Pardon my choice of words. With bars and unlicensed eateries off the list, where else can there be to go?

May I suggest an "Old Railroad Beds in the Forest" tour. I'm not going to tell you to spend hours looking for humps and bumps like Al and I do. I want you to simply ride their routes following my maps while enjoying our beautiful Louisiana countryside. I think this will satisfy your need to get somewhere over and over. Each new chance to see the old bed will keep you riding along. I'm not saying this course will prevent spills or puking, but it's a better bet than your previous choices.

Back to the tour preparations. Al was available to assist, so I first went by his new place. He emerged with helmet installed. He seemed groggy and stumbled. I asked if he was OK and he replied that he was, but hadn't slept well the previous night. I noticed his beard and hair were a bit longer. I feared Al was becoming less focused.



Our first stop was Big Cut.
Simply, Big Cut is where the Army crossed the route of the RR&G with their own railroad. It was headed to Fort Polk in Leesville, the RR&G was headed to Peason and points beyond. You will have no problem getting to it on your motorcycle. We didn't.

Arriving, I heard the sound of a dirt bike. Down in the bottom on the RR&G bed appeared this guy. In this shot he's thinking about climbing the near straight up 30 foot cement embankment, which cannot be done on foot. I was wondering if he was considering his wet traction-less knobbies and the fact that it was narrow and that there are dangerous cement supports on the left. It doesn't seen that this is where an organized enduro club would run its race, but they did. Seems dumb to me. This kind of crap is why the Forest Service had to limit riders to its trails. Why did they allow the club to use it? I guess they're dumb, too. Bubba 51 is not on the trail. The FS got tired of having to calling Air Med in an attempt at saving these idiot's lives. I thought "dirt riders" would be content with "dirt". The "show off" and "I'm a racer" factor is too much a part of the sport. Nice outfit Lorenzo.





Looks like a street rider would be satisfied with street riding.



Now I have the write's rants out of the way, here's how to do the tour.

Get on Boy Scout Road. It lies just north of where Spring Creek is crossed by US 165 between McNary and Forest Hill. It is the white line with the black dots. Take Boy Scout to Forest Road 259. Ride it east until it makes a hard right. Let it go, you keep straight until you see 2 big bumps in the two rut road. Don't go over the second bump.

The purple line on the map is the Red River & Gulf Railroad bed as it leaves LongLeaf Junction, a historical place. It proceeds west to where you see "CROSS" written, that's Big Cut. The brown line is the old bed of the C&PMRR, the Claiborne and Polk Military Railroad, as it heads for Fort Polk. You ride it to the location of Big Cut. Forest Road 259 to the Big Cut extension is an exciting ride as the bed fill stands high above the low forest. If you have not ridden Trail Ridge Road in Rocky Mountain National Park, this is good practice.



When you are done with Big Cut, tear yourself away and retrace to Boy Scout Road. The C&PMRR continues across the road. Go north on BS to Otis Melder. Go west on it. You are back on or near the RR&G bed. Next is Tattoo Road. If it is not the RR bed, then play like it is. You won't even have to flip on your imagination. Sorry, you'll have to because Tattoo is not the RR&G. But, it could be if you want it enough. To prevent frustration breakdown, a good tool is the ability to speculate. I speculate a lot. Al is a more structure oriented person and he tries to keep me factual. This tour will be based on a combination of our strengths.



Below, I've taken one of Everett Lueck's maps and augmented it with the modern road names, a missing part in actually understanding where the railroad went. Nice job Everett, but you came up short. The road names are in red. Important roads, so far, on this tour are Boy Scout, (O)Otis Melder, Tattoo and Potato Farm Rds. The yellow line is our tracks. I should have gone down Melder Rd. to check that crossing. Next time I will. Remember this was a rough beginning. Al kept falling asleep, much like you are probably doing right now. Click the map to read it.



Potato Farm goes right up the railroad route. Potato Farm runs into Booster Wright Road. At the cross roads of Elmer and Booster Wright was the settlement of Emerline. There was probably some sort of lumbering installation there as the RR&G serviced lumbering installations, being a mill owned railroad. From time to time I'll drop little hints like that, so read carefully.



When you get to Potato Farm Rd., it will look like this. To the right, where the power line is, is what appears to be a railroad bed. Sorry about the Clintonian "is, is". Remember, speculate, then imagine.



Emerline will look like this:



I forgot to take a shot of Lisso on La.112. Another lost opportunity.
Look, I know this is all hard to absorb at one time. Take your time. It's taken me over a year to figure it out. I finally have learned to marry Everett's great maps with my GPS software. It took a strange, missing ingredient, work. This next one features Potato Farm, Booster Wright and Boyd Road. That gets us to La.112. The railroad went straight, we had to veer off on 488 and then ll99 on up to La.121 and 465 to follow it. When we rejoined, it was a moment.



More later, I'm worked out.
Until I do more work, CLICK HERE to read a little something on Big Cut and the Army railroad.

Or if you want to really get into it CLICK HERE.

This ride report will be a somewhat irreverent and unofficial survey of the route as far as Hutton. I'll have to camp out somewhere to continue from that point. As it was, this first foray was 300 miles in length. Al was "loosing concentration" at about mile 260. After you see what he did, you'll understand why.

Page 2

Continuing the tour, we rode 1199 up to Owen Miller, a quiet neighborhood road short cut over to La.121. We arrived at the approximate location of Lewiston, a speculated depot location. I can't find my RR&G schedule, if I had one. On the map, the yellow line is the railroad and the white line is our attempt to follow it. As you can see, we got pretty far OFF trying to get back to 465. We went south on 121 for a short distance, then turned west on La.465. At Ian Johnston we turned north and crossed the railroad, then turned east on Powell and crossed it again. I don't think we realized we were crossing on either occasion. I did feel a tingle in my leg twice, to borrow a term from Cris Mathews.



I have two map sources I can use in showing you the way . One is by using my GPS program's on again, off again, rough rail route coverage. The second is using Everett's old maps that don't have the roads and modern highway names marked too well. His has the rails right, mine has the roads right. That is why you are getting both versions each augmented with the other. I'll stay with the yellow line as the rails, and white line as our trail. When this is all done, you'll be able to visit each exact spot. I'll list them as coordinates. Won't that be fun. Maybe I'll leave some candy in a hollow tree? Al did that once. I've never figured out the significance of the flashing earrings.



Above is Everett's old map. Yellow marks the highways. I failed to mark the Johnston Road exit and the side trip down Powell Road where the tingles occurred. The brown tracks continue to be the RR&G. Enough maps. Here are a few pictures.



The following is a speculative picture since I did not mark its location. Let it work for you. If it does not work as a Right of Way picture, enjoy it as a view of the topography. An ability to positively adapt is essential out here in the field.



Al wanted to claim it. I convinced him that he didn't want to fool with a pipeline.

We rejoined La.465. Before Sieper, Al saw it. The bed is close to the highway and there is no fence barring a chance to stand on it. This is a monumental place. It is marked "Bed 465" on the top map.





It is a magical place.





The old telegraph poles were still there.



And the lines were in good shape. I could hear the telegrapher tapping away.

Al noted that the bed fill had to come from the surrounding land. A borrow pit lay next to the bed. He is indeed his ggggggggggg-grandfather's gggggggggg-grandson.



Although he was afraid to venture into the undergrowth, Alphonso de LaSalle officially claimed for France all of the Red River and Gulf right of way as far as it would travel in all directions through his proxy, me. I had to carry the damn Fleur de Lis back out to the "tracks".





This may be a scary scene for some. I was relieved to see that Al was back in form. We would next search for Hood Camp.



I could close my eyes and see this. (picture from the Southern Forest Heritage Museum at Long Leaf collection (Glenmora/Forest Hill, La.)



Page 3

CLICK THE MAP TO ENLARGE

Above Sieper, we took RV Rhames to Stille and Clifton Crossing to La.28. I never realized I was in Stille. No tingle. This in Indian Country. The Clifton Choctaw Community is above La.28. We could have taken Reginal Perry Road out of Sieper and followed along the bed, but I forgot. It's a dead end, anyway. Here's the map. Pictures only, I'm rapped out. The RR&G crossed the Cypress Bayou water shed. There must have been some long trestles. I think Al found one. The picture with marked stubs, below.





















You still there Al?



Page 4



We emerged out onto La.28, the busy Alexandria to Leesville thoroughfare. There I stopped and surveyed a very probable location of the RR&G crossing, marked "Mystery Road" on the map. I'm including this because I don't want you making the same mistake. And, besides, now it belongs to France.

This flat topped route took off to the north just as the RR&G did. Ahead was a drop off.



Al motioned me to the precipice and we speculated on a long trestle carrying the trains north. Then he went down and inspected the cement abutment. I failed to notice that there was no sign of posts at the time.



I knew Al was having his doubts, but nevertheless, King Louis owned a bit more property.



I zoomed the GPS down and saw the alignment move a little west. We rode the 200 feet difference up the highway. There it was, plain as day. Of course it had the usual welcoming sign.





Directly across the road was the corresponding opening. Al bolted across the highway to investigate, or something.



Yep.



About that time a State Police car pulled up. My bike was off of the shoulder, so I knew, for once, I was legal. He stuck his head out of the window and asked if everything was OK. I thumbed through my folder of category files and responded with a "Yes, thank you sir," while trying not to look at Al and his flag across the road.

Next, we really do move up the road to Hood Camp. I know I said that on the last page. TV news uses that hook to keep you watching. I'm no better.

Page 5

The RR&G next crossed a wild area above La.28. A place called Jericho was out there somewhere along the line. I could find no way to it. Hood Camp would be the next stop in the line of lumbering locations. After Hood, Temple Spur would be next and then Comrade. I believe Comrade was an early settlement and just so happened to be the location of a mill. Hutton would be the next stop going west after Comrade.



Maps and dirt roads may be getting boring so I'm going to kick start your imagination a little. This is what it was all about from the early 1900's to the late 1940's.





And this one, taken at Hutton, where we are going.







That puts a face on it. Now absorbing more maps and dirt roads will hopefully be a bit easier. The pictures were either supplied by or taken at the Southern Forest Heritage Museum in Long Leaf. Yes, they have a website.

On with the ride. We went west on 28 and then rejoined 465 going northwest. Reaching Hood Camp was impossible from 465. What were "parish roads" had been eaten by hunting clubs. I would not quit trying until we reached the turn off for Comrade. One more chance presented itself, Hood Camp Road off of La.8, east of Simpson. If that didn't do it, nothing would. On the way we passed though Temple. Old stores with Lone Star Feed signs are Kodak moments.





Near there was this historical marker. From it I make my thesis that Comrade was not a classic mill town, but had its roots a bit deeper in history.



On seeing the road sign, complete with unbarred road, I became elated. The GPS said that Hood Camp was 3.4 miles down the gravel road.





Seven miles netted this.



The ride to these remote places is endless. The return rides to the main highway go quickly. How two equal distances can occupy different amounts of time, I have yet to figure out.

Next, we turned off of La.8 onto Comrade Road. The much anticipated sweep across the arc of the RR&G took to its various mills, etc, was about to begin. The rails would be close, but something was wrong with my GPS. I finally figured out that "No Map" is an option. That corrected, we forged forth. It was getting late. We were 140 miles from home port and headed off into the wilderness. I would have to weigh time and space once again. This time I based my estimate liberally, relying heavily on the newly activated, Daylight Savings Time . We hustled. Al even folded his flag.













I am not satisfied with our inspection. There will be a next time on this stretch. I had to check out the Comrade Cemetery, just north of "town".



The grave of Mrs.Elizabeth Crager, Dec.6,1828--April 9,1905 would signify the history of this area.



I always take pictures of the portrait headstones. They are great. It's like meeting the folks.





Bud and Lula, I know, were nice people.

We hurried on to Hutton. A paved road replaced the gravel, a sign of increased civilization, sometimes. There was civilization at Hutton, but nothing worth shooting, so I shot the GPS which is still one hour off. It was 4pm. The horizontal dashes are the tracks, the triangle is us. I'm sure there was more, but I was panicking. Night riding is very bad. People don't see bikes in the daytime. It's much worse at night.



We lit it up and shortly reached 465. We'd fly back to Simpson, almost. I had to stop at the Welcome Cemetery. The name drew me. I think "Welcome" was a community.



We didn't go in.

On to Simpson we rode. I suspect that there was a large mill there and that this old building is the sole remaining remnant. I have shot it at various points in its demise.



Here's what I believe was the storage pond for the mill.



I may add a few more from the ride home. Hutton was the end of the line for now. The RR&G continued hugging La.465 to Kurthwood. Then La.118 would be the closest through road to follow the rails to Peason. That later.

The New Red River and Gulf

It seems that I'm attacking this project backwards. It started off as a serious attempt at documenting the history of the Crowell mill and railroad at Long Leaf, Louisiana. I haven't the patience for that right now. It is overwhelming. Those two pages will await sorting out. What is below was sent to me by Everett Lueck during 2008 and 2009. This is the last page of the article. It was also the easiest to do, following my personal prioritizing formula.

Everett is the new Red River and Gulf's Section Boss, Secretary, VP and President. I'll share, with his approval, some of the updates and and pass-a-longs he has sent me. Unless specified by the appearance of {Me}, everything below came from Everett. Notice the "!" marks from time to time. Add to the list of offices held by Everett, Chief Cheerleader. OK, here we go. The following is to his volunteeer work crew and worthless hanger on groupies, like me.

OK, Here it is!

Effective Monday, July 13, contracts will be signed covering the rehabilitation of the RR&G Main line as far as the Sandersville road crossing, and for the track laying on the loop. An additional contract will cover the grading for the loop line. Work on the Main line to Sanderville will begin July 20.

There are still a number of things to be done before the loop line can be built. One of the two most necessary items will be the removal of rail behind the sawmill, to clear the right of way for grading, and to use the switch parts. The second is the removal and stacking of the 60# rail that is on the drying racks so that it can be used for loop construction. The rail on the rail pile across the road is only 45# and we would like to use all the 60# that we have available. The other source of 60# rail is the planer mill siding and we can pick that up also. Rail also needs to be removed from the old passenger car storage track behind the depot location so that can be graded as part of the loop.

We need to locate at least 1100 more ties and about 200 rail joint bars for 60# rail along with the track bolts.

Do you all think that it would be possible for us to schedule a couple of work weekends to recover the rail from the drying racks and drag it to be stacked? That would be a huge start on the loop.

Exciting times!

Everett

{Me} Below are collages of the work progress on the new R&G RR. I would assume they were taken by EL in a two steps and shoot tour of the work. I've done pictorials of railroad right of ways using the same formula. I had to chuckle, but I understand the need for documentation, especially at such a proud moment. Click these pictures and they will expand.












{Me} I can only imagine the excitement of seeing the
railroad take shape.



{Me} Next, he sent pictures taken from a work car riding
around the completed parts. Again, click to expand the collage.









{Me} A visit to the museum offered rides pulled by RG1.
There's something new there now. That's down the page.



{Here's another note from Everett, notice "despite the snow"
and the trials and tribulations associated with funding and the
actual work.}

For all of you that are interested, we had a relatively profitable weekend despite the snow and the wet conditions. John and David got the big gears up into the McGiffert with the help of Ray on the backhoe, and Ray also showed us his versatility with the backhoe by moving track, rail and ties for a couple of projects on the loop. Tracy and I, with the help of Larry from the museum got lots of experience in removing spikes, driving spikes, replacing track bolts etc. Ray also demonstrated his artistry with a cutting torch in helping the track work.

We took a few kinks out of the rail in the curve leading south from the commissary, where the M-4 went off two weekends ago, and we replaced a bald rail in the loop behind the planer mill (which kicked off the orange motor car) as well as fixing and relining the two switches connecting the loop and the main line.

We have been assured "once again" that there is more state grant money on the way to complete the rehab of the switchback track and the surfacing and alignment of the loop and main lines, but until the money is in hand and we can see how many of the GC Group guys want to come back to work, this sort of work needs to be done by our group.

We also need to take advantage of the cooler weather and begin working on the interior of the M-4. Tracy, Ray and I also discussed the idea of some "day projects" or "half day projects" and putting a list of those up in the office, so that people can come and do a half day thing and enjoy the other half day at the museum, or what ever. If you would like to contribute to that list, please email me your thoughts, as I will be trying to compile the list this week, both of big and little projects.

As far as the railroad goes, we have three pressing needs, and they all are on the loop line.
The first is drainage and ballast. Earl and the Parish Sheriff's office will be working on the ballast and drainage issues in January, by ditching along the RR and piling up the dirt between the ties.
The second is surfacing and alignment. There are 3 remaining areas that urgently need attention, and each will probably consume a good work weekend. The curve south of the commissary needs some regrading to eliminate a bad vertical curve, and to smooth out the entire curve.

The curve through the old finished lumber shed area needs to have two rails flipped end for end to take advantage of their natural curvature and one more rail replaced to eliminate a rail with a bad vertical dip that we cannot have in the outside rail of the curve. The switch that connects the loop to the switchback line in this area also is in need of the same treatment given the ones by the engine house.

On the southeast end of the loop, we have one bad rail with much of the head missing on the inside that either needs to be replaced or at least flipped. This entire area is desperately in need of surfacing, joint bar repair and super elevation as well.

The Third is to move or add a culvert east of the road crossing as the present culvert is not located in the center of the drainage in that area. In this same area, there are two 60# rails with worn heads, that also need to be flipped so as to wear on the good side of the rail.

Other areas of the railroad are also in need of 6" PVC culverts installed between the ties to facilitate drainage (this can be an "day job")

Having said all of this, I would like to finalize the work weekend schedule through the end of March, with the idea of finishing as much of this as we can before Heritage Day which is April 20. On Heritage day, we may run as many as 3 trains so it would be nice if the track work would not give us too much trouble.

I am throwing out these possible dates: Please let me know your preferences as soon as possible.
Everett

{That's a little idea of what is involved in building and maintaining a railroad and a reflection of what work Section Boss is.}

The M4 Project

Steve,
July 16, 2008, If you are going in the Longleaf direction this weekend, here is an advance copy of an article that I am writing for the museum about the locomotives there. {CLICK HERE} Not just the 3 steam engines that every one can see, but what is left of the other 9 engines that were there in 1950.

{He goes on}

I am still hoping to get up there on Friday as they are sandblasting an painting the motor car train that we brought down from Arkansas in may, but it is looking more and more like it won't happen, (me getting away that is).

{So, Al and I went and sent him these shots, 7-19-08}









This is how it began as told in an article by Everett and Charles Williams, NRHS News Editor.

The headline:
'Sidetracked’ Motorcar Goes from Woods to Rails with Help from NRHS Grant.

Picture 1



Picture 2



Picture 3



Picture 4



Picture 5



Picture 6



Before I reproduce the article, here's Everett's preface:

From: Everett Lueck
Sent: Dec 17, 2009 8:17 AM

Subject: M-4 article

To all of you,

On Thursday, the museum received a query from the National Railway Historical Society wanting a progress report of the restoration of the M-4.

This was surprising to me since I had been sending one every 3 months since we started the restoration. Well, it appears that they had just been getting filed somewhere and not going to the right people. When I sent a report back to the chairman of the grants committee, Stephen Wasby, not only did I receive an enthusiastic response, "NEAT-O is not exactly a professional sounding response, but this is just great", but I also received a request for an article for the February national NRHS newsletter which goes to print this week. Charles Williams and I have been working to make the deadline, and we proofed the final article last night.

The last draft of the issue is enclosed. There will be a few more corrections in the final version and the photos are in color, but I thought that you all would like an advance copy.

I just thought the you all would like to know that the M-4 is going to give the museum some national exposure!
Everett

This is the article, "photos" refer to the ones above. They are in order.

PHOTOS 1-3 BY EVERETT LUECK; PHOTOS 4-6 BY BOB CARROLL;
FROM THE FOREST TO THE FOREST HERITAGE MUSEUM -- Volunteers at the Forest Heritage Museum & Research Center in Louisiana painstakingly restored a vintage motorcar. Car M-4 was retrieved from its “dead outdoor storage” (photo 1). It was transported to the museum on May 10, 2008 (photo 2) and stored temporarily next to the engine house (photo 3). The car was sand-blasted (photo 4) and painted (photo 5). The car was “prettied up” and ready to roll in time for the “Longleaf Legends and Lore” Halloween event on Oct. 24, 2009 (photo 6).

By CHARLES S. WILLIAMS
NRHS News Editor
Using funds from the NRHS Railway Heritage Grant program, a Louisiana museum has rescued a scrapped vintage railroad passenger car from the woods and restored it to pristine, operating condition. Fernwood, Columbia and Gulf (FC&G) Railroad passenger motor car number M-4 was restored by the members and volunteers of the Southern Forest Heritage Museum & Research Center in Long Leaf, La., and returned to passenger operations on Oct. 24, 2009, carrying museum visitors on 2.5 miles of track around the museum’s 60-acre home.

The museum was awarded $3,000 from the NRHS grant fund programin 2008.

History of Motor Car M-4
Motor Car number M-4 was built in the Fernwood, Miss., shops of the FC&G Railroad in 1937 as a copy of No. M-3, which was built in 1936 by the Kalamazoo Railway Supply Company for the FC&G. The car was used by the railroad as a passenger train between Fernwood and Columbia Mississippi.

According to museum officials, the design of the cars may have been influenced by the fact that the Columbia end of the railroad was connected with the Gulf Mobile and Northern Railroad, which operated The Rebel, the first streamlined train in the south.

“I think that the fact that the cars were sort of streamlined in contrast to other cars built by Kalamazoo was that the FC&G may have been trying to reflect the 1936 modern image of The Rebel,” explained Everett Lueck, the director in charge of railroad restoration and operations for the heritage museum. “The cars ran until 1957, making two round trips per day between Fernwood and Columbia.” The cars remained in maintenance of way service until the merger that made the FC&G a part of the newly formed Illinois Central Gulf Railroad. At that time, the M-3 was scrapped, and the M-4, along with some parts of the M-3, was sold to Louis Hennick of Shreveport, La., and stored on the Louisiana Midland in Jena, La.

In 1979, Hennick decided to sell the car, and it was purchased by long-time NRHS member Louis Saillard of Baton Rouge, La. Saillard moved the car to Reader, Ark., for use on the Reader Railroad. During the 1980s, the car was dismantled for a complete rebuild, but only the engine and the floor were rebuilt. The rest of the parts were scattered all over the Reader shop area, and the car was moved onto a disconnected spur for storage.

In 1994, Saillard donated the car to the Southern Forest Heritage Museum, but the donation was never finalized and the car remained at Reader.

In 2007, Lueck contacted Saillard on behalf of the museum, and they went to Arkansas to determine if the car could be restored.

“Feeling that it was basically sound, we moved the car to Longleaf on May 10, 2008 for restoration,” Lueck said.

During the first week of August, 2008, the car was sandblasted and painted. The remainder of the work was done over the course of the next year. The car was first run in late September of 2009, and first used, officially,or the annual Halloween celebration at the museum on October
24. At that time, the car transported about 600 happy passengers and racked up over 100 miles in trips around the museum’s miles of track over the next six weeks. The motor car also had new track on which to operate.

While the restoration was underway, museum volunteers contracted with the Gulf Coast Rail group to rehabilitate 4,000 feet of the original Red River and Gulf Railroad mainline which was laid in 1914 and abandoned in place in 1954. The original rails were used for the project. Gulf Coast also constructed a 4,800-foot loop around the entire 60-acre museum property, which gives the museum 2.5 miles of track on which to operate the car. The museum loop features curves as sharp as 18-20 degrees, and grades up to 4.5 percent, which Lueck said makes for a good ride for the visitors.

The “pieces” of the restoration:

The restoration was extensive and is ongoing, despite the fact that the car is in operation.
The steps in the restoration to date are included below.

· Seat frames cleaned and seats re-upholstered in
green Naugahyde.
· Front doors and back doors, as well as framing
replaced; windows installed; and doors re-hung.
· Engine overhauled and cooling system restored.
· Inside of car cleaned and repainted.
· Windshield glass installed.
· Dashboard and controls installed (not complete
but operational).
· Reverse gear linkage fabricated and installed.
· Hand brake linkage fabricated and installed.
· Baggage door gates fabricated and installed.
· Electrical system, headlights, marker lights and interior lights installed.
· Interior seating reinstalled.
· Car properly lettered in 1937 paint scheme for FC&G.
· Passenger loading platform installed at the Longleaf commissary.

“Currently we are proceeding with three remaining projects which will complete the total restoration of the car,” said Lueck. Those are:

· Installation of the original front roll up windows in front of the baggage door, and replacement of the rear fixed windows with roll up windows as well (“It is hot in Louisiana in summer,” remarked Lueck). This will make the car water-tight, in case it has to be outside in wet weather.
· Repair and rehabilitation of the roller bearing front truck from car M-3 (which came with the car), and installation of braking system on front truck (the were no front brakes on either car originally)
· Fabrication of air brake system, giving air brakes on front truck as well as both rear axles.
When this work is completed along with the remaining dashboard instrumentation the car will be ready to operate anywhere.

The grant money from the NRHS paid for the sand-blasting and painting, the windshield glass, the upholstery material and the upholstering of the seats and the gauges for the dash board.

“Without that heritage grant money — even had we made the car operational in the 18 months that we worked on it — we would have had no new outside restoration, no seats for our passengers, no instrument panel for the engineer and no windshield in the front of the car,” Lueck concluded. “Suffice it to say that on the museum’s limited budget, the car would not be running today without the money from {them}.

{To close out the page, here are some of the color shots of
the car's progress. Visit Long Leaf and take a ride. Their
webite can be accessed by clicking HERE. I'll get the history
stuff done asap. In the meantime, visit there and save
having to get it from the middle man, me.}









The Red River and Gulf Past and Present

Page 1.

This one has been a long time coming. On a historic trip, when my grandson was still shorter than I, we went to Long Leaf where we were given the million dollar tour. It lasted close to four hours. Evidently the fella showing us around sensed the wonderment his attentive group was exhibiting and enjoyed showing grandson, my wife and I through the living museum. That write is in the archives here at the house having been lost when Geocities cratered. I've never reposted it since the effort would be endless. In this one, I'll show you a few of those shots.

I'll start it off with a little history that Everett contributed to and was sent out in their newsletter as letter from Bob Carroll.

Southern Forest Heritage Museum Newsletter
Tracking the Red River and Gulf
Special Edition August 2009
Greetings!

Since our last Electronic Newsletter, we have had many of our readers show interest in the history of the Red River and Gulf Railroad. Therefore, our own Railroad historian, Everett Lueck, has compiled a timeline of events regarding this history. We hope this fills in some of the blanks and answers some of the questions you may have had. Read, relive, and enjoy!

Sincerely,

Bob Carroll
Executive Director

The Beginning- 1892

C.T. Crowell, impressed by the virgin pine timber that he sees from his train window, gets off , the brand new Kansas City, Watkins and Gulf R.R. in the brand new town of Glenmora, LA. Meeting local entrepreneur, John Evans, C. T. begins buying timberland, and shortly forms the Crowell and Spencer Lumber Co., Ltd. Crowell and Spencer builds a sawmill on Spring Creek at what will become Longleaf. The sawmill opens in Sept. 1893.


In This Issue
The Beginning-1892
1895-1900
1900's
1910's
1920's
1930's
1940's
1950's
1960's

1895
Having exhausted all of the nearby timber, Crowell and Spencer buy a shay locomotive and build a lumber tram into the woods southeast of Longleaf. R. Stamps Crowell, oldest son of C. T. comes to Longleaf to learn the lumber business.

1898
The lumber tram continues to grow and a second shay engine is purchased.

1905
George Gould, son of "robber baron," Jay Gould, obsessed with fulfilling his late father's desire of a single transcontinetal railroad under Gould control begins construction of the Western Pacific RR from Salt Lake City to Oakland. Shipping rates on all Gould railroads are raised to the maximum to pay for this construction. Since Gould owned St. Louis, Iron Mountain and Southern has taken over the KC,W&G RR, Crowell and Spencer are at the mercy of the Iron Mountain rates, and cannot compete in the lumber market. At the same time, the Crowell timber east of Longleaf is becoming more attractive for cutting. Thus, in 1905, the Red River and Gulf Railroad is incorporated as a common carrier to haul finished lumber 12 miles to the Southern Pacific, Texas and Pacific and the Rock Island connections in LeCompte thus giving Crowell and Spencer not only better rates, but a share of the shipping revenue. At the same time the railroad hauls timber to the mill at Longleaf. Shortly thereafter, RR & G service is extended to Bolton and the Louisiana Sawmill Co., and trains of the Glenmora and Western RR and the Rock Island RR use the RR & G tracks as well.

1906
RR & G service is extended to Ashmore, a Crowell logging camp southwest of Glenmora. C. T. Crowell, his son R. Stamps Crowell and W. D. Wadley form the Alexandria Lumber Company, Ltd. ALCo. cuts timber south of Glenmora at Pawnee and ships timber to its mill in Pineville. The Alco lumber railroad connects with the Ashmore extension of the RR & G.

1911
RR & G service to Ashmore is terminated, but the connection with the Alexandria Lumber Co. RR is maintained.
Construction of the Western Pacific forces the Gould financial and railroad empire into bankruptcy court, and Gould himself into personal bankruptcy.

1913
C. T. Crowell and A. B. Spencer form the Meridian Lumber Co. Ltd. to purchase timber located in Evangeline Parish east of Bayou Cocodrie. The new town of Meridian is established around the Meridian Lumber Co. mill there. The RR & G rebuilds the Crowell tram to Cocodrie, Meridian Lumber extends it to Meridian and the RR & G extends its service from Longleaf to Meridian, thus doubling its length.

1915
Crowell and Spencer build a new logging tramway 12 miles south from Cocodrie into St. Landry Parish. Red River and Gulf RR replaces worn, second hand, 45# rail with new 60# rail on main line from Longleaf to Lecompte. This is the rail still there in 2009. At the same time, the RR & G purchased thier first large locomotive, #102.

1916
C. T. Crowell puts together a syndicate to buy the Gould family timber holdings north and east of Leesville. The members of the syndicate are: Crowell and Spencer Lumber Co. Ltd., Alexandria Lumber Co. Ltd., Vernon Parish Lumber Co. (formerly Pawnee Land and Lumber Co. at Pawnee- Owned by the Kurth Family), and Peavy-Wilson Lumber Co., (Owned by A. J. Peavy and A. J. Hodges. The Red River and Gulf RR is extended west from Longleaf Jct. toward these timber lands, but stops at Bliss. There are no records of operation from Longleaf Jct. to Bliss for the next 3 years.

1917
Peavy-Wilson Lumber establishes a mill and town at Peason, building the Christie and Eastern RR to connect Peason with the Kansas City Southern RR..

1919
Construction resumes on the RR & G Extension into the "Gould Timber" and the railroad is completed to Kurthwood late in that year. Vernon Parish Lumber establishes the town of Kurthwood around its mill there. Kurthwood is located 10 miles southeast of Peason. Crowell and Spencer establish a logging camp at Hutton and begin construction of logging spurs north into the woods. Logs are carried by "mainline" log trains run by Crowell and Spencer crews, from Hutton to Longleaf over the tracks of the RR & G RR . Leesville Land and Lumber builds a mill and milltown at Dusenbury between Hutton and Kurthwood.

1920
Red River and Gulf RR establishes passenger service between Longleaf and Kurthwood in Apri1. Passengers have been hauled in cabooses on scheduled freight trains on the LeCompte and Meridian lines and that practice is continued there.

1921
Alexandria Lumber Co. moves operations from Pawnee to new location of Alco between Dusenbury and Kurthwood, building a new sawmill and model company town.

1923
Timber around Meridian mill is "cut out" and Meridian establishes logging camp in Sieper. Meridian Lumber Co. train crews haul Meridian "Mainline"log trains through Longleaf to Meridian over RR & G RR tracks. Leesville Land and Lumber Co. mill at Dusenbury burns and is not rebuilt.

1925
Direct connection between Kurthwood and Peason established. Crowell and Spencer builds west 5 miles to RR & G Jct. located on the Sabine Parish line. Peavy-Wilson Lumber builds east to meet at RR & G Jct. Christie and Eastern trains now run east to Lecompte over RR & G rails.

1927
Passenger train service between Longleaf and Kurthwood is ended.. Passengers now have to ride in the caboose as on all other R R & G lines.

1928
Meridian Lumber Co. mill at Meridian burns. Entire mill is a total loss. Meridian buys out Alexandria Lumber Co. mill and town at Alco. The town of Meridian is abandoned and population moves to Alco. Meridian "Main line" log trains now run from Seiper to Alco. RR $ G service to Meridian is also abandoned.

1929
Vernon Parish Lumber at Kurthwood shuts down and town is abondoned.

1930
RR & G service to Cocodrie and Bolton is aboandoned. Treadwell Lumber Co. at Cocodrie and Louisiana Sawmill at Bolton have both closed. Track from Bolton to Louisiana Jct. sold to Hillyer, Deutsch and Edwards for their Cocodrie Lake branch.

1931
Kurthwood mill and town sold to Anderson & Post Hardwood Lumber Co. and mill changed over to hardwood mill.

1935
Peavy-Wilson closes Peason mill and abandons Christie and Eastern RR. Track from RR & G Jct. to Kurthwood removed.

1941
U. S. Army attempts to buy RR & G to use for military training and transportation. Increased war demand for lumber prevents this. Army rebuilds Meridian line for Crowell Longleaf Lumber after having been dormant since 1928. RR & G RR aids Army construction of Claiborne and Polk Military RR.

1944
Alco mill cuts last log on Sept. 1, 1944 and is shut down.

1945
Scrapping commences at Alco Sawmill in January. Anderson-Post Sawmill at Kurthwood shuts down September 30. Last RR & G freight train from Kurthwood to Longleaf runs October 30.

1953
Last RR & G train runs from Longleaf to LeCompte on April 30.

1954
Longleaf mill and Crowell Lumber RR to Meridian is shut down in August. Property of the RR & G RR sold to Crowell Land & Mineral or otherwise liquidated. Rails removed between Longleaf Jct. and Lecompte.

1956-1957
Longleaf mill is rebuilt and reopens, June 1957. Railroad around mill and to Longleaf Jct. is still used as needed.

1969
Longleaf mill shuts down for final time in February and last Crowell locomotive diesel #44 is sold.



Or the personally autographed version I have from an authority, Everett:

We have spent over 6 years going through files at Longleaf, and visiting with the Crowell family, and the Peavy family trying to unravel the RR&G and C&E history. As best that I can do right now, it goes like this:

In 1916, the Crowells owned 3 logging companies, Crowell and Spencer at Longleaf, Meridian at Meridian, and Alexandria Lumber at Pineville and Pawnee. They also owned the Red River and Gulf which ran from Longleaf to LeCompte, and operated trains over the Meridian Lumber tracks from Longleaf to Meridian.
The Peavy family (funded in part by A.J. Hodges) owned the Peavy- Moore Lumber Company at Kinder.

The Kurth family owned the Pawnee Land and Lumber Co. at Pawnee

In that year, because of the construction of the Western Pacific RR, the bankruptcy of the Gould family forced the family to sell off their timber holdings in Louisiana, many of which the family had owned since the 1870-1880 period. The largest of these holdings was over 200,000 acres in Vernon, Rapides, Sabine and Nachitoches parishes. The Crowells along with the Peavy-Hodges families and the Kurths, formed a loose combine and bought this land, minerals, timber, everything from the bankruptcy court.

The Crowells then started extending the RR&G west from Longleaf, and the Peavys built the Christie and Eastern east from what was then called Christie on the KCS to Peason in 1917. For various reasons, it was not until 1919, that the Crowells completed the RR&G to Kurthwood where the Vernon Parish Lumber Co. (owned by the Kurths) built their mill. The Crowells harvested logs and set up their base of operations at Hutton (east of Kurthwood) while the Alexandria Lumber Co. built their mill at ALCO, half way between Kurthwood and Hutton. The RR&G hauled the finished lumber from Kurthwood and ALCO, and the Crowells hauled logs from Hutton to Longleaf. Vernon Parish Lumber logged west and southwest from Kurthwood, Peavy-Wilson south and east from Peason, but only in Sabine Parish, ALCO both south and north from ALCO, and the Crowells logged both north and south from Hutton.

It was not until 1922 that the Crowells and the Peavys connected Peason with Kurthwood. In that year, they built an unincorporated logging railroad between the two towns, owned from Peason to RR&G Jct. (on the Sabine-Nachitoches parish line) by the Peavys and from there to Kurthwood by the Crowells. Even though trains of the Christie and Eastern and possibly the RR&G operated over this trackage, it was never owned by either railroad company, but was owned by the two logging companies. The railroad was built to mainline standards however. The RR&G passenger train ran only to Kurthwood, and the C&E offered mixed train service only to Peason, so I still don't know how one travelled from Kurthwood to Peason, except in the caboose of the occasional freight train.

In 1934 the Christie and Eastern filed with the ICC to discontine service from Peason to RR&G Jct, and abandoned the entire railroad in 1935.

The whole history of the relationship between the Crowells, the Peavys, the RR&G and C&E is only very poorly known.

But, there's so much more to the story.

A Piney Woods Railroad

Peason
This is one page off the Piney Woods Railroad write.

The whole write is HERE.

The Great Depot Adventure

The Bone Yard

The Sunday Ride to Pondereance

Drawing up the Red River and Gulf

The Tap Line Case findings.
I've included it as it gives a little more info on the railroad.

1910

RED RIVER & GULF RAILROAD.

The Red River & Gulf Railroad Company was incorporated in April, 1905, and its capital stock, amounting to $101,000, was delivered to the Crowell & Spencer Lumber Company and distributed by the latter as a dividend to its stockholders. The lumber company constructed the track and deeded the property to the railroad corporation. The two companies are, and have been from their inception, identical in interest, and they have the same officers.

The tap line connects with the Iron Mountain at Long Leaf, La., and with the Rock Island, Texas & Pacific and Southern Pacific at LeCompte, the track between those points being about 13 miles in length. The timber has all been cut away along the main line; but the lumber company has an unincorporated track about 4 miles in length, connecting with the tap line and running into the standing timber. The equipment of the tap line consists of 1 locomotive, a combination passenger and freight car, and 3 flat cars. The lumber company itself owns and operates 3 locomotives and about 50 logging cars.

The mill of the lumber company is at Long Leaf, within a quarter of a mile of the tracks of the Iron Mountain. The lumber company loads the logs on its cars in the woods, and with its engines- hauls them over the unincorporated tracks and thence over the incorporated tap line to the mill under a trackage privilege, for which it pays the tap line 25 cents per 1,000 feet, log scale. In other words, the logs are moved to the mill precisely in the manner that they were before the incorporation of the tap line, with the exception that the lumber company goes through the form of paying a trackage charge. Before the incorporation practically all the lumber moved over the Iron Mountain and no divisions were paid. But at the time of the hearing the bulk of the lumber moved over the tap line to the Rock Island, a distance of over 12 miles, the divisions paid by that company ranging from 2-1/2 cents to 4-1/2 cents per 100 pounds. The allowance of the Iron Mountain is uniformly 3 cents, while the Southern Pacific pays 3 and 4 cents per 100 pounds. The Texas & Pacific grants no divisions.

There is an independent mill on the tap line about 5 miles from LeCompte, with a capacity of about 40,000 feet per day. It hauls its logs to the mill by wagon. The lumber traffic of the tap line for the year 1910 amounted to 37,820 tons, with 1,363 tons of other freight. The revenue from the freight was $29,576.56, in addition to which the lumber company paid $5,191.36 for trackage rights for its log trains, and the Rock Island paid $6,666.75 for the privilege of running trains loaded with gravel over a portion of the tap line. The Red River & Gulf runs one train daily in each direction, on which passengers are carried; and its revenues from passengers amounted to $1,213.40 for the year 1910. These figures are taken from the annual reports to the Commission, which show an accumulated surplus on June 30, 1910, of $6,865.74, after the payment of a 40 per cent dividend during that year, amounting to $40,400. In the year 1907 it paid a 15 per cent dividend, with 40 per cent in 1908, and 20 per cent in 1909, making a total of $116,150 distributed in four years to its stockholders, on a capitalization of $101,000.

The allowances paid here are clearly excessive and amount to a re-bate to the lumber company. The allowance by the Iron Mountain to the tap line for switching the product of the mill to its rails may not lawfully exceed $2 a car; and we fix the division out of the rates that may lawfully be made by the Rock Island and other trunk lines on the products- of the mill of the controlling company at Long Leaf at 2 cents per 100 pounds as a maximum.

Here are some of Everett's and my old shots. His first
since his are older, duh.
1997 Shots



These shots grabbed me like a bear trap. When Al
and walked it from the engine house to the UP main line
it was thrilling.



This switch, I think, has been refurbished and is now
part of the new Red River and Gulf RR. You'll see it later.



I would imagine the following shot ws taken in the Bone Yard.



2005 Shots below:

Everett:

"The engine in the car knockers shed at Longleaf, is the 106, which is the same engine pictured on the Peason Historical marker. That picture was taken in front of the Longleaf engine house in 1952. It was never owned by Peavy or the Christie and Eastern RR".




















Everett's 2007
1 I took of the two crossings of the entrance road by the C&P, as well as the grade itself going to 165 and the nursery sign.

2 Some pictures from 10-7-07 from Longleaf Jct. yard

3 More pictures from last year at Long Leaf Jct

Here are a few of the main line, and LL Jct from January

Just to whet your appetite a little bit.










2008 Everett Lueck Shots
Below from the Bone Yard, Long Leaf Jct vacinity.



Everett, " Here are a few of the main line, and Long Leaf Jct
from January.."








Everett, "[Here are] some pictures from 10-7-07 at the
Longleaf Jct. yard".





Everett, "In your picture of the tank car, we have determined
that the tender in that picture came from Crowell engine 204,
which was a sister of the 202 and scrapped in 1955.



My 2008, Long Leaf to Long Leaf Junction are on the next page.
This one is getting too large.

Everett, " I have included a couple of pictures taken in 1954 by Edmund Hays, of logging on Crowell's line to Meridian. One shows engine 202 with the tank car on the log train, and the other shows the McGiffert working and loading logs".

Here's one of them:



202 in Long Leaf shed.



Here are a few map. They are large. Click them to expand.




Engines: I replicated Everett's article on the engines HERE.

If the shots looked worthwhile, they came from Everett or
the museum.

Here's the depot.



Here are some shots around Long Leaf. This page exists
only because I spent the time uploading the shots when
I was in a better mood. Take what you want, they won't
be around long.





Everett's 2008 pictures Long Leaf to Long Leaf Junction











Mine have dates.











Track Scenes by Everett







Tender 204

















Where this blog is headed.





Main line to Forest Hill and Lecompte



Engine House to Rock Island.
That old switch.























The Engine house.













Poor 400





The Great Depot Adventure All


In the beginning of most of these things, I like to say something to set the mood or rather to explain mine so you'll know where I'm coming from. Of course that place may change mid-ride and totally confuse you. This time I won't, but rather explain why Alphonso's not here on this one. He called in to make sure I didn't forget this part. When Alphonso calls, everyone listens.

Alphonso's been under the gun to get some work done, no not at the penitentiary this time, but where he's employed. When he can't come, he enjoys keeping up vicariously. He has a following so I had to let them know or the phone would start ringing. I've had one too many conversations with Louisiana wanting Al's varying addresses.

Since he wasn't along, I continued a nutty project, finding the LeCompte, La. Depot which once belonged to the Red River and Gulf Railroad. I did my best to find it the last time I was there, making the locals somewhat suspicious of why I was hanging out, what I thought I'd avoid with Al's absence. I shared my observations with a couple of fellas that are good at old depot identification and other related railroad trivia. The project started to snowball when one fella zoomed from high above down on a dot in a field and lay good money that the dot was the depot. I went up there for the 3rd time in 2 weeks and found the thing. I then sent the contributors and Alphonso a bunch of pictures. Al's reply was, "What, more humps, bumps, dirt and grass"? And, he said it in a threatening manner.

He went on to tell me that I'd have to do illustrations yet again because he just wasn't "getting it". That problem is perfectly clear to me. I understand that "getting it" requires even more than the "being there" requirement. I'm going to give it hell, but if you don't "get it", I sure do understand. Unless you are a die hard, this is going to be tough on you. Here's my try:


It's been so long, I forgot how it all started. Maybe it started like this? If not, it's a fair story. You know by now that I've been using the old railroad routes as tour guides since I'm out of ideas. They've led me around without having to find Bruce and Charles a Shell station every 20 miles.

Another thing that has pushed me to where I am is this, I took my grandson to the Southern Forest Heritage Museum in Longleaf and it refreshed my childhood appreciation for choo-choos. Hey, it was a kid thing in my youth and it still is. Even the die hard academics of the hobby have to admit that. They are still choo-choos. Gee, I hope I spelled that right? Help! Mommy!!. Then I found a roadside historical marker out on a lonely woods highway with pictures of logging trains and a mill town on it. I put that together with Longleaf's in house railroad and I was hooked as much as I ever get hooked.

When you are interested in something you know nothing about you ask questions. For some reason out of the darkness of the internet popped the Wizard who knew a bunch. He also had a pendence for sending large digital images of very old railroad stuff. He explained the route of the old railroad and sent maps by CD and by e-mail. At present, I have the history of every tree between US71 and US 171 during the last century and beyond.

I'd been to the Long Leaf museum and understood it as much as I understand stuff. The Wizard had enlightened me on all the routes of the house railroad, the RR&G. But there was a lose end. He said the railroad had gone to LeCompte, a very pretty and historical town. My old software had the railroad route on it to a point. I followed it as closely as I could up to the Bayou Boeuf trestle crossing into what I thought was LeCompte, but it wasn't. It actually crossed onto an island of sorts. The Wizard had a picture of the depot on the island but didn't seem to know exactly where it was on the island. He sent pictures of the depot which baited the hook with fatter and fatter worms. Those pictures are on this page.

All I wanted to know was the whereabouts of the depot and how to visit that spot, maybe unfold my chair and sit for a while thinking about life back then. I don't ask for much. Oh, I did ask one more thing. I wanted to know where the Rock Island Railroad and the Red River and Gulf had crossed. I, since, want to know more. That happens.

On that second exploratory ride, I went out to what I'll refer to as "the island" and ask around. They knew nothing, and that's when I got the stare.

I then posted the ride. One of my new readers who likes to use the CIA satellite surveillance cameras as a tool for finding old RR stuff found a dot and zoomed in on it. He sold the possibility of it being the old depot pretty well. I wrote back with my usual doom and gloom but he persisted, finding more stuff that supported his thesis. The Wizard got on board and I formulated a possible grand meeting of those interested in the quest.

As sometimes happens, I got impatient and went by myself. The weather was magnificent. I was in LeCompte in just over an hour of tucked in, throttle to the stops, power sliding blur culminated in a frontie that bout went one o'clock on me. Hey, I'm not dead, I only look that way.

BTW, Gerald, I have those top secret satellite images in the safe. I can't show them to you. I want to protect the landowner's privacy. So, I'll be vague. It's less work, anyway.

I pulled into south LeCompte on "some road". I saw the old cotton gin and shot it once again since I had an idea it might come into play, which it didn't.



Then I looked for the short stretch of road that aka 00-L had noted as being where the highway had been replaced after the hump had been removed which had facilitated the Red River&Gulf Railroad merging with the Texas and Pacific. If you can't visualize that Al, it's OK.



There it was.



I walked down to the water thinking there was no way anything so old could be left. Oh my goodness!! A rotting cross tie lay in the weeds. I am a romantic, of course. I know what I want to see, and, hell, what I want you to see.



I took a deep breath and entered the landowner's property. I had seen some men working out in the field. This would be easy. I hate knocking on doors. Many times I'm welcomed by a gun. Indeed the land owner was out there. I dropped as many names as I could, mentioning the museum and looking as official as I could. I really need a decal for my bike, like "Official Vehicle", maybe. A mentor of mine had used that approach and really fooled some people. I finally got around to asking if "that" was the old depot. He said it was. His father had been the last ticket agent and that he, the landowner, now referred to as Mr.C, had bought the depot and land from the railroad when they had pulled up the rails. He verified where the bridge had been. We discussed where the Rock Island rails had crossed the Red River and Gulf's. He told me the depot was in bad shape and that I could go inside but to be very careful. I have made a list of questions that I should have asked him that covers a page. He gave me full reign to explore where the rails had run. I started with the depot.

No, it didn't look like this.



It looked like this:



And this, to stay in the old black and white format. I didn't want to slap you with technicolor too quickly.



What I was looking for was the bay window that defines most old depots. 00-L had mentioned looking for that.



It is going to be hard to imagine the features of the depot without flashing back to the old shots. I almost thought the Wizard had been wrong because there were so many seeming differences. What he sent me must have been the depot when it was new, I do believe.



When I got home I wanted to compare my pictures with the old ones. I didn't like what I first saw, but then looked closer. This is the east end.



The red arrows point to the windows that were boarded up. This was the east end. I was becoming confident.



There was something else that troubled me, the missing vents on top. The Wizard said that the depot was probably re-roofed. There also was a porch on the "street" side of the depot. The chimney was in the right place. We'll see the fireplace in a moment.



While we are outside I want to mention this. The wizard sent one of his huge photos. In zooming in on it, other stuff in the neighborhood was seen. I asked Mr.C if other business were out there. He said he remembered a syrup mill and some cabins. The picture, below, which is seen from the west end of the depot looking east toward the bayou.



OO-L thinks that a cotton gin was where I have marked "raised structure" He saw a raised pipe, as I did at first. But, I think it was the roof line of the house. Where I have marked "large door: was something. I saw rails going to it. Possibly it was the syrup mill, but I don't believe that was the direction Mr. C had pointed when he was mentioning it. The Wizard is suppose to visit there, soon. Maybe he can figure this out. I really feel that there was a side track, very possibly to some business.

Let's go inside. A lot more can be figured out from in there. But first, I hear men talking. I was told that the shot was of inside this depot. From what I could figure out, the depot was divided into two or more parts. The Wizard told me he thought that window in the office shot was the bay overlooking the tracks.



Notice in the depot picture there are two doors on the west end. One was marked "Office".



My thoughts are that the office occupied the south west corner of the building. The other door possibly went to a waiting room, possibly there were 2, being the times.

Oops, a problem, the window in the office could not be the bay if the office was in the northwest corner as the bay is facing south.

The man standing in the photo seems to have his hand on a fireplace, see the stacked bricks. There is a small potbellied stove in the office. If that fireplace was no longer functional, then the office would have had to have been on the southwest corner, using the opposite door from the one with "Office" on it. I accept any help with this. Remember the bay window is on the south to southwest side next to the tracks. See the brick all about the floor from the hanging fireplace. And, I get lost easily. The hanging bricks from the destroyed fireplace were toward the west end.

Pulling back, the bay window is on the left (south). It is the main light source in all the pictures as foliage and the street side awning block the rest.



Backing up, I shot the door to the rails and the bay window.
There was a wall between the room on the left and the room with the bay window. There must have been a door between them.



Looking from the west end to the east, light coming from the bay window.



I should write down what I'm shooting, this has cost me an hour of confusion.

Bay window looking east.



Looking closer at the east end.



Now, something interesting if I have it right. These are the front doors with the new awning out front.



Here's looking at the street side and the two front doors.



With all the apparent walls whose studs are hanging from the ceiling, a possible layout could be guessed. The Wizard should figure that out now that he's had this primer. Or he could ask Mr.C, whose father worked there. I'd like to know about there being separate waiting rooms, where were the "facilities". Where were the tickets sold and was that really the office. The picture of the office makes it seem very ornate. Mr.C said the depot was built with the finest materials. So, a fancy office was possible. Unfortunately, those "kids", as Mr.C had called them, really did a job at destroying a historic landmark.

A momentous UPDATE HAS BEEN RECEIVED!!!!!!
In a mysterious package, wrapped in yellowed ancient newspaper, post marked "Longleaf, Louisiana", was this, the plans for the new, to be, depot at LeCompte.

It was built in 1915 and the plans were turned into the ICC in 1919. There's a story there, but I don't know it. If you would like to build a replica of the building, possibly a bomb outdoor kitchen, which on Jan.10, 2009, celebrated her 94th birthday, I'll include the plans. Now you can look at the plans, look at the pictures, look at the plans, look at the pictures and look at the plans some more. And, you thought today would be boring. CLICK THE PICS TO ENLARGE


Next is your list of materials:



Here are the plans. Notice the vents I was talking about. Vents can correctly determine the age of a building. I use vent aging a lot.



And the restroom facilities:



I know this has been tedious for the road rider. As Andy says, Hang Tough, shortly we'll hit the road for some neat places. This page was meant for the choo choo boys that helped me and those that like to figure out what was when there ain't much is.
This one is far from over.

More tomorrow night when we'll go out to where "X" marks the spot. Later, Steve
PS: Al just informed me that he had found the real "X" weeks earlier, "so what the ....". The next part will be all about his "X". I'm locking the door.

I made it out of the depot alive. I hadn't fallen through the floor, I hadn't been snake, rat or black widow bit. Life was good. My next objective would be the place where the Rock Island Railroad and the Red River and Gulf had crossed. The RR&G was coming from Long Leaf and the Rock Island was coming from LaMourie to the north or Eunice to the south. For those who do RR talk, the RI was of course superior which means it had the right of way, as I understand it.



I approached looking for the rise that would mark the location of the cross track.



From behind, I heard a voice," Hey dude, you looking for this?"



It was a surrealistic vision of Alphonso, holding his signature half filled cup of coffee in front of a field of blossoming cotton, all the while levitating the long lost cross track I was looking for. I closed my eyes and shook my head as if an animal trying to shake off an injury. I slowly peeked and he was gone. My head throbbed. Was I dehydrated? Carry water, lots of water.



It was gone too, but the cross track's impression remained Indeed, I was standing at the spot. I heard a far off whistle blow. Directly in front of me was a gate. Both the Wizard and OO-L feel that it may be a signal gate for the RR&G to stop in case a RI train was coming through though no records show there be one. The picture is taken looking up the line toward Longleaf to the south west.



Looking south down the Rock Island, this is the view.



Looking north toward LeCompte, I wondered if they ever feel rumbling in the night?



As if the fireman or brakeman getting ready to open the gate to allow the RR&G train to cross the RI, I stood there frozen for a second reflecting on the past. The run would be over in a few minutes for the crew. The depot was a short way down the line. Hot coffee awaited and some lunch. Possibly there would be passengers ready to head back the almost 13 miles west at 1pm.



Next, we're off to Spring Hill Cemetery. I wonder if he'll be there, too?

But, first here is a special treat, the RR&G 1920 schedule and instructions for the crew. First is the schedule. Right click it and choose "open in new window".



Next are the instructions. Open in new window.



And here's the Longleaf Depot where the train originated and will be headed back.



This shot was taken off the Peason Historic Marker, La.118, Peason, La. I don't know if the engine would have been around yet in 1920. But I could find out if I went to my resources. It is of the engine at the Longleaf Mill. It ran the whole line from LeCompte to Sandel, according to the caption on the display.



All of the old pictures and schedule/instructions are courtesy of Everett Lueck and the Southern Forest Heritage Museum in Longleaf, Louisiana.

I needed to get moving on home, but I could not leave without visiting Spring Hill Cemetery. It is a very historic place located in an awing environment. And, to boot, the train from Longleaf crossed the bayou here to get to the island and the LeCompte Depot. The road to the cemetery is on the south side of La.112, right after you cross the Bayou Boeuf Bridge headed west out of town. It is named Spring Hill Cemetery Rd.



The road up is just a taste. You come to a fork.



Take the left. You are now on the Red River and Gulf right of way. The grade sits atop a high embankment with steep slopes on either side as it descends to the bayou.

It is quite a neat stretch.



I'd like know the grade percentage here. I've ridden a steam engined train in the mountains and heard the noises as it brakes. There is squealing and the sound of steam being released. I imagine that was the scene here as the train slowed for the bridge.

I parked the bike and walked down the grade and shot back up the incline.



I turned and walked down to the where I'd found the pilings for the old trestle. There they were.



I thought there was only 3. Not so. There were more down the bank.







Across the bayou there were more.







The spillway is the next beauty spot.



Next, I rode up the road to the cemetery.



The next 4 pictures are just looking around.









I left the cemetery and headed back into LeCompte. I immediately turned on Chickamaw Road. Mr. C. had told me that the old Moncla La.107 bridge had been removed from service across the Red River and segmented. He had one segment for his bridge. He told me more of the bridge was out on Chickamaw and a friend had likewise used them to cross the Boeuf. That sounded like something I wanted to see. That will be on the next page. But, there will be more. I'd find Meridian which is down a road whose name has changed. I'd find more abandoned rails and an old boxcar down from Junction Road. For a "ride home", it was pretty good.

Several people have told me I shouldn't do this first thing in the morning. The caffeine spills over, I guess. Nevertheless, I did this time so I can get on with the next one which will require a bunch of bike work first. URG. If you've never changed a motorcycle tire, then you have no idea of what confrontation is all about.

First, here is a map for those that have hung in so far. You must click it to make it bigger. Then hit your back button to return. That works for all of them.


Let's reveiw:

The cross track and depot are at the bottom right. The cemetery is where it says cemetery. We're headed for Chicamaw Road. What a neat road it is. Ride it slowly and look at all the stuff there. Check out the Bayou Boeuf Series over on TWL. In there somewhere is a ride down the whole length of Chickamaw. I chose to cut it short because of the time factor, something I'm thinking about right now. So let's go.

I came upon the bridge Mr.C had had told me about. I'm thinking these were rail bridges because of their width. But, there were many one lane bridges in LA. This one had been over the Red River at Moncla.



Notice the other name on the map, a place called "Montcla".
There's a story there.



Two more shots of the bridge, now over Bayou Boeuf.



And, this is the clincher, I can see the rails where I hadn't before.



So, Mr.C's bridge was a train bridge but not for the RR&G, this will be another detective story. OO-L, you up to it?

One more. I almost forgot. I walked down beneath the bridge and found this:



If you don't call it a tie, I will. Or, maybe it's a bridge part?

Next up was what I thought was Ashton Plantation. It is NOT ASHTON. Mike has corrected me. Ashton is on up the road. I just didn't go far enough and it can't be seen from the road anyway. Nevertheless, nice place.



This is Ashton's front porch around 1930.



I knew I could not linger. I continued on around to LaMourie and then back through LeCompte to US 167. Since I was in this part of the woods, I wanted to find Meridian, a place that had disappeared off the face of the Earth in the past. And, I have been unable to find it for a while. What had happened was that the name of the road had been changed. Meridian was a lumber mill belonging to the same folks that owned Longleaf, the Crowells and serviced by their railroad, the RR&G.



Which means the last public acknowledgment of there being a sawmill here is gone. Without the old software, I'd missed it.



If I was not on the grade, I was very, very close. Map below by Everett Lueck, SFH Museum, Longleaf, La. These maps can be enlarged by clicking them.



An observation and warning. This road had a brand new carpet of limestone its full length. It has a public stop sign. It is heavily posted on both sides. There is one house at its end with a very large guardian type dog. Just enjoy my pictures and let it go.

This is the road and possibly the grade. Everett said the shays would have had no problem with this incline.



I stopped in a place which felt hot.
It was.



When you hot you hot.



I stopped again and bingo.
An old trestle piling at Turkey Creek (on green map)?



And a tie.



I returned to US 167 and tried to figure out if I'd been on the grade there. It wasn't clear. The ties were.

Next, I went through Turkey Creek on 167, but, for some weird reason, I decided to drop down 3096. It led to Junction Road, a railroadish sounding name. This was all timber country. Big map, click to open:



Down past American on P-4-41, I saw this, the crowning end of a great adventure.









00-L says he pegs it at being a 50's or 60's boxcar before they got really large.
That works. That's it. More later.

A Visit to LongLeaf (aka Grandmama was a Fontenot)

A short while back I mentioned my new career as a tour director. You say, "duh, you've been doing that". No dude, a real nutz and bolts tour director, like "live, in your face" riding around with a gawking individual "in toe".

I awoke at 4:AM with some problem, probably thinking about the lack of preparation I'd done for the trip. I pulled out the maps, figuratively, since they are digitalized. I'd wanted to go to Comrade, Hutton, Kurthwood and maybe Alco, all old RR&G RR stops. Don't make me explain it. There were also places on the T&P line that I wanted to see again and in one instance, actually for the first time. I realized it was going to be slow going since my customer was bringing his own bike this time.



When he got here I told him where to park it and placed him upon old faithful, Mz Guzzi. I heard her moan, and no doubt, she is saving up retribution for a later time.

Back to the early morning planning debacle. Everett wouldn't be able to attend the Christening of his new child, Black Beauty (my name which should never be associated with reality). I've been in similar situations and wanted to at least get him a few shots of the occasion.

Mike has contributed some short stories about his railroader father and I felt compelled to do something in return and, of course, fill my treasury with shots to put the whole thing together in a joining of pic and prose. I actually made up 25 maps for the ride, none of which were pulled out of the tank bag. The ride took care of itself, thank goodness, because my dehydrating brain wasn't much good.

My coffee ladened customer, let's just call him "Dave", showed up an hour early which was great because I was already four and a half hours into my day. I was thinking "lunch".

We rode up Wilderness Trail in the cool green tunnel next to Bayou Vermilion. Then I turned us up the Old Arnaudville Road, crossing Bayou Fuselier, an important link in the irrigation of this part of the country. Not everyone knows that.

We were headed toward Grand Coteau when I saw that the road was blocked ahead with police this and that. I knew a detour. It was horrible riding and endless. This road has not changed in 30 years and is a disgrace to St.Landry Parish. There must be no government there. These people must have to take tractors to Walmart.

We crossed a lot of limestone which all motorcycle riders know as "gray hell".

"Dave" did OK and in his reflective post ride note, noted that.

The detour brought us to Leonville where we took 31 north and did the Texaco station short cut over to I 49, don't make me explain.

We landed in Lewisburg. There's a lot on the site picturing Lewisburg, but being there is better. The neighbors were home and out working in their yards. I approached a few and asked if they remember the railroad train passing behind their houses. They did but that was about it. I would have surveyed the entire population but I knew, even with our early start, time was moving faster than we were.

Still I felt, since we were close I should take one more look at Church Point, the end of the line for the T&P branch that Mike's dad worked.



"Oh, no, this one is going to be another drudge through page upon page of pictures of grass". NO, but I do have a following that is oriented toward the stuff.

That's the line going into Church Point and an important introductory picture, so there.

Mike has mentioned that the train had stopped at the now defunct Canal Refinery, never pictured in this rag before and its time had come. "Dave" and I sang the Canal Song, "Canal Canal, Economical" while fondly thinking of Cody Dupre, their spokesman.



Next, almost causing a rear end collision, I did a bat turn for a shot of this trestle. Thank goodness I can tell you how excited I was. Would there be more?
Yes, but I felt trestlely fulfilled with that one.




I drug my new customer through the staggering heat of downtown Church Point, a town rich in history of yesteryear's railroading glory. There are beautiful warehouses and a restored depot. Alas, I hadn't seen this in all my rides through here.

I was now the one gawking. The old signals were still there, beautifully preserved. The people of Church Point have my praise.



Now, feeling completely rewarded, it was time to make hay and head north. Up 35 we roared landing in Lawtell. I really need to do more reporting on Lawtell.

West we rode on 190, and then north on 103 to meet 104 at Prairie Rhonde. Fontenot's Store is not to be missed. It might have been open? More on the Fontenots, later.

From Prairie Rhonde west, 104 is fun.
But, I had work to do and left it, headed for Frilot on 1167. The customer was now lost. I stopped and explained why we had just done 115 90 degree turns. Deal's Gap in the Smokies is child's play, Come ride 1157 after the folks have mowed.

At this point let me explain my tour business. It's like taking passage on a freighter. The customer has no input. In a disagreement the customer is always wrong and can never be an anchor. For reservations, call 555-HEPLESS.

Reaching Frilot Cove, I knew the rails were there. This time they were in use still connecting to Opelousas, I presume.



Here's the crossing "set".








Next, it was onto Ledoux, on La.103, just down from Frilot Cove. I was in the neighborhood and couldn't pass up another crossing. Don't make me explain.
This one featured a side track and switch. Don't get too excited out there.
I love being an eccentric old man. At least I now have an excuse.

Look at the customer's face, priceless.



This is looking toward Opelousas and what Mr. Wilson would see on his runs. There lies the interest, I will explain. All this historic railroad stuff is noise without the ability or will to place one's self in the past while firing up the imagination. There's a real time movie going on out here if you will just tune the dial until you find it.



Then we headed into Ville Platte and up Railroad St. to 3042 that takes you by Chicot State Park and the Arboretum. It is a beautiful ride through that green tunnel on the north end past the park. Hey Michael B, remember taking our bikes up there and trail riding? You had that pretty 250 BSA.

We ate lunch by the lake right there. Nice spot.

Up to Turkey Creek and over to Glenmora and then Longleaf.

Next are the pictures taken there. I'm tired of hammering on why you should get your fannies over there and discover this place. There should have been 2000 people there, but there was almost none. You are missing an experience which no Dolly Disney Doodoo can replicate. If my 8 year old grandson can go wide eyed, yours will too. Don't be a couyan, go.

Here's their website, call your kid in and then turn your speakers up all the way.
"Daddy, what's that noise?"
You need to explain.

Two industries inhabited Longleaf. Lumbering and railroading were important building blocks used to assemble this country. A visit could make your kids appreciate today a little more. Maybe even you. The list of positives this place can spawn is expansive. It's a great tool mom and pop.

http://www.forestheritagemuseum.org/sfhm.htm

I'm shifting to a new page since school teacher's link to my stuff sometimes
and I wouldn't want to scare the children.

On the last page I said I'd tone down the rhetoric a little. So I will.

"Dave" and I arrived at the museum/lumber mill about 2:30 and it was about 230 degrees. The place erases any minor environmental concern. Not exactly, it was hot. Do come in the heat of the day and walk into the forest down the track. The heat and humidity, the smells, and the mosquitoes are the start of this trip back. Actually, there were no mosquitoes but I'm still checking for ticks just to be on the safe side since "Dave" and I went where few go. It really wasn't that hot, my customer remarking that the humidity was less than where we'd come from, the Venus that South LA can be.

We parked at the store/commissary which is where you'll start your organized visit. Emily sat out in the golf cart waiting for customers. She approached us and I made my goofy attempt at dropping names and looking important. That failed. Nevertheless she was extremely friendly and took us to the shop where the bus had been painted so I could take some pictures. She basically gave us free reign to look around. I explained that I wanted to show "Dave", my customer, a few things, no problem. So, I spun, not knowing where to start. Bob, our guide of years past, had done such a great job of interpreting it all I felt mildly qualified.

First, I took the shots of Everett's bus.







"Dave" had looked at the engine and pegged it for a Ford Flathead. I'd added the I thought it was a '49.

Everett wrote back explaining the situation in full.

"Actually it's a 1936! It runs, too! Car runs, clutch works, transmission shifts.
Seats are being reupholstered in Oberlin.

Problems:

No brakes hooked up,
No hookup for separate forward/reverse gear box,
no other interior.
no gas tank,
no dashboard, speedometer etc
Needs air brake compressor and hookup

Fixes:
We can hook up the emergency brake and probably the separate gearbox.
The biggest problem is the air brakes, andI don't want to run her on the hill
until we have those and they work.
We have plans for the interior and all of the doors,so by next spring we will have
it so that it is weather tight, with opening windows for ventilation, gas tank we
can get made and new dashboard will be easy if we can locate the instruments and get it wired up".

And you thought you had projects.

After getting the do-fer shots done. It was off to explore.
I having seen it all before, wanted to see something I'd wondered about.
There's a page out there on the web with pictures that Everett had contributed.
One showed the rails disappearing into the woods.
I was looking at the real version and had to follow them, now.
About that time we heard a train whistle coming from the forest.
I was spooked and grinned a big one.



I wanted to just hurry and find what we could find, but "Dave", being the mechanical nut he is, stopped and looked at each pile along the way. I'd let him read Everett's upcoming article on the other steam engines that had served Longleaf. "Dave" recognized the piles which had been pictured in the article and gawked.
Hey Steve, need a piston for your locomotive?



Need a cross track for your railroad?



He even correctly identified this stuff:



Need an engine?



We walked further into the woods.



There were more train noises.
Then the rails began to fade.



We were now close to the main line.



Again "Dave" pointed out this poignant scene.
A new rail lay on top of one of the old Gulf and Red River's rails.
I don't really know the message, but I'm sure there are many interpretations.



Walking back, "Dave" wanted to play with the switch and understand how it worked. We both looked and looked but it was obvious it was past us.



Then there was more noise.







Gerald was explaining how the thing worked to these young guys. Later, as he passed, he asked us if we needed a ride. I was tempted.

Everett sent me this on the motor car pictures:

Come next time when I am there, and we can go for a ride in the Yellow one (its faster and bounces more on those rails) (and yes, they really are that wavy, especially behind the planer mill), I like the picture of the motor car as it approaches the switch. The whole hill is a 2% grade which makes it the steepest grade in Louisiana with rails still on it, but the picture really shows that it is short stretches of over 3% with flat spots in between, and the 3% is a heck of a pull for the motor cars.

I have a load of other pictures, but I want you to go there so I'm holding back.
This is just one of the building.



This is another:



And there's stuff like this:



I had to stop while "Dave" figured out how it worked. Every piece of machinery we looked at he had to rewrite the manual on it. The grease zirks were all identified and governors explained. I have warned the guides to run if they see him coming.

And you train buffs, take an aspirin before you come.



We left and headed for Lake Kincaid and then into south Alexandria on Twin Bridges Road, a nice ride down the hill.

I wanted to take US71 out of town and we did. It was late but so what. I wanted to take Dave through LeCompte and out to the cemetery on the hill. Going in I went straight instead of my usual right. The road was raised, straight and flat. Duh, I was on a rail bed headed for the bayou. Could it be?



There's the 3 trestle pilings that seal the deal.



I would have jumped up and down but I had to preserve my professional tour guide pose. This was where the Red River and Gulf had crossed Bayou Boeuf.

That's it for the children oriented page. Consider the rhetoric renewed.
So, you're still wondering about Grandmama?


We left the LeCompte Cemetery. I was still dazed by my discovery of the rail crossing. I would soon have to de-daze as the convoy was headed to the Interstate for a brief ride down to US 167 and then back to Turkey Creek and Chicot where we went east toward St.Landry where I had decided our next stop would be. I write run on sentences to make Miss Lee crazy. There is a boat landing on the east side of Lake Chicot that was a must stop. It is a beautiful place hidden far off the road. Sorry, the directions will have to end there.

Why? Don't make me explain.

I wanted to show Dave. He is a fishing guide of sorts and the main character in the Couyan and Commodore articles, thus a fishing stop had to be made. I also wanted to take a picture of Mz Guzzi here as it had been the location of her first and absolutely best picture ever. I love deja vu moments. This one would be disturbed.

Winter, 2000


Summer, 2008



I heard the little DL belly aching so I shot her too.



And a last shot before what would happen next.



A little background first: Motorcycles have become so popular that the public's general view of bike riders is changing. "My cousin or my brother in law has one...", I hear all the time. People approach me and start conversations centered around the bike. They rank with dogs as talk starters. Riders are no longer seen as members of the Hell's Angels as much as they'd like to play the part, sometimes.

"Dave" came up to me and kinda whispered, "I just heard those guys talking about you taking pictures of the bikes and they are wondering if you are wanting to sell them".

Enter Dwayne and Jeff.

Dwayne stated off the conversation asking about the Guzzi. "I never saw one like that". "Dave" pipped in that it was an Italian Harley, I suppose to try to relate to a common brand. Mistake one. Never bring up "Harley" in a conversation. I cringed. Dwayne fired back, "That ain't no Harley, I have a Harley". I cringed. Jeff, who was half Dwayne's height and girt and who had his upper and lower front teeth piped in, "I had a Harley and thank God now it's gone. That was the biggest piece of --it I've ever owned". I cringed.

At that point, I had to do something so I introduced myself. "Hi,I'm Steve from Breaux Bridge. We're running late and have to leave."

"Nice to meet you, I'm Dwayne Fontenot from round here".

Then, when I thought I'd opened the fire escape, I heard "Dave".

"Hey, we're probably related, my Grandmama was a Fontenot".
I cringed, the fire escape had just slammed shut.

An hour of debate over the history and genealogy of the Fontenot clan or clans, depending on whose point of view, ensued. In the middle of the fray, Dwayne, in a raised voice pronounced, "That is all hearsay, that is all hearsay". I immediately envisioned the Hatfields and McCoys on Court TV. I stood back and thought of making a run for the bike. Nowhere in my tour director contract is there anything mentioning customer disputes with possible relatives joined in some 17th Century bond or there being a non bond.

Jeff fled. We figured he knew Dwayne and knew better.

Then, the real Dwayne emerged. Jokes were told and laughs were had. Dwayne went into a long explanation of what his plans were for his Harley, forgetting about the family feud that had just occurred. We discussed passing trucks and so on. Finally, even Dwayne realized the conversational well was running dry and we parted, Dwayne, even apologizing for talking so much, explaining that it is a Fontenot trait.

I now take "Dave's" side of the argument, they are related being that both their grandmamas are Fontenots. And then there's that talking thing.

My customer, upon returning back to the office made only one negative remark, "the ride back was kinda long".

I wonder why.

I suggest that if you are traveling in south Louisiana and in a hurry, even if your Grandmama was a Fontenot, just keep it to yourself.

The End.

The Great Depot Adventure

In the beginning of most of these things, I like to say something to set the mood or rather to explain mine so you'll know where I'm coming from. Of course that place may change mid-ride and totally confuse you. This time I won't, but rather explain why Alphonso's not here on this one. He called in to make sure I didn't forget this part. When Alphonso calls, everyone listens.

Alphonso's been under the gun to get some work done, no not at the penitentiary this time, but where he's employed. When he can't come, he enjoys keeping up vicariously. He has a following so I had to let them know or the phone would start ringing. I've had one too many conversations with Louisiana wanting Al's varying addresses.

Since he wasn't along, I continued a nutty project, finding the LeCompte, La. Depot which once belonged to the Red River and Gulf Railroad. I did my best to find it the last time I was there, making the locals somewhat suspicious of why I was hanging out, what I thought I'd avoid with Al's absence. I shared my observations with a couple of fellas that are good at old depot identification and other related railroad trivia. The project started to snowball when one fella zoomed from high above down on a dot in a field and lay good money that the dot was the depot. I went up there for the 3rd time in 2 weeks and found the thing. I then sent the contributors and Alphonso a bunch of pictures. Al's reply was, "What, more humps, bumps, dirt and grass"? And, he said it in a threatening manner.

He went on to tell me that I'd have to do illustrations yet again because he just wasn't "getting it". That problem is perfectly clear to me. I understand that "getting it" requires even more than the "being there" requirement. I'm going to give it hell, but if you don't "get it", I sure do understand. Unless you are a die hard, this is going to be tough on you. Here's my try:


It's been so long, I forgot how it all started. Maybe it started like this? If not, it's a fair story. You know by now that I've been using the old railroad routes as tour guides since I'm out of ideas. They've led me around without having to find Bruce and Charles a Shell station every 20 miles.

Another thing that has pushed me to where I am is this, I took my grandson to the Southern Forest Heritage Museum in Longleaf and it refreshed my childhood appreciation for choo-choos. Hey, it was a kid thing in my youth and it still is. Even the die hard academics of the hobby have to admit that. They are still choo-choos. Gee, I hope I spelled that right? Help! Mommy!!. Then I found a roadside historical marker out on a lonely woods highway with pictures of logging trains and a mill town on it. I put that together with Longleaf's in house railroad and I was hooked as much as I ever get hooked.

When you are interested in something you know nothing about you ask questions. For some reason out of the darkness of the internet popped the Wizard who knew a bunch. He also had a pendence for sending large digital images of very old railroad stuff. He explained the route of the old railroad and sent maps by CD and by e-mail. At present, I have the history of every tree between US71 and US 171 during the last century and beyond.

I'd been to the Long Leaf museum and understood it as much as I understand stuff. The Wizard had enlightened me on all the routes of the house railroad, the RR&G. But there was a lose end. He said the railroad had gone to LeCompte, a very pretty and historical town. My old software had the railroad route on it to a point. I followed it as closely as I could up to the Bayou Boeuf trestle crossing into what I thought was LeCompte, but it wasn't. It actually crossed onto an island of sorts. The Wizard had a picture of the depot on the island but didn't seem to know exactly where it was on the island. He sent pictures of the depot which baited the hook with fatter and fatter worms. Those pictures are on this page.

All I wanted to know was the whereabouts of the depot and how to visit that spot, maybe unfold my chair and sit for a while thinking about life back then. I don't ask for much. Oh, I did ask one more thing. I wanted to know where the Rock Island Railroad and the Red River and Gulf had crossed. I, since, want to know more. That happens.

On that second exploratory ride, I went out to what I'll refer to as "the island" and ask around. They knew nothing, and that's when I got the stare.

I then posted the ride. One of my new readers who likes to use the CIA satellite surveillance cameras as a tool for finding old RR stuff found a dot and zoomed in on it. He sold the possibility of it being the old depot pretty well. I wrote back with my usual doom and gloom but he persisted, finding more stuff that supported his thesis. The Wizard got on board and I formulated a possible grand meeting of those interested in the quest.

As sometimes happens, I got impatient and went by myself. The weather was magnificent. I was in LeCompte in just over an hour of tucked in, throttle to the stops, power sliding blur culminated in a frontie that bout went one o'clock on me. Hey, I'm not dead, I only look that way.

BTW, Gerald, I have those top secret satellite images in the safe. I can't show them to you. I want to protect the landowner's privacy. So, I'll be vague. It's less work, anyway.

I pulled into south LeCompte on "some road". I saw the old cotton gin and shot it once again since I had an idea it might come into play, which it didn't.



Then I looked for the short stretch of road that aka 00-L had noted as being where the highway had been replaced after the hump had been removed which had facilitated the Red River&Gulf Railroad merging with the Texas and Pacific. If you can't visualize that Al, it's OK.



There it was.



I walked down to the water thinking there was no way anything so old could be left. Oh my goodness!! A rotting cross tie lay in the weeds. I am a romantic, of course. I know what I want to see, and, hell, what I want you to see.



I took a deep breath and entered the landowner's property. I had seen some men working out in the field. This would be easy. I hate knocking on doors. Many times I'm welcomed by a gun. Indeed the land owner was out there. I dropped as many names as I could, mentioning the museum and looking as official as I could. I really need a decal for my bike, like "Official Vehicle", maybe. A mentor of mine had used that approach and really fooled some people. I finally got around to asking if "that" was the old depot. He said it was. His father had been the last ticket agent and that he, the landowner, now referred to as Mr.C, had bought the depot and land from the railroad when they had pulled up the rails. He verified where the bridge had been. We discussed where the Rock Island rails had crossed the Red River and Gulf's. He told me the depot was in bad shape and that I could go inside but to be very careful. I have made a list of questions that I should have asked him that covers a page. He gave me full reign to explore where the rails had run. I started with the depot.

No, it didn't look like this.



It looked like this:



And this, to stay in the old black and white format. I didn't want to slap you with technicolor too quickly.



What I was looking for was the bay window that defines most old depots. 00-L had mentioned looking for that.



It is going to be hard to imagine the features of the depot without flashing back to the old shots. I almost thought the Wizard had been wrong because there were so many seeming differences. What he sent me must have been the depot when it was new, I do believe.



When I got home I wanted to compare my pictures with the old ones. I didn't like what I first saw, but then looked closer. This is the east end.



The red arrows point to the windows that were boarded up. This was the east end. I was becoming confident.



There was something else that troubled me, the missing vents on top. The Wizard said that the depot was probably re-roofed. There also was a porch on the "street" side of the depot. The chimney was in the right place. We'll see the fireplace in a moment.



While we are outside I want to mention this. The wizard sent one of his huge photos. In zooming in on it, other stuff in the neighborhood was seen. I asked Mr.C if other business were out there. He said he remembered a syrup mill and some cabins. The picture, below, which is seen from the west end of the depot looking east toward the bayou.



OO-L thinks that a cotton gin was where I have marked "raised structure" He saw a raised pipe, as I did at first. But, I think it was the roof line of the house. Where I have marked "large door: was something. I saw rails going to it. Possibly it was the syrup mill, but I don't believe that was the direction Mr. C had pointed when he was mentioning it. The Wizard is suppose to visit there, soon. Maybe he can figure this out. I really feel that there was a side track, very possibly to some business.

Let's go inside. A lot more can be figured out from in there. But first, I hear men talking. I was told that the shot was of inside this depot. From what I could figure out, the depot was divided into two or more parts. The Wizard told me he thought that window in the office shot was the bay overlooking the tracks.



Notice in the depot picture there are two doors on the west end. One was marked "Office".



My thoughts are that the office occupied the south west corner of the building. The other door possibly went to a waiting room, possibly there were 2, being the times.

Oops, a problem, the window in the office could not be the bay if the office was in the northwest corner as the bay is facing south.

The man standing in the photo seems to have his hand on a fireplace, see the stacked bricks. There is a small potbellied stove in the office. If that fireplace was no longer functional, then the office would have had to have been on the southwest corner, using the opposite door from the one with "Office" on it. I accept any help with this. Remember the bay window is on the south to southwest side next to the tracks. See the brick all about the floor from the hanging fireplace. And, I get lost easily. The hanging bricks from the destroyed fireplace were toward the west end.

Pulling back, the bay window is on the left (south). It is the main light source in all the pictures as foliage and the street side awning block the rest.



Backing up, I shot the door to the rails and the bay window.
There was a wall between the room on the left and the room with the bay window. There must have been a door between them.



Looking from the west end to the east, light coming from the bay window.



I should write down what I'm shooting, this has cost me an hour of confusion.

Bay window looking east.



Looking closer at the east end.



Now, something interesting if I have it right. These are the front doors with the new awning out front.



Here's looking at the street side and the two front doors.



With all the apparent walls whose studs are hanging from the ceiling, a possible layout could be guessed. The Wizard should figure that out now that he's had this primer. Or he could ask Mr.C, whose father worked there. I'd like to know about there being separate waiting rooms, where were the "facilities". Where were the tickets sold and was that really the office. The picture of the office makes it seem very ornate. Mr.C said the depot was built with the finest materials. So, a fancy office was possible. Unfortunately, those "kids", as Mr.C had called them, really did a job at destroying a historic landmark.

A momentous UPDATE HAS BEEN RECEIVED!!!!!!
In a mysterious package, wrapped in yellowed ancient newspaper, post marked "Longleaf, Louisiana", was this, the plans for the new, to be, depot at LeCompte.

It was built in 1915 and the plans were turned into the ICC in 1919. There's a story there, but I don't know it. If you would like to build a replica of the building, possibly a bomb outdoor kitchen, which on Jan.10, 2009, celebrated her 94th birthday, I'll include the plans. Now you can look at the plans, look at the pictures, look at the plans, look at the pictures and look at the plans some more. And, you thought today would be boring. CLICK THE PICS TO ENLARGE


Next is your list of materials:



Here are the plans. Notice the vents I was talking about. Vents can correctly determine the age of a building. I use vent aging a lot.



And the restroom facilities:



I know this has been tedious for the road rider. As Andy says, Hang Tough, shortly we'll hit the road for some neat places. This page was meant for the choo choo boys that helped me and those that like to figure out what was when there ain't much is.
This one is far from over.

More tomorrow night when we'll go out to where "X" marks the spot. Later, Steve
PS: Al just informed me that he had found the real "X" weeks earlier, "so what the ....". The next part will be all about his "X". I'm locking the door.

I made it out of the depot alive. I hadn't fallen through the floor, I hadn't been snake, rat or black widow bit. Life was good. My next objective would be the place where the Rock Island Railroad and the Red River and Gulf had crossed. The RR&G was coming from Long Leaf and the Rock Island was coming from LaMourie to the north or Eunice to the south. For those who do RR talk, the RI was of course superior which means it had the right of way, as I understand it.



I approached looking for the rise that would mark the location of the cross track.



From behind, I heard a voice," Hey dude, you looking for this?"



It was a surrealistic vision of Alphonso, holding his signature half filled cup of coffee in front of a field of blossoming cotton, all the while levitating the long lost cross track I was looking for. I closed my eyes and shook my head as if an animal trying to shake off an injury. I slowly peeked and he was gone. My head throbbed. Was I dehydrated? Carry water, lots of water.



It was gone too, but the cross track's impression remained Indeed, I was standing at the spot. I heard a far off whistle blow. Directly in front of me was a gate. Both the Wizard and OO-L feel that it may be a signal gate for the RR&G to stop in case a RI train was coming through though no records show there be one. The picture is taken looking up the line toward Longleaf to the south west.



Looking south down the Rock Island, this is the view.



Looking north toward LeCompte, I wondered if they ever feel rumbling in the night?



As if the fireman or brakeman getting ready to open the gate to allow the RR&G train to cross the RI, I stood there frozen for a second reflecting on the past. The run would be over in a few minutes for the crew. The depot was a short way down the line. Hot coffee awaited and some lunch. Possibly there would be passengers ready to head back the almost 13 miles west at 1pm.



Next, we're off to Spring Hill Cemetery. I wonder if he'll be there, too?

But, first here is a special treat, the RR&G 1920 schedule and instructions for the crew. First is the schedule. Right click it and choose "open in new window".



Next are the instructions. Open in new window.



And here's the Longleaf Depot where the train originated and will be headed back.



This shot was taken off the Peason Historic Marker, La.118, Peason, La. I don't know if the engine would have been around yet in 1920. But I could find out if I went to my resources. It is of the engine at the Longleaf Mill. It ran the whole line from LeCompte to Sandel, according to the caption on the display.



All of the old pictures and schedule/instructions are courtesy of Everett Lueck and the Southern Forest Heritage Museum in Longleaf, Louisiana.

I needed to get moving on home, but I could not leave without visiting Spring Hill Cemetery. It is a very historic place located in an awing environment. And, to boot, the train from Longleaf crossed the bayou here to get to the island and the LeCompte Depot. The road to the cemetery is on the south side of La.112, right after you cross the Bayou Boeuf Bridge headed west out of town. It is named Spring Hill Cemetery Rd.



The road up is just a taste. You come to a fork.



Take the left. You are now on the Red River and Gulf right of way. The grade sits atop a high embankment with steep slopes on either side as it descends to the bayou.

It is quite a neat stretch.



I'd like know the grade percentage here. I've ridden a steam engined train in the mountains and heard the noises as it brakes. There is squealing and the sound of steam being released. I imagine that was the scene here as the train slowed for the bridge.

I parked the bike and walked down the grade and shot back up the incline.



I turned and walked down to the where I'd found the pilings for the old trestle. There they were.



I thought there was only 3. Not so. There were more down the bank.







Across the bayou there were more.







The spillway is the next beauty spot.



Next, I rode up the road to the cemetery.



The next 4 pictures are just looking around.









I left the cemetery and headed back into LeCompte. I immediately turned on Chickamaw Road. Mr. C. had told me that the old Moncla La.107 bridge had been removed from service across the Red River and segmented. He had one segment for his bridge. He told me more of the bridge was out on Chickamaw and a friend had likewise used them to cross the Boeuf. That sounded like something I wanted to see. That will be on the next page. But, there will be more. I'd find Meridian which is down a road whose name has changed. I'd find more abandoned rails and an old boxcar down from Junction Road. For a "ride home", it was pretty good.

Several people have told me I shouldn't do this first thing in the morning. The caffeine spills over, I guess. Nevertheless, I did this time so I can get on with the next one which will require a bunch of bike work first. URG. If you've never changed a motorcycle tire, then you have no idea of what confrontation is all about.

First, here is a map for those that have hung in so far. You must click it to make it bigger. Then hit your back button to return. That works for all of them.



Let's reveiw:

The cross track and depot are at the bottom right. The cemetery is where it says cemetery. We're headed for Chicamaw Road. What a neat road it is. Ride it slowly and look at all the stuff there. Check out the Bayou Boeuf Series over on TWL. In there somewhere is a ride down the whole length of Chickamaw. I chose to cut it short because of the time factor, something I'm thinking about right now. So let's go.

I came upon the bridge Mr.C had had told me about. I'm thinking these were rail bridges because of their width. But, there were many one lane bridges in LA. This one had been over the Red River at Moncla.



Notice the other name on the map, a place called "Montcla".
There's a story there.



Two more shots of the bridge, now over Bayou Boeuf.



And, this is the clincher, I can see the rails where I hadn't before.



So, Mr.C's bridge was a train bridge but not for the RR&G, this will be another detective story. OO-L, you up to it?

One more. I almost forgot. I walked down beneath the bridge and found this:



If you don't call it a tie, I will. Or, maybe it's a bridge part?

Next up was what I thought was Ashton Plantation. It is NOT ASHTON. Mike has corrected me. Ashton is on up the road. I just didn't go far enough and it can't be seen from the road anyway. Nevertheless, nice place.



This is Ashton's front porch around 1930.



I knew I could not linger. I continued on around to LaMourie and then back through LeCompte to US 167. Since I was in this part of the woods, I wanted to find Meridian, a place that had disappeared off the face of the Earth in the past. And, I have been unable to find it for a while. What had happened was that the name of the road had been changed. Meridian was a lumber mill belonging to the same folks that owned Longleaf, the Crowells and serviced by their railroad, the RR&G.



Which means the last public acknowledgment of there being a sawmill here is gone. Without the old software, I'd missed it.



If I was not on the grade, I was very, very close. Map below by Everett Lueck, SFH Museum, Longleaf, La. These maps can be enlarged by clicking them.



An observation and warning. This road had a brand new carpet of limestone its full length. It has a public stop sign. It is heavily posted on both sides. There is one house at its end with a very large guardian type dog. Just enjoy my pictures and let it go.

This is the road and possibly the grade. Everett said the shays would have had no problem with this incline.



I stopped in a place which felt hot.
It was.



When you hot you hot.



I stopped again and bingo.
An old trestle piling at Turkey Creek (on green map)?



And a tie.



I returned to US 167 and tried to figure out if I'd been on the grade there. It wasn't clear. The ties were.

Next, I went through Turkey Creek on 167, but, for some weird reason, I decided to drop down 3096. It led to Junction Road, a railroadish sounding name. This was all timber country. Big map, click to open:



Down past American on P-4-41, I saw this, the crowning end of a great adventure.









00-L says he pegs it at being a 50's or 60's boxcar before they got really large.
That works. That's it. More later.