Train Chase: Julia Street

I'm sure you've heard about the chemical plant blowing up on Admiral Doyle Drive in New Iberia. It's been on national news. It is one of Louisiana and Delta's customers. I haven't heard if a train was on site when the thing lit up or not. The place never looked dangerous. A friend of ours said that there were fire balls being shot into the air. I understand there were no fatalities. A huge area is now blocked off with cop cars stationed at every conceivable passage. On top of that, you could wait in line on La.182 (old US90) to be detoured into a maze of back roads which all lead to the depths of Hopkins St., New Iberia, featured in many of James Lee Burkes sordid novels. If I hadn't had the trusty Garmin 2610 Lassie along for company, I'd still be roaming those sugarcane fields or on Hopkins St.

Red is the construction on 182. The gray box is no man's land around the airport and the chemical plant.



I was running out of time to meet Mz Sunset and decided to
find a tree at the Catholic church on Julia Street, red flag above.
From there I'd have a nice view of the gorgeous Iberia Parish Courthouse.



These pictures were authentically taken from where I was standing,
in the church parking lot.



This is looking south down E.Washington St. which is actually
a boulevard with the tracks running down the center.



Looking north toward the courthouse.



Old house across the street. I love this architecture.



Looking toward downtown.



Here she came.





When he saw me he did a Bobbity bop bop....bop bop on the
horn. This was 130, the same train my grandson and
I had seen at the depot on Sunday. There we visited with
the engineer in training. I was wearing the same uniform
I was wearing then. I'm sure it was him. Bobity Bop Bop
..... Bop Bop is not in the manual.









Whoa, another special car. "Pullman" was written on the car.





At least one couple was enjoying the ride. He could have waved.



Then I remembered it was going to stop at the depot. I
had fooled around and missed it. Looking that car over
would have been great, but, I blame my mental blank on the heat and
all the travel I did to get to Julia St.

I did chase it until I came to more barricades.



I was whipped and headed home.



Those folks were headed west.