They were taken in Southwest, La., east of Lafayette near
St.Martinville. The last of the sugarcane is being harvested.
In Cade, the train was tied up until the a new crew found her.
At the location of the old Confederate training camp, one
of my favorite stops, I sat and listened to the L&D RR tug
working over in the Iberia Industrial Park. The "orange
behind the trees is her.
I took a shot. The old Kodak 7590 was a fast reliable camera
which I could hold in one hand and shoot while riding at any speed.
A 60 mph train would get as may shots as I wanted.
I could fire a shot every 10 ties. No "review" to go through,
no BS.
I'd ride down to New Iberia out of habit.
Seeing the blue Allegheny there was a relief. I hadn't seen
her in a while. She an oldie goldie wearing her original colors.
She is as much a "collectable" as she is a workhorse.
Out on the yard, a long train was being assembled.
Then I headed home and the camera got terminally wet in a downpour.
Her date had been wrong and that couldn't be fixed. Her zoom motor
gears jammed and you couldn't adjust anything becauseher toggle switch
was shot. I related. She'd been my companion for probably 7 years of great
rides. Being without her will not be the same. I'm considering her demise
a sign that maybe it's time to quit this line of work. My toggle is busted, too.