the mid 60's and it was 2 pm. I'd cleaned up the yard and
the place was looking good. At piece with my surroundings,
I left.
The back road into Lafayette goes by the L&D branch to
Breaux Bridge. I'd seen the large wooden beams by the tracks.
I had suspected they were there to repair the Vermillion River
trestle. I still don't know for sure, but my suspicions seem correct.
TheVermillion is about a mile behind the high rail truck.
While there I heard the lady dispatcher talking to a UP
engineer directing him to talk to the yard master on Channel 88.
He got back to her that no one had answered. In a less than happy
voice, she said she'd call him. I sensed something was going on.
When I got there, the UP was creeping forward on the main line going
to the yard's west end switch.
I ran ahead and got an "under the bridge" shot for my newest book.
At Pecan Grove it stopped.
What I hadn't realized was that the engineer and conductor
were having a discussion on what set of switches needed to
be set so they could back in.
I figured the train was frozen. I went around the block and he
was gone. He had pulled forward and backed into another
west yard spur.
Here, another "under the bridge" shot, but in reverse, was captured.
He had vacated the mainline.
The dispatcher had evidently conveyed the yard master's
directions or she had made up her own. He was safely tucked away.
I had heard that another train needed to pass him. I didn't
realize that the Sunset was the "other train".
The main track curve really does set up a nice shot.
It stopped. Then I heard the dispatcher fussing at the line maintenance guys.
A freight and an interstate passenger train were waiting on a pile driver crew
to get off the mainline.
Finally, it appeared from the west. Check out the guy in
the gravel car guiding the pile driving train.
I'd never seen a Santa Fe pile driver before. It was self propelled.
It went to find a place on a slot beside the UP freight.
The picture says it all.
Did Mz Sunset smile, slyly, or had the Conductor (see on the
left side) tickled her.
Our man in green switched the switch.
And, he did one more.
The Sunset began moving.
The pile driver retreated to its berth within the yard. The
guide man remained in his car still vigilant.
Here's where it all went down. Amtrak reported 23 minutes
delayed at West Switch.
Happy with that chapter, I headed home. On the way I heard an
east bounder getting warranted. I went back to the alley because
there is no westward picture taking this time of day The alley
is the only place that works.
There was another of my old Santa Fe's.
I'd race the train through town and caught it at Mudd.
It was blowing smoke and accelerating.
I'd let her go. Five o'clock traffic was picking up which is
not a good environment for a train chase.
Now for some pictures from within the shots that add so much.
Below is Warren on the bridge of the pile driver train.
He is saying to go left.
While stopped, the Conductor, the boss of the train, got out
and checked the oil. These trains seem to be team efforts.
See him down by the motor on the left.
This guy was with the freight. He made it all happen.
But, why do they always kick the switches. Don't they close
all the way? The funniest picture I have is 2 fellas and a big
woman, who I think was the Conductor, kicking the switch
at Cade like 3 drunken Rockefeller Center Rocketts.
There he heads back to his train. See what he does next.
Below:
This was the heartwarming, good feeling shot of the
day. I'm sorry it is not very clear. I hadn't seen it until
looking deeper into the pictures. He sat out on the front
of his engine and waved at the Sunset's passengers until
it was gone. I checked the progressing shots. You could tell
he was enjoying himself in a knowing way. There was a
railroading man making some kid's trip really special.
Heck, he might have made a few adults smile too.
I saw the same thing happen in Crowley when the Sunset
passed the AKDN 3018 crew. The brakeman sat there at
the switch and waved to each passing car of west bound
passengers. I've heard stories of crewmen of yore throwing candy
and such to kids along the tracks. Is there a thread here?
These are a few shots from the ride home:
Lake Marin, east of Lafayette. More later......