I'd found this Norfolk Southern train at the sidetrack in Grosse Tete.
It had been waiting for the MoreleyBridge to open
for rail traffic. Here would be my chance to catch a train
for the first time on the Bayou Grosse Tete rail bridge.
This is one of the factors "it's all about".
for rail traffic. Here would be my chance to catch a train
for the first time on the Bayou Grosse Tete rail bridge.
This is one of the factors "it's all about".
This ride was born of the recent attempt by Union Pacific
RR to show off its old steamer, 844, in NewOrleans. They blew that, and wrecked a boxcar in the
process. Then they, having the steamer out of commission, sent in reinforcements, their 50's vintage Stream-liner. Of course they published no fixed schedule, only saying it would leave
Houston on Monday and get to New Orleans on Friday. They were in New Orleans on Tuesday. I
had no chance to catch it. The map below is one I had drawn as a proposed pursuit route.
process. Then they, having the steamer out of commission, sent in reinforcements, their 50's vintage Stream-liner. Of course they published no fixed schedule, only saying it would leave
Houston on Monday and get to New Orleans on Friday. They were in New Orleans on Tuesday. I
had no chance to catch it. The map below is one I had drawn as a proposed pursuit route.
Below is a simple map of the route I actually took as a replacement of the proposed map above.
It began in Lafayette where I discovered that there would be nothing happening
on the rails going south.
I raced to Opelousas feeling I was destined to meet a train there.
I did. 4101 would be my competition, atleast for the first leg of the day.
We "got it on" from Opelousas to the east side of the old Krotz Springs rail bridge.
They had seen me back on Grolee St. in east Opelousas. Now they were seeing me again. Thus explains the look on Foster's face. Jim is busy on his Twitter account.
At the Livonia, La. UP yard, I missed them coming around the bend because I was taking pictures of crawfish towers. Since this is not a blog about crawfish towers, I will not elaborate.
I then went looking for 4101 as I do not relent. I found _524 coming in from the
south and there she was.
I backed off to let you see a bit of the countryside surrounding the Livonia Yard. This is a courtesy to those interested in countryside.
I took a picture of this old house while trying to return to the tracks south Maringouin. I sent the complete ride report to an ardent railroader and all he commented on was the house. I give up. People are strange and I'm weirded out by them. I would have figured he'd comment about the pond which is down the road.
My goal, and decided terminal for this TRAIN CHASE was Grosse Tete, just south of I-10 between the east Atchafalaya Basin levee and Baton Rouge. There I'd sit at the old swing bridge and wait for a train. Below are the mechanics of a swing bridge. I disdain people that speak in tongues about mechanical devices. I've heard that there is a steam engine clique that practices that offensive behavior.
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I found the train below in Grosse Tete. After being told to go on, it was also told to check with the Moreley bridge tender to make sure it didn't go in the water. |
I'll end this one with a picture of Butte LaRose where I got off of HORRIBLE INTERSTATE 10 on the way home. There comes a point when you know your luck is gone and this was where it happened. I felt safe along the back roads where I'm at home and will be returning for future RIDE REPORTS because I've found that people just are not interested in TRAIN CHASES and if they are, they are too rude to even type a 5 letter word, "THANKS". Oh, and a PS to those that have written asking for help which I've given gladly, and you could not reply after that, your mama raised you wrong, and I'm speaking directly to a few good ol' boys up in northeast La, shame on you. What's with you? Do you feel entitled like a member of some ethnic group?
