This is going to be the short version.
That's because it's the second time I'm doing it.
That is all perfect because the day was as frustrating as reporting on it.
It was not just frustrating, it was WAR.
It was not just frustrating, it was WAR.
I went into Lafayette with the simple intention of capturing the last
Friday Sunset Limited trains on the old schedule.
Yes, 2 trains visit on Friday. It's a treat for a train chaser.
At Lafayette, Train No.2 (eastbound) comes at 10:19 and No.1, westbound, is at
about 3:15.
What I deemed as passengers waited out by the tracks.
What I deemed as passengers waited out by the tracks.
I waited at the station, in the open field, wearing a black helmet, from 10:00 to 10:45.
The passengers eventually were herded into this door....
No, this one.
I thought it was a courtesy move because it was getting hot.
Later I'd find out that was not the case. There was an announcement to be made concerning where the eastbound train was. Not Here.
I continued looking around. That's a nice old building on Jefferson St.
I finally went to North Pierce. NOT there.
The old Alexandria Junction sign was still there.
I went to the yard. Nada, no Amtrak.
Though there was an engine I didn't recognize.
I hauled it out to Alligator Point and saw a light on the tracks.
It was from the south, the wrong direction.
It was an L&D tug going into Elks.
Irritated, I went home.
At 12:30 I heard chatter on the radio.
My wife urged me to leave.
My wife urged me to leave.
To make a long story short, I evidently got the dispatcher
wrong and went to Baldwin instead of where I should have gone.
That was a shame, because, you see, the picture opportunity of the year was
about to happen in Crowley.
My late No.2 (the morning train) was going to meet
with the oncoming No.1 train.
They would be there for 28 minutes and I was down the bayou
in south south Louisiana, worn out and winded.
At least I'd heard right about the freight on the sidetrack in Baldwin.
He wasn't happy either. The dispatcher told him the eastbound,
the train he was waiting on, would be in Lafayette at 4:30.
It was 3:00.
I could make it to Lafayette if I pulled out the stops. I was 50
hard miles away and I'd have to fight 5PM traffic approaching
Lafayette, not to mention New Iberia. Nevertheless, I had to salvage something from today's
multiple disasters.
And this is it:
I caught the head end of The Sunset Limited (Amtk 18) crossing Pinhook Rd.
Yipee.
Yipee.
Here's the new schedule: Urg! No more 2 train days.
