HISTORY HUNTS WAREHOUSE: Franklin and Abbeville Railroad ALL

First of all, this report might evolve into a huge undertaking. I could explain the histories of both the railroads involved and go on and on about the personalities and politics which surrounded them, but I probably won't. Furthermore, do you remember the format of this blog? These ride reports are about searching for historic evidence on a motorcycle, evidence left from the past which may still be going on in the present. It's no walk in the park and if you want to compare me to Indiana Jones, feel free to do so. This one would have a little bit of both past and present evidence. I can help in understanding that. A small bit of the Frog and Alligator (In reality the Franklin and Abbeville RR) is now used by the Louisiana and Delta RR, headquartered in New Iberia, Louisiana. I've been wanting to highlight both railroads, but, never got around to it due to not really carrying enough to do it. This may be my chance to clean the slate once and forever on both railroads. Since we'll be going east from Davids, no not David's, Davids, a place, forget it. Take 2: Since we'll be starting from La.329 and going east, just blow off the F&A from there northwest into Milton. I have the photos and perceived route, but I've never gotten any notes asking me....., wait, I did once, but that was a while back. The F&A has been gone so long, or it didn't have much of a rail bed that it's a real hard one to visibly follow. It also crosses very soft soil that is farmed. Combine all of that and you better tune up your imagination. I'd given up until Dr.Bernard turned me on to this 1911 soil survey map of Iberia Parish. Yep, I'm going to show it to you so stop squirming. I've, through my use of ratio and proportion, symbolical reenactment, and guessing, reproduced the route of the Frog and Alligator on a modern digital map. The 1's and O's actually vibrated when I was finished. Here's the 1911 version,
part one.

I think we'll get moving along:

Below, on my map, you have a white dotted line. That's me.
Then you have a green line. That's the F&A which is now used
by the L&D into the Port of New Iberia and west of La.329 a tiny bit.
Then you have the red line. That's the best guess I can do using the
tools, knowledge, and give a hoot that I can muster.

Where you see "4" is the first turn south in the upper right of the
1911 map above this one. You see "Davids", under "1"? Good. It will
make a few of the pictures easier to explain since they were taken there.

Below is an excellent shot of the new, yea, because there wasn't
one originally, connector between the old Southern Pacific/ Iberia
and Vermillion rails to Avery Island and points west for the I&V.
I hate to have to spew all of that but I do since I know it and if
I didn't you'd accuse me of holding back. This picture is looking
north toward New Iberia.

The only connector my software shows is one from the north hooking
up with the F&A going west. That is where these cars are located.
This is looking southwest If you would continues south on the SP/I&V,
the rails in the forefront, you would cross the F&A and continue to
either Avery Island, or, if you switched the switch at I&V Junction, you
could ride all the way to Eunice. I have. And, Bubba, that's a pull for an
afternoon. Bet it took the train all day. We ain't going thataway.

We're going east and then south and then east and then south and......

On the way, it will not all be easy going. The temperature is over
90, the humidity is up there. There will be no shade and all the gravel
roads will be deep. Still want to go? I thought so.

As I said, this is the bed of the F&A and I'll go out on limb and
suggest those are the ties of the F&A also. They were in terrible
shape. They were being changed everywhere I visited the L&D.
Those cars are pipe carrying cars. That mystery has been solved.

I always take this shot when I get here. I guess I do it to create
anticipation. That's the Port of Iberia ahead. Anticipating?

Turning left at the intersection I saw the pipe yard. It's the source
of all the pipe you see later on the train cars. There's a lot of pipe here.
I'd say it could be welded together, dropped on that damn blowout
and Obama could suck it up using his straw example if he'd put
all the hot air he blows in reverse. By the way Mr. President,
that BP well is 5 thousand feet down, not 5 miles down like you said
in Grand Isle. You really haven't a clue. Everyone knows it. 5280 feet
is one mile. No teleprompter?

Here you go. Loader up.

The old F&A rails follow the road going east.

This thing is not going to be all rails. What a sleeper. I'm going
to try to show you stuff along the route as well. Who'd thunk that
here in the middle of oil field industrial mayhem would be this
shrimper. I guess its presence is rather poignant.

Refits line the road, the place is huge. What you see from here
is a small fraction of the place.

The L&D was building a train.

At the end was our old friend "Laurel Mountain 1852".

I had to take this shot of her because I'd seen one taken like it and
I knew I could do it also. Nothing to it.

Look at all that pipe.

One last look at Ol' Laurel Mountain. Did I tell you I talked to
a fella whose dad worked on that railroad? I think it was in Pennsylvania.
Up there somewhere, that's for sure.

Looking east from this position, things go down hill for the F&A.

They are cut before they reach Pesson Road where they once turned
south. By the way, these rails are what the L&D calls its Pesson
Branch. (Davids to Pesson) Pesson was a settlement on the F&A route,
and I guess, on the SP route as well. Let's not forget the I&V route.

This is a good place to end this page. More later. We have a long
way to go. The ride was close to 180 miles and I'm feeling it.
Here's our route and a schedule. I think there was a lumber mill
at Milton?

I have a piece of rail from Charlotte, plus a tie plate and spike.
They are crowd pleasers at the Breaux Bridge Railroad Museum.

At Davids you see that the Midland Branch was crossed. That's the
Southern Pacific. That branch went from New Iberia to Gueydan
to Midland on US 90. Then the SP crossed 90 and went to Eunice.
At F&A Junction, we'll go there, the F&A had trackage rights on the
SP to Franklin, which wasn't far. The F&A never went to Abbeville,
but it was anticipipated for 10 years. Sterling Junction refers to Sterling
Plantation. What I'm not seeing is any mention of Sorrel, that later, no no,
Julien is the key to Sorrel. This is shocking stuff.

People, this is my best guess. I admitted to Shane that I felt
a little conflict in where the first dive south actually was. I won't
get into my inner argument, but will take a sedative and get over it.

You can dwell here for the rest of the day. Have at it, I'm moving on.

From: The Louisiana Planter and Sugar Manufacturer, Volume 32 By Louisiana Sugar Planters' Association, Lousiana Sugar Chemists' Association, American Cane Growers' Association 1903.

"One of the biggest improvements in recent years was the opening up on Monday, the 25th inst., of the daily passenger service from Cypremort and Franklin to New Iberia, via the Franklin & Abbeville Railroad, better known in this section as the "Cane Belt." The train leaves Franklin at 8:15 a. m. and connects with the Cypremort Branch of the Morgan road at F. & H. Junction, and goes into New Iberia at 10 a. m. over the Iberia and Vermilion road. The stations on the new route are: Franklin, Sterling, Baldwin, F. & A. Junction, Prevost, Dumesnil, Julien, Kroppers, Masters, Murphy, Deslottes, Patoutville, Delaware, Lewisville,
Lydia, Tobias, Duboin, Gall, Rodere, Dand's Junction, and New Iberia. As will be seen from the above, the new road will be a most important acquisition to the richest portions of St. Mary and Iberia parishes, and being essentially a cane road every possible advantage Is being given by the management to the planters in the way of facilities for promptly and economically handling their products. The officers of the new road are Frank B. Williams, president; Jules Godchaux, general manager; C. Delaware Kemper, superintendent, and A. G. Lobdell, general passenger and freight agent. All these gentlemen are in terested in the Sterling Sugar & Railway Company at Frankin and are closely indentifled with the planting interests of the parish".

Needless to say, the above is priceless. Looking at my map, you can see those places are still named. The map below can be clicked to enlarge. The red dots are places mentioned above. The placement of the names below may not represent the historic location of those places, this map being drawn years into the future. Places shift. I'll continue to try to interpret the 1911 soil map.
Click this map.

Below is from the La. Railroad Commission minutes.

Does this place the birth of the F&A at 1889.

Below explains how the F&A got from F&A Junction, near
Gold Mine on La.83 to Baldwin and then on into Franklin to
the east.

Next, Patoutville is mentioned. How are those glasses working?
You can click it to enlarge.

So, cane was sent to outside processors, also.

Googling comes up with all sorts of stuff including human interests.

Below, is Abbeville lamenting not becoming a part of its namesake.
You can click it to read it.

Now that you've been zapped with history and.......... we'll continue
in the present.

I was glad to be sorta out of the port area. I had reached La.83
the Weeks Island Road. It circumnavigates "Cane Land" ending
up at Baldwin.

This is the fun part for me. South, out from Pesson Road, I found this.

The port was still at hand.

I'm not real sure about this. Let's call it "a cane field".

This one I'm good with. It's Duboin. There was a David Duboin.
I'm thinking the name of the place called Davids is named after
David Duboin. I've explained my other suspicions to Dr.Bernard.
He suggested a seditive. That place is marked "8" on my map
above.

La.83 makes this turn there. Right here I'll say this to all the
motorcycling history hunters out there. La.83 is a great road.
Then you can take La. 619 down to Cypremort Point. There's
even a state park down there. Visit the Bayview restaurant
for a treat. I know nothing about their food, but just being there
is good enough. I was there when the first moon landing took place. It
was a local bar at the time. No one in the place believed the shots
were real. I wonder what caused their lack of trust in the government?
Those old Cajuns were ahead of most of us.

From that corner you can look down on the F&A bed. This area
is less that 7 feet above sea level. This is the lower coastal plain.

We are on the west to east leg into Lydia. Below is clearly rail related.

Arriving in Lydia, I perceived that the rails had gone down Guillot
Road. I think Dr. Bernard had perceived likewise. In fact. I will go
one further and perceive that Guillot was the F&A. We are at
"11" on the map. If you argue with me, you need a sedative.

At the end was this.

This is John Lewis slanting down from northwest to southeast.
I think the settlement of Lewisville was here. It was a stop, mentioned
above. At the bottom of this slide was Delaware. Why is a place in
Louisiana named Delaware? Referring to the explanation above,
C. Delaware Kemper was the superintendent or the railroad.
Dr. Bernard just told me how Raynella got its name. I may end
that mystery which has been eating at you. You have to read my stuff
first.

Next, map please.
I stopped and ate lunch at Patoutville Station. Those pictures
are coming up.

John Lewis is a neat road, empty, low lying and scenic. I'm serious.

It was cool and there was hardly any humidity.
Soon the Castles of Patout appeared far off in the distance.
Actually, they weren't that far. The cloud between me and it only made
it seem that way.

I was beneath the huge refinery. I turned south on Patout Rd.
I was headed to Patoutville Station. This would be the highlight
of the railroad route since I have a little personal knowledge of
the place having met a few of the ladies, Ida, Mary Jane and I've
heard of a few others who live in Texas.

Patout Rd. was, again, deep in gravel. I would fight this stuff for
a while.

I was at Patoutville Station. The right of way was evident.

The DR posed for a picture. It is the right tool for row riding.

Looking east. I could imagine the large cane loading area which
occupied the station area. I am guessing that the uncultivated
area ahead was used for that. I believe that the plantation's
narrow gauge railroad merged here, also.

I'd visited Back Road many years ago. I laughed at its name
knowing I'd finally arrived where I wanted to be. It was also
knee deep in gravel. After eating and relaxing. I motored on.

Next was a water tower. My imagination went wild. You know
it was used for their railroad. You know it.

I'm ending this page here where you can make up your own mind.
One more note, in 1924 the F&A was added to the SP's list of railroads.

CLICK HERE for the next page.

From the The Louisiana planter and sugar manufacturer, Volume 32 {early 1900's}

"The Franklin and Abbeville railroad made its initial trip to this place {New Iberia} last Monday , the 5th. A large delegation of ladies and gentlemen took the train at Franklin, and at 8:30 departed for New Iberia, passing through the parishes of St. Mary and Iberia and arriving at New Iberia at 10 a. m., a distance of 36 miles. This road is now fully equipped with freight cars and passenger coaches and will make daily trips, passing through one of the richest sections of the state, which is well settled and populated by thrifty farmers and planters. There are some twenty-one stations along this line giving every neighborhood ample and convenient facilities. The arrival of this train swells the number of daily passenger trains arriving and departing to twenty-four. And now comes the prospect of another road to New Iberia, being the "Louisiana Central Railway Company," with northern terminus at Monroe, La., and eastern terminus at New Iberia. The domicile of the company is Marksville, Avoyelles parish, which has voted a five-mill tax for ten years to this road. Iberia will no doubt render substantial aid and encouragement at the proper time, as it will redound greatly to her interests, giving a competing line to Kansas City and all western points. Plantation improvements are beginning to be made, old machinery overhauled, new sorts supplied and in some instances old mills thrown out and new, modern ones erected. Orange Grove is contemplating the erection of a new six-rolle» mill to be furnished by the Whitney Iron Works; the matter is not fully decided, but may be soon".

I get the idea "The Planter" was newsy periodical that kept everyone up to day on what was happening agriculturally and socially.

I'll post this map one more time. We are at Patoutville Station
headed to Gold Mine, my sure guess of the last place before
F&A Junction, near La.83. Click to enlarge.

The waypoint marked "Field" is where the road left the right of
way and clearly crossed a field. "S.RR ROW" was the find of the
day. It was a street sign which stated "Sorrel RR ROW". It
connected the mill at Sorrel with the F&A. I'll lay money on it.
Dumesnil is where I shot the old building with 2 doors by the
canal. I'm sure that it saw some trains if it was not a railroad building.
"Gold Mine" had been my guess and it panned out. Pun, for sure.

Here's a larger version of where we start. I'm doing this at
4:00 AM so if stuff sounds weird, it is.

This is the last of the 1911 soil survey map. One for St. Mary Parish
was not available.

Leaving Patoutville Station, I moved east on Back Road. At
the tank on the previous page, there was a cross road. One way
went to the mill.

The other went into the fields. I know it was the row for the
narrow gauge company railroad.

In this business, imagination can carry you for a long way. But,
it's nice to have a reality break once in a while. I'd get one. Part
of the trestle abutment was still on the side of the bayou.

Next was a typical home.

If you are a Goldberg, you probably had family out here or your
relative was an officer with the railroad.

I took this for some reason?

For mappies, here's a waypoint. 80 Arpent had curved down to
meet Back Road.

Accept that the railroad is on the left.

This was a grinner. I love St.Mary Parish.
I also love Iberia Parish.
So, don't get moody, Iberians.
Actually, it was time to make some progress and I loved the
fact that I was making time.

Right when I needed another evidence hit, I got one. I know
this was the raised portion of the F&A's bed.

Or it could be the guy's crawfish pond levee. Or it could be both.
The use of old railroad beds as crawfish levees is not uncommon.
The old Missouri Pacific's bed serves as a levee for miles along
La. 741 between Pecaniere and Port Barre. Railroad beds have
saved towns from flooding and provided escape from flooded
towns.

Pepper Road

This is the field marked by "Field" in the map above.

Now the Sorrel RR ROW. How cool was this find!!!
Jones is named for Casey Jones.

There it goes to the F&A.

There it goes to the mill on old US 90, crossing new US 90.

Sorrel is one of the 9 remaining La. sugar mills.

I really do have good timing. I could not pass up the tractor and
mill shot.

Yep, historic, that's a facjac.

On the next page we find F&A Junction, visit the Port of St.Mary
and head on home. On the way I'll stop at a landmark in Lydia.
For those who remember, it looks like a clone of Jay's Lounge in
Cankton.

I've decided to stay with this page a little longer since there is a
transition here. I got pulled off the F&A hunt by the advent of the
Sorrel find. That put me on La.182, Old 90. I decided to continue
on 182 to the outskirts of Baldwin where La.83 comes in. I'd take
83 to Gold Mine, my end target on the F&A run. First I took a few
shots of the always present L&D engines stationed here. I suppose
they service both the Port of St. Mary and the carbon black factories
there and at Bayou Sale, plus, no doubt other businesses.

A reminder of the past was this Southern Pacific trailer.

Another engine was near a line of carbon black cars.

Almost to Gold Dust I revisited the old SP boxcar.

This time I got its number. If someone can find its history, you
get a cigar.

Another car adorned the property. A crew car?

Someone has connections. Next would be Gold Mine, aptly named.
I first visited the old SP rails, now owned or leased by the L&D.

F&A Junction was down there somewhere. Turns out, the tree
line marked the spot.

This grand old house was on the other side of the tracks. It has
heard the whistle blow.

I've monitored this place for years. It is a crying shame.

It is a large farmhouse and could have made someone a great home.

Right where it should be was the ditch trestle. Excuse my hairy arm.

Oh, you doubt me? There's even a car on a siding. At the end was
F&A Junction.

This little house was on the north side of the highway.

I left 83 and headed up the line to find what I'd missed.

This is Dumesnil. The rails jumped the ditch in front of the building.
I'd say, "Probably on that bridge".

If it was a waiting room, it had two sections. I think I see a
roof opening for a fireplace that served both rooms. You can
check out the location of Dumesnil on the map about 3 feet up
this page. Of course I'm kidding about the waiting room.

I'll end this page with the blue lagoon. I have no idea where
the water got its color.

From Baldwin I had traveled west and did my thing at Gold Mine
and Dumusnil. I was finished with the F&A from Davids to F&A
Junction or really Baldwin. Free at last. Free at last.

Next I'd do something I have wanted to do for a while, visit the Port
of St.Mary. I took a look down the line to see if I was still on track.

This is the crossing at Freetown, no kidding.
Again, old ties were broken.

The rails here were like a roller coaster. I don't know. I sure
would take it easy here. Turning over a big diesel might be embarrassing.

Can't pass up a cemetery. This is St. Helen's. The church is tucked
in a shady cove up the way.

I wasn't drawn in. It was hot and .........
.........there were carbon black cars to look at.

Wow, a little yard.

N...something. Oh yea, it's a salt mine but you have to cross a
private ferry to get over there. I waited in line one afternoon.
They ask me for my ID. I showed them my driver's license and
my pen for 5 years in medical service. Neither got me a boat ride
though they thanked me for my service. I told them if the really
meant it, they'd let me on board. That's when they pulled their guns.
I guess I have a knack.

and the Ivanhoe plant? Maybe this was the carbon black place?

I love carbon black plants. Not many people do, but I do. They
are dark and foreboding. Not like rice dryers which are shiny or
white. If I was a knight, I'd be the Knight of Carbon Black,
not no Knight of Ricey Nicey.

This was an attractive one. If I'd stayed a while I know I could
have gotten some award winning shots. This one and the one
above are not that bad. The one below this one isn't very good.

This is looking west and it wasn't a wye.

Oh boy! Oh boy! I was there.

I had visited the P of St.M website. It had only shown one rail
service bay. There were more.

First more broken ties.

This is the one in their ad.

It serves these guys. Cool... turbo boats.

I think rails in cement are also cool.

The place had a big water dock also. This is all right at the
Intracoastal Canal.

This the third track.

Man, was I impressed. Nice place and I only looked at a little of it.
Next, I went over to 619, the Cypremort Pt. Road, and then down
the Luisa Plantation road to visit a few old friends. First were the
old SP Weeks Island salt mine rails at the crossing. Hi! Y'all.

A picture of the new ICW bridge is always a necessity. It laments
the passing of the drawbridge that once served there. You see
how its mouth is turned down. It will never have a happy face.

There was a guy killed there. He is in one of the pillars encased
in cement. Not everyone knows that and you may be doubted
if you tell that story.

Louisa had a rail yard here off the salt mine route. I think this tower
may have been related to the sugar mill. But maybe it was an
oil tank car filler site. The sugar mill would be to the right. Why
would the tank car filler be on the left if molasses related?
There is quite a bit left to the old mill. Lots of gears and cement can be seen.

The rails from the filler site crossed Luisa Rd. going west toward
the new bridge. I've seen semis coming out of there.

Goodbye Louisa.

Moving toward Weeks Island, the remnants of a trestle were thrown
up on land. I've seen cars on those rails. This was sad for me.

I crossed over Weeks Island and descended into the marsh.
Next was Patout Bayou. Construction signs were everywhere.
I fear it is being replace. Mark said it was just being repaired.
I hope he's right. Now to think of it, it looked like it had a fresh
coat of paint on it. Only in La. would you paint something before
you tear it down. Wait, the federal government does that too.

Patout Bayou is a beauty spot.

And, I get carried away with bridge pictures.

The cranes were troubling. That's where the bridge man works

A family was leaving on a boat ride.

Next was Lydia and Peg's Club.

As I had said before, Peg's is the clone of Jay's in Cankton. This
is a Louisiana roadhouse if I ever saw one. I'll get the scoop from
Mark. A certain sugar mill's annual meeting usually retires here for
after conference conferencing. I'd like to be a fly on that wall.
That's it. An old railroad remembered and rediscovered, a look
at the stark beauty of this land, and a little insight into the workday
and play day of the locals. I suggest La.83/619 as a super Sunday ride.
I'll bet Peg's is open for dancing after Mass.