US 51... The Test Ride, Dig, plus Art and Music

I was in east Louisiana again.

I got done what I had to and was left in peace and quiet to see if 

my repairs on my highway bike worked.

I'd tentatively head up a major thoroughfare where I could 

be found by a rescue unit (wife and trailer),

if needed.

The most interesting road which qualified was US 51.

US 51 is basically uncelebrated.

It is not as famous as US 61, Dylan's title, or

US 41, the road Dickey Betts claims as his birthplace, being

"born in the back seat of a Greyhound bus".

Nevertheless, US 51 is a historical artery of major importance.

Backstroke/Footnote

From Wiki:

  In addition to singing about U.S. Highway 61 on his album Highway 61 Revisited, musician Bob Dylan also commemorated Highway 51, covering Curtis Jones' folk song "Highway 51 Blues" on his eponymous album Bob Dylan. The North Mississippi Allstars also paid tribute to the highway in the title track of their album 51 Phantom.

Since I'm quoting Wiki, I'll add what the writer says about the La. portion since I know there are highwaymen out there.

Louisiana

U.S. 51 crosses the Mississippi/Louisiana border a few miles north of Kentwood and continues to parallel Interstate 55 until just below its interchanges with LA 3234 and U.S. 190 it joins I-55 just south of Hammond at Exit 28. From Hammond, the two highways, cosigned, cross the swamps between Ponchatoula and Laplace on viaducts to Interstate 10, where I-55 ends. The old highway is located to the east of the interstate and is still used for local traffic. U.S. 51 continues southwestward into Laplace where it meets its end at U.S. 61 (Airline Highway). In the 1930s, this highway was called Jefferson Davis Highway.^[3]
Before the construction of I-55, U.S. 51 was routed along what is now U.S. 51 Business between Hammond and Ponchatoula. U.S. 51 Business ends at the joined I-55/U.S. 51 south of Ponchatoula. From this point southward, while U.S. 51 is joined with I-55, the former routing of U.S. 51 lies at ground level just to the east of I-55/U.S. 51 and carries no designation. While the southern terminus of U.S. 51 is in Laplace at U.S. 61, it was once co-signed with U.S. 61 into downtown New Orleans. However, it was originally slated to head toward New Orleans along the south shore of Lake Pontchartrain via the New Orleans-Hammond Highway (old LA 33), which was never completed.

That done, on to my test ride and archeological dig plus a bit of  photographic art.

I exited La.10 at Arcola, La.

I turned north on US 51 since looking south presented a dark sky, one

I would fear later.  There sat a 3 banger Canadian National train.

Although their presence does not seem to sit well with the local trainiacs, understandably, 

since the company is foreign owned and noted as having little  social participation  when

it comes to local celebrations such as National Train Day, they not being "national".

But, I like their red engines, ones not seen in my part of La.  

I hope that doesn't make me a "Tory".

The Kent water tower is a familiar local landmark.

May I quote myself?

"I always check out Osyka, Miss."

Osyka is southwest Mississippi, 

Southern Charm threatened by the Present. 

I've been meaning to do this.

With nothing "pressing". I settled in.

Being there was the exact opposite of my Brookhaven experience. 

No one bothered me. I was left to look around, photograph anything and just relax.

Someone had left these rail mementos which I can't identify but have seen elsewhere.

  

From the park, I zoomed north.

 Then back to where I'd been .

 My next stop is usually Chatawa.

Again, with nothing pressing I'd look a little harder now knowing what a big deal 

Chatawa was. I don't have the picture of the old town with me right now, but 

I did in my memory when I got there.

The majority of the town was south of the road crossing. 

The train water tank was near here.

That is the out of service  Tagipahoa R. bridge. (yellow sign)

For railheads, the MP is also shown as well as the crossing signal, 

making this shot a voluminous picture.

Evidence of a side track and "yard" were still visible  (now looking north, west side of tracks)

This and other findings cement this write as a History Hunt.

I continued looking around. I wanted to prowl for date nails, but I was interrupted.

Here came the Canuck.

It was possibly a "grain train".

I have never seen this place out on Hwy. 51.

Pardon the dirty elbow.

I am wondering about the source of that sign.

Had it been the depot plaque or other town marker?

-

I tried to race the train up to Magnolia.

It and I arrived at the same time which equates to a loss

as a 60mph trains win all ties. Accept "ties" as a pun if really needing one.

I rode back to Oyska and stopped at the cemetery. It was created in 1857,

just in time for untimely additions made possible by the Civil War.

I haven't updated my Osyka tour of homes, meeting places, club houses and churches 

since probably 2006.

I'd shoot a few if the dogs would agree.

They didn't.  I left.

Somewhere along the line, I saw what might have been Charlie out for a putt.

This was going to be a great picture series.

I was behind a Kentwood Springs Water truck headed into Kentwood.

My wife is a KSW addict.  These would be for  her.

My timing and framing missed.

There is just so  much in Kentwood.

I've identified the cement slab there as that of the depot.

That has been my uncelebrated rail history donation from there.

South of town I found something near the tracks.

Possibly this cement framing had been rail related.

 For those that might want to elaborate, it was here.

I moved south, seeing this on the east side of US 51 above Tangipahoa, the town.

 

 Perhaps you can find when US 51 was paved in these parts. I'd say that culvert date

is a good hint.

I kept hoping I hadn't missed the City of New Orleans passenger train's passage.

There are so many places along the highway where that could happen.

 I was still above Tangipahoa., a place where I have also made personal discoveries,

and that's about all. I'd shoot down the line to the Tangi crossing.

The following watercolor art was created by using the camera's digital zoom.

The following pictures are digital zoom's only attribute.

I just didn't know which one was the best.

Once again, not having an agenda provided for more serious Jonesing.

(as in Indiana Jonesing)

I crossed the rails  at  Tangipahoa's south crossing.

I saw a rail sticking out and a crack across the blacktop.

 Looking north, I could see its purpose. It went to what must have been a large depot,

as large as the one at Kentwood.

Below is the serious cement foundation for what I believe was the depot.

In any event, this sidetrack serviced that location.

The green arrow points to a group of local railfans. I was hoping that they 

were waiting on the passenger train. I forgot to ask them.

I limped on home, the bike fix being a failure.

The problem is inherent with the Suzuki DL 650. 

It  has an "in tank" fuel pump and filter,  both extravagantly overpriced.

The bike is perfect otherwise and there is a  fix which require some "engineering".

That and augmenting this report will be done when I get home.
One more thing:
Highway 51 blues by  Curtis Jones

  Highway 51 runs right by my baby's door
If I don't get the girl I'm loving
Won't go down to Highway 51 no more.

Well, I know that highway like I know my hand
Yes, I know that highway like I know the back of my hand
Running from up Wisconsin way down to no man's land.

Well, if I should die before my time should come
And if I should die before my time should come
Won't you bury my body out on Highway 51.

Highway 51 runs right by my baby's door
I said, Highway 51 runs right by my baby's door
If I don't get the girl I'm loving
Won't go down to Highway 51 no more.