Crashing the Party at Enterprise

To begin with, I'm kinda in a mood right now. I offer no excuse.

It may be the election, it may be something else.

I'd been dilly dallying with the Basile History Hunts academics. Research gets tedious as progress is slow when dealing with the obscure past. I would  have never imagined finding myself laboring at such.

I needed some relief.

Possibly I'd give a little real time life to the project by trying to find the setting for the mill. That's a laugh, I needed a ride. The day was not settled and it had gotten to be noon very quickly so I told my wife I was going out for a short one. Indeed, I inserted the same old route plan and went into auto pilot. Zilch was happening and that I expected.  One ray of hope existed. It is cane milling season and Enterprise, the mill at Patoutville, would be thumping. Sugar mills in Autumn are berserk places. There's clanging and banging and smoke dust and mud during the calm times. When they are really rocking and rolling they are manic to panic punkanese kick out the jam operas. Get the picture?

I find them beautiful. 

After efficiently gliding through New Iberia, I found myself on the edge of the Marias at the tracks leading into the mill. There were a number of tank cars there, and wait, a fellow in a green safety shirt. I saw no engine as it was obscured. I'd nailed a Louisiana and Delta visit. The mill was at full steam belching as a animal in the throws of conflict.   I couldn't wait to watch the little train approach the monster.

If I'd missed the green shirt, I would have ridden on.

Subtract an hour from the time stamp.

I saw the train pulling out for the mill.

I flew to where the tracks cross US 90, about 

half way to the mill from the Marais location.

A night shot would give the emphasis which I wanted, but this is close.

The train was headed into the fray.

 

 Here she came.

 Traffic on US 90 stops.

 Gorgeous!!!

Next, the batteries went out in my long distance camera.

My backups were dead too.

These are taken at great distance. 

All I had left was the little 4x zoomer.

It was out of its league.

I shifted to the cane road and shot these.

I have played with them in hopes of extracting something.

While I was fighting the batter situation she had pulled the line of cars in, 

unhitched and come back around to pull a full set out.

Back at the Marais.

She was pulling the full cars out.

 

I'd seen this next section, crossing the Marais.

Check out Racoon Railroad.

I was off to cross the Marais on my secret road.

I'd meet the train at Patout Junction.

She emerged from the basin through a turn which

set all the wheels screeching. If you've never heard this noise, you need to.

It will erase and replace any memory of nails on a chalkboard.

 She was pulling them onto the mainline siding.

 The conductor told the engineer that the cars had cleared the switch.

 I don't know how many of you are into letting your clothes make your statement.

I am wondering about the engineer's hot pink outfit. 

Of course I am not being judgmental.

 Well, he deserves to wear what he wants, he was doing most of the work.

 The engine would leave the cars there.

The engineer radioed the dispatcher that they were going east "light".

 I hope they had the brakes on.

 I thought I'd have no chance of catching them east of Jeanerette after catching a light in town.

Sure enough, just south of Albania Plantation I did.

Not bad for a mundane short putt.

Back in New Iberia nothing had changed.

The place was in a trance waiting on Mz Sunset Limited Amtrak,

exactly what I had expected.