Back in The Game

"Stuff happens."

At least that's the age  old adage.

"Old Age Stuff" has been happening.

I put that crap aside today, jumped on the trusty enduro bike, one suited for an older gentleman, and headed to Lafayette. My intention was to browse the rails a little and then to go to Bunkie. I hadn't been there in a while and... this could be the ....last time ... baby the last time .... I just don't know.
The Stones should do an album, "Tunes for Every Occasion".
It would be a "box set".

The little radio was humming with info. L&D was in the yard shuffling cars. A long BNSF train wanted to use a little track outside of the yard and the Sunset Limited was very late coming in from New Orleans, the beginning of its trip westward.  I wanted to check the numbers on those Amtrak engines and see if they were involved in the Cade incident or if they were the ones that fetched damaged No.824 and drug her to the repair shop in New Orleans.

I swore I was not going to become manic as none of this really counts in my new ultra serious world. This would be a low key diversion / escape / whatever.

The following  is a collection of new pictures that are much like pictures seen dozens of times here if you have waded through them again and again.

I'll make this fast and simple. The BNSF that needed a little track outside the yard was there.

The tiny L&D tug, on the left in the back, was there.

Extreme digital zooming with my camera creates water colors. I like them.

 There they sat in the east yard. L&D had grown a yellow beard.

 I went to Alley 5 off of Cameron St. It is a good place to observe and take pictures as the sun is right.
This is the first time I've used it. Seems nice, the nicest place on "Scott Road", a historic stretch of industrial waste, junk yards and at the bottom of the list of man's creations,  new and very used car dealerships..

 The L&D and her chase car were there. The chase car left and went to the 101 switch to help the tug out if she had the chance to leave before Amtrak arrived from New Orleans.   I know it is hard to understand this hobby. If you add in the radio  then it is fun.
Randomly looking for trains just doesn't work  unless you attract them like I do.

 The dispatcher gave the BNSF passage to move out but for only a mile and one half. What was going on?

There are no double rails in Lafayette.  Why could it leave and L&D couldn't?

I left and followed it until it wasn't there.
It had not outrun me. Sometimes they go warp speed and it's over

 Here it is nearing the University St. underpass.

 Over she went, slowly.

 The use of many pictures to portray a short distance is suppose to say "slow" to the reader. Is that working?

 I raced to Washington Street. The train was backing back (redundant?) into the yard. It was only adding or subtracting cars previously called "switching" before the new Obama Politically Correct regulations.
Oops, I better check my tax records for the last 20 years.

 While there I got a good shot of the old tin building. This structure in the setting winter sun is beautiful as seen from Cameron St and the Alex Branch split. It glows orange.

 I have an idea  that  it has been "Lafayette Produce" forever.

 Keep this mile post pictures.

 Just to the east of Washington street is the grand curve south and the Alexandria Branch feeder rails.The branch is still active for about one sixteenth mile. Baker Brick is its only remaining customer.

 This is another view from Washington St. The red building has been there a while. It is important in figuring out the original Louisiana and Western rails that made this bend. There were at least 2 tracks back then and multiple spurs. I found one at the produce place. At first I'd thought it was the main line or a side track. How it lined up said it was a spur.

 

 This is the Washington St. hump across the north Lafayette cut across. These east - west rails connected the Louisiana Western (SP) with the BR (Baton Rouge Branch which crossed the Atchafalaya Basin) Its existence was unknown in some knowing circles. Stumping the band is always a thrill.

This is looking west toward the present main line from the Washington St. cut across hump.
It met the main line at approximately St.Antoine St.

 That done I had to decide where to welcome my "Beloved Amtrak"  Al had used that term not long ago.  If I'd said that it would have been dripping with sarcasm. "Your Beloved Amtrak -haha".  Being one who admires the art of sarcasm I know that it comes in two classes, "blatant sarcasm" and "subtle sarcasm".   The blatant stuff is uncultured. The subtle stuff is fresh picked flowers in a Grecian urn.  It is where the words rendered could be sincere or a slice with a dull knife. That always leaves the perpetrator an out, "Oh, of course I wasn't being sarcastic".  Subtle sarcasm is rarely revealed.
It would be like destroying well crafted art. 

Oh, I was at Refinery St. I waited for the BNSF truck to leave before taking this picture. That thing at the end of the line may go with a thing we'll see later in Broussard.

 I rode back toward the depot and stopped at Gerami's warehouse.
Someone has fixed it up.
It  has 3 central ac units for some reason, probably because it was hot inside?
(Subtle or Blatant?)

 I love the fact that someone is using it. (Sincerely)

 The rails do a chicane here before getting to the depot.
This arrangement probably adapts something new to something old.
It does allow for  good pictures from the depot as the trains come from New Orleans.

 The house on the left is old. I'm thinking it was a boarding house. The house on the right might be old.

 Here she came. You'll have to compare the numbers.  I can't leave right now.

 Surely they are beloved. You couldn't get me on an Amtrak.  My wife tested those waters.  A fellow railroad enthusiast suggested you'd do better on a Greyhound.

 Still, they stand out and the crews are always friendly with me until now.

 I rode down to Grant St. This is Lafayette's new hot spot.  It might have closed down.

I'm not sure if Lafayette is ready for 25 buck covers. In my day anything over 50 cents was abusive.

 I went to Cameron St. where the Alex Branch ran directly into the Sunset Route.

The rails are still there.  They truly are beloved.

 Standing on them I shot back to the Sunset Limited sitting at the station. It was very late and in a hurry.

The green concrete thing has been a subject of investigation. Why is it now green. I didn't paint it.

 Acme Refrigeration is to the right. I dealt with them for 8 years.
Great bunch of guys, probably all dead now.

 Man she was blowing that horn.

 Water color time.

 I raced to Washington street.  Have I said that before?  (Blatant)

 Now I was late. That beautiful blue dumpster sure is getting some attention. (Blatant).

 Since I was here again I looked down. Old ties were in the dirt/gravel/limestone.
{There's a pun if you care to observe it. }

That building would be in the way, maybe, if they turned south, unless the building was on the

outside (of the turn) of the rails which is very possible. Confusing?

 I returned to the underpass to get a picture of the mile post sign. (Subtle)

 The L& D had her lights on. She was headed to Elks for 30 minutes.
She ran into the signal stand on the way out. New Iberia "drivers"?!?

 At Broussard I saw a crane. Was it on rails?

 What was that thing? Was the thing back at Refinery a co-thing?

 It appeared to have one eye. No, it had two, the other was just lower.

 Sure enough it was on the rails. It was a ATSF crane, ie, a Santa Fe RR tool.

By the way, a lot of ties have been changed on the BR. I headed home as the thrill had become overwhelming. (Blatant)  More later. (Subtle) At least I was back in The Game. (Blatant)