Mike Wilson, the Railroader's son, after reading the Plaquemine and Back tale, sent these additions. It seems that Mike had lived in the neighborhood for 30 years and ridden various bikes all over the place. His father's range as a fireman and engineer reached down into this part of the country adding to Mike's railroading knowledge of the place. I'll read a little of his note to you.
First his explanation of the route of the Intracoastal Canal.
The Intracoastal Waterway comes up from the Morgan City area via Stephensville, Bayou Sorrell, and part of Bayou Grosse Tete. When you came down beside Bayou Grosse Tete and crossed it at Indian Village, you probably saw some tows. I believe the technical name is "Port Allen Cut Off". That loop from Morgan City up through Pierre Part, Bayou Sorrell and Bayou Pigeon and into Plaquemine would be a great ride for you.
[I've done that route. I'm presently looking for it and will post it asap]
Next: Into Plaquemine
The spur remains you saw in downtown Plaquemine went west out along Bayou Plaquemine to Marionneaux lumber yard (his couzan owns the one in Livonia at the North end of the UP yard. If you had taken a right, you could have followed the old roadbed all the way down past the 'new' jail and right to the old lumberyard.
Next: The large red brick building I pegged as a warehouse.
Across Bayou Plaquemine, the old brick building was Iberville Wholesale Grocery Supply, very similar to Church Point Wholesale. Just a little further north, the Myrtle Grove Sugar Mill spur came off the main line and went west along the north side of Bayou Plaquemine. The old Myrtle Grove 'quarters' were the site of the infamous vinyl chloride sensationalism about 5 years ago. Find out more (only slightly biased against Dow) at www.dirtydow.com. By the way, the rail yard you looked at behind the gate was only a small part of the 60 miles of track within the Dow plant site.
Next: Out to Morley and the train bridge which marks the end of civilization at that point.
The Morley train bridge was the site of a tragic accident in February, 1974. A westbound freight was coming out of Addis, and as they rounded the curve leading up to Morley, the bridge signal gave them a green light. They started picking up speed for the trip on to Alexandria. Unfortunately, the bridge was in the 'up' position, and the engines hit the concrete counterweights. Two engines and 5 cars went into the Intracoastal Waterway, and G. Morrow and R. Smith were killed. The reason the light was green was a nest of ants in the signal box that kept the red contacts from engaging.
It was the 2nd of 3 killing accidents on the Alexandria-New Orleans division that year.
At the crossing en route to Morley, (where you shot the old barn) there used to be a cane spur taking off at the crossing on the east side, and following the main line around. In the Fall of 1962, young G.Gaspard (hero of the "Love Affair on the Avoyelles Branch" story {on the History Hunts Blog}) rode in to pick up a cut of loaded cane cars. He gave the signal to pull out, and when the cars cleared the main line switch, Gerald was not on the side of the cut. They found him down the siding, [dead]. He had a wife and 2 daughters.
Me: It was this last story that brought me out to Morley. It was not the fact that there had been an accident, I wanted to see where the siding had been to a plantation. Can't lie. It might have been the tragedy. Why are we drawn to tragic places? Why do strangers leave flowers on the graves of victims? Is it just curiosity? I hope not.
Read "Plaquemine and Back" to see the area.