***** McNeely Spur Again

My wife said to seize the moment, so I hoped on my bike and headed to McKneely Spur. On the way I realized that maybe McKneely wasn't what she meant.  Who knows? 

I stopped at East Krotz Springs to see if the train waiting on the side track, or the
one it was waiting on would come.
Neither happened.

 I took the obligatory bridge shot and left.

 
 I headed across the Basin to Lottie, then north on La.81 to Fordoche and then on
La.77 to McNeeley.
 

The building of the new McKneeley  passing track began in 1893 and progresses until today.

 Yes, work continues as we speak.

There were hundreds of men milling about so I left.
They were doing nothing and if I stopped to take pictures surely one would appoint
himself as sheriff and interrogate me. I'd have to explain I was from
Train Magazine investigating the length of time it was taking to lay a short piece of track.
Seeing the intimidation the union thugs displayed in Michigan, I opted out.

Since I was in the neighborhood I had to stop by Livonia.
En Route I stopped by River Station.
I was surprised at how close it is to the US190 rail overpass.
The sugarcane was gone which usually blocks that view.

I ran by the Smith Plantation.

Very depressing.

 

There was nothing happening at Livonia.

I rode west to Lottie and the train I'd seen stopped in Krotz Springs had made its way there.

 I chased it back to Livonia hoping to get a good entrance shot.

It didn't happen.

 And that's him going into the Livonia Yard.

I was headed back. 

I crossed the Atchafalaya and saw the swing portion of the rail bridge was open.

I'd jump down under the highway bridge and try to get a shot of the tug going through, a first.

The tree messed up most of  the pictures.

 I'm bringing an ax next time. You can see the old swing portion turned, barely.

I went up the tracks and there was one waiting.

I knew one might be coming out of  Opelousas.

Possibly this local did or it had just picked up from the KS refinery.

 It was headed back to Livonia.

 And that was that.  I headed  home. Here's a map.