Frankly, I needed a sponsor. Gas is getting expensive and there is little reward for my work.
La. Truck Parts came to the rescue. They are good people. If you need a over drive sensor for you Peterbuilt, they have it.
Here goes the first LaTP ride report.
The sky was blue. Did you know it was blue? I'd forgetten.
The container train was on the side at Cade.
The Sunset Limited was on time.
And I really couldn't have given a damn.
I'd lost it. I wondered why I was here.
I wanted to go home.
I dried my eyes and went to New Iberia.
I did a u-turn and wondered why I was there.
I rode back to Cade and wondered why.
Then I remembered not wanting to be in New Iberia.
The train was coming. I'd go north and if I caught it, fine.
If not, fine.
What did it matter?
The container train did its best to cheer me up.
Most of the time it does.
It reminds me of Easter Eggs on Mardi Gras floats.
Matson is an old west name.
Bart Matson was a famous gun fighter as was Doc Hollywood.
Western movies are my favorites.
The new cars at north NI didn't cheer me up.
I knew there was no hope.
My enthusiasm for trains was gone.
As I sit here I'm giving it one more try. Still, nothing.
No tingle at all.
On the north side of Broussard I tried taking pictures of power poles.
I did get a little tingle from that.
As I panned down to get the rest of the pole what should appear.
Here, my new hobby and my old one converged.
I became confused torn by forces out of my control.
OK, I will grant you that my heart rate did rise a bit when they tooted at me.
I wondered what number the second bore.
Addictions. They are the Devil's work.
I stepped back.
I had to whip around quickly.
OH MY GOODNESS.
Amtrak had sent its Number 1 engine to cheer me up.
I stepped back.
I posted these pictures on one of those sites where everything that ever rolled on rails has a picture.
I was thinking maybe I had the only shot of AMTK 1 since one is one.
Who should respond but Rufus Jagneaux of La. Truck Parts.
He said he'd pay my gas if I included his sign in each of my pictures.
That's easy and for free gas, that's a gas.
While I was on that site with all the pictures I did find that No. 1, if the same one, has been around a while and that these guys beat me to it. But still, those are their shots and I have my own. Not everyone can say that.
Remember, you can click the pictures and hope your screen doesn't blow up because they are really really big.
Seems like Rufus and these guys have a deal going too.
