The Rock Train

Mark had told me that the rock train was up at the Opelousas Industrial Park {OIP}.

An intact Rock Train has always been illusive.  It seems Union Pacific picks up the empty cars on Sunday 

afternoon. Like I suggested, I've never seen a delivery or pickup, true voids in my list of pursued

 achievements.

Just the name, "Rock Train" stirs excitement.  I've been a connoisseur of rock and roll since the mid to late 1950's. I've been a somewhat, on and off, connoisseur of trains for longer, maybe 1953, when I got to pilot a new diesel at the Shreveport depot while my father wished he was six and cute like me. 

Sunday afternoon, after being steered away from my westward pursuit, Mz Sunset, I ended up at the OIP.

Look at the map. See AKDN/SILX?   See AGGREGATE CO. above that?  See the red and yellow rails?

See the yellow line which is La. Hwy. 3043 crossing the rails at either end of the "red rails"?

"Yes" to all buys you a ticket for the rest of this little presentation.

I went into the OIP and saw this:

They were the same cars that were in the picture that Mark had sent.

By the way, many of these shots were taken by Mark, the website's HT&RE {High Trestle and Radio

 Expert}.  At the close of this article I will present the capture of the day, Mark's shot of the  high trestle

 spanning beautiful Bayou Plaquemine Brule.

I reversed course, wheelied,  and rode across the tracks capturing this shot.

I did a Uie, wheelied and shot these three.

 Did you catch its number?

  I sped north. I had to see if another two engines were on the other end.

 There were.

Mile Post 33 (presumed miles from Bunkie, where the AKDN rails meet those of the UP)

 Did you catch its number?

What follows is Mark's visit.

 Mark insisted on sending a picture of his new pool. 

The palms are on order.

Water is also on the way.

 This shot may be mine. It is when the rock train pulled over onto the Aggregate Co. spur.

Now the rock train occupies all of the AKDN mainline form one highway crossing to the other. (in red)

 

  These are Mark's. I believe they were taken recently from the mainline.

Gee, they are great.

 Notice the backhoe ladder in the foreground.

It climbs it to the top of the gondolas.

 Attempting to leave the OIP, the train would not move.

 After calling "Mechanical", it was suggested, after 4 hours, that the white things be removed. 

Here you go, Mark's  Beautiful Bayou Plaquemine Brule High Trestle Portait.

I apologize to the hydrophobic and acrophobic or those uncertain phobics.