HISTORY HUNTS WAREHOUSE: Southern Pacific Railroad> US 90 A Great Ride Schriever / Gibson & Back

It was the first time out on the bike in a long time.
A list of excuses could fill the rest of this page.
Excuses are band aids on real problems.

After fueling up I went through Breaux Bridge.
Evidence of the yearly Crawfish Festival was appearing.
My main involvement with the Crawfish Festival is hoping rain will follow to wash
away the stench that only rotting crawfish can conjure up.
Also appearing was the Louisiana & Delta visit to the Enterprise Plant.

I rode back on Brick Street that shadows the old Baton Rouge Branch to see if Jim was around.
He had told me he lived back there. He had mentioned that there was a crawfish pond.
He said there were gators in it, too.

I knew about the placed, but ...
I've never seen crawfish traps in it.

Jim isn't young so maybe he was speaking with a past reference.
People hang onto old names and references.

Of course that is the old Southern Pacific Cade to Port Barre grade I was straddling (above)
It went right under the tanker, the location of Breaux Bridge Jct.
Pond below.

One more parting shot.

In Lafayette I'd see the L&D coming in, I thought. She seemed to vaporize.
I made the block and she was gone.

If you like trains and you have a yard nearby, you go there.
Addiction, it's addiction.
That's the reason, not an excuse.

There was nothing special about her.
She was as common as any other I've seen in there.
But, I knew she'd have her way with me.
I'd follow here like a puppy no matter how far.
Or, at least to the point that I could no more.
Then I'd give up, knowing that she didn't care
And another man would take my place.

If there was some fool around.

She did have a cute smile, you must admit.

I headed to the South Pierce Crossing and set up with the long range camera.
I'd watch as she came around the corner.
I may have a "corner fetish".

Then she stretched out down by the depot (on the other side of the tracks).
I had decided not to go for the short interlude.
I knew I'd have to economize and be efficient,
full speed efficient with as few stop lights as possible.
The Thruway would be my only choice.

She was evidently feeling coy as she picked up speed passing today's newest kid hangout,
the "Feed Store" which was no doubt a feed store with probable rail access.
The 1958 vintage underpass is just beyond the building.

I exited the Thruway south of Broussard.
It is where I usually rejoin the pursued.
No, this is not the first time I've walked on the wild side.

I never know what my pictures will be.
This one is going in the soon to be published book, "Trains Under Bridges".

South of Cade there are a few trestles.
But, this was not going to be a short term relationship.
The trestles are places you take the brief encounters.

I'd have to stretch out myself to prepare for our next meeting.

I whipped down Washington St. never minding any other temptation.
I had heard the dispatcher warn that she had to share the space with Norman Landry.
My tax guy is Norman Landry. What was he doing out here?
Norman, you and I need to talk.

Was he in the truck?

Was he in the L&D?

I ran by the church and looped back toward the depot.

I had outrun her, but time was getting short.

Setting up, I zoomed north.
There, she and her friends came into the crowded room.
They were a presence.

Having mowed down the fool hearty, she bore a serious face as if asking,
"Anymore of you want some action"?
Uh, oh.

The smile had turned into a sneer.
And she was packing.
So was her gang.

I backed off at the depot to watch the bad girls pass the good girls.

It was time to rock & roll.
That sure looks like a spur off the main line, LZ?
I'd try to keep pace through New Iberia.

On the south side she and her crew were gathering speed, again.

Now a word from our sponsors.
Pellerin Funeral Home
"Track Side Plots Available"

Ronnie's Flooring Center

I'll have to speak to Ronnie about using his daughters on the billboard.

Oh, he just called and said those are pictures of his salesman's kids.

These are probably unnecessary pictures but w/o them I wouldn't have 100.

Over the shoulder again. The hammar was down, no fooling around with the mundane shots.

I was taking it to the bridge.

The crawl through Jeanerestte was tedious but I was able to meet here at the Albania Plantation crossing.

At Baldwin I knew it would be all over if I had to go through town and then through Franklin.

The interstate and its tall bridges would have to be handled.

The wind was reaching scary velocity and tall bridges, especially them, are a tests.

I got to the Wax Lake Outlet bridge with plenty of time to spare.

She would wear its girders well.

Heading into Paterson, I caught her again.

At Berwick I had a few minutes.

What was this concrete slab where the old depot was?

Duh.

No time. I headed for the sea wall and a place to take a shot.

Look at that. There is now a covered area for train watchers.

This couple had traveled from Wisconsin to see her cross the bridge.

They said that crossing a bridge together is a form of marriage ceremony in their part of the woods.

I was going to let her cross this one alone.

Well, she and her 2 buddies, anyway.

At Amelia I messed up.
I had a lead and blew it getting lost.
I had to wait to let her and her newly married partners go by.

I kept tabs on them as we crossed the swamp.

I had made better time and was ahead.

An over the shoulder shot caught Chester's. I took a shot of this place years ago and it is still going strong.

I saw the old tourist court ahead.

Someone was living in the main building and it seemed someone was in one of the courts.

These were fly by shots as I had to get to Shriever.

I had made it.

Welcome to the Gulf Division of the BNSF Railroad.

Notice, this road is closed, has been closed since the last century.

Notice the Amtrak sign.

Amtrak's new fancy million dollar sign did not fit but it sure did cost us a pretty penny.

They should have let BNSF do another sign for them.

I'm sure there was some scrap plywood hanging around.

Yes, it was in the middle of nowhere, not even facing the road.

There's your bureaucratic federal agency in full bloom.

Incoming traffic would only see the edge of the sign like I did, picture above.

I took a bunch of shots and don't feel like weeding them or putting them in any order.

This is looking down the old Houma Branch, abandoned.

This is the Texas & New Orleans (Southern Pacific) RR Depot.

This was the loading side away from the main line.

Notice there is still a raised "porch" at what had to be the freight end of the depot.

Barely seen are the rails that are there.

L&D has a presence there.

What they do there is a mystery at this writing.

Whatever they bring to the main line is exchanged with passing freights.

I hear dispatchers asking mainline trains, "Do you have any work at Shriever?" all the time.

The depot and Houma rails are at the bottom of this picture.

Now we know where L&D RR 1707 sleeps.

More depot shots.

More Houma shots.

More depot

More Houma - Depot - L&D shots.

I always thought it was Hi - Rail. The trip paid for itself.

Being the swamp, there are plenty to choose from.

Don't frogs have a way of lifting themselves?

My big camera quit at the grand finale'.

I grabbed the little camera that was about dead, also, but it worked.

Thus the final shots stink.

I think it was a sign we were not meant for each other.

I'd lost interest after the bridge event.

She did send me a toot goodbye.

Her friends didn't even look my way.

I figured that.

And the entourage was gone.

I gathered myself and settled in for a slow ride back on Old 90.

Exiting the depot area, as it is an area, I saw that the railroad had named the "street" after itself.

Tacky Tacky Tacky.

Pegging these guys as "yankees" is so easy.

No couth whatsoever.

Chere's was closed, but do not fear, she reopened in a new place where she's appreciated in Morgan City,

No kidding.

It was on to Gibson. I remembered to check if Railroad Alley was a spur.

It was and the proof was next to the tracks.

See the trestle?

I turned down the alley (abandoned spur).

There was a mobile home park where the sugar or lumber mill probably was.

"Fandal" is probably a clue, write it down.

I was overtaken with the beauty.

The gnarled oaks had seen many a storm and they survive.

What was the purpose of this little house?

Was it a scale house?

Gison is not a new village.

There was a lumber and sugar mill here.

I took this picture across this old bridge.
I thought it signified the bridge was built in 1878.

Then I found GE had been there earlier, thank goodness.
The shots are before the barricades.

The house was built (probably the house) in 1878.

The pink line is La.20. just before joining Old US 90 that went to Houma & Morgan City.

Railroad Alley can be seen.

The pictures are aligned, top west, bottom east.

There's the bridge on Carrol St. (see above)

East (below) of the bayou is the rest of Gibson.

I don't know what to make of that scar between the pink line (the highway) and the main line (black line)

Moving on.

I was headed to Amelia.

The green is swamp.

The oil industry greets you at Amelia.

Platform supply boats.

Nearing Morgan City I'd get next to the tracks on Greenwood St.

Following the tracks.

The railroad is prepared for floods.

I was at the crab house.
This place is the definition of "Quaint".
Greeks from New Orleans opened it.
A young couple had made an attempt at running it.
I don't know if they succeeded.
It is right across the rails from the location of the 3rd Morgan City Depot.