Train Chase: Big Chief Meets Miss Sunset Limited

I'd been out at the west end of the Lafayette yard because

there is a 1 ft. x 1 ft. patch of shade there and I was having

helmet and earphone issues. I heard there was a KCS train

on the east end. I imagined one of their drab faded gray/blue

old tugs. No, a Big Chief was in full war paint and head dress.







Since it is Football Season I'll let you in on a little known

fact. The Kansas City Chiefs were originally the Dallas Texans

of the American Football League. They moved. I would, too.

Back to Big Chief and the Braves.







I, because I knew, knew that Big Chief had to wait.







Which meant I had to wait too. I rode around to my secret

road and looked at his pod ners. Yep, that's what I expected.







And a couple of B .... N ... S ... F... Ers



















This is looking into the gut of the yard.







It should read "BNSF RR". Was BN here prior to the merger

or is it just an abbreviated sign? Channel 12 is my station.







Two important switches here, the 101 and the 902.







Test shot. This is the University St. underpass. It is near

the intersection of US 90 and La.182 or University and Cameron Sts.







Yep, Big Chief hadn't moved.







Show time. Here came Miss Sunset Limited.







































Running lights? No. I waited and waited and left.







Then I heard the horns. I was on the opposite side of University,

a very busy road. I reversed and went to the opposite side of the

underpass which turned out to be a much better place and out

of the way. I would have been right on top of the switch and too

close.



Lights, camera, action:





































He seemed to be working way to hard for the 21'st Century.



























Big Chief was underway.















Across the University underpass she sped. Actually, he

was creeping. Ah, there was a 25 mph speed limit in force.











That's my bike if you need a size reference. I may have

27 horsepower. They may have 3500 or 4K, each?











I can still beat them.



















I jumped on the DR and rode along with Big Chief and his braves.







Headed to St. Antoine St.







I figured the depot would make a good backdrop. I forgot

about the evening sun.







I salvaged these pretty poor shots.



















Then I putted over to the Schilling Shack. The crippled

car and her buddy were still there. That's been since Friday.























Then I hauled it to the alligator shinning parking lot. I had

plenty of time but wasted it and this shot stunk. You don't

have an alligator skinning parking lot where you live?







I tried to make up with this one. There she goes headed

to the Vermillion River (2 LL's) bridge and points east.

She was still going very slow. Temptation nipped. With my

luck, she'd hit 60 and I couldn't get off until Avondale.

Train Chase: The 5 PM Evening News

Well, I coulda been an actor, but I wound up here.

I just have to look good, I don't have to be clear.



We got this bubble-headed-bleach-blonde who comes on at five.

She can tell you 'bout the plane crash with a gleam in her eye.

words by Don Henley.



OK, I'll let her read this one to you .........



High Drama on the Lafayette, La. Rails.



Hi, my name is Nadean. I'm unattached. (Very)

Steve, our railroad consultant, or whatever, sent this in.



-----------------------------------------------------------



Today I was to witness high drama on the Lafayette Rails.

After taking care of domestic business, I switched on the

scanner and heard a distressed conductor talking to our

local dispatcher, the ever calm Mr. W. The engineer exclaimed

that a car was dragging something and he was stopped. Dead

stopped. I immediately seized on the movie "Unstoppable"

as this guy was really frantic in an opposite kind of way.

Possibly his hours were about up, possibly he had appointments

to attend, who knows, but he wasn't happy. He was in the

ghost town of Elks, La. and going nowhere fast.



Mr. W calmly explained that he would get "mechanical" out to

Elks to look over the situation "if they could be found". I don't know

if he meant "if he could find the mechanical crew" or "if the

crew could find the train". Don't laugh, I've looked before and

missed them.



The engineer did not seem to accept that placebo.



I could stand it no longer, I had to be there. I jumped on my

little rocket ship and made haste for Elks, south of Lafayette.



There the train was. It always amazes me that hearing something

on the radio can be real. I won't go into why I mistrust radios.







Sure enough "mechanical" was there. I could see the guy

holding his arms up as if asking for guidance. None seem

to come and he drove off. Imagine Al claiming Louisiana,

yes, that "arms in the air" position.







I rode to the head end to see how the conductor was doing.

I think I heard sobbing from the cab.

That's a joke, lighten up.







Being it was too hot and knowing how problems on the

railroad take forever, I left and rode through Broussard

and took some Old US 90 pictures of its downtown.



















Then I heard the scanner squawking.

Mr. W. and his group of experts and engineers had devised

a way to get the train moving. It sat on the main line and

something had to be done. The conductor was told to move

his train at walking speed. The stricken car hadfailed brakes

of one sort or another. The train, behind the stricken car,

was probably without brakes.



Here it came.











I waited and waited reflecting on how slow walking speed

is. I was still feeling my walking speed from yesterday and

I was still walking slowly.











































I quickly shifted locations. The plan was to deposit the

stricken car on the historic, light weight railed Budweiser

siding. I had to see this. I wondered when the last car was

on those old rails.























I thought this was the bad car, it wasn't. The bad car was

in the middle somewhere. According to "procedure", a good car

had to be left with the bad one. I don't mess with Mr. W.,

that's what he wanted.











It continued pulling forward. I'd have to shift positions again.







They split the train and there it was, the gray one being

pulled forward. A crew of brave switch operators had

been sent to assist.







Here they are in action.















There goes the stricken car onto the historic Budweiser siding.











More switch action.







It was nice to leave a buddy with the stricken car. Look

at those old rails. Mr. W. must be a historian to know about

them.







From another angle.







The switchers gathered.







The guard rails raised to salute them. Awards were given out.







And the train moved on. I hope the conductor regains

his composure. It's a joke, lighten up. Seriously, the men

of the BNSF Railway averted a possible Unstoppable scenario

by culling out the stricken car. But something has to be

done about whimpering conductors. It's a joke, lighten up.