Going on a vacation to Louisiana in about a month. I'm going to be driving and haven't decided which way I'm going. Here's where I need your help. Where can I tell my wife what I "must see" to justify driving out of the way? I'm thinking shortlines, but any class I's in a scenic setting would be fine with me. I appreciate your help in advance. Eric
Louisiana's a fair sized state and you don't say where you're destined. New Orleans is second only to Chicago in the number of railroads serving it, so there's plenty of action there, including the new MPI switchers on the NOPB, plus the streetcars. It's quite a sight to watch freights cross the Mississippi at Harahan and Baton Rouge, as the rail approeaches are l-o-n-g (and high)!! The crossing at Vicksburg is also interesting as the KCS comes out of a tunnel on the MS side, but has l-o-n-g steel trestle on the LA side.
Here are some suggestions in the New Orleans area. 1 - The Huey P. Long is the Longest railroad bridge in the WORLD .... 4-1/2 miles grade to grade!! It goes from New Orleans (actually Kenner, LA) on the East Bank of the Mississippi over to Avondale on the West Bank. Drive over the Huey P. and you are in for one H..L of a thrill!! The double-track rails are on the inside of the span, between the frames. You? You are driving on two 10(!) foot wide lanes with semi's and other big stuff right beside you, suspended outside of the frames, 200 feet above Ole Man River!!! (Note-Interstate lanes are 14 feet wide. Do I have your attention?) .... Don't take your wife on this trip if she (or you) has Acrophobia!!! 2 - In Avondale, LA, a few miles up-river from the west end of the Huey P., is the Avondale Engine Terminal. Talk about a mix of power and owners - CSX, NS, KCS, CN, IC, UP, D&RGW, SP, CP (I think I missed one or two), just to name those that I saw on one March day in '98! From the West Bank end of the Huey P., drive up river (north-ish) on the main(?) highway towards the Avondale Shipyard. Turn in on the Shipyard access road and the Terminal will be on your left. There were plenty of places to park - some of them might be legal 3 - Go east on I-10, heading out of the City. Go over the Industrial Canal on the "High Rise" bridge. From the top you will see Gentilly Yard, the southern extreme of CSX. I can't tell you how to get where you can take close-up photos, but if you have the time and some "brass", you should find some good spots. 4 - At the west end of Gentilly Yard there are two tracks that parallel I-10 starting on the west end of the High Rise bridge. These are the tracks that CSX interchanges with the rest of the world. If you take I-610 west, instead of I-10 through Center City, you will parallel these interchange tracks for three to four miles. There will be a bunch of freights waiting for entry into Gentilly Yard, or for clearance over the Huey P. If you time it right, you might see the Sunset Limited or the Crescent Limited on their ways in to or out of NOUPT. New Orleans has five(5)Class-1 railroads that serve it - CSX, NS, CN/IC, KCS, and UP. Oh yeh - and Amtrak It is very possible for a Train Freak to OD There are also a bunch of short lines running all through the State, including one southeast out of NO, down river through Plaquemines Parish (aka County). Check back issues of Trains Mag for various articles. SE Louisiana is a BLAST - Enjoy! Hank
<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Hank Coolidge: The Huey P. Long is the Longest railroad bridge in the WORLD .... 4-1/2 miles grade to grade!! It goes from New Orleans (actually Kenner, LA) on the East Bank of the Mississippi over to Avondale on the West Bank.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE> Can you post, or offer any links to photos? I would like to see this. Charlie
Charlie, I'll look around for some sites and let you know. Funny, you don't think to look for websites or take photos when you live near the doggone thing. Later, Hank
I know what you mean Hank. This bridge is 10 miles long and about 3 hours from me .... No trains though Charlie
Charlie, where's that bridge and what does it connect! Actually, my destination is in the Shreveport area. But it doesn't necessarilly have to be in this area. Anything in between IL and LA would be fine with me. Missouri and Arkansas are the two states we're probably going to be spending a lot of time driving through, so any lines in these two states would be real nice. I'll eventually make it to New Orleans and hopefully it will be during Mardi Gras! Eric
Charlie, Eric, and others - here is a good shot of the Huey P. Long bridge crossing the Misissippi River. http://www.ccmrc.com/images/central/no011.jpg You are viewing from the east bank of the river. The main bridge span with the auto approach ramps are in the distance. The main span is about 200' above the water, and the river is about 1/4 mile wide. It looks like the end of the train is still on the main span, perhaps 1 to 1-1/2 miles away. Note that the engines are still way more than 50 feet off the ground, and still have 1/2 to 3/4 mile before they are on the ground! The web address is part of the Crescent City Model Railroad Club's site. Take a look, they have a really nice layout and model and prototype photos. By the way, the CCMRC is where Andy Sperandeo (MR Editor) got his start I'll keep looking for more bridge photos. Hank P.S. Eric, go to Mardi Gras in New Orleans ONLY if you and your wife REALLY LOVE(!) wall-to-wall people, mostly well-oiled [ 17 March 2001: Message edited by: Hank Coolidge ] [ 17 March 2001: Message edited by: Hank Coolidge ] [ 17 March 2001: Message edited by: Hank Coolidge ]
Talking of Bridges, recently stayed with Vincent Mariner on East Shore of Va.(Best side of the Chesapeake ), He had invited me from South Africa With the sole purpose of riding me across the Chesapeake Bay Bridge and Tunnel (I am a bridge freek,have to go over or under every bridge I see)Bridge lengths 17,6 miles Tunnel(2) lengths 1 mile, piles supporting trestles, Northbound 2523, Southbound 2951 Quite an Engineering achievement.Trains-Bridges and Live Steam
Thanks Hank! That's a great photo! Very interesting and I thank you for posting that. I was not aware of this and I would like to see that. <BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by milwfreak: Charlie, where's that bridge and what does it connect!<HR></BLOCKQUOTE> Eric, the Confederation Bridge connects the provinces of New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island. PEI is Canada's smallest province and the bridge is the only way to get there except by air or sea. It is really a thrill to go across it. It's the longest bridge over ocean waters in the world. (According to them). If you are going through Missouri and Arkansas you'll be set. That's Frisco country! No better places in the world!! I recommend Eureka Springs, Arkansas as a destination. You won't want to leave! Charlie [ 17 March 2001: Message edited by: E-8 ]
In Shreveport, you've got the KCS, with Deramus Yard as a focal point. East of there in Gibbsland (go on I-20) you'll find the Louisiana & North West, which once used F7s but now uses chopnosed Geeps. Up in Texarkana, north of Shreveport on US 71, you'll run across the UP's ex-MP and Cotton Belt yards, as well as the KCS mainline. The Texas Northeastern makes an appearance now & then. North of there, 20 miles away in Ashdown, AR, you'll run across the Kiamichi RR, running on the ex-Frisco's A&A Subdivision from Lakseide, OK to Hope, AR. The Kiamichi yard is cramped, which, thanks to the traffic levels, provides for a lot of creative switching moves. Just south of Ashdown is the large Georgia-Pacific paper mill. At one time, when it was a Nekoosa property, it used an Alco RS1 as plant switcher; I've been told it's using an ex-Ashley, Drew & Northern Geep now. Back in Texarkana, on the Arkansas side (This unique city straddles the Texas-Arkansas state line), if you head east along the former MP main, you'll find GE Raincar. This plant uses two SW1s as switchers. West of Texarkana, over in Nash (go west on US 82), you'll come across Texas Tank Car, and if you're lucky you'll spot an Alco S3. Don't bother entering the property- they're decidedly anti-railfan. Sorry if I sound like a tourist brochure, but I lived over in Paris, TX (90 miles west) for 10 years before I moved out here, and I've railfanned the whole area. Have a good trip down!
JimmyB - Another treat for a "Bridge-Freak". If you get a chance to come to New Orleans, take in the Lake Ponchartrain Causeway. It is a 26 mile long, 4-lane auto span crossing Lake Ponchartrain, about 10 feet above the water. Actually it's two independant 2-lane spans, one for northbound and one for southbound, with crossovers about every 5 miles. You can NOT see one end from the other because of the Earth's curvature! Every so often, there is a pile up on the span due to fog ... talk about a MESS!!! There are NO service lanes, so the police and tow trucks have to peel back the wrinkled "steel", one car at a time! Hank
Ok, let's see how I can help. I'm from Central Illinois, born and raised here, but I lived in Baton Rouge and Monroe, LA. for three years. During that time, I traveled on I-55 quite a lot. Here's my suggestions for your travels to the South. I-74 to Galesburg, if you don't stop there, you'll regret it. Get back on I-74 and go to Peoria, lot's of rail action there. Now, take I-155 from Morton to Lincoln. Not much rail action along this corridor, but get off I-155 at Hartsburg, go into this small (and I mean small!, population not even 400) "Burg" and get on Old IL.-121 south. This will follow the IC/CN Peoria-Sub to Lincoln. We have a little rail action here mostly Downtown. Amtrak-UP and IC/CN Junction North of the Business District. Now it's time to get on I-55. Head South and you'll follow the Amtrak-UP main to Springfield. Of course, I know you're familiar with Springfield and the rail action there. Get back to I-55 and head for St. Louis but before you get there, stop in Litchfield, NS and BNSF action here and a few good places to eat like, The Gardens. Now it's on to East St. Louis and across the Mississippi River to St. Louis. If you can't find trains here, you've left the Planet. Next stop, MEMPHIS! Crossing back to the Eastside of the River. Oh yes, here be TRAINS! Don't get lost watching trains while traveling on I-55 like I did once. I almost went to Nashville by accident! A neat place to stop is just across the Mississippi State Boarder, the Welcome Center Rest-Stop. Go to the back of the rest-stop and you'll find the IC/CN Mainline. I was awaken by the City of New Orleans early one morning! I thought I had started the car while half asleep and drove onto the tracks somewhere and was about to DIE! Needless to say, I had to use the facilities soon after! Next stop, the Casey Jones wreck site at Vaughn, MS. You'll feel the ghosts around there if you go in the early evening. Moving right along to Jackson, now you're really gettin' into the DEEP South! Swamps, Gators, Snakes, 'Dilloes and FIRE ANTS! WATCH YOUR STEP SNOW-BIRD UPLANDER! From this point, you can start thinking about heading to New Orleans or Baton Rouge. Visit N.O., stay in Baton Rouge. The rest is up to you at this point, you'll find a lot of railroading in the area and other sites as well. HAVE FUN! [ 19 March 2001: Message edited by: Maxwell Plant ]
Hey Bob and Brent! You guys trying to get my wife pissed at me before I even leave?!? Too bad I'm only on vacation for a week 'cause it sounds like I could keep myself real busy. Those sound like some really great spots. Hopefully I'll be able to jam a few of those spots in. Brent, I'll have to pass on Galesburg even though it will be hard to. I "only" live 40 minutes away, so I can run down there almost anytime. Only 3 months to go! And speaking of bridges, Rock Island was the site of the first bridge across the Mississippi River. The original is long gone having been ran into by the Effie Alton I believe. Abraham Lincoln succesfully represented the railroad. If I ever get A scanner, I'll be sure to post some pics. Thanks for all the help. Eric
DUDE! it's on the way! How can you NOT stop in Galesburg!?! Forget to put gas in the car or SOMETHING! You're a Rail Fan, you can come up with some sort of excuse! You know you're going to see a few trains as you drive by on 74 so you'll have to stop anyway. Tell here it's for her safety! You can't drive and look at trains at the same time, RIGHT? RIGHT!
Now that I better understand your requirements and problems, here is a suggestion that I hope will be compatible with your (less-than-enthusiastic ) traveling companion(s). Since your destination is Shreveport in extreme northwest Louisiana, I assume that you will pass through central and western Arkansas. Why don't you look into the Arkansas & Missouri Railroad? The A&M is an active passenger tourist railroad, in addition to being a very busy freight railroad generating its own traffic and interchanging with both UP and BNSF. Furthermore, it is about the only totally ALCO railroad left in North America, running more than twenty engines. The A&M roster, as of 1999, included two RS-1's, four T-6's, an RS-32, twelve C-420's, and "several" C-630's and C-636's. Springdale, AR is the base of operations, including their engine terminal. The A&M website is http://www.arkansasmissouri-rr.com/. Also there is a very nice write up in the February 1999 issue of Model Railroader. Enjoy, Hank [ 19 March 2001: Message edited by: Hank Coolidge ] [ 19 March 2001: Message edited by: Hank Coolidge ]
Brent, I know this is going to sound sacreligous, but Galesburg is definately off limits. I don't need to be stopping less than an hour after we leave. That could put the kibash on all of my "other" plans. The A&M sounds real good as we'll be making the trip in two days. Got stay somewhere, so might as well stay someplace where I can catch some trains. You guys are giving me some many choices, I'm going to have a hard time deciding what to see. Eric
