New Orleans Lower Coast Side Trip

When I lived in New Orleans, I spent most of my time in three *PRIME* railfanning spots: CSX Gentilly Yard, NOPB France Road Yard, and NS Oliver Yard, all within a mile of one another. I only went to the West Bank to railfan on three occasions in 7 years simply because there was so much to see in the Upper 9th Ward/Gentilly/New Orleans East. 

One of those occasions that I ventured out was with Chris and Mike Palmieri. They took me down to see the New Orleans Lower Coast (now the New Orleans Gulf Coast) in Belle Chasse, Louisiana. It was an X-UP, originally Missouri Pacific branch line that snaked down from the one-time MoPac Yard in Algiers underneath the Crescent City Connection bridge. 

The switcher the NOLR was using was a former Santa Fe SSB1200 rebuilt from an SW9 in 1979, and it was painted in a base coat of greyish-silver with striping in the Mardi Gras colors of purple, green, and gold (yellow). NOLR #1229 retained its ATSF road number when it moved over to the NOLR.  I never made it down there again, but I am glad I went that cool December day. For shots of NOLR #1229 in action taken by Chris Palmieri, go here.

NOLR #1229 SSB1200 Rear-Cab Belle Chasse Louisiana 12-29-95

NOLR #1229 SSB1200 Belle Chasse Louisiana 12-29-95