03-01-1999 CSX, UP, Guilford/HATX, NS Motive Power + Rolling Stock

As late as March, it is still possible to railfan CSX's Gentilly Yard. It runs east-northeast (railroad north) to west-soutwest (railroad south), so the sun is still low enough at mid-day to shoot. I was able to catch this power in the yard before the sun's height made the shadows too prominent.

 CSX #8143 SD40-2 idling at north end of CSX Gentilly Yard in New Orleans La 03-01-1999

UP #445 C30-7 side view idling at north end of CSX Gentilly Yard in New Orleans La 03-01-1999

  

UP #445 C30-7 idling at north end of CSX Gentilly Yard in New Orleans La 03-01-1999

HLCX #5059 X-Guilford/MEC nee-Detroit Edison SD40 idling at east end of CSX Gentilly Yard New Orleans 03-01-1999

HLCX #5059 X-Guilford-MEC nee-Detroit Edison SD40 rear view idling at east end of CSX Gentilly Yard New Orleans 03-01-1999

At the west end of CSX Gentilly yard I caught these cylindrical hoppers being moved as a UP train was being set up to be run over the Huey P. Long bridge to UP's Avondale Yard.

CSXT #225327 ACF 3-bay cylindrical hopper at the west end of CSX Gentilly Yard New Orleans La 03-01-1999

 CSXT #226045 ACF 3-bay cylindrical hopper at the west end of CSX Gentilly Yard New Orleans La 03-01-1999

I moved just west of CSX Gentilly Yard and caught the train heading west to UP's Avondale yard. Much to my surprise, it stopped and sat on the main immediately east of the Louisa Street crossing. While it was very common to see eastbound trains pausing west of the crossing to get clearance to proceed into Gentilly, it was VERY unusual for a westbound to stop short of  Louisa Street. This move blocked several streets including westbound Almonaster Avenue, which handles a lot of 18-wheeler traffic.

UP #3190 SD40-2 idling just east of the Louisa Street crossing parallel to Almonaster Avenue on CSX with a westbound train heading for UP's Avondale Yard New Orleans La 03-01-1999

UP #509 C30-7 idling just east of the Louisa Street crossing parallel to Almonaster Avenue on CSX with a westbound train heading for UP's Avondale Yard New Orleans La 03-01-1999

SSW #9641 GP60 idling just east of the Louisa Street crossing parallel to Almonaster Avenue on CSX with a westbound train heading for UP's Avondale Yard New Orleans La 03-01-1999

 LMS #733 C40-8W idling just east of the Louisa Street crossing parallel to Almonaster Avenue on CSX with a westbound train heading for UP's Avondale Yard New Orleans La 03-01-1999

CSXT #25672 3-bay cylindrical hopper on CSX along Almonaster Ave in New Orleans 03-01-1999

AEX #4183 covered gondolas in glass service on CSX along Almonaster Ave in New Orleans 03-01-1999

 AEX #4183 side view covered gondola in glass service on CSX along Almonaster Ave in New Orleans 03-01-1999

TILX #610018 Trinity 4-bay centerflow on CSX along Almonaster Ave in New Orleans 03-01-1999 

After waiting for the UP train to move on (which it did now while I was there) I moved on down Almonaster Avenue to Florida Avenue where I found the engine and cars below sitting on the RIP track on the north end of the yard along the west fringe, just north of the car shop. I don't know if the engine had trouble or had pushed the cars there and then been shut down.

NS #8514 X-NW C36-7 sitting dead on the RIP track on the west side of NS Oliver Yard in New Orleans La 03-01-1999

NS #8514 X-NW C36-7 sitting on the RIP track on the west side of NS Oliver Yard in New Orleans LA 03-01-1999

NS #8514 X-NW C36-7 rear view sitting dead on the RIP track on the west side of NS Oliver Yard in New Orleans La 03-01-1999

 MSDR #1101 50' sliding door interior-post box car stretched from 40' box car on the RIP track in NS Oliver Yard New Orleans LA 03-01-1999

HTTX #93850 60' flat car with large CAT load  on the RIP track in NS Oliver Yard New Orleans LA 03-01-1999 

CNW #182118 PS 4750cf PS2-CD on the RIP track on the west side of NS Oliver Yard in New Orleans La 03-01-1999

One Roll of Film on a Summer Day at the IC-CN Yard Jackson MS 2000

While there was a variety of traffic that traveled through Jackson, Ms., on the IC-CN, there also were certain staples that were regularly represented in the cars in that yard. Among them were coil steel, paper products, pulpwood, and liquid chemicals. On this particular Summer day in 2000, all of these industry ladings were represented.

If you want to shoot the IC-CN yard in Jackson, the entire east side of the yard is accessible via Mill Street, a public-access road. One can literally drive from one end of it to the other and shoot whatever can be viewed from the road during the morning hours 12 months a year.

SR #31022 wood chip hopper north of IC-CN Yard car repair shop at the north end of the yard Jackson MS 2000

 

GTW #307136 coil car with new paint job and new single hood build date 11-69 in IC-CN Yard immediately south of the yard office/tower in Jackson Ms 2000

OAR #61240 52' ACF exterior-post sliding door box car rebuilt with vent for paper service in IC-CN Yard parallel to Mill Street in Jackson Ms 2000

OAR #61100 52' ACF exterior-post sliding door box car rebuilt with vent for paper service in IC-CN Yard parallel to Mill Street in Jackson Ms 2000

JHMX #95087 5-bay rapid-discharge hoppers in the IC-CN Yard parallel to Mill Street in Jackson Ms 2000

 JHMX #95087 and another 5-bay rapid-discharge hopper comparing A and B ends in the IC-CN Yard parallel to Mill Street in Jackson Ms 2000

    ICG #245399 52' gondola by Mill St. in the IC-CN Yard Jackson MS 2000

The west side of the yard was blocked by a sketchy neighborhood, woods, and fencing at different points. However, in the afternoon one could get a good view of cars being pulled or pushed through the yard and over the hump right below the Woodrow Wilson bridge. The foot traffic across the bridge was also sketchy, there was a low guard rail and the traffic was (for Jackson) very heavy. However, a railfan perseveres! 

IC #7650 X-Mississippi Central loaded pulpwood rack being pushed over the hump in the IC-CN yard in Jackson Ms 2000

 IC #7650 X-Mississippi Central loaded pulpwood rack detail shot being pushed over the hump in the IC-CN yard in Jackson Ms 2000. The MC had been merged into the IC (pre-ICG) in 1967. The original MISSISSIPPI CENTRAL lettering is beginning to appear through the black paint-over. It's quite telling that in the 33 years since the merger all that IC had done was paint out the MC lettering and add an IC number.

See this page about the Mississippi Central.

ICG #822656 loaded pulpwood rack being pushed over the hump in the IC-CN yard in Jackson Ms 2000

ICG #821104 loaded pulpwood rack being pushed over the hump in the IC-CN yard in Jackson Ms 2000

IC #821175 45' pulpwood  bulkhead flat car being pushed over the hump in the IC-CN Yard in Jackson MS Summer 2000

ICG #822624 empty pulpwood rack being pushed over the hump in the IC-CN yard in Jackson Ms 2000 

ICG #822468 empty pulpwood rack being pushed over the hump in the IC-CN yard in Jackson Ms 2000

IC #1824 empty pulpwood rack being pushed over the hump in the IC-CN yard in Jackson Ms 2000

 

ICG #822496 empty pulpwood rack being pushed over the hump in the IC-CN yard in Jackson Ms 2000

CSXT #496329 brand-new coil car in IC-CN Yard in Jackson MS 2000

IC #299604 coil car in IC-CN Yard in Jackson MS 2000

DVLX #4172 molten sulphur tank car being pushed over the hump in the IC-CN yard in Jackson Ms 2000

UTLX #61359 molten sulfur tank car being pushed over the hump in the IC-CN yard in Jackson Ms 2000

DVLX #4175 molten sulphur tank car being pushed over the hump in the IC-CN yard in Jackson Ms 2000