The Swampers: The Atchafalaya Branch

On my return from Anchorage, I decided to go ahead and see how much of the old Atchafalaya Branch of the Southern Pacific RR I could follow going home. I was weary from way too much fun and didn't do such a good job. I was only secure that I was on "track" when I got to its obvious path along I-10.

First you have to read about the railroad. Open this link in another window or come back when you are finished. When you are finished you'll want to come back. If you think the Basin Bridge is a marvel, this little railroad will put that into perspective. CLICK HERE He makes one mistake. The cars were to be ferried across the Mississippi above Port Allen, not what he said, "Port Barre". I can understand that happens. Oh, the place was of course, Anchorage, where my ride home began.

Below is the map of that route. This was the way I-10 travelers had go before the stretch between Ramah and Baton Rouge was finished. I knew it well. Click to enlarge.



Giving up on seeing the rail bed before getting below Rosedale, I decided to do a little sight seeing along La.77, which, by the way is fine ride.
At Rosedale, yea, Rosedale, down by the river side, I shot this picture in front of Live Oak House. I'd taken one of the Guzzi in front of it years ago. It was like nothing has changed which of course is a warm and fuzzy feeling or I was whipped sideways like a beaten mule and delirious.



Here's the old one. Wow, I found it.



More looking back onto the grounds:



And, what might be the garage, or then, the carriage house?



I went down the road and went over a hump where I could not stop. I continued and saw another fine old home I remembered.



I had made the comment then, "nice driveway". That still works.

Across the bayou was this old Vicky.



Back to the bump, my goodness. There it was.



I decided to go ahead and get on I 10 at this point instead of backtracking and staying off of it. I hate interstates. I'm just afraid of them. Am I a girly man? I got back off at Ramah, just at the foot of the Basin Freeway Bridge.

I looked back up the field and could see the line still standing above the surrounding land.



It was about time for the train to be coming back from Baton Rouge. Can you see it?
How about now?













I then crossed the canal on what I'm saying might have been a trestle, your call. Maybe it was what took the place of the trestle. There sure were some tie looking planks around and a cow that gave me grief.









I crested the levee and looked down the old right of way into the Atchafalaya Basin. The present Basin is now only 16 miles wide at this point.



Here's a Google Earth shot with some of my markers. Marker 2 is where we are now. See "Atchafalaya Bridge". That is where the town Atchafalaya was. It is also where the new Welcome Center is. You must visit it. There is a free movie to watch.



Ok, I promised you I'd show you the rapids I found. I've named them Black Water Rapids. This map marks their location.



Beautiful.





I suggest visiting after a hurricane that has dropped 12 inches of water. The falls roar with authority at this time of year.

It was time to get onto the Interstate. I took one more look up the bed coming from Baton Rouge. Oops, I'd better hurry.



I crossed the Basin getting off at Henderson where I looked back again.
Man, that little train is fast!




That's it for my part, obviously delirious at the writing end, also.
Mark has actually gotten down in the Basin and shot some of the railway. He's shared those pictures with us and here are a bunch. They are larger than mine and if you click them you can see their full size.











Ghost trains, there ain't no such thing. Maybe. I'm out of here. That's it.