1920s Baton Rouge Railways

[This is an excerpt of the document who's link is at bottom]

In the 1920’s the SP (Southern-Pacific) railroad ran a daily passenger train, which left Baton Rouge at 06:40 AM heading west and arriving at Lafayette at 10:05 AM. After refueling and taking on water, the eastbound passenger train would then leave Lafayette at 1:35 PM, arriving in Baton Rouge at 5:00 PM. The passenger trains made regular stops at Breaux Bridge, Nina, Atchafalaya River, Wilbert and Anchorage.

These were steam driven locomotives, which meant they needed water to heat in order to create steam to propel the train. There were stations along the route, between Lafayette and Baton Rouge, where a train could, if needed, take on water. Those stations were Breaux Bridge, Des Glaise and Grosse Tete.

A steam locomotive usually took on water about every 75 miles and oil about every fourth water stop. The Locomotive's tender or tank car held about 7,000 gallons of water and about 3,000 gallons of oil.

There were freight trains, which ran on this rail line also, which meant they needed a place to meet or pass another train. Those places were called sidings or passing tracks. On the BR there were sidings at the following locations: Anse La Butte, Breaux Bridge, Henderson, Crusel, Ramah, Grosse Tete and Wilbert. The sidings or passing tracks back then were measured in railcar lengths; they were forty, fifty, sixty or ninety railcar lengths long.

Today’s trains are much longer, subsequently the sidings were extended and are now measured in feet; and many of today’s sidings are several miles long.

Maybe, back in the 1920’s all of the railcars were of the same type and length. Today, there are as many different types of railcars as there are different lengths.

In the 1920’s there were numerous railroads and many of them ran in different directions. Some railroads crossed over other railroads. On the Baton Rouge Subdivision there were four rail crossings. One at Anchorage located on the west bank of the Mississippi River near Port Allen, Louisiana; and the other was located at Grosse Tete, both crossing the T & P Railroad. Nina had a rail crossing called the N.I. & N. (New Iberia and Northern) and Breaux Bridge had the P. B. Subdivision Crossing, which ran between Port Barre and Cade, Louisiana.

The flood of 1927 marked the beginning of the end for some of the communities in the Atchafalaya Basin. Communities like Bayou Chene, Pelba and Crusel slowly faded away, not to mention their livelihood.

The last steam locomotive used on the SP was removed from service in February 1957 and replaced by the more reliable and efficient diesel locomotives.

[parenthesis added]

By permission:
Credit and Source
Mr. William J. Thibodeaux
www.williamstories.com (HomePage)
www.williamstories.com/resources/The+Flood+Of+1927.doc  (Source of this post)

GENERAL LAFAYETTE'S 1825 VISIT TO BATON ROUGE

GENERAL LAFAYETTE'S 1825 VISIT TO BATON ROUGE

The most exciting event that took place during the Duplantier years at Magnolia Mound was the visit to Baton Rouge of the Marquis de Lafayette in April of 1825.

Armand and his son accompanied the war hero from New Orleans. Fortunately there is an eyewitness account of the momentous event by Lafayette's secretary, A Levasseur.

Twenty-four hours after leaving New Orleans, we arrived at Duncan's Point, where we were met by a delegation of citizens who had come down from Baton Rouge, which is situated eight miles above, to ask General Lafayette to stop and spend a few moments among them. The general thankfully accepted the invitation and two hours afterward we landed at the foot of the amphitheatre above which the city is built.

The landing was filled with the people of the city, at the head of whom marched the municipal guards. The first regiment of the Union was drawn up in battle array under the same star spangled banner which had previously been planted over the ruins of the Spanish despotism by the inhabitants of the parishes in the face of the greatest dangers.

Accompanied by the populace and the magistrates, the general repaired to the reception Hall wherein he found the busts of Washington and Jackson crowned with laurels and flowers. In this place he received the testimonials of affection from all of the people, and went with them to the fort where the garrison awaited him. As the troops marched past him he received a salute of 24 guns.

Next we went into the main room of the building in order to inspect the barracks, but to our great astonishment, we found on entering the first room, that it was not filled with beds, nor arms, nor “gay with all the accoutrements of war,” but contained a numerous assembly of beautiful ladies brilliantly attired, who surrounded the general and offered him flowers and refreshments.

The general was deeply touched by this agreeable surprise, and he remained for some time in the midst of the charming garrison. Upon our return to the city we met a great gathering of citizens who had joined together for the purpose of tendering a public banquet to the general, where there prevailed the candid cordiality of the French.

It was almost dark when we went on board the Natchez to continue our journey.

When we departed from Baton Rouge we were grieved to leave for a second time, some of the persons who had accompanied us from New Orleans, notably, Mr. Joseph Armand Duplantier, and his son, whose tender friendship had been so helpful to the general

Two years after Lafayette's visit Armand died.

Magnolia Mound: a Louisiana river plantation

By Lois Elmer Bannon, Martha Yancey Carr, Gwen Anders Edwards

Pelican Publishing, 1984

PAGE 42 -44