High-Sun Sunday

[Jimbaux makes some paper wings and learns to fly.]

I’m Sick Of It All

Thanks for the feedback on the cloudy Saturday pictures, including of the Chip Local, some of my best pictures in a long time.  I got out on Sunday, and you’ll see the pictures below, but only then did I realize, “oh, crap, it’s March; we have high-sun now.”  See, I apparently didn’t care enough to get up early enough to get the good light.  So, unlike last time, when I showed some really good cloudy day photography (interspersed with some mediocre cloudy day photography), the pictures presented this time are shown as not much more than proof that I went outside on Sunday.  However, there is actually another ‘new’ shot in this bunch, and it’s the shot of the day too.

There Are Some Things Not Right Here

Once again, we have the return trip of CSX’s daily (or nightly) transfer run to the Canadian National Railway, though this time, not only is high-sun becoming a problem, but what’s this wingless yellow thing on the front of it?

There was a Norfolk Southern train stuck ahead of him, preventing him from moving.  The third trick yard job on this train would end its shift here.

The “New” Shot

Maybe this isn’t a new shot, since, almost four years ago, I shot a very similar shot up here (even of the same train), but this time, I’m much closer to the track, as CSX train Q601 grinds to a halt at the Frenchmen Street signals.

That’s not too bad, eh?  I can’t decide if I like this one better than the old one I did from this location.  Anyway, that’s L&N Junction Tower right there by the train.  You’re looking at the very southwestern corner of the CSX Railway’s massive empire right there.  This train is getting off of CSX rails and onto Norfolk Southern rails for its trip across town to the Union Pacific, where this train will become the MCXEW on its way to Englewood Yard in Houston, Texas, via former Southern Pacific Railway rails.

Here’s a high-sunny shot of the Q601 passing the yard job returning from the CN, and you’ll notice that the lights have been dimmed now that the crew is gone.

Yep, it’s too late in the morning to be shooting here!  I used to say “Why can’t it be cloudy more often?” so that I could have an excuse to not take pictures of trains, but now I often want clouds, as you’ve seen last time.  Still, when it’s sunny, I still feel the need to be out-and-about.  I suppose that it’s a natural instinct.

It Is What It Is

Before calling it a morning, I wanted to make a quick run over to France Yard.  On the way, I stopped to grab a soda, and while doing that, I stopped to grab this picture.

Okay.

Another New Shot?

Man, what’s happening lately with all of these new shots from Jimbaux?  I heard NS job AN-10 getting permission to cross the canal from the bridge tender at Florida Avenue.  That’s weird.  A job down the branch to Chalmette on a Sunday?  I pondered the idea of chasing it, but I didn’t like the idea of being that far from home when I really didn’t want to spend much more time out on this expedition.

I got to Florida Avenue and saw that it was light power, killing what remained of my desire to chase it.  There wasn’t anyone behind me on the Poland Avenue overpass; so, I quickly blasted off this shot of the locomotive approaching the bridge before I went about my business.

This bridge was installed here in the early part of 2005.  Look across the canal, and you can see the continuation of the track and can also therefore see where the prior bridge was.  That’s the New Orleans Public Belt Railway line to France Yard and to the CSX in the foreground.

Would you like a closer look of the same image?  Well, you’re getting one.

Let’s get out of here.

France

Not the country, but the yard, where the NOPB had a job working this late-morning.

And that, kiddies, is a wrap.  I hope to post more stuff soon.  In the meantime, please remember to make some paper wings and learn to fly!

Jimbaux