Greetings, and welcome to the December 2011 Sampler, an almost-welcome anti-climax to the “November 2011 Sampler” essay.
This one will be relatively brief, particularly for a set of images that I made in the month of the winter solstice, and is an anticlimactic way to end a tumultuous year.
Thursday, The 1st
All of the automobiles in this image are stopped.
![](https://jimbaux.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/0024022.jpg)
Yes, that is a law-enforcement automobile stopped on railroad tracks, which was the reason that I took the camera out to make this image.
Saturday, The 3rd
I am at the LASTA party at Old Jefferson, where I met a friend who would later sell out me and so many others when the authoritarian bigot rose to power five years later.
![](https://jimbaux.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/002448-RGB-w-LASTA-party-LASTA-Jefferson-Rail-Yard-Jefferson-Louisiana-USA-3-December-2011.jpg)
The saying “LASTA party” can’t not make me think of a certain Tupac Shakur song.
Sunday, The 4th
I am in Lockport at Bayou Lafourche, looking east.
![](https://jimbaux.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/002550-RGB-w-shipyard-across-Bayou-Lafourche-from-Holy-Savior-Church-as-seen-from-the-churchs-land-Lockport-Louisiana-USA-4-December-2011.jpg)
There was so much more to do there.
Tuesday, The 6th
Here I am at Raceland at dawn.
![](https://jimbaux.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/002586-RGB-wjj-©-Raceland-Raw-Sugar-Raceland-Louisiana-USA-6-December-2011.jpg)
That’s the sugar mill.
I wouldn’t take the camera out again until 11 days later.
Saturday, The 17th
Here is the Chip Local westbound crossing Bayou Des Allemands.
![](https://jimbaux.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/014776-RGB-wjj-©-Union-Pacific-Railroad-train-LLS51-westbound-with-UP-360-as-power-crossing-Bayou-Des-Allemands-Des-Allemands-Louisiana-USA-17-December-2011.jpg)
I think that it went only as far as Raceland that day, and it had only tank cars other than that hopper car, which may have just been a cover car along for the ride.
Now, it’s time for the off-of-work-week grand finale.
Friday, The 23rd
I remember this day very well, though mainly for what I did that night, going to Houma for a concert for a band fronted by one of my friends.
![](https://jimbaux.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/002644-c-RGB-w-©-westbound-Amtrak-SUNSET-LIMITED-arriving-at-the-depot-for-a-station-stop-Schriever-Louisiana-USA-23-December-2011.jpg)
Yes, that’s the westbound Amtrak Sunset Limited arriving at Schriever before picking up some passengers seen by the depot.
Saturday, The 24th
On Christmas Eve, here is a westbound BNSF Railway manifest train that looks interesting after the power.
![](https://jimbaux.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/003006-c-RGB-w-©-BNSF-Railway-manifest-train-westbound-rounding-the-curve-under-US-Highway-90-Chacahoula-Louisiana-USA-24-December-2011.jpg)
I wish that I could see trains that looked like just what those first six or seven cars would be as a train.
Tuesday, The 27th
I am at Melodia Plantation late in the afternoon, and here is an interesting-looking eastbound BNSF Railway manifest train approaching the milepost 49.6 detector.
![](https://jimbaux.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/003031-RGB-wjj-©-eastbound-BNSF-Railway-manifest-train-at-dusk-Melodia-Plantation-Road-Lafourche-Parish-Louisiana-USA-27-December-2011.jpg)
Those are sugarcane fields in the foreground.
Wednesday, The 28th
The next day, I am back at the same place for the westbound Sunset Limited.
![](https://jimbaux.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/003045-ff-RGB-w-Amtraks-westbound-SUNSET-LIMITED-Melodia-Plantation-Road-Lafourche-Parish-Louisiana-USA-28-December-2011.jpg)
There is something that I really like about that view.
Friday, The 30th
Here is an eastbound BNSF Railway train with a Ferromex locomotive leading at Paradís.
![](https://jimbaux.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/003064-BW-w-©-eastbound-BNSF-Railway-train-M-DYTCSX-with-three-Ferromex-locomotives-Paradís-Louisiana-USA-30-December-2011.jpg)
That was my last picture of 2011.
So ended a memorable year.
Jim