Western Railroad Discussion > "A Ride Over the Huey P. Long Bridge..."

In January 2005, an inspection special was operated between UP's Avondale Yard and CSX's Gentilly Yard in New Orleans LA. The purpose of the trip was to point out proposed infrastructure improvements to various city, regional and Louisiana state representatives on the train. Starting in Avondale, the train crossed the New Orleans Public Belt Railroad's massive Huey P. Long Bridge over the Mississippi River enroute to Gentilly Yard on the city's northeast side. Union Pacific provided the equipment for the train and it was (very) unofficially dubbed "The City of Gentilly" by some of the UP folks on board. For anyone interested, here are a few views of the train's passage over the impressive structure, constructed over a three year span from 1932 to 1935.

Cheers,

aussiehinz.


1. Upon departure from Avondale Yard, the special passes West Bridge Junction Tower, where lines of the former SP (now BNSF) and MP (now UP) converge to begin the ascent up the Huey Long Br.

2. A view toward the rear of the train and West Bridge Junction, as the inspection special curves onto the NOPB main line over the bridge.

3. Ascending the west approach (1)

---

---

---

4. Ascending the west approach. (2)

5. Ascending the west approach. (3)

6. Ascending the sest approach. (4)

---

---

---

7. Entering the bridge's main span over the river.

8. Descending the east approach, toward East Bridge Junction. (1)

9. Descending the east approach, toward East Bridge Junction. (2)

---

---

---

Nice shots and wonder if any of the improvements have been made since this was all pre-Hurricane Katrina?
Spent a wonderful day just days before 9-11-01 w/ tower operator Bob Phillips at the pictured West Bridge Jct tower. I'll forever associate that time w/ Bob and watching him work that old interlocker w/ the innocence of pre 9-11 America--great memories!



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/17/10 19:19 by IC_2024.

10. Passing through East Bridge Junction interlocking.

11. The operator at East Bridge Junction Tower gives the train a visual inspection as it passes.

12. "The City of Gentilly" arrives at CSX's Gentilly Yard.

---

---

---

very cool.

driving an automobile over that bridge is a pretty scary experience. it seems as if you will scrape the sides.

Justin Cornell
Brooksville, FL
JointedRail Productions

Yes. Pre Katrina.

Fantastic photos! Thanks for posting.

Yes, it sure is. Scrape the guard rails, and scrape the covering off the steering wheel from gripping it so hard...!!

Wow, what a terrific sequence. What an impressive bridge and all the more
spectacular when the Mississippi River is at flood stage or when ocean
going ships are passing underneath. Thank-you for posting the photos.

My family lived in the region for 7 years leaving about 1994 and going over the
Huey P Long was always an experience. If stuck in traffic and two heavy freights
were passing on the bridge, the bridge would sway. I was told that since the
bridge was riveted, as is observable in some of your shots, it was a normal design
feature. Maybe so. That along with close tolerances yielded quite a driving adventure
and many a nervous driver.

The roadway was an after thought and hung off the bridge. As I recall on the westbound
lane from the eastbank (opposite direction the train is going) there is about a 1 foot
jog when the roadway reached the bridge proper where the alignment somehow was skewed during construction.

I am not aware of what plans are in store for the bridge as far as vehicular
traffic goes and did not realize the bridge was owned by the NOPB RR. Thanks for
that tidbit. Will check wiki and see if someone has written something on the bridge.

Thanks again.

NorfolkSouthern_37 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> very cool.
>
> driving an automobile over that bridge is a pretty
> scary experience. it seems as if you will scrape
> the sides.


Is it just one way highway traffic on that bridge?
I don't see an opposing traffic lane.

BulletBob Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Wow, what a terrific sequence. What an impressive bridge and all the more spectacular when the Mississippi River is at flood stage or when ocean going ships are
> passing underneath. Thank-you for posting the photos.

Totally agree. Very cool.

mkostecky Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> NorfolkSouthern_37 Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > very cool.
> >
> > driving an automobile over that bridge is a
> pretty
> > scary experience. it seems as if you will
> scrape
> > the sides.
>
>
> Is it just one way highway traffic on that
> bridge?
> I don't see an opposing traffic lane.

See pic 5, you can just see the other lanes.

No, the bridge is two way. The other lanes are to the right side of the train, out of view. They are attached in similar fashion as those in the photos, only on the opposite side of the bridge.

The highway lanes are being widened right now in a megabuck expansion project.

Thanks for the photos.I remember being stuck on the bridge because of a wreck in 68 or 69, before dad upgraded to a 70 Impala with A/C. The tracks were just below the window level of the car, any you could feel the train coming way before you could see it. I just remember a good shaking, and when the train passed, it was almost close enough to touch. What a thrill for an 10 year old budding railfan. We had spent most of that day and the day before traveling through Georgia, Alabama, and Mississippi, and there were lots of trains. Sadly, no photos!!

I will be in the area for my aunts 93rd birthday in September, and will hit the bridge area.

Tom Daspit
Morgan Hill, CA
Tom's Trains

aussiehinz Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> 1. Upon departure from Avondale Yard, the special
> passes West Bridge Junction Tower, where lines of
> the former SP (now BNSF) and MP (now UP) converge
> to begin the ascent up the Huey Long Br.


These are wonderful images, it looks like the whole bridge, approaches and all, is a big S curve!!

I don't want to be too picky but didn't the SP merge into UP and not BNSF? Otherwise "UP you got some splainin' to do".

Regards,

-Frank C.

Frank Christ
Cloverdale, CA
FranksRails Photography, LLC.

kg6nlw Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> aussiehinz Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > 1. Upon departure from Avondale Yard, the
> special
> > passes West Bridge Junction Tower, where lines
> of
> > the former SP (now BNSF) and MP (now UP)
> converge
> > to begin the ascent up the Huey Long Br.
>
>
> These are wonderful images, it looks like the
> whole bridge, approaches and all, is a big S
> curve!!
>
> I don't want to be too picky but didn't the SP
> merge into UP and not BNSF? Otherwise "UP you got
> some splainin' to do".
>
> Regards,
>
> -Frank C.


I thought BNSF got a line into New Orleans as part of the UP/SP concession. Can anyone confirm/deny this?

That is correct. While it's certainly true that SP went into the UP fold, BNSF was awarded the former SP main from Texas across to New Orleans as a condition of that merger. UP retained the former MP line, via Livonia Yard, of the two parallel routes. Hence, my reference to the SP now being part of BNSF @ West Bridge Jct, above.

My first rail passage over the HPL was on a motorcar with the bridge patrolman in 1973. In those days, the navigation lights & fog horns were manually operated. A patrol run was made every two hours traffic permitting.

RailNet802, out