Railroaders' Nostalgia > My Dumb Luck: the AFT years 20

20 Jackson MS Apr 24- 26 / Baton Rouge LA Apr 28- May 1

As I mentioned before, the AFT display sites generally took on a county fair atmosphere. There was almost always a temporary stage set up for various speeches to be given, and for musicians that would entertain those qued up to see the train. The stage in Memphis was decorated with a hundreds of potted plants. Someone decided that a “Rain Forest” theme might enhance the Bunk Car experience, so after the flats were loaded and everything tied down we quickly set to the task of Bunk Car Forestation...

Photo 1 (That's TO member SP 5312 back there)

This really was a great idea, and the car never seemed so, um, lush? It lasted about 15 min- Mad Dog was on to us. (His visits to our neck of the train were always like a scene from the old McHale's Navy TV series) Clear cutting was ordered, and at 2AM we were off to Mississippi.

The run down to Jackson was a straight line on the Illinois Central. About 20 miles before town we passed through Canton MS where they'd been hit by a tornado about two weeks before. The damage was startling. I'd always heard tornadoes preyed on defenseless house trailers- but here were substantial brick buildings with bites taken out!

Photo 2

Jackson is the State Capitol, and somehow I'd expected a large metropolitan city- but it was about the size of Ventura back home. The South was a part of the country I had never expected to visit and had never given much thought to. The Freedom Train was going to provide quite the tour. Just the scale of everything was different- very very small towns were the rule. I'm not knocking it- I've been 30yrs in Dutch Flat (pop 350 or so) But really small towns in California are almost a curiosity.
These were exceedingly polite people, but I always had the feeling I didn't quite know what was going on.

Jackson was one of the few places I didn't take any photos of, for some reason. We displayed at the passenger station, which I recall had a large freight elevator that begged us to invent reasons to have to use. It was old and spooky and very cool!

The Baton Rogue was at the LSU campus on a siding Huey Long used for his chartered trains. The siding was on an ICG main and freights would occasionally pause alongside use so that the Crew Car could replenish it's cache of coal for the pot belly stove.

Photo 3
Photo 4 (The AFT Crew Car Entertainment Corps)

The AFT had an official photographer aboard (who quite possibly took more pics than I did!). Josh. And Baton Rouge was Josh's home town. His Mom invited a group of us over for Red Beans & Rice and I don't remember what else – something southern. Group Photo below..

Photo 5
Standing: Frank (Electrician), Ruben (A/C), Long John, Scott, Neil (Operations), Josh (Photographer)
Front: Me, Jim (Operations), Dave (Security), ? Army maybe?, and Tony (Operations)

SR Bush
Dutch Flat

BTW: Thanks for the supper Josh! Let me return the favor with a plug-
If you find yourself in New Orleans, stop by Josh's gallery “A Gallery for Fine Photography” Be sure and mention the Freedom Train. I don't know that it'll get you anything- but it'd sure surprise the hell out of him!

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I like that VW Scenic Cruiser behind you. Was this at Josh's place?

Yes, the VW was either Josh's, or maybe a siblings, I can't quite remember. Unfortunately, I think it was more yard art than viable transport.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/23/14 12:06 by BoilingMan.

Let's see...Crew of The American Freedom Train, or a bunch of guys following the Grateful Dead in that VW Bus....Hmmmmm.

Cheers, Dave