Thank you!
The Corps of Engineers is operating the Morganza and Bonnet Carre spillways to keep water levels at Baton Rouge and New Orleans at a specified maximum level. The river will remain at this level as long as the spillways are open (but the COE will open and close spillway gates as the crest passes).
The spillways were built and are operated to reduce the spillway peaks, but I find it difficult to believe that the river is so tamed by these structures that it results in no peak or valley in river elevation at all.
Just a wild guess George but the Corps is opening various numbers of gates as the river crests. Perhaps 20th century ingenuity was better than we thought. I remember in '73 running across the Morganza spillway on a train (the T&P owned the trackage but the L&A leased it for their main line). When the catfish came through the slats they were dazed and confused. People parked pick up trucks next to the water line and gaffed catfish day and night. Then they would race to Baton Rouge to sell their catch and return to start over again. It all ended when one greedy fellow got too close and his truck went floating into the Spillway towards Morgan City. I'm sure security today wouldn't allow such a thing to take place.
A quick search found an item with picture. I searched bonnet carre spillway railroad flood and the second item up on www.fox8live had a picture. Shows a couple of timber trestle spans washed out off the end of a through steel plate girder span.
And about 58/59.
Natalbany is 3 miles north of Hammond's depot, so I guess they parked it up in the siding between the two cities.
It's about 58 miles from station to station and about an hours drive because its practically all interstate between the two.Amtrak confirmed that they are bussing people from Hammond to New Orleans. They said it was 53 miles away, so I am assuming about a 2 hour ride.
Has anyone ever been bussed by Amtrak?
I could have gone Greyhound for much cheaper
The bridge in question is totally a wooden timber bridge. It has been there as long, or longer, than the Spillway. Creosoted timbers last a long time but when thousands of gallons of water per hour pass by the base of these timbers I'm surprised that the entire structure has not fallen into the water.
Im due to leave Chicago on the 25th at 8pm, we are not scheduled to hit the Mississippi area until Thursday afternoon. Grandpa D, are you saying that there is a chance I wont have to depart the train to be bussed? I hope that there is a chance of this occurring.
