Louisiana Trip August 19-23, 2021
The Great 4014 Train Chase
Here is a three minute video of the UP 4014 departing Luling for the home stretch to New Orleans. As the locomotive was pulling out, I could hear the tune "City Of New Orleans" by Steve Goodman playing in my head. I would love to embed this song in the video, but I would violate copyright laws. Below is the lyrics to the song, if someone is not families with the song.
Anyway, I was planning on following the train down into New Orleans. But, due to a chronic health condition, I was personally running out of steam. Grumpy Pumpy was starting to holler at me! I will catch the 4014 on the way out of New Orleans on the 22nd. Enjoy!
Gassen Street Crossing, Luling, St. Charles Parish, Louisiana. 12:51 PM, August 20, 2021.
V20210820T125151 Edit
Samsung SM-G965U1
Riding on the City of New Orleans
Illinois Central Monday morning rail
Fifteen cars and fifteen restless riders
Three conductors and twenty-five sacks of mail
All along the southbound odyssey
The train pulls out at Kankakee
Rolls along past houses, farms and fields
Passin' trains that have no names
Freight yards full of old black men
And the graveyards of the rusted automobiles
Good morning America how are you?
Don't you know me I'm your native son
I'm the train they call The City of New Orleans
I'll be gone five hundred miles when the day is done
Dealin' cards games with the old men in the club car
Penny a point ain't no one keepin' score
Pass the paper bag that holds the bottle
Feel the wheels rumblin' 'neath the floor
And the sons of Pullman porters
And the sons of engineers
Ride their father's magic carpets made of steam
Mothers with their babes asleep
Are rockin' to the gentle beat
And the rhythm of the rails is all they feel
Good morning America how are you?
Said don't you know me I'm your native son
I'm the train they call The City of New Orleans
I'll be gone five hundred miles when the day is done
Nighttime on The City of New Orleans
Changing cars in Memphis, Tennessee
Half way home, we'll be there by morning
Through the Mississippi darkness
Rolling down to the sea
But all the towns and people seem
To fade into a bad dream
And the steel rails still ain't heard the news
The conductor sings his songs again
The passengers will please refrain
This train's got the disappearing railroad blues
Good night, America, how are you?
Said don't you know me I'm your native son
I'm the train they call The City of New Orleans
I'll be gone five hundred miles when the day is done
Source: Songfacts®
