May 7th- Starting Up the E-Branch:  Eagleton

Post date: May 08, 2015 8:40:34 PM

Today we will start up the E-Branch. Each town on the E-Branch starts with the letter E. Just across the river from Maryville is the town of Eagleton. This town was originally to be named Adlerville after a good friend and model railroader Lou Adler. When I spoke to Lou, he stated that he wanted the town to be called Eagleton. Lou has never told me why. Let's take a look at Eagleton (below).

The gateway to the E-Branch is the track to the far left (above).

The junction complex is controlled by EB Tower (above).

The complex at EB Tower also includes a small switchman's shanty (above left)

and a control box (above, right).

Gray Bridge (above) spans the "river" actually Dorcheat Bayou

between Maryville and Eagleton.

The first building we encounter is the station at Eagleton.

This station handles both freight and passengers.

Just up the line is a spur which divides into two parts.

The first industry on thee front track is Floyd's Machinery.

This industry was named for a former member of the

Sue Line Crew- Floyd Gray.

The second industry on the front spur is Bob's Produce and Farmers Market (above).

This building was discussed last session.

Business is apparently good as a new building is being added (above).

This view shows that the building is internally lit by surface mount LED (SMD).

The back leg of the spur begins with Jacobs Grain.

The silos (above, left) are from PVC pipe.

The grain building (above, right) is a structure I build

when I was 14 years old from an article in MODEL RAILROADER magazine.

The shape was cut out of cardboard and covered with CAMPBELL

corregated aluminum cut into panels.

I later cut the building into two parts and they now stand side by side.

The Adler International Paper Company (above) sits at the end

of the back leg of the spur. It was named, of course, for Lou Adler.

The last spur in Eagleton leads to Skippers Place.

One of the original members of the Sue Line Crew was Mose Crews.

Later his son, "Skipper" Crews also became a regular

member of the Sue Line Crew. "Skipper" later went to college, started a family,

and now his children have or are about to graduate from college.

My, oh my, how time flies.

Here is a view looking to the south east at Eagleton.

As we move up the E-Branch towards Eastman,

we cross a back woods road (above).

Next we cross a paved road (above) which is being rebuilt.

It seems like this road has been under construction ever since the

Sue Line was built, oh it has!

Finally we again cross Dorcheat Bayou on a steel girder bridge

which reflects the original owner, the Dorcheat and Lake Bistineau,

which subsequently became a member of NoLaCRA-

North Louisiana Connecting Railroad Association. 

This concludes are first stop on the E-Branch.

Next week we will cross black bridge and take a look at

Eastman  before moving on the Elliott.