Alphabet File page 307
In May 1942, Engineer Frank Erwin piloted the first L&N road diesel power, E6A's 450A-450B, on train No. 1, the "Azalean." Soon other slant-nosed EMD's began pulling all name trains, thus releasing badly needed steam power for wartime traffic. The classic E6's were supplemented by four pairs of E7A's in 1945, painted to match "Humming Bird" and "Georgian" equipment scheduled for delivery a year later. A-unit pairs were separated and renumbered in late 1946 and early 1947.
The first diesel switchers on the NO&M, 10 Alco S2's, arrived in 1946 , and were divided among Montgomery, Sibert, Gentilly, and Pensacola yards, supplementing steam power. More Alcos came later, plus an EMD SW7 and 3 SW9's, the latter assigned to Sibert yard. Some steam switchers were used, however, until the NO&M was completely dieselized in 1953.
The death sentence for steam was pronounced by the FP7, the first two of which - Nos. 622 and 625 - were introduced to the NO&M on passenger locals 7 and 10 and freight locals 43 and 44, beginning in July 1951. In August 1951, they were renumbered 650 and 653 respectively and were joined by 14 other covered wagons. The ATC-fitted, dual-purpose units proved reliable and soon relegated steam power to standby status. In April 1953, the FP7's were supplemented by three new GP7's with steam heat equipment which were assigned to local freights 43 and 44 between Sibert yard and Gulfport.
The last six months of steam operation on the NO&M saw fewer then 35 train movements utilizing coalburning power. During this time at least one steam locomotive was kept on reserve in New Orleans, and only when it was exchanged for another engine did steam power ventured onto the main line. The last steamer in regular service was J-3 1504, which doubleheaded behind FP7 660 on train 10; the date was January 27, 1953.
L&N's initial order for second-generation motive power came in the form of GP30's in the summer of 1962. These units wore the new gray-and-yellow paint scheme which later became the standard L&N colors. They were not operated on the NO&M at the outset. However, with delivery of U25B's in 1963, both types of turbocharged power began operating on the NO&M in hot-shot service behind ATC-equipped lead engines. In succeeding years, first-generation locomotives of every description were utilized as trailing units on the NO&M including exNC&StL power as well as Alco FA2, FB2 and RS3 units. Finally in 1961, the road permitted single units not equipped with ATC apparatus to operate in switching, work train, and short turnaround service.
The NO&M was a major beneficiary of the massive investment to capture post-World War II passenger traffic. The streamlined "Hummingbird" was inaugurated in 1946, while the "Gulf Wind" from Jacksonville made its debut in 1949. In 1950 the "Crescent Limited" received new streamlined cars, including L&N solarium-observations "Royal Canal" and "Royal Street." A fleet of streamlined reclining-seat coaches and sleepers, the latter named after southern trees (e.g. "Whispering Pine"), were also placed in service in the early 1950s.
Just as the NO&M was rebuilding itself from the hammer blows inflicted by World War II traffic levels, Mother Nature stepped in and delivered another blow literally and figuratively. On September 19, 1947, the western part of NO&M was lashed by the 150-mph gales of Hurricane "Emma," whose waves washed away about three fourths of the deck trestles across Biloxi and St. Louis Bays; in addition, the drawspans at Bay St. Louis was severely damaged. Between Waveland, Miss., and the Pearl River Bridge, 10 miles, virtually all track was washed out, and nearly half of the Pearl River Bridge was lost, including seven of the nine girder spans and the piling piers which supported them.
In the 25 miles between Pearl River and Higgins, track and signaling suffered considerable damage; much of the roadbed was covered to a depth of several feet with marsh grass and assorted debris. Stations at English Lookout and Lake Catherine were destroyed, along with several of the maintenance buildings in that area. But the L&N had the line restored to full service in 35 days at a cost of $2.5 million.
During the passenger-trains boom in the 1950s, new stations were opened on both ends of the NO&M within a year's span. On April 16, 1954, the $16 million New Orleans Union Passenger Terminal complex was placed in operation, climaxing a program first authorized in 1938 by a state constitutional amendment; the last component completed was the $2.25 million station itself.
Located just behind the site of the old Union Station at the intersection of Loyola Avenue and Earhart Boulevard, the new station replaced five obsolete depots scattered throughout the city: Canal Street (L&N), Terminal (GM&O,SR), Union (IC,MP,SP), Annunciation & Thalia Streets (MP-GCL, T &P), and Rampart Street (KCS-L&A). NOUPT, the only rail passenger terminal owned by a municipality, was paid for by eight trunk lines - Gulf, Mobile & Ohio, Illinois Central, Kansas City Southern-Louisiana & Arkansas, Louisville & Nashville, Missouri Pacific, Southern (NO&NE) Southern Pacific (T&NO), and Texas & Pacific - through a revenue bond issue. NOUPT opened after eight years of negotiation and construction which culminated 60 years of public demand for a union terminal and the elimination of 144 downtown grade crossings.
As part of NOUPT, L&N abandoned its double-tracked right of way on Elysian Fields Avenue (between North Tonti and Esplanade Streets), transferring the property to the city for street widening and beautification. This short 1-1/2-mile stretch eliminated 21 grade crossings. In return for the Elysian Fields property, the city constructed a new L&N track between NE Tower (SR crossing) and Esplanade Street (alongside SR's new Oliver Yard), to facilitate freight connections with MP-T&P and New Orleans Public Belt, as well as for general access to riverfront wharfs and warehouses.
Less than a year after NOUPT became operational, L&N dedicated its 200-foot long, two story Mobile Passenger Terminal. The new $750,000 station, opened on February 8, 1955, was built directly across the main tracks from its predecessor; the second floor of the new building became the Montgomery, New Orleans and Pensacola Division offices.
Preliminary work was begun in early 1959 for the installation of centralized traffic control on the NO&M, using Union Switch & Signal No. 514 system components. The control console was placed in the Mobile passenger station, its two-tiered track pattern encompassing 310 miles of main line between Catoma (Montgomery) and Industrial Canal (New Orleans).
The first line segment of CTC was between Choctaw and South Brookley (Mobile area); work began there on March 2, 1960. There were 10 additional segments in the overall installation. During construction, trains were operated through these dark regions by manual block with operators stationed at each end. As a part of the overall project, 10 sidings became CTC controlled, most being lengthened in the process. Timetable and train order operation on the NO&M passed into history on August 2, 1961,, when the entire CTC system was activated.
The early 1960s saw continued development of Pascagoula as a major Gulf Coast industrial center. To handle the increased traffic, a yard was constructed 3 miles east of town at Bayou Casotte, with a spur leading to an industrial park which borders the Gulf; industries included chemical, oil refining, and manufacturing plants.
Meanwhile in the city, industrial development occurred on the Pascagoula River's west bank, where the Port Authority constructed a large warehouse complex; also in this area were an export grain elevator and additional Ingalls shipyard facilities.
By the mid-1960's, with movement of grain through this port running as high as 200 carloads per day, a nine-track grain storage yard for 300 cars was built adjacent to the elevator. To handle this industrial load, six switcher crews (two per shift) worked the various plants, while two locals operated out of Pascagoula on road-switching chores between Bayou Casotte and Rigolets, 74 miles.