Alphabet File page 309
Today's NO&M has a completely different traffic mix from the line which once handled a steady stream of passenger trains between various parts of the L&N and New Orleans- a road where varnish was king and a few freight trains were tolerated! Creation of SBD brought significant changes in traffic patterns to the NO&M, which now funnels through freights between New Orleans and Jacksonville (successors of an SCL run-through operation which began in 1969), Atlanta-Hamlet (using ex-West Point Route and SCL trackage), and BirminghamÂLouisville (route of the old L&N Silver Bullet).
A typical NO&M operating day in 1986 sees No. 606 for Jacksonville depart Gentilly before 3 a.m.; its southÂbound counterpart, No. 605, leaves Sibert about 8 p.m. The second Florida train, No. 602, heads out of New Orleans around 2 p.m., while No. 601 leaves Mobile in late afternoon. No. 572 for Louisville usually gets out of the Crescent City in early evening, followed by Hamlet-bound 614 before 9 p.m. The related southbound runs depart Sibert before midnight (No. 615) and in the wee hours of the next day (571). With train lengths of 7000-9000 feet, numerous restricted speed regions, and one or two meets, running times for through freights over the 135 mile Gentilly-Sibert segment average 4 to 5 hours.
CSX (and the NO&M) also participate in a new intermodal operation. In October 1984 TRAINS, "Wet Rock, Dry Rock, and the Seaboard" discussed the extensive phosphate traffic which originates in central Florida's Bone Valley. Tonnage bound for the Mississippi River is no longer loaded onto ships at Tampa but heads toward the Crescent City on train 601, where it is handed over to the New Orleans Public Belt Railroad for loading onto barges owned by American Commercial Barge Lines, another unit of the CXS empire. On those occasions when loadings are extra heavy, a solid phosphate train of 50 to 75 cars is dispatched to New Orleans.
Other mainline NO&M operations (usually 5 days a week) include a Theodore Turn (usually out of Sibert to a large industrial park); a Bayou Casotte switcher, which works the Pascagoula-area complex, and a Michoud Turn out of Gentilly, which operates as far north as Long Beach when needed. In addition, a Sibert-Gulfport turn performs local work en route and makes interchange at Gulfport with the new Mid-South Rail Corporation, which bought the 70-mile former Gulf & Ship Island line to Hattiesburg from ICG.
Although not a boat hauler in the usual sense, the NO&M nevertheless handles a large number of BirminghamÂarea coal trains which are delivered to export loading docks 4 miles south of Sibert on McDuffie Island in Mobile Bay. As many as 10 100-car trains per week are delivered intact directly to the tipple by road crews. These trains usually hold the main line into New Yard (near Brookley) and then back into the dock complex.
At present, almost three-fourths of the tonnage on the NO&M represents interchange traffic with roads heading west out of New Orleans. As the CSX's primary connection with the southern transcontinental routes, NO&M sees a wide variety of revenue tonnage including container and TOFC traffic moving to and from east coast ports (Jacksonville, Savannah, and Charleston), merchandise traffic to and from the mid-west and east, and petrochemicals from the Houston and Baton Rouge regions. Deepwater port traffic from New Orleans, Gulfport, and Pascagoula is also varied, including export grain and pressed board, as well as raw rubber from Indonesia. Major on-line carloadings are petrochemicals and paper products from the Pascagoula industrial complex.
Behind its current role as a critical cog in a railroad empire, one can still find reminders of the old, passenger-hauling NO&M, for the original frame stations at both Pascagoula and Ocean Springs have been sold, renovated, and are now listed in the National Register of Historic Places. The 2904 brick station at Gulfport, which served both the G&SI (later Illinois Central) and L&N, is now a fashionable restaurant; the 1930 stucco depot at Bay St. Louis houses CSX offices; and the Biloxi station, a steel frame structure, is leased in part to an intercity bus company.
This, then, is the evolution of the road which began as the New Orleans, Mobile and Texas but, like many others of the time, never reached its western goal. Instead its rails ended at the foot of Canal Street.
(Note about authors: Jerome G. Lachaussee, 45, began his railroad career as an operator with L&N in 1959. After assignments at Pascagoula and Pass Christian, Miss., and New Orleans, he became a Mobile Division dispatcher in 1965. J. Parker Lamb, 53, has been contributing articles and photos to trains since 1954. A native of Alabama, he attended Auburn University and the University of Illinois. He is Professor of Engineering at a large university in the Southwest.
1964
Final Run - among those boarding the Louisville & Nashville's commuter train at Waveland for its last run on May 6, 1964 were from left, Mac Trelles, Rudy Vorbusch, Flagman Albert Biehl, Dick Mestayer Jr., Max Giannelloni, and Gerald Kennedy, with Ronald Worrell and Doc Horne on Steps. Commuters to New Orleans could board a train in Hancock County at Bay St. Louis, Nicholson Avenue, Coleman Avenue, Waveland Avenue, Clermont Harbor, Lakeshore, Ansley and the Baldwin Lodge. The train left at 7 a.m. and returned at 5:30 p.m. (Photo courtesy of Helen Mestayer.) (Photo-article from SCE, date unknown. In VF Railroads)
************** end railroad ****************
Rail Road Exchange - Fayard, Mr. James Gilmore, is advertising the Rail Road Exchange in another column. This saloon is first-class in every respect and is governed by rigidly enforced rules. (SCE 04/15/1893)
Railroad Exchange - Fine wines, Liquors, Cigars and Tobacco. Ice cold beer constantly on hand. Bay St. Louis, Miss. The Rules are: No loud talking, no profanity, no indecent expressions will be allowed, any one drunk and violating decency will not be permitted to remain in the house. The rules are quite rigidly enforced and the penalty for neglect is summarily inflicted. James Gilmore Fayard, Proprietor. Ad. (10/28/1893)
Railway Express Agency Inc., Railroad Av. (Ph 48 thru 50, 55)
RAINEY, John S. (SCE 3/11/1893)
Raley, G. D., 303 Railroad Av. (Ph 48 thru 50, 55)
Ralston, Capt. (First name unknown) Capt. of steamer LOMBARD. See entry under Boat file LOMBARD
Ramagousa (414 S Beach) # 24 J A Cuevas, (VF MJS VIII 00350)
Ramond, Annie Miss - Mrs. Alphonse Baron.
Ramond, Earl F., r 106 N. Toulme (Ph 48-49) 300 Main (Ph 55)
Ramond, Earl F., Electrical Supply Co., 119 Main (Ph 48 thru 50) 300 Main (Ph 55)
Ramond, Eliza - Phillips, Miss Agnes, after a pleasant sojourn of a few days with her aunt, Mrs. Eliza Himes Ramond, on Main Street, returned to her home in New Orleans on Monday evening. (SCE 11-18-1893)
Ramond, Ferd - Carpenter & Builder, Bay St. Louis, Miss. Estimates made and Contracts taken All work entrusted to my care will receive prompt and careful attention (Advertisement SCE 8/6/1892 thru 2/25/1893)
Ramond, Jno. S. - Last night the friends of Miss C. Sadler and Mr. Walden Sadler enjoyed a delightful time at their home. The occasion was a dance and card party. Among those fortunate to be present were Misses Katie Boardman, Florence Bouyatt, Julia Gaspard, Mamie Weiss, Lulu Anderson, Marie Gaspard, Gertie Weiss, Ollie Caldwell, Messrs. Arthur Snyder, Robt. Caldwell, Jas. B. Ulman, Charles Lasabe, Alphonse Barou, Jno. S. Ramond, Frank Caldwell and several others. (SCE 8/27/1892)
Ramond, John S. spent Sunday in Pass Christian. (SCE 9/10/1892)
One of the most pleasant wagon rides of the season was the moonlight wagon ride given by the young folks on Saturday. A band of music was in attendance and no better time could had been enjoyed. Those present were: Misses Mamie Baron, Katie A. Reed, Edwege Saucier, Alice Baron, Vicky Breath, Lottie Cuneo, Ollie Caldwell, Miss Ducros, Messers. R. Cuneo, Chas Breath, Alphonse J. Baron, A. Q. Breath, Robt. Maynard, Jun. S. Raymond, the scribe and many others. (SCE 9/10/1892)