Circa 1949. Constructed in the 1920s.
Luling Depot. (Courtesy of Herald-Guide profiles)
Hahnville Depot. (Courtesy of Herald-Guide profiles)
New Orleans, Opelousas and Great Western Railroad.
Train crossing over Bayou des Allemands (Courtesy of Opal Dufrene)
An elderly couple, Charles LaGarde Sr., posing for a picture as they are getting off their train.
From the cab of “Old Reliable” Bill Mongrue (left) and Ned Gauthreaux survey the refinery area. “Old Reliable” was the engine that shifted, pushed, and pulled Pan American Refinery railroad cars for decades. Bill Mongrue, head switchman, and Ned Gauthreaux, engineer, worked side by side at Pan American Refining Company in Destrehan for nearly three decades starting in 1927. Bill lived in Luling when he began working at the refinery in 1919 and rowed across the river by boat to Destrehan. When it was dark or foggy, his father would stand on the riverbank waving a lantern to guide him to the landing area. In later years, he crossed by ferry when service began. Ned lived above Lutcher and began working at Pan Am in 1921, moving later to switchman of the three-mile refinery track within which gondolas, flat and box cars were dropped off from the main line and repositioned for loading, unloading, and lineup for destination. “Old Reliable” was capable of moving from forty to fifty cars around the yard. There was never an accident or injury during their twenty-seven years of working together. (Photo courtesy of Kerney and JoAnn Mongrue)
The sawmill in Des Allemands. (Photo courtesy of Opal Dufrene)
St. Rose Depot. (Courtesy of Herald-Guide profiles)
Destrehan Depot. (Courtesy of Herald-Guide profiles)
Des Allemands Depot. Courtesy of Opal Dufrene
Norco Depot. (Courtesy of Herald-Guide profiles)