Pimp Lenin
Sr. Member
Today I was able to spend a little bit of time at a friend's property of several acres. The main road in front of the property runs along side of what was a "dummyline" railroad. I've been given two explinations from two old timers as to why it was called a dummyline railroad.
One says that the locomotive that ran on the line was strictly used to transport lumber. The engine on it, he says, was about half the size of a typical train engine. The timber from local sawmills in Madisonville would load their goods onto the train cars, and send it to Ponchatoula where it was loaded on cars that ran on the Illinois Central rail line (New Orleans to Chicago).
Another tells me that it was called a dummyline because it was a track that went to nowhere. It jetted off of the main rail line, and served more or less as a place for a locomotive to make a U-turn.
Both concur that the rail line was there from at least from the mid 1800's to the 1930's when it went out of service. I was thinking it would be neat to find some old railroad spikes or something. I did not spend much time because my attention went elsewhere, but I did find these two iron wazzits. I know that it is a longshot, but I was wondering if they had anything to do with the railroad. The bigger item is about 1/8 of an inch thick.
Side 1
http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e395/louisiana79/Iron1.jpg
Side 2
http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e395/louisiana79/Iron2.jpg
One says that the locomotive that ran on the line was strictly used to transport lumber. The engine on it, he says, was about half the size of a typical train engine. The timber from local sawmills in Madisonville would load their goods onto the train cars, and send it to Ponchatoula where it was loaded on cars that ran on the Illinois Central rail line (New Orleans to Chicago).
Another tells me that it was called a dummyline because it was a track that went to nowhere. It jetted off of the main rail line, and served more or less as a place for a locomotive to make a U-turn.
Both concur that the rail line was there from at least from the mid 1800's to the 1930's when it went out of service. I was thinking it would be neat to find some old railroad spikes or something. I did not spend much time because my attention went elsewhere, but I did find these two iron wazzits. I know that it is a longshot, but I was wondering if they had anything to do with the railroad. The bigger item is about 1/8 of an inch thick.
Side 1
http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e395/louisiana79/Iron1.jpg
Side 2
http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e395/louisiana79/Iron2.jpg
