16-06-17c PHOTOS: Gulf Coast

In the final segment of my 2016 transcontinental Amtrak Long distance trip I travel from the sweatbox city of Beaumont, TX to Lafayette, LA and ultimately New Orleans. The route follows the gulf coast and the narrow spit of land that curves to the south of the Crescent City. Due to catastrophic backlighting I aborted the survey at Lafayette. You can find the full set of photos here.

About 2 hours east of Houston, Beaumont is the last crew change point and smoke stop on the Sunset Limited route. It is also the hottest place I have ever been with a suffocating humidity that defies belief.

The Beaumont station area has fortunately retained its classic searchlight dwarf signals.

Passing through the complex interlocking east of the station was a train led by NS SD70ACe #1160 and containing AC4400's #6150 #5760 and a few TIPX juice cars.

Doublestacks on the end of the same train passing through a high and wide car detector and a pair of signals operated by Kansas City Southern as part of a joint operation scheme.

Vertical lift drawbridge over the Neches River.

Passing a lashup comprised completely of UP SD70M's and SD70ACe's on the Connell siding.

UP SD70M's #4404 and #4213 on the Francis siding. 

The Orange, TX station close to the border of Louisiana. Once again I would like to remind my readers that El Paso, TX (5 photo sets ago) is closer to Orange, CA than this point.