I just returned from my third excursion down to the Southern Forest Heritage Museum in Longleaf LA. This is the site of an sawmill complete with a railroad, abandoned and later reclaimed. I was aware that there was supposedly a shay parked on a spur off the main track. I made the short walk down the line to the spur to see what I could find. (You can view my other trip report to the museum here.)
Sure enough it didn’t take long for me to spot some distinguishing parts (by the way, there are parts spread everywhere around here, they literally just tossed old parts alongside the roadbed)
Very cool! These railway archeological type stories always fascinate me. To find forgotten pieces of railway history scattered in forests, underwater, in the mountains (or sometimes even in plain site in cities and towns) never fails to capture my attention. Thanks for sharing!
At this time there are no plans to save the parts, many have been torched off (the lineshafts) and essentially ruined. This entire complex was closed on Feb 14th 1969. The workers were told thanks, but we’re closing permanently.
The focus of the museum is too preserve what has been found, and save what they can as far as buildings and artifacts. The museum is cash strapped, so they must choose carefully what and when. You can still see a lunchbox sitting inside the sawmill, as it was left back in 69.
With that said they have made great strides in the last 20 years, retaking the complex back from the Louisiana jungle. They have three rod locos, one in the machine shop, another under a rebuilt shed, and the last, #400 Baldwin 4-6-0 is too far gone. She is sitting now where she was parked when the fired died back in 1954. The painting below shows #400 as she was found in the overgrowth. Can you imagine walking up on this will taking a walk?
The picture below was taken last Saturday
#202 as she sits in the machine shop. (Baldwin 2-6-0)
Red River and Gulf #106 preserved under a cover. The original cover was beginnning to collapse when the ground
Many thanks for your taking the time and effort to post this information. I lived in Louisiana during the 60’s, and wouldn’t have been surprised to learn that the air force base we lived on had been hacked out of the swamp. Wild country, and very impressive photographic work on your part. Thanks for sharing.
Gidday< I would just like to add my thanks for sharing.
You say the museum is “cash strapped” , not an unusual state of affairs unfortunately, so kudos to them for what they have managed to achieve, no doubt with a very small number of hard working volunteers.[bow]
Here;s a link if you’re interested to what was achieved with less…
Thanks for the link, interesting stories. Its more than preserving the steamers, its the entire complex. They have come a long way in a short time. It will happen eventually I hope.
It was Barksdale, a SAC (Strategic Air Command) base, and that meant B-52s and missile silos (the silos were out in the boonies/swamps). I can still remember, when the B-52s took off, the roar would shake the dishes in the kitchen cabinets…I miss the sonic booms from back in the 60’s.
Yes, Barksdale was my last assignment (got out in 83) B52’s. KC-135’s, KC-10’s and A10’s (Air Guard). [:)]
The Buffs are still here, everything else was transferred. I would always volunteer for the transient line, this gave me opportunities to be around all other military aircraft that would land for maintenance and fuel. Good memories and stories on the flightline.
It was my father’s service that took us to Lockbourne, Barksdale, Ellsworth, and Lowry. I went Navy, as he did in WWII. I traveled west, as far as Ethiopia. Good memories, indeed.
