The date is January 19th of 1985, and photographer Tom Blackwell has positioned himself to capture a Kansas City Southern train as it slowly descends from the Huey P. Long – O.K. Allen Bridge. This bridge crosses the Mississippi River in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.

The train is the #55, and is powered by GP40s #785 and #758, along with an unidentified GP38-2. The train has come from Dallas, and was headed to the Norfolk Southern Railway in New Orleans.

The bridge was built in 1940, and is similar to another bridge built down in New Orleans named the Huey P. Long Bridge. This bridge (known locally as the Old Bridge) is named after two of Louisiana’s past governors. At this time there was a large Kaiser Aluminum plant built on the bank of the river, and adjacent to the bridge. The bridge was constantly coated with bauxite dust from the plant, and in the mid 60s was repainted an orange color so that it matched the dust color for the length of the bridge. Eventually the aluminum plant was closed and dismantled, and the next bridge repainting brought it back to its original light grey color.

You’ve likely noticed the concrete/steel rail bridge crossing beneath the railroad bridge viaduct. This is the Illinois Central Gulf Railroad (now the Canadian National). The roadway beneath it all is U.S. Hwy. 190, the eastbound lanes at left, and the westbound lanes barely discernible through the bridge structure at right.

Photo by Tom Blackwell, from the collection of Michael Palmieri