| A trio of B30-7's -- SP 7867 and 7804 with Cotton Belt 7779 -- head east out of New Iberia along East St. Peter Street (Highway 182) at the Evangeline Street grade crossing. The locomotives have just passed the speed board when the speed limit goes from 25 to 40 MPH. Back when this photo was taken, trios of B-Boats were common power on the SUNSET ROUTE in Louisiana.For 60 years, the open area between St. Peter Street and the Espee had been the right-of-way of another railroad. The Iberia, St. Mary & Eastern was incorporated in 1909 to build a line from New Iberia east 48 miles to Patterson; and ran right next to the Espee for much of that distance. The IStM&E was leased by the New Iberia & Northern in 1911, which was then controlled by the Frisco; and both railroads became a part of the Missouri Pacific in 1924. The old IStM&E track here was abandoned in 1970, when the MP obtained trackage rights over the SP between New Iberia and Garden City; but MP service east of New Iberia ended in 1980 and the railroad stopped operating into New Iberia in 1982. |