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The Sunset Limited (2) – US Rail Journeys Series 2 Episode 13
Morgan City:
The Sunset Limited (2) begins as we cross the Atchafalaya River at Morgan City. The river is a tributary of the Mississippi. There are two road bridges and one rail bridge crossing the river here.
The population peaked in the 1970s and has declined by about 35% since then.
Many of the houses in this area are in need of some TLC. This may be because, in 2018, the median income in Louisiana was just under $48,000. This compares to a US average of $62,000.
New Iberia:
The train is lightly loaded today. If those who travel by car and plane took the train they’d travel in comfort and see so much more of the magnificent scenery.
New Iberia has a short platform so the train moves forward to let the coach passengers get on. There are about 20 of them.
As we leave New Iberia the line from Avery Island curves in on the left. Avery Island is the home of Tabasco.
Towards Lafayette:
Our journey takes us past a great deal of agriculture. Rice and sugar cane are two major crops because the climate is suitable for them.
We reach Lafayette, the fourth largest city in Louisiana. The station has been rebuilt because the original one burnt down in May 2001.
A childhood on a rice farm:
In the last part of the podcast I learn about growing up on a rice farm. I hear that it was hard work but that there was a great sense of family. The family had a natural well which gave them large quantities of water for irrigation and cooling down in the summer heat.
The photographs that accompany the podcast:
Please click on a thumbnail to open the gallery:
Next up:
I hope that you’ve enjoyed this podcast. If so please join me in two weeks for the next episode where I continue my journey on the Sunset Limited along the southern border of the United States towards Los Angeles.
Links:
To visit the Amtrak website please follow this link.
You can also listen to this podcast on iTunes/Apple Podcasts, Castbox, Deezer, Podchaser, Spotify and Stitcher.
Music:
AKM Music has licensed the theme, Steam Railway, for use in this podcast.
Audioblocks has licensed Railroad Blues by Bobby Cole, Country Train Ride by Michael Nickolas & Carl Carter and Southbound Train Alt Mix by William Pearson for use as incidental music in this episode.
© The MrT Podcast Studio 2019 – 2020
