I had the recent opportunity to inspect an equipment display that is on location at the former Yazoo and Mississippi Valley Depot in Baton Rouge Louisiana. The depot is now the Louisiana Arts and Science Center, and retains a few of its exterior platforms, in which the equipment that is on display is arranged ( in theory ) to represent a passenger train. The equipment on display includes a business car built for the Vicksburg and Meridian, later Alabama and Vicksburg later becoming Illinois Central # 4 before being retired into work train service. Also on display, is a 1946 ex Chicago and Eastern Illinois diner lounge originally built as car 505 Shakamak Inn lot 6743 plan 7400 painted Illinois Central orange and brown and numbered 4112, a Southern heavyweight coach # 1064 still painted Southern dark green, a shorty ex IC pullman built railway post office car # 95, still painted IC brown and orange, and a ex Illinois Central steam locomotive identified as engine 333, a 0-6-0 type locomotive..

It is my understanding that this equipment is owned by the Louisiana Chapter of the NRHS. The equipment shows signs of typical weathering due to outdoor exposure, rusting and overall is showing signs of being a deteriorating display. I heard some speculation that this equipment ( but perhaps not the locomotive ) are going to be moved to Hammond Louisiana to be put on public display, however I am not sure if this is going to happen and if in theory this is being driven by the desire for the Arts and Science Center to see this equipment removed.

I was curious if anyone knows what the future holds for this equipment in Baton Rouge. The cars and locomotive are certainly worthy of being saved, and I was curious as to what will eventually happen to this display....


Dean A Levin

Dean -

Do you happen to have some photos of this equipment that you could possibly post?

Les

Les ( and the group )

I have a series of detailed pictures of these cars in Baton Rouge should you care to see the current condition of each car ( and the locomotive ) .. I would be happy to email them to anyone that is interested.

I am still curious as to what the future is for this equipment.. ( if anyone knows )


thanks


Dean A Levin