Avondale, LA plays host to the Union Pacific and the Burlington Northern - Santa Fe in the New Orleans area. There are actually three yards located in Avondale, all parallel to each other. The yard closest to Louisiana highway 18 (LA18) is the former Missouri Pacific yard, the main UP yard in Avondale. The former Southern Pacific yard consisted of two yards simply called the "New" yard and the "Old" yard. When the UP acquired the SP they got the "New" yard which has a piggyback terminal, while the BNSF got the "Old" yard and the former MP piggyback yard in Westwego. The BNSF yard is located between the two UP yards. What I have attempted to do here is provide the viewer with a sampling of the mix of power that calls Avondale home. When your visit is through, return to the New Orleans map to view other railroads and rail scenes of the New Orleans area. Enjoy your visit.
Althouogh some pictures posted here have been shot "on the property", they were taken with the permission of railroad officials. For your safety and the safety of others, "DO NOT TRESPASS" on railroad property. Besides being unsafe, it is against the law.

Probably one of the last CNW engines running around the UP System is seen here in the lead at the crossing at Garden Rd. in Avondale, LA on Sunday, October 19, 2003.
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This westbound CSX run through is crossing Garden Rd. in Avondale, LA. There is always a good assortment of roadnames on the UP. This train is led by a CSX, followed by a UP, X-CR, another UP, a SP, and an EMD lease engine. This train is departing the old MP yard which is closer to the river and the x-SP "New" yard is located parallel to US90 to the south. The BNSF is situated between the two UP yards in the SP "Old" yard. Garden Rd. is milepost 11 on the old SP and UP. It is also a good location to safely photograph trains.
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Can you smell the new paint on this pair of AC4400's at the north end of the UP yard in Avondale, LA? Back in the beginning of the UP in Avondale it was rare to see anything freshly painted much less wide cabs. Now there are so many wide cabs, the older units are getting rare.
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Another scene at UP's Avondale yard. This NS train is probably bound for Houston with a mix of CN wide cab GP40's.
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Here's a pair of AC4400 approaching the "New Road" crossing. This is the fourth crossing west of Avondale, LA on Live Oak Blvd. The track going to the right is the BNSF/UP crossover at milepost 14.5 and the date is March 6, 2000.
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Looking at the seldom seen east side of the Avondale engine house. Avondale plays host to a variety of power as evident in this 12/25/96 photo. The building to the right in the picture, once served as a crew room and storage facility, was recently torndown.
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Two trains waiting at the east end of the former SP "new" yard, for the green signal to cross over the Huey P. Long bridge. The NS train to the left will head down "Mainline Metairie" to the NS Oliver yard in New Orleans. The date is 12/17/99.
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It's Christmas day 1996 at the UP Avondale yard. Being a big GE fan, the Conrail C39-8 was a great treat.
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Run through trains can have just about anything on them for power, but GP38's and 40's along with 4-axle GE's, are routine power used on transfer jobs to the IC, NS and CSX. The steep grade of the Huey P. Long bridge justifies three engines for this 10/23/98 IC transfer job. Sadly, the DRGW engines are just about all gone now.
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An afternoon westbound UP freight approaches the "School House" crossing at Willswood Rd. crossing. The crossing is nicknamed this because of the school in the background. On this September 2, 1995 date this westbound is on the south main. Two other tracks are behind this train, the north main and the rip track. Wills Jct is about 300 yards further down the track, west.
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One of my all time favorite paint schemes is seen here on this CNW wide cab at Avondale, LA on 3/1/99. Better get shots of the CNW engines before they are all gone.
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Here's my first shot of the new century and what a shot. Eight different paint schemes (CSX, IC, NS, CR, HLCX, SP, BNSF, and UP) are seen present for this New Years Day 2000 scene at the UP's Avondale yard in Avondale, LA. In all my years of shooting railroad photos, I have never witnessed such a combination of power in one shot and that includes my time in the Chicago area.
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Some of the assortment of power on New Years Day 2000 at the UP's Avondale yard in Avondale, LA.
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This NS run through is parked on the west end of the UP's Avondale yard on New years Day 2000. The lead C39-8 (GE), lettered PRR, is an X-Con repainted into NS colors - "already". Better shoot what you can of Conrail before all the blue is gone.
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I know I said I was trying to not put roster shots on the site, but I had to on this one. This is one of only two UP engines painted up in the United Way paint scheme. This was a beautiful Sunday morning surprise on Feb 27, 2000. Hope you'all enjoy it.
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