Here's a photo I took on April 16, 1978, FORTY-SEVEN YEARS AGO, of a westbound Missouri Pacific freight in Jefferson, LA climbing the east side of the Huey Long Bridge that crosses the Mississippi River just upstream from New Orleans, LA.

A lot has changed over the years. Missouri Pacific no longer exists and in 1978 Union Pacific didn't come anywhere close to Louisiana. As this GOOGLE Streetview photo shows, the street system has been completely re-arranged and re-built under the bridge and the bridge itself has had some structural changes. Making all of those structural changes to the bridge under traffic must have been a challenge.

I'm pretty sure this was a westbound train and I'm pretty sure I've pinpointed where I took the photo in 1978 and matched it to the Streetview image but it has been difficult since there have been so many changes. I've ruled out that this was NOT an eastbound train and was NOT photographed on the opposite side of the river in Bridge City.

Note that the MoPac units do not have dynamic brakes. This line segment must have been, and still is, a challenge for engineers depending on the tonnage and train make-up with the grades on both sides of the bridge.

This bridge is used by Amtrak's Sunset Limited and it's an impressive way to begin or end a journey on that train.

[en.wikipedia.org])

[maps.app.goo.gl]