Touring the Bluff City Southern Part 2

the Illinois Central's City of New Orleans comes from Chicago powered by E-8 number 4011. The chocolate and orange cars pass downtown, Dixie manufacturing, and the Burhaus tannery on southern trackage. The City glides by the freight house and then the southern engine facility. Later, number 4011 crosses this trestle over the Hatchie River Bottoms. Toone is a small town with a cotton gin and some downtown stores. Along the banks of the Loosahatchie River, the Southern line parallels the interchange with the Louisville and Nashville in back. After crossing the river, Old Hickory Sand at Somerville comes into view. The Somerville depot serves the Southern, the IC, and the L&N. A small residential area sits next to the Continental grain elevator. Memphis is the largest city in the state and the home of the Bluff City Southern. Above is Union Station, which is home to five railroads. Behind the freight house, downtown Memphis and tower 17 come into view. The City backs behind the commissary and the coach yard, and into the passenger turn. Before departing, the City of New Orleans will wait for connecting passengers from the Missouri Pacific Delta Eagle. Using Frisco track from Forrest City, Arkansas, the Missouri Pacific Delta Eagle enters West Memphis at the Royal feed mill. The Eagle is the smallest name train on the line. The West Memphis depot serves both the Frisco and the Missouri Pacific. Leaving town, the Eagle passes the Ford Parks plant and the Frisco engine facility. In this part of Arkansas, cotton fields abound. The town is called Briark, and is home to United Paint Company. The Frisco Bridge leads the Delta Eagle through Bridge Junction into Memphis. The Eagle ducks behind the commissary on its way to Union Station. AA6 number 7100 leads it's two cars into track six and passes the waiting City of New Orleans. After connecting passengers have boarded, the City of New Orleans leaves Union Station. At Bridge Junction, number 4011 passes the Bluff City Southern train orders station. This is Bluff City Yard, the main classification yard on the BCS. The Bluff City Southern engine facility serves all five railroads at inner Memphis. Tunica, Mississippi is home to the Houston Gin. The track at downtown Tunica parallels the famous Highway 61, also known as the blues highway. The City of New Orleans passes Briarwood Plantation At Alligator, the track passes the King feed mill and, finally, Lake Alligator. The IC line passes the Fame Cannery and the Delta Gin at Friars Point. As the City leaves Friars Point and heads to New Orleans, it passes Harris Stave on the banks of the Mississippi River.