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On
your way to the Old Cemetery you may pass what appears to be a well kept depot
with or without a switching locomotive alongside (The 800 block of St. Peter St.).
This is an increasingly rare "Short Line" railroad, running only 12
miles from Gonzales to Harwood.
As it was explained to us, the train carries grain to Purina and exports from
Southern Clay. It's a handy thing to have for a small town. Especially if you're
bringing in (or taking out) anything extremely heavy. The train operates Monday,
Wednesday and Friday. I spoke with General Manager Stanley Bias (an appropriate
name, since the railroad runs diagonally across the county) and found that it's
actually 12.3 miles to Harwood and he should know.
The entire railroad
consists of the one locomotive and one of those trucks that rides down the rails.
Mr. Bias (it's also a great name for getting out of jury duty) is one of those
rare people who can sport a bumper sticker saying: "My other car is a locomotive."Mr.
Bias gets to witness many glimpses of wildlife, since deer don't keep to the same
timetable. Bobcats are occasionally seen as well.
Summer, 1999 | | |
