| Passenger service ended at Baldwin in 1963, when the last remnant of the ARGONAUT was discontinued; but the depot remained in use as a train order office until the introduction of Direct Traffic Control in 1985. It was also the base for local crews working the Cypremort and Bayou Sale branches, and the branch line locals tied up here. When this photo was taken, the branches were usually worked by upgraded 1200-horsepower EMD switchers, such as SW1200E 2315 seen here. Unfortunately, the area where the locomotives were parked and serviced now looked looked like a toxic waste dump; so around 1980 the tracks behind the depot were removed and the ground cleaned up. After that, the railroad began using geeps on the branches; and parking them on a track across from the depot. The Louisiana & Delta bought the branches and the depot on 16 March 1987. |