Passing the Sugar Mill

Imperial Sugar was founded in 1843 among the sugar plantations of southeast Texas. The company town for the many plantation workers became known as Sugar Land, eventually incorporating as a city in 1959 around its station stop on Southern Pacific's Sunset Route.

 

In the 21st Century, Imperial Sugar no longer refines glucose in Sugar Land, but its headquarters remains in the city. Several buildings from the company's former Sugar Land refinery (closed in 2003) still stand alongside the railroad that used to serve the confectionary-supplier, including the sugar mill's silos and char house.

 

Here, with sweet blues and indigos in the sky, CP 2816 and the Final Spike Tour roll past the sugar mill skyline as they close in on the final miles to home rails at Rosenberg (and rest at Kendleton Yard shortly thereafter).

 

It should be noted too that there were several hundred, if not a thousand, people along the north side of the tracks by the sugar mill. The steam crew put on quite the whistle show as they rolled by.

 

B40B (Final Spike Steam Tour; Calgary, AB to Mexico City, CDMX)

CP H1b 4-6-4 #2816

CP SD70ACU #7013

CP FP9A #1401

CP FP9A #4107

 

Sugar Land, TX

May 25th, 2024

Done