Huie-Hodge Lumber Co., Ltd. (1901-)

North Louisiana & Gulf Railroad (1906-present)

Standard Gauge Headquarters: Hodge, LA Years of Operation: 1906-present Predecessor Roads:  Successor Roads:  Miles Operated: Main line: Hodge, LA to Bienville, LA, 24.732 miles. Locomotives Owned:	Equipment 12/31/1918: Locomotives: 2. Cars: 1 passenger, 1 gasolene motor, 2 service.	Click Map for Larger Version
HISTORY by Gil Hoffman: The Huie-Hodge Lumber Company, Ltd., was organized in Louisiana on February 25, 1901, and immediately erected a sawmill at Hodge, LA which cut shortleaf pine exclusively. A second mill to cut hardwoods was built at Danville, LA and a third mill at Bienville, LA was purchased in 1909 from the Richardson-Taylor interests. On Dec. 1, 1921 the name was changed to the Hodge-Hunt Lumber Company.  The North Louisiana & Gulf Railroad was incorporated in Louisana on January 22, 1906 with the same stockholders as the Huie-Hodge Lumber Co. under a 10-year charter. The date of its organization was January 22, 1906. The amount of capital stock authorized was $1,500,000, of which $200,000 was issued in considertion of road and equipment acquire from the lumber company.  The railroad originally had two disconnected sections. One track connected with the Rock Island at Hodge, extended westward to Danville, 10.00 miles. This track was built in 1902 for use as a private logging road by the Huie-Hodge Lumber Co. and was taken over by the North Louisiana & Gulf in Jan. 1906. As of 1910, beyond Danville there were several miles of unincorporated logging road. This track was deeded back to the lumber company by the North Louisiana & Gulf in exchange for a 4-mile segment running from Bienville, on the L&NW, eastward to a point in the woods known as Walsh. This line was laid by the D.C. Richardson-Taylor mill in 1907 and was acquired by the Huie-Hodge Lumber Co. in 1909. The connecting line from Danville to Bienville, 16.00 miles, was built by the North Louisiana & Gulf between 1909 and 1911. This 16-mile line cost about $107,000 to build.  The rails and fastenings in 12.238 miles of the line were owned by the Rock Island and leased to the H-H Lumber Co., which granted their use to the North Louisiana & Gulf. This rail was 56-lb. relay rail. On the 24.732 miles of road between Hodge and Bienville were 49 pile-and-frame trestles.  The charter of the North Louisiana & Gulf expired in 1916 and was not renewed, but the company continued to operate as though the charter was in existence. In Sept. 1927 the railroad was re-incorporated under the same name with essentially the same stockholders.  See American Lumberman, May 8, 1909, pp. 67-82 for illustrated article.
A 1909 photo of the huge Huie-Hodge Lumber Co. mill at Hodge. Note the classic Rock Island caboose in the foreground.		North Louisiana & Gulf borrowed a couple of KCS f-units for a while in the mid-1970's. Here we see two of them on a NL&G freight in September 1975.
NL&G caboose in September 1975.	Another view of this interesting caboose in 1975.	Classic shortline trackage in September 1975.
NL&G caboose in September 1976.	Borrowed power arrives at Gibsland in September 1976.
NL&G train with a cut of empty woodracks at the paper mill in Hodge in September 1975.	This map of the North Louisiana & Gulf and the Huie-Hodge timberlands appeared in the 1909 American Lumberman article on the operation.
NL&G caboose in January 1977.	A set of new NL&G EMD switchers in January 1977.	Another nice view of a NL&G train in January 1977.
NL&G 6 was a former W. C. Wood Lumber Co. Lima 2-6-2 from Mississippi. It is pictured here at Hodge on August 9, 1941.
STEAM ROSTER by Gil Hoffman:     Road No.   Type   Builder   C.N.   Date   Cyls.   Dri. Dia.   Engine Wt.   Previous Ownership   Disposition   1   2-6-0   Danforth   830   8/1873   17x24           Tennessee Coal & Railroad Co. #4 A. M. Shook Tennessee Coal, Iron & Railroad Co. #4, on 9/13/1881. Birmingham Rail & Locomotive Co. Huie-Hodge Lumber Co. #1, in 1902. North Louisiana & Gulf #1, in 1/1906.   Dropped by 6/30/1918.   3   2-6-0   Davenport   401   4/1906   14x20   42   66000   Hodge-Hunt Lumber Co. #3. Ordered 4/15/1904. First 2-6-0 built by Davenport. North Louisiana & Gulf #3, in 1/1906.   Dropped by 6/30/1918.   7   4-6-0   Baldwin   10428   11/1889   18x24   56   112000   Western New York & Pennsylvania #121. Re #127 in 1891. Pennsylvania RR #6263 in 1903. Southern Iron & Equipment Co. #714, in 4/1909. Ruston & New Orleans #3, on 12/13/09. North Louisiana & Gulf #7, in 1912. Baldwin class 10-30 D 235.   2nd North Louisiana & Gulf #7, in 9/1927.   8   2-6-0               17x24           Engine rebuilt in 1910. North Louisiana & Gulf #8, in 1913.   Dropped by 1927.   25   4-6-0   Baldwin   39266   2/1913   18x26   58   130000   Louisiana & Northwest #25, Homer, LA North Louisiana & Gulf #25, in 2/1926. Baldwin class 10-30 D 632   Scrapped 1950.

                                     HOME                                              ABOUT  US                                              LINKS           

For more information contact Tony Howe at tonyhowe76@yahoo.com or David S. Price at davidsprice46@gmail.com