Natalbany Lumber Co.

New Orleans, Natalbany & Natchez Railroad (1902-1938)

36" gauge, converted to standard gauge by 1904, 45 and 60-lb rail

Headquarters

Mill Location: Natalbany, LA (Tangipahoa Parish)

Mill Capacity

Years of Operation: 1902-1938

Miles OperatedNON&N Main Line: Natalbany, LA to Grangeville, LA, 28.226 miles.

Locomotives Owned

Equipment:

1907: 20 miles, 5 locomotives, 57 cars.

1910: 20 miles, 5 locomotives, 57 cars.

In 1926 the NON&N consisted of 29 miles of railroad, 155 freight cars, 5 passenger cars, 16 misc. cars. (Lima Card) In addition, the lumber company reported 50 miles of railroad.

Click Map for Larger Version

History by Tony Howe:

On May 29, 1894, the Natalbany Lumber Co. purchased a sawmill at Natalbany, 3 miles north of Hammond, from Caryl Young and Henry Dakin known as the "Live Oak Mill" that included a narrow gauge logging railroad for $45,000. The new owners greatly expanded the operation in the next decade. They converted the railroad to standard gauge by 1902. The railroad was incorporated as the New Orleans, Natalbany & Natchez Railroad on June 5, 1902. The railroad was completed to Grangeville by 1916, a distance of 28.27 miles. Natalbany Lumber also had trackage rights over the Baton Rouge, Hammond & Eastern between Hammond and Baton Rouge and had logging spurs in the vicinity of Livingston. In 1929, the railroad was extended from Grangeville west to a connection with the Y&MV just north of Slaughter. Natalbany Lumber Co. obtained trackage rights over the Y&MV to run log trains at least as far as Gloster, MS. Natalbany Lumber was owned by the Denkmann Lumber syndicate of Rock Island, Ill. The mill at Natalbany burned in 1938, and the railroad was abandoned shortly thereafter. The portion of the railroad from Slaughter to near Grangeville was sold to the Feliciana Eastern and used to haul gravel for several more years. 

Natalbany Lumber No. 12 was a former NO&NE 2-6-0 bought by the lumber company in 1915.

An early view of NON&N No. 9, an ancient 4-4-0.

The Natalbany Lumber Co. mill at Natalbany at its peak.

This photo and the one on the left were part of a panoramic photo looking east from the mill area towards the IC depot.

An early view thought to be on the Natalbany Lumber Co. railroad when it was still narrow gauge. Pictured is a Clyde Decker loader.

Another early Natalbany log loading scene.

Natalbany Lumber Co. 36" gauge 2-6-0 about 1900.

Another view of the same scene on the left. Both photos came from two different sources!

NON&N 11 was an old Lake Shore & Michigan Southern 2-6-0.

Shay No. 2 was lettered for the NON&N. The wreck happened near Pine Grove in 1914.

Another nice view of NON&N No. 11 at Natalbany on February 6, 1935.

NON&N 12 at Natalbany on February 6, 1935.

NON&N 101 was built new by Alco in 1930.

A fabulous photo of trim 2-8-2 No. 101 lettered for Natalbany Lumber Co.

January 1915 Official Railway Equipment Register- Art Richardson Collection

 

September 1910 Official Guide of the Railways

March 1937 Official Guide of the Railways- Tony Howe Collection

ROSTER by Judge Leon Ford III and Gil Hoffman:

 

 

Road No.

 

Type

 

Builder

 

C.N.

 

Date

 

Cyls.

 

Dri. Dia.

 

Engine

Wt.

 

Previous Ownership

 

Disposition

 

1

 

50-2

Shay

 

Lima

 

2037

 

1/1908

 

3-11x12

 

32

 

100000

 

New for New Orleans, Natalbany & Natchez.

 

Natalbany Lumber Co. #1

Apollonia Lumber Co. #1, Pelahatchie, MS, by 8/1924.

Pearl River Valley Lumber Co. #1, Canton, MS, on 2/7/1929.

 

2

 

50-2

Shay

 

Lima

 

2038

 

1/1908

 

3-11x12

 

32

 

100000

 

New for New Orleans, Natalbany & Natchez.

 

Natalbany Lumber Co. #2

 

1st 3

 

2-8-0

 

Baldwin

 

6146

 

4/1882

 

15x20

 

36

 

60000

 

Denver & Rio Grande Ry. #295

Built 36" gauge.

Denver & Rio Grande Western Ry. #295,

on 7/12/1886.

Rio Grande Western Ry. #110, in 6/1889.

Rebuilt to standard gauge in 3/1890.

Re. #10 in 1892.

Fitz-Hugh Luther Co., Chicago, IL (dealer),

on 9/27/1903.

George Cousin, Des Allemands, LA

Natalbany Lumber Co. 1st #3, by 10/1906.

Baldwin class 10-24½ E 65

 

 

 

2nd 3

 

50-2

Shay

 

Lima

 

2159

 

5/1909

 

3-11x12

 

32

 

100000

 

Argentine Central Ry. #7, Silver Plume, CO

Built 36" gauge.

Argentine & Grays Peak Ry. #7, Silver Plume, CO, in 1913.

Amos Kent Lumber & Brick Co. #7, Kentwood, LA, by 8/1918. Too heavy.

Natalbany Lumber Co. 2nd #3, in 5/1921.

 

Rebuilt to standard gauge in 6/1921.

 

1st 4

 

28-2

Shay

 

Lima

 

446

 

9/1893

 

3-10x10

 

28

 

56000

 

Log Mountain Coal, Coke & Timber Co. #446, Pineville, KY

Louisville & Nashville R.R. 1st #1200,

in 9/1901.

Natalbany Lumber Co. #4, in 1904.

 

Wrecked and scrapped, 1911.

 

2nd 4

 

70-3

Shay

 

Lima

 

2308

 

5/1910

 

3-12x15

 

36

 

140000

 

Natchez, Columbia & Mobile #4, Norfield, MS

Butterfield Lumber Co. #4, Norfield, MS

Denkmann Lumber Co. #4, Norfield, MS,

on 1/22/1918.

Natalbany Lumber Co. #4, ca. 1933.

 

Pearl River Valley Lumber Co. #17, Canton, MS

Scrapped 5/1938.

 

1st 5

 

60-3

Shay

 

Lima

 

577

 

9/1899

 

3-13x13

 

32

 

135000

 

Kaul & Hall Lumber Co. #72, St. Marys, PA

Re. #172 about 1911.

Kaul Lumber Co. #10, Tuscaloosa, AL,

in 1912.

W. A. Zelnicker Supply Co., St. Louis, MO

Tallahala Lumber Co. #172, Ora, MS

Re. #5.

Natalbany Lumber Co. #5, ca. 1921.

 

 

 

2nd 5

 

4-6-0

 

Vulcan

 

2045

 

11/1913

 

18x24

 

50

 

109500

 

James H. Corbett & Son Co. #5, West Mosgrove, PA

New Orleans, Natalbany & Natchez #5,

by 6/1926.

 

 

King-Edwards-Fuller Co. #5, North St. Francisville, LA

King Lumber Industries #5, Canton, MS

Canton & Carthage R.R. #5, Canton, MS

Scrapped 1956.

 

6

 

4-6-0

 

Vulcan

 

2136

 

4/1913

 

18x24

 

51

 

108000

 

James H. Corbett & Son Co. #6, Kittaning, PA

New Orleans, Natalbany & Natchez Ry. #6

 

 

 

7

 

4-4-0

 

Baldwin

 

4873

 

12/1879

 

17x24

 

61

 

71000

 

Cincinnati Southern Ry. #34

New Orleans & Northeastern #201, in 12/1884.

Re. 2nd #210.

Watkins Machine & Foundry Co., Hattiesburg, MS (dealer).

New Orleans, Natalbany & Natchez #7,

by 12/1912.

Baldwin class 8-28 C 215

 

In service 6/30/1916.

 

1st 8

 

4-6-0

 

Baldwin

 

3386

 

8/1873

 

18x22

 

56

 

 

 

Central Railroad of New Jersey #289

Re. #825 in June 1903.

J. E. Bowen, Norfolk, VA (dealer).

W. B. Seymour, Hattiesburg, MS (dealer),

in 8/1906.

Pine Lumber Co., Mish, MS

New Orleans, Natalbany & Natchez #8,

by 5/1912.

Baldwin class 10-30 D 25

 

Dropped by 6/30/1916.

 

2nd 8

 

4-6-0

 

Lima

 

 

 

 

 

16x24

 

 

 

100000

 

Unknown.

New Orleans, Natalbany & Natchez #8, on ?

 

In service 6/30/1916.

 

1st 9

 

4-4-0

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Unknown.

New Orleans, Natalbany & Natchez #9, on ?

Lettered “U. S.”

 

Dropped by 6/30/1916.

 

2nd 9

 

2-6-0

 

Baldwin

 

10892

 

5/1890

 

16x24

 

50

 

76000

 

Manistique Ry. #3, Grand Marais, MI

New Orleans, Natalbany & Natchez #9, on ?

Baldwin class 8-26 D 96

 

In service 6/30/1916.

Helena Land & Lumber Co., Helena, AR,

by 5/1923.

 

10

 

0-4-0

 

CRI&P

 

 

 

1884

 

15x24

 

52

 

61000

 

Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific #30-32

New Orleans, Natalbany & Natchez #10, on ?

 

In service 6/30/1916.

 

11

 

2-6-0

 

LS&MS

 

 

 

1905

 

19x24

 

57

 

 

 

Lake Shore & Michigan Southern E-46 or

E-47 class.

New Orleans, Natalbany & Natchez #11, on ?

 

In service 6/30/1916.

Flint Sand & Gravel Co. #11, Amite, LA,

in 1938.

 

12

 

2-6-0

 

Baldwin

 

7442

 

9/1884

 

19x24

 

52½

 

94700

 

New Orleans & Northeastern R.R. #227

Re. #245.

Natalbany Lumber Co. #12, in 1915.

Baldwin class 8-32 D 87

 

 

 

13

 

2-8-2

 

Baldwin

 

40734

 

10/1913

 

20x24

 

50

 

164700

 

Fernwood Lumber Co. #13, Fernwood, MS

Apollonia Lumber Co. #13, Pelahatchie, MS

Natalbany Lumber Co. #13, on ?

Baldwin class 12-34¼ E 27

 

Jahncke Service Co. #13, Bluff Creek, LA

Scrapped

 

101

 

2-8-2

 

A/Schen.

 

68279

 

1/1930

 

20x28

 

56

 

178000

 

New for New Orleans, Natalbany & Natchez

 

 

Denkmann Lumber Co. #101, Canton, MS

Canton & Carthage #101, Canton, MS

Scrapped 2/1955 at Canton, MS.

 

201

 

2-8-2

 

A/Schen.

 

65349

 

9/1924

 

20x28

 

56

 

178000

 

Natchez, Columbia & Mobile #201, Norfield, MS

New Orleans, Natalbany & Natchez #201,

ca. 1933.

 

Denkmann Lumber Co. #201, Canton, MS, ca. 1938.

Canton & Carthage #201, Canton, MS

Scrapped 2/1955 at Canton, MS.

 

204

 

2-8-2

 

A/Schen.

 

67665

 

11/1928

 

23x28

 

56

 

254000

 

Denkmann Lumber Co. #204, Norfield, MS

Equipped with tender booster.

New Orleans, Natalbany & Natchez #204,

ca. 1933.

 

Louisiana & Arkansas #544, in 1934.

Scrapped 2/1953.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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