Urania Lumber Co. (1898-?)

Natchez, Urania & Ruston Railway (1899-?)

Standard gauge, 35 to 52-lb rail Headquarters: Urania Mill Location: Urania, LA (LaSalle Parish) Mill Capacity: 80,000 ft/day in 1910 Years of Operation: 1898-19 Miles Operated: 14 miles in 1919 Locomotives Owned:	Equipment: 1906: 16 miles. 1907: 20 miles, 5 locomotives, 57 cars. 1910: 20 miles, 5 locomotives, 57 cars. 6/30/1919 (NU&R): Locomotives: 1. Cars: none.	Click Map for Larger Version
History by Gil Hoffman:  The Natchez, Urania & Ruston Railway was incorporated in Louisiana on March 2, 1899, with authorized capital stock of $100,000. Of this amount $50,000 was issued to the stockholders of the Urania Lumber Company in payment for the road. The officers of the two companies were identical. The NU&R was originally projected to run from Natchez, MS via Urania, LA to Ruston, LA, 122 miles. On June 11, 1900, the road had been completed from Urania, LA to Thalia, LA, 11 miles. An extension to Lone Hill, LA, 14 miles from Urania, was completed in 1903. The NU&R was primarily a logging road serving the interests of the Urania Lumber Company, which had a large sawmill at Urania. The road connected with the Missouri Pacific at Urania. Henry E. Hardtner was president pf the railroad company.  The Urania Lumber Company was organized in 1898 with $20,000 in capital stock by Henry E. Hardtner and others.  The country traversed by the NU&R was rolling. The main line was laid chiefly with 52-lb. relay and 35-lb. new rail. The track was full earth surfaced.  REFERENCE  1.            ”Natchez, Urania & Ruston Railway,” Valuation Docket No. 855, Interstate Commerce Commission Reports, Vol. 121, p. 166-72.
28-ton Shay No. 2 is lettered NU&R Ry on the tank.	Attractive Baldwin 2-8-0 No. 3 (2nd) came to the Natchez, Urania & Ruston in 1934.
Natchez, Urania & Ruston 2-8-0 No. 2 was bought secondhand from a lumber company in Texas about 1923.	NU&R 2-6-0 No. 1 appears to have been out of service some time by the time Bill Witbeck got this shot of it.	Another nice shot of NU&R No. 2 at Urania. Note the lettering is different than the other photo.
September 1910 Official Guide of the Railways	March 1937 Official Guide of the Railways- Tony Howe Collection	January 1912 Official Guide of the Railways
LOCOMOTIVE ROSTER by Gil Hoffman:     Road No.   Type   Builder   C.N.   Date   Cyls.   Dri. Dia.   Engine Wt.   Previous Ownership   Disposition   1   2-6-0   Baldwin                   90000   Unknown. Natchez, Urania & Ruston  #1, on ?   In service 2/1927.   1st 2   28-2 Shay   Lima   818   9/1903   3-8x12   26½   56000   New. Lettered “N. U. & R. Ry.”   Brewer-Nienstedt Lumber Co. #2, Miltonberg, LA, on 8/1/1921. Transferred as #2 to Palmetto, LA, in 1925. Scrapped ca. 5/1930.   2nd 2   2-8-0   Baldwin   52131   8/1919   16x22   42   102363   Philip A. Ryan Lumber Co. #2, Lufkin, TX Natchez, Urania & Ruston #2, ca. 1923. Baldwin class 10-26 E 411   In service 2/1927.   1st 3   50-2 Shay   Lima   2181   6/1909   3-11x12   32   100000   The Prendergast Co. #11, Probst, TN Urania Lumber Co. #3, by 1/1921.   In service 2/1927.   2nd 3   2-8-0   Baldwin   58496   12/1926   18x24   44   122000   Built for Cuban stock. Sold to: Central Santa Marta #3, Cuba Returned to Baldwin and stored. Birmingham Rail & Locomotive Co. Natchez, Urania & Ruston #3, on 4/22/1934. Baldwin class 10-30 E 225       4   2-6-0   Baldwin                   100000   Unknown. Natchez, Urania & Ruston #4, on ?   In service 2/1927.   5   4-4-0   New York           16x24           Unknown. Natchez, Urania & Ruston #5, in 1917. Cost $2,800.   Dropped by 2/1927.

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