Lenwill Sawmill Co. (1915-1925)

Monroe & Texas Railroad (1914-1925)

Standard gauge, 35 and 60-lb rail

Headquarters

Mill Location: Lenwill, LA (Ouachita Parish)

Mill Capacity: 150,000 ft/day in 1910

Years of Operation: 1914-1925

Miles OperatedMain line: Alpena, LA via Lenwill, LA to Rollins, LA, 8.262 miles.

Locomotives Owned: 5

Equipment:

 

 

Click Map for Larger Version

History by Gil Hoffman:

The Monroe & Texas Railroad was incorporated in Louisiana on November 24, 1914. Its date of organization was November 27, 1914. It extended in a southwesterly direction from a connection with the Vicksburg, Shreveport & Pacific at Alpena to Rollins, LA, 8.262 miles, by way of Lenwill. The line was purchased in 1914 from the Louis Werner Saw Mill Company, which held all of the $40,000 in outstanding capital stock. 

In 1915 the Lenwill Saw Mill Company (owned by the Louis Werner Co.) built a sawmill at Lenwill, 2.51 miles south of Alpena. This mill furnished most of the traffic for the Monroe & Texas, which was operated for freight service only.  

The country traversed for the first four miles from Alpena was low and swampy, the remainder being rolling. The line had 15 pile and frame trestles. The main line was laid with 35 and 60-lb relay rail and was not ballasted, instead being full earth surfaced. 

In 1924 the sawmill at Lenwill cut out and shut down, thus depriving the M&T of most of its business. On October 31, 1925, the railroad company applied to the ICC for permission to abandon its remaining trackage, from Alpena to Lenwill. Permission was granted on November 5, 1925. The line south of Lenwill was apparently discontinued in 1924 immediately after the sawmill shut down.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

ROSTER by Gil Hoffman:

  

 

Road No.

 

Type

 

Builder

 

C.N.

 

Date

 

Cyls.

 

Dri. Dia.

 

Engine

Wt.

 

Previous Ownership

 

Disposition

 

 

3

 

2-6-0

 

Brooks

 

 

 

 

 

16x22

 

 

 

85000

 

Unknown.

Monroe & Texas #3, on ?

 

In service 6/30/1918.

 

5

 

2-6-0

 

Rhode Island

 

1463

 

5/1884

 

15x20

 

43

 

      

 

66000

 

Texas & St. Louis #84 O. G. Murray

Built 36" gauge.

St. Louis, Arkansas & Texas #84, on 5/1/1886.

Converted to standard gauge in 9/1887.

St. Louis Southwestern #84, on 6/1/1891.

Griffin Mill Co. #2, Griffin, AR, on 5/8/1901.

Monroe & Texas R.R. #5, Lenwill, LA, in 1914.

 

In service 6/30/1918.

 

6

 

2-4-2

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

13x20

 

 

 

60000

 

Unknown.

Monroe & Texas #6, on ?

 

In service 6/30/1918.

 

 

 

 

 

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For more information contact Tony Howe at howe6818@bellsouth.net or David S. Price at dsprice46@bellsouth.net