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:
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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.
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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.
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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. |
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Natchez, Urania & Ruston 2-8-0 No. 2 was bought secondhand from a
lumber company in Texas about 1923.
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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
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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
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Builder
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C.N.
|
Date
|
Cyls.
|
Dri.
Dia.
|
Engine
Wt.
|
Previous
Ownership
|
Disposition
|
1
|
2-6-0
|
Baldwin
|
|
|
|
|
90000
|
Unknown.
Natchez, Urania & Ruston
#1, on ?
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In service 2/1927.
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1st
2
|
28-2
Shay
|
Lima
|
818
|
9/1903
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3-8x12
|
26½
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56000
|
New.
Lettered “N. U. & R. Ry.”
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Brewer-Nienstedt
Lumber Co. #2, Miltonberg, LA, on 8/1/1921.
Transferred
as #2 to Palmetto, LA, in 1925.
Scrapped ca. 5/1930.
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2nd
2
|
2-8-0
|
Baldwin
|
52131
|
8/1919
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16x22
|
42
|
102363
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Philip
A. Ryan Lumber Co. #2, Lufkin, TX
Natchez,
Urania & Ruston #2, ca. 1923.
Baldwin class 10-26 E 411
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In service 2/1927.
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1st
3
|
50-2
Shay
|
Lima
|
2181
|
6/1909
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3-11x12
|
32
|
100000
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The
Prendergast Co. #11, Probst, TN
Urania Lumber Co. #3, by 1/1921.
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In service 2/1927.
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2nd
3
|
2-8-0
|
Baldwin
|
58496
|
12/1926
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18x24
|
44
|
122000
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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
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4
|
2-6-0
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Baldwin
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|
|
|
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100000
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Unknown.
Natchez, Urania & Ruston #4, on ?
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In service 2/1927.
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5
|
4-4-0
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New York
|
|
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16x24
|
|
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Unknown.
Natchez, Urania & Ruston #5, in
1917. Cost $2,800.
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Dropped by 2/1927.
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ABOUT US
LINKS
For more information contact
Tony Howe at tonyhowe76@yahoo.com
or David S. Price at davidsprice46@gmail.com
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