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