Louisiana Southern Railway Company
As an aftermath principally of the financial depression of the 1930s, Southern Railway System companies went through a long era of abandoning unprofitable lines and segments of lines. The increasing industrialization of the South and the decision of large industry to find new sites in Southern System territory brought a turnabout in the 1950s, however, and prompted Southern and its affiliates to acquire certain shortline railroads, advantageously located, in which they had not theretofore had any financial interest, as potential feeders to their existing main lines.
John B. Hyde, Legal History of the Lines of Railroad of Southern Railway Company, 1958
The Louisiana Southern Railway Company was chartered in 1897 as the successor to several defunct southeast Louisiana shortlines that operated below New Orleans along the Mississippi River, including the Mississippi River Terre aux Boeuf & Lake, the New Orleans & Gulf, and then the New Orleans & Southern in 1892. At its peak, successor Louisiana Southern operated a mainline that extended 45 miles, from Elysian Fields Avenue in New Orleans to Pointe a la Hache in Plaquemines Parish, with a 15 mile branch from Poydras Junction to Shell Beach on Lake Borgne. For twelve years, beginning in 1911, the property was leased to the New Orleans, Texas & Mexico Railroad Company. Independent operation followed, struggling until a war-era boost in traffic made the line profitable and attractive for purchase. Through its regional subsidiary, New Orleans & Northeastern, the Southern Railway acquired the shortline in 1953.
collection
LAS company map / E. Hence / collection
LAS tracks in operation in 2001 / drawn by JCH
Steam Motive Power
Louisiana Southern #5
New Orleans, La / Apr 1923 / collection
Louisiana Southern #5
to Louisiana Southern #5, Feb 1897
Louisiana Southern #6
New Orleans, La / Jul 1913 / collection
Louisiana Southern #6
to Louisiana Southern #6, Feb 1897
Louisiana Southern #8
New Orleans, La / Apr 1923 / collection
Louisiana Southern #8
to Louisiana Southern #8
tender lettered "Gulf Coast Lines"
Louisiana Southern #10
New Orleans, La / Jun 1937 / collection
Louisiana Southern #10
renumbered Texas & Pacific #519, 1882
renumbered Texas & Pacific #43, 1886
to Louisiana Southern #10, 1910
Louisiana Southern #11
New Orleans, La / Aug 1931 / collection
Louisiana Southern #11
to Texas & Pacific #63, 1881
renumbered #530, 1882; later #63, 1886
to Louisiana Southern #11, 1915
Louisiana Southern #12
New Orleans, La / Feb 1935 / collection
Louisiana Southern #12
to New Orleans Texas & Mexico #314
to New Iberia & Northern #45, May 1916
to Louisiana Southern #12, Sep 1923
New Orleans, La / unknown / collection
Louisiana Southern #13
New Orleans, La / Jun 1937 / collection
Louisiana Southern #13
to Birmingham Rail & Locomotive
to Louisiana Southern #13, Jan 1925
Louisiana Southern #14
New Orleans, La / Aug 1931 / collection
Louisiana Southern #14
to Birmingham Rail & Locomotive
to Louisiana Southern #14, Jan 1925
Louisiana Southern #16
New Orleans, La / Feb 1950 / collection
Louisiana Southern #16
to Missouri Kansas & Texas #685
to Louisiana Southern 16
retired, Dec 1948
to Westwego Salvage Co, Aug 1950
Louisiana Southern #17
New Orleans, La / Apr 1950 / collection
Louisiana Southern #17
renumbered Missouri Pacific #2516
to New Orleans & Lower Coast #2516
to Louisiana Southern #17, Mar 1948
retired, Oct 1948
to Southern Scrap, New Orleans, July 1953
Diesel Motive Power
from Railroad Magazine
- Sy Reich - Jul 1973 / collection
Louisiana Southern #501
New Orleans, La / Jan 1950 / collection
Louisiana Southern #501
New Orleans, La / Jan 1950 / collection
New Orleans, La / Mar 1947 / collection
Southern Railway #6841
Atlanta, Ga / Apr 1971 / collection
Louisiana Southern #502
to U.S. Maritime Commission #2
to Alexander Railroad #1
to Louisiana Southern #502
to Southern Railway #6841
to Little Giant Company
from Diesels of the Southern Railway 1939-1982
- Paul K. Withers - 1997 / collection
Louisiana Southern #503
New Orleans, La / Sep 1948 / collection
Louisiana Southern #503
to Pan American Engineering (dealer)
to Louisiana Southern #503
to Wheeling Steel, 1950
McComb, Ms / May 1950 / collection
Louisiana Southern #504
New Orleans, La / unknown / collection
Louisiana Southern #504
to Louisiana Southern #504, 1949
retired by Southern Rwy, 1966
New Orleans, La / Nov 1951 / collection
Louisiana Southern #505
New Orleans, La / Jun 1952 / collection
Louisiana Southern #505
to Louisiana Southern #505, 1949
retired by Southern Rwy, 1966
Locations
Louisiana Southern #501
Violet, La / Jan 1947 / collection
along St. Claude Avenue / New Orleans, La / 2000 / JCH
Chalmette Battlefield / Chalmette, La / 2000 / JCH
Click to see the Chalmette Battlefield plotted on a Google Maps page
Arabi, La / 2000 / JCH
Chalmette yard / Chalmette, La / 2000 / JCH
in St. Bernard Parish / 2000 / JCH
in St. Bernard Parish / 2000 / JCH
in St. Bernard Parish / 2000 / JCH
Stolthaven terminal / English Turn, La / 2000 / JCH
end of the line / 2000 / JCH
Lagniappe
LAS promotional material / collection
LAS promotional material / collection
LAS promotional letter / collection
Links / Sources
- John B. Hyde, Legal History of the Lines of Railroad of Southern Railway Company, 1958
- Steam locomotive roster data courtesy of Allen Stanley at Railroad Data Exchange
- Diesel Locomotive roster data courtesy of Marvin Black
- Jerry Pinkepank, The Second Diesel Spotter's Guide (Kalmbach, 1991)