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Live Oak, Perry & Gulf Railroad
The Florida pike that would eventually become the Live Oak, Perry & Gulf Railroad traced its roots to a 1880s lumber operation in the northern central region of the Sunshine state. Incorporated in 1903 and reorganized a few years later as the LOP&G, the road connected Live Oak, Florida, to Perry, with several small branchlines connecting other communities. In 1918, the line was sold the Atlantic Coast Line, which operated it as an affiliated shortline until 1928 when the LOP&G was sold to Brooks-Scanlon Corporation. Its sawmill operations in the region in decline by 1950, Brooks-Scanlon sold the line to the Southern Railway, later Norfolk Southern. The line was sold in 1994 to the Gulf & Ohio shortline system, and more recently again to the Georgia & Florida Railnet.
Motive Power
Live Oak, Perry & Gulf #100
Baldwin 4-6-0 (1913) / Perry , Fl / Mar 1953 / collection
Live Oak, Perry & Gulf #100
- builder:Baldwin Locomotive Works
- arrangement:4-6-0 Ten Wheeler
- built:Sep 1913, Baldwin #40630
- fuel:coal/water
- notes:
- blt new for Live Oak, Perry & Gulf
scrapped 1955
Live Oak, Perry & Gulf #101
Baldwin 4-6-0 (1913) / Perry, Fl / 1933 / collection
Live Oak, Perry & Gulf #101
- builder:Baldwin Locomotive Works
- arrangement:4-6-0 Ten Wheeler
- built:Mar 1913, Baldwin #39431
- fuel:coal/water
- notes:
- blt Ocilla Southern #50
to Live Oak, Perry & Gulf #101, 1921
scrapped 1955
Live Oak, Perry & Gulf #102
Baldwin 4-6-0 (1910) / Live Oak, Fl / 1938 / collection
Live Oak, Perry & Gulf #102
- builder:Baldwin Locomotive Works
- arrangement:4-6-0 Ten Wheeler
- built:Nov 1910, Baldwin #35469
- fuel:coal/water
- notes:
- blt Valdosta Moultrie & Western #102
to Live Oak, Perry & Gulf
scrapped 1955
Live Oak, Perry & Gulf #300
GE 70 ton (1946) / Foley, Fl / 1964 / collection
Live Oak, Perry & Gulf #300
- builder:General Electric
- model:70 tonner
- type:B-B light switcher
- built:Nov 1946, GE #28563
- series:193 produced 1946-58
- engine:CB FLW-6T (6 cyls. 660 hp)
- notes:
- blt new for Live Oak, Perry & Gulf
retired 1970, traded to EMD
Lagniappe
I've been interested in the Live Oak, Perry & Gulf for a long time, and for several reasons. First, I've always liked GE 70 tonners. They seem like they are "all business." Second, through connections with the South Louisiana NRHS chapter, we became acquainted with Russell Tedder -- longtime president of the Ashley, Drew & Northern in Arkansas, as well as other Georgia Pacific shortlines. The LOP&G was Tedder's first railroad job, and the little line holds a fond place in his memory. Finally, one of our former pastors served the Presbyterian church in Perry, Florida when he just out of seminary.
Links / Sources
- Taplines - A Short History of the Live Oak Perry & Gulf