New Orleans, Opelousas and Great Western Railroad

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File:Cyprus swamp on the Opelousas Railroad, Louisiana - from a sketch by A.R. Waud. LCCN93512098.jpg
Cypress swamp on the Opelousas Railroad, Louisiana - from a sketch by A.R. Waud, 1866

The New Orleans, Opelousas and Great Western Railroad (NOO&GW) was chartered in 1852. Construction began at Algiers, across the Mississippi River from New Orleans, in late 1852. By 1857, the track had reached Brashear (now Morgan City) on Berwick Bay, and this remained the end of the line for over 20 years.[1] The Script error: No such module "convert". NOO&GW was built to the "Texas gauge" of Script error: No such module "Track gauge".Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".,[2] the only such railroad in the New Orleans area to use that gauge; the line was converted to Script error: No such module "Track gauge".Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". in 1872.

In 1869, steamship operator Charles Morgan bought the NOO&GW[3] and began operating it as owner. In 1878 he organized his railroad property as Morgan's Louisiana and Texas Railroad and Steamship Company,[4][5] and it eventually became part of the Southern Pacific Company's main line. The line is currently owned and operated by BNSF.

Leadership

From the establishment of the company in 1852 until 1862, Benjamin Flanders (later Reconstruction Governor of Louisiana and Mayor of New Orleans) was the Secretary and Treasurer of the line. In 1869, the company was bought by Charles Morgan.

History

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Planning for the railroad began in 1851. The company was organized as the New Orleans, Opelousas and Great Western Railroad company to run Script error: No such module "convert". from Algiers to Washington and Opelousas. The start date was likely October 1852 with an optimistic completion date set for January 1855. Bad weather, heavy rains, periodic flooding, and a yellow fever epidemic delayed the rail reaching Boutte in late 1853 and another six months to reach Des Allemands. A bridge Script error: No such module "convert". was required to cross Bayou Des Allemands. When the rail did not reach Lafourche Crossing until November 1854 it was already clear the completion date was overly optimistic. A 10 mile stretch of land referred to as "trembling prairie" meant piling and trestles had to be used on the rail bed almost the entire distance. At Bayou Lafourche a unique Script error: No such module "convert". draw bridge had to be constructed.

References

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  1. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  2. ↑ Confederate Railroads - New Orleans, Opelousas & Great Western
  3. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  4. ↑ Bartelt, p. 118, 143, and 148.Script error: No such module "Unsubst".
  5. ↑ Warren, p. xix, 30, 46, and 48.Script error: No such module "Unsubst".

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External links

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