New Orleans, Opelousas and Great Western Railroad
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| New Orleans, Opelousas and Great Western Railroad | |
|---|---|
| Reporting marks | NOO&GW |
| Locale | Louisiana |
| Dates of operation | 1852–1878 |
| Track gauge | 4 ft 8½ in (1435 mm) (standard gauge)5 ft 6 in (1676 mm) (broad gauge) |
| Headquarters | New Orleans, Louisiana |
The New Orleans, Opelousas and Great Western Railroad was established in 1852 by the Louisiana legislature. Construction began at Algiers, across the Mississippi River from New Orleans, in late 1852. By 1857, the track had reached Brashear City (now Morgan City) on Berwick Bay, and this remained the end of the line for over 20 years. The NOO&GW was built to the "Texas Gauge" of 5½ feet, the only such railroad in the New Orleans area to use that gauge.
In 1869, steamship operator Charles Morgan bought the NOO&GW and renamed it Morgan's Louisiana & Texas Railroad & Steamship Co. In 1878, the Texas and New Orleans Railroad, Charles Morgan's Louisiana and Texas Railroad and Steamship Company, and the Louisiana Western Railroad Company reached an agreement and the line was finished from Orange to New Orleans and the companies were merged into the T&NO.
[edit] 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.
