Research: Tram & Railroad Database

Code:	122
Corporate Name:	Thompson and Tucker Lumber Company
Folk Name:
Incorporated:
Ownership:	Thompson and Tucker Lumber Company. Sabine Lumber Company. Texas Long Leaf Lumber Company. Southland Paper Mills, Inc.
Years of Operation:	1909 to 1954
Track Type:	Standard Gauge Wooden Rails
Track Length:	Unknown
Locations Served:	New Willard (Polk)
Counties of Operation:	Polk
Line Connections:	Houston East & West Texas (Southern Pacific) at New Willard.
Track Information:	Tram Road Logging / Industrial Common Carrier Logging Camp
Equipment:	1909, two standard-gauge Porter locomotives, thirty logging cars, and six miles of fifty-two-pound rails, one steam skidder, one Decker loader, and one American loader. 1910, rolling stock included three locomotives and assorted steam skidders and steam loaders.
History:	With large stumpage reserves in Polk County, the Thompson and Tucker Lumber Company established a milling site at New Willard in 1909. Within two years the manufacturing capacity of the sawmill was 150,000-ft daily. Through several corporate restructurings, the plant remained a Thompson family interest with significant corporate and capital support from the Foster Lumber Company of St. Louis. The site was closed in 1954 by the Southland Mills, Inc. The tram operated at lengths of ten miles or more. In 1909, according to the Annual Report, the company tram operations included two standard-gauge Porter locomotives, thirty logging cars, and six miles of fifty-two-pound rails, one steam skidder, one Decker loader, and one American loader. In 1910, rolling stock included three locomotives and assorted steam skidders and steam loaders.