Tremont & Gulf Railway's 2-8-2 No. 30, leads a freight over the westbound leg of the wye in this undated photo marked "Winnfield, LA". The T&G Rwy interchanged here with the Rock Island Railroad. No. 30 was catch as it was the largest and sole Mikado on the railroad's roster.
The Tremont & Gulf Railway begain life in 1902, when it laid rails from a Tremont Lumber Company railhead 9 miles from the town of Tremont (roughly 26 miles west of Monroe, LA) to Winnfield, Louisiana, some 40 miles to the south. At its peek, the line operated 114 miles with connections to the Missouri Pacific Illinois Central, the O N & W, as well as the Louisiana & Arkansas and Rock Island in Winnfield. Despite these advantages, the railroad lost money throughout its existence and was later sold in 1958 to the Illinois Central which abandoned the line later on March 1, 1986. No. 30 was sold to the Magma Arizona Railroad where it operated as their No. 7, until sold in 1974 to the "new" Texas State Railroad.
The photo above was captured during a Lerro Productions charter at the Texas State Railroad in Palestine TX along the northbound leg of the wye headed towards the shops. The westbound leg visible in the background passes the depot before heading into downtown Palestine where the TSRR has a connection with the Union Pacific.
