▁between ▁ 1 9 0 2 ▁and ▁ 1 9 8 2 . ▁At ▁a ▁length ▁of ▁, ▁it ▁was ▁for ▁dec ades ▁the ▁short est ▁operating ▁common ▁car rier ▁rail road ▁in ▁the ▁state . ▁ ▁On ▁March ▁ 1 2 , ▁ 1 8 9 5 , ▁the ▁Ep worth ▁League ▁Railway ▁in ▁Mason ▁County ▁was ▁organized . ▁ ▁The ▁original ▁line ▁completed ▁in ▁ 1 8 9 6 ▁was ▁ ▁long , ▁running ▁from ▁Lud ington ▁to ▁Ep worth ▁He ights . ▁On ▁July ▁ 1 8 , ▁ 1 9 0 1 , ▁the ▁name ▁was ▁changed ▁to ▁Lud ington ▁and ▁Northern ▁Railway ▁when ▁Just us ▁Smith ▁Ste ar ns ▁purchased ▁it . ▁ ▁The ▁S argent ▁Sand ▁company ▁began ▁min ing ▁operations ▁just ▁north ▁of ▁Lud ington ▁and ▁south ▁of ▁the ▁Lud ington ▁State ▁Park ▁in ▁ 1 9 3 6 , ▁s elling ▁sand ▁to ▁found ries ▁and ▁other ▁business es . ▁ ▁When ▁S argent ▁Sand ▁purchased ▁the ▁Lud ington ▁& ▁Northern ▁Railway ▁Company , ▁the ▁rails ▁ran ▁from ▁Lud ington ▁to ▁Ep worth ▁He ights , ▁and ▁continued ▁to ▁the ▁southern most ▁boundary ▁of ▁the ▁Lud ington ▁State ▁Park . ▁ ▁The ▁S argent ▁Sand ▁company ▁short ened ▁the ▁route , ▁termin ating ▁it ▁at ▁their ▁ ▁min ing ▁operation , ▁at ▁which ▁point ▁the ▁rail road ▁reached ▁its ▁final ▁length ▁of ▁. ▁ ▁When ▁S argent ▁Sand ▁ceased ▁min ing ▁operations , ▁the ▁railway ▁fell ▁into ▁dis use . ▁ ▁The ▁L & N