The Tennessee Central Railway

Crab Orchard to Ringgold, TN

Home | TN | ICG , L&N , SR , T&P , TC

The Tennessee Central's predecessors began service in 1871 as the Tennessee & Pacific. The T&P pushed east from Nashville to Lebanon and by 1894 to Monterey. By 1900, as the Tennessee Central, it had connected with the Southern (CNO&TP) at Emory Gap. In 1904, a final 2-mile segment was built to Harriman and the 83-mile extension from Nashville northwest to Hopkinsville, KY was quickly constructed. The TC was envisioned as a coal carrier and by the 1950s coal was the biggest commodity shipped. The TC provided access to Nashville from the northwest for ICG and from the east for Southern. The TC went in and out of receivership and had very few profitable years. The TC was never very successful and was abandoned in May 1968. The line was then divided up among the larger regional rail companies in the area: Illinois Central (Hopkinsville to Nashville), Louisville & Nashville (Nashville to Crossville), and Southern (Crossville to Harriman).

Below is a rough timeline of the Tennessee Central Railway.

     Hopkinsville ---- Nashville ---- Lebanon ---- Monterey ---- Crossville ---- Crab Orchard ---- Harriman
===========================================================================================================
1871 |                    |--- Built ----|
1894 |                                   |--- Built --|
1904 |       |-- Built ---|                           |---------------- Built ------------------------|
1968 |       |--- IC -----|----------- L&N --------------------------|--------- SR -------------------|
1971 |       |-abandoned--|
1996 |                    |------ N&E ----------------|-- abandoned--|-- abandoned ----|

Crossville had been the western end of the remnant operated by Southern, but by 1996 the tracks had been cut back to Crab Orchard. On the Nashville end of this segment, the Louisville & Nashville had operated the line between Nashville and Crossville, but this had been cut back further west to Monterey by 1996. This L&N segment is now the Nashville & Eastern. There is a rail bridge over Interstate 40 that still had a "L&N" sign in 1996. IC abandoned their portion by 1971. The portion from Ashland City to Nashville is operated by Central of Tennessee Railway & Navigation Company. The portion north of Ringgold is operated by the US Government as the Fort Campbell Railroad and provides service to Fort Campbell.

Towns on the abandoned IC section NW of Nashville are: Ringgold, Kenwood, Adairville, Clarksville, Summit, Spalding, Hickory Point, Doddsville, Fox Bluff, and Chapmansboro. Towns on the abandoned L&N and Southern sections are: Monterey, Mayland, Campbell Junction, Pomona Road, Creston, Crossville, Dorton, and Otter Creek. There was also a spur to Fall Creek, another one to Plateau and Isoline from Campbell Junction, and another one from east of Monterey to Mineral Springs, Obey City, Bonsack, Hanging Limb, Crawford, Highland Junction, Davidson and Wilder.

The former passenger depot in Cookeville, TN is now the Cookevil... — The former passenger depot in Cookeville, TN is now the Cookeville Depot Museum, featuring an operating HO-scale model railroad and artifacts of the TC. Photo by Steve Smith, 5/22/2010.

*South Carthage Branch:* The abandoned tracks begin at Bonnell R... — **South Carthage Branch:** The abandoned tracks begin at Bonnell Road in Gordonsville. Photo by Steve Siegel, 2/19/2011.

*South Carthage Branch:* The rail-trail starts just outside of G... — **South Carthage Branch:** The rail-trail starts just outside of Gordonsville, TN. It was built in 2010, and some spur track is still visible in places while walking the trail. Photo by Steve Siegel, 2/19/2011.

*South Carthage Branch:* Remaining tracks in South Carthage can ... — **South Carthage Branch:** Remaining tracks in South Carthage can easily be spotted. Photo by Steve Siegel, 2/19/2011.

*South Carthage Branch:* The railroad grade passes through a roc... — **South Carthage Branch:** The railroad grade passes through a rock cut on its way to South Carthage. Photo by Steve Siegel, 2/19/2011.

*South Carthage Branch:* A spur, visible in the pavement, went t... — **South Carthage Branch:** A spur, visible in the pavement, went to various lineside industries with South Carthage. Photo by Steve Siegel, 2/19/2011.

*South Carthage Branch:* The tracks are below road level as they... — **South Carthage Branch:** The tracks are below road level as they travel adjacent to TN Route 53. Photo by Steve Siegel, 2/19/2011.

*South Carthage Branch:* Tracks are still in place as they cross... — **South Carthage Branch:** Tracks are still in place as they cross TN Route 53 between Gordonsville and South Carthage. Photo by Steve Siegel, 2/19/2011.

*South Carthage Branch:* The tracks, however, have been removed ... — **South Carthage Branch:** The tracks, however, have been removed on the other side of the grade crossing. Photo by Steve Siegel, 2/19/2011.

*South Carthage Branch:* Some track hardware still remains. — **South Carthage Branch:** Some track hardware still remains. Photo by Steve Siegel, 2/19/2011.

*South Carthage Branch:* The right-of-way travels below road lev... — **South Carthage Branch:** The right-of-way travels below road level adjacent to TN Route 53. Photo by Steve Siegel, 2/19/2011.

*South Carthage Branch:* Visible traces of the former Tennessee ... — **South Carthage Branch:** Visible traces of the former Tennessee Central. Photo by Steve Siegel, 2/19/2011.

The abandoned Tennessee Central once crossed over the Little Wes... — The abandoned Tennessee Central once crossed over the Little West Fork of the Red River at this location, near Clarksville, TN. Photo by Walter Imhof, 3/1/2013.

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Tennessee Central Railway Museum

Pictures of the Tennessee Central Railway

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