L&N #45 - Bruceton, TN This caboose is seen at Templeton Park in Bruceton, TN. The caboose has both NC&StL and L&N logos on them. NC&StL built a roundhouse in Bruceton which still survives. Today, CSX still uses the same rail line and operates a yard not less than a mile from here.
Waverly 1978 Disaster Site Memorial Museum On February 24, 1978 at 2:55 PM, two days after 24 cars of a Louisville & Nashville train wrecked on this site (The tracks are behind me across a street and behind a fence), workmen were cleaning up when 22,000 pounds of liquid propane fuel from a derailed tanker car ignited and caused a massive explosion. The blast and resulting fire destroyed a great part of Waverly's old town section that included homes and businesses. Sixteen people were killed in the disaster, including Waverly's police and fire chiefs. More than 200 people suffered injury, and damage was in the millions of dollars. Today at this nearby site is an L&N Caboose, which also functions as a museum. Even though I stopped by on a Saturday in January and nobody was around, the door was unlocked. If you happen to arrive when the door is locked, there is a sign in the window for who you can call to have the door unlocked.
Waverly 1978 Disaster Site Memorial Museum (typical brochure view) On February 24, 1978 at 2:55 PM, two days after 24 cars of a Louisville & Nashville train wrecked on this site (The tracks are behind me across a street and behind a fence), workmen were cleaning up when 22,000 pounds of liquid propane fuel from a derailed tanker car ignited and caused a massive explosion. The blast and resulting fire destroyed a great part of Waverly's old town section that included homes and businesses. Sixteen people were killed in the disaster, including Waverly's police and fire chiefs. More than 200 people suffered injury, and damage was in the millions of dollars. Today at this nearby site is an L&N Caboose, which also functions as a museum. Even though I stopped by on a Saturday in January and nobody was around, the door was unlocked. If you happen to arrive when the door is locked, there is a sign in the window for who you can call to have the door unlocked.
L&N 136 at Red Caboose Park - Bellevue, TN The most popular park in Bellevue, TN (a suburb of Nashville) is Red Caboose Park where this L&N caboose is the central attraction. (However, I have been to this park so my nephews could play on the playground as well as listen to concerts at the bandshell. Back then, I don't think I even noticed the caboose.)
Doc. The L&N LeprechauN - Erin, TN This combines the two things Erin is known for, it's Irish Heritage and it's placement as a railroad stop on the line that used to run from Memphis to Clarksville. The city of Erin was initially inhabited by Irish laborers working to construct the railroad and the city has remembered its Irish heritage. When the railroad completely pulled out, the town decided to construct a park in the heart of town where the tracks used to be. This park is Betsy Ligon Park. Among the things you can see in the park are a blue L&N Boxcar and Red L&N Caboose (seen in the background) and a picnic pavilion made to look like a train depot. I think the highlight of the park is Doc the leprechaun. He's wearing an L&N Logo conductor cap, with rail worker overalls and gloves. He also has the leprechaun shoes and socks with a clover on his front.
Knoxville's L&N Station (Street View) From Wikipedia: The L&N Station is a former rail passenger station in Knoxville, TN, located in the downtown area at the northern end of the World's Fair Park. Built in 1905 by the Louisville and Nashville Railroad, the station was renovated for use in the 1982 World's Fair, and is currently home to the Knox County STEM Academy. In 1982, the building was added to the National Register of Historic Places for its architecture and role in Knoxville's transportation history. For the full story: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/L%26N_Station_%28Knoxville%29
L&N Passenger Station and Express Building - Pensacola, FL From Wikipedia: The Louisville and Nashville Passenger Station and Express Building is a historic Louisville and Nashville Railroad depot in Pensacola, Florida. The building was constructed between 1912 and 1913 with elements of Prairie School, Spanish Mission, and Italianate architectural styles. On June 11, 1979, it was added to the U.S. National Register of Historic Places. In 1984, the depot was refurbished and incorporated into the Pensacola Grand Hotel (now the Crowne Plaza Pensacola Grand Hotel) that was built just behind it. The renovation of the depot was a painstaking process that used as much of the original material as possible. The building houses the lobby, shops, restaurant and meeting rooms of the hotel.
L&N Cupola Caboose #159 Today the caboose is part of the rolling stock equipment owned by the Tennessee Central Railway Museum. However, they must be out of space at the museum as I found this and several other train cars a couple of counties away stored at a passing loop near Carthage Junction, TN.
L&N Caboose #369 - Guthrie, KY Guthrie, KY is a city that became important because of the railroad. Over the years, L&N main lines intersected here, such as the one from St. Louis to Nashville or the one from Louisville to Memphis. Honoring the town's railroad history, they display this caboose in a small city park. L&N is no more, but there are plenty of trains in town. CSX runs along the old St. Louis to Nashville line. The smaller RJ Corman Railroad also has a major presence in town.
L&N #405 Locomotive - Watertown, TN L&N #405 is part of the rolling stock of the Tennessee Central Railway Museum. This EMD GP7 was built in 1951. On this day, 405 carried an excursion to Watertown for the Mile Long Yard Sale. After this locomotive was acquired by Tennessee Central, it went under an extensive repaint back to its original colors. Here is what it looked like three years ago before the repaint was complete: seemidtn.com/gallery3/index.php?album=nashville/tennessee...
East Florence, AL L&N Freight Depot This photo was taken in 2012, so I don't know if the property is still for sale or if the windows are still boarded up. I can't get a year for when this depot was built.
CSX Tennessee River Bridge - Knoxville This railroad bridge near downtown Knoxville was built in 1966 to cross the Tennessee River and is currently used by CSX (originally L&N). It is a camelback through truss bridge where the main span is a polygonal Warren through truss.
L&N Scale Test Car #41499 Nearly 100 years old, this scale test car was built in 1917 by NCStL. Later, it became part of L&N which is most of the modern paint scheme. A scale test car is a maintenance car used to calibrate scales. This car was known to have an exact weight of 90,000 pounds. Many scale test cars were small, old railroad cars carrying heavy metal weights as their superstructure. Scale test cars needed special handling so they would not suffer damage, which might alter their weight. (This one reads "To be hauled next to caboose.") They were reweighed periodically on accurate scales at the railroad's shops. the last digit is faded but this one was dated 1-22-9?. Today the scale test car is part of the rolling stock equipment owned by the Tennessee Central Railway Museum. However, they must be out of space at the museum as I found this and several other train cars a couple of counties away stored at a passing loop near Carthage Junction, TN.
Thompson's Station L&N Caboose This red L&N Caboose is at the Thompson's Station, TN depot Hello to anyone who found this here: flashingyellowlights.blogspot.com/2009/10/dear-thompson-s...
Tullahoma's L&N Caboose (2008) Not far from Tullahoma's depot, near the intersection that used to be most important in town, Atlantic & Lincoln. UPDATE: Since this photo was taken, the area around the caboose has been landscaped. This photo has been used without permission, violating the creative commons license here: backgroundchecks.org/25-safest-cities-in-tennessee-2016.html The Safest Cities in Tennessee 2016
Hartsville Depot L&N Caboose
Hartsville TN Depot L&N reached Hartsville in 1892 and the depot was built at about that time. The building is now used as a county history museum and chamber of commerce. For a vintage picture of this station, look here: www.hartsvilletrousdale.com/hp.html
L&N building, Knoxville Interesting building I know nothing about... close to downtown Knoxville...will need to research...
Bell Buckle Mural left half Great Mural - Tough to photograph location as this is sort of facing an alley. Bell Buckle is now home to the famous RC Cola and Moon Pie festival which will take place on Sat, June 21. I plan on being there, but I also wanted to visit the small town and enjoy the charm on a day when a large number of people don't show up. On the far left is a black TN Walking horse. In the tree, it mentions WEBB School, the city's most famous school. Next is the city's red L&N Train caboose. Having to work two windows into the mural, the red barn is painted with two windows. In the mian window is a cow with a bell hanging out the window. The cow is licking the boys ice cream cone. In the other window is a blue ribbon winning TN walking horse
Bell Buckle L&N Caboose Bell Buckle is one of the cities on the old Nashville to Chattanooga train line (now operated by CSX) I don't see the fancier L&N logo painted this way often.
Cumberland Furnace, TN Depot color Cumberland Furnace is north of Charlotte, TN in Dickson County. Part of me feels this photo absolutely should have been done as a black and white. Any thoughts? I did post an alternate version as a b/w.
Cumberland Furnace Depot front Cumberland Furnace is north of Charlotte, TN in Dickson County.
Cumberland Furnace, TN Depot b&w Cumberland Furnace is north of Charlotte, TN in Dickson County. This photo now appears in print as part of the TN Trails and Byways brochure "Screaming Eagle Trail" which you can see here: www.flickr.com/photos/brent_nashville/9522319352/
Greenback, TN L&N Station The tracks are long gone but the L&N passenger & freight station from 1914 still remains. It is right in the middle of town along highway TN95 and is now used as a Farmers Market.
L&N Caboose - Wartrace, TN Wartrace is another town that started after the placement of a depot on the Nashville & Chattanooga line in the early 1850s. This caboose is probably near where the depot used to be, right off the tracks close to the town square
L&N 16266 - "Miss Andalusia" L&N Caboose 16266, nicknamed "Miss Andalusia" is located at the Three Notch Museum in Andalusia, AL. The museum is housed in a former Central of Georgia train station
Adaptive Reuse Boxcars - Franklin, TN These three Boxcars have been repainted in a tan color and are now on the grounds of The Factory in Franklin, TN. There are two Louisville & Nashville cars and one Tennessee Central.
Dickson, TN Depot Originally a L&N Station
Union Station Most views of Union station tend to look from the front across the street (broadway). This is a fuller view of the building from the side, taken from the Broadway viaduct. The depot was built in 1900 in a castle-like late-Victorian Romanesque Revival style. The clock on the tower was one of the earliest digital clocks, but is now a traditional clock. Atop the tower used to be a 3D statue of the Roman god Mercury, but was knocked off in a windstorm in the 50s. In the mid-90s, a flat Mercury was put in its place. That one was knocked off in the 98 tornado, but was replaced again. The station became vacant in 1979 after train service was discontinued. It opened as a luxury hotel in March of 1990, and is now a Wyndham hotel. An architecturally significant train shed used to be located right next to the station, but it's deteriorating condition, plus lack of any conceivable use led to it being demolished a few years ago, which caused Union Station to lose its status as a National Historic Landmark.
Last Train to Here The Clarksville in the Monkees song was the Clarksville in Tennessee. The last train to Clarksville was in 1968, a couple of years after the song was a hit. L&N built this train depot in 1901 but continuous service ceased in 1966. From 1970 to 95, the station remained unused until the Montgomery County Historical Society restored it. An engine (seen) and caboose are outside. A small indoor museum is open on Tue, Thur and Sat from 9am to 1pm, as well as a Farmer's Market. And the song's writer's really didn't have this depot in mind when they wrote it, opting for a generic city title, but we can pretend, can't we?
L&N Caboose 6947 - Bowling Green, KY This Louisville & Nashville caboose is part of the rolling stock at Bowling Greens Historic Railpark and Train Museum.
L&N 796 - Bowling Green, KY While Bowling Green is a great place to see a Corvette, there's also a great locomotive to see. Louisville & Nashville #796 is at Bowling Green's Historic Railpark & Train Museum. Built in May 1951, this is one of about 450 General Motors EMD E8A models ever built. historicrailpark.com/the-story-of-the-e-8-engine/
Bowling Green's L&N Station Built in 1923, this building is now a train museum and is on the National Register of Historic Places. www.historicrailpark.com/index.html
Collinwood, TN L&N Depot This well maintained former L&N (and Tennessee Western) Depot is in the town of Collinwood, in southern Wayne County. The Railroad first came to Collinwood in 1913, and this depot was built in 1916, and expanded in 1918. Railroad operations here ceased in 1939 and the tracks were removed over the next two years. Over the next two decades, the building was used as a house, a warehouse and a grist mill. It served as city hall for 15 years and then a senior citizens center afterwards. The Depot was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1988 and the grounds went through and extensive renovation in 2001. On the day of my visit, there was a sign by the entrance that they were opened. Today, the depot serves as a library, and you won't find anything train related on the inside. For a more thorough history and some vintage photos, check the page on Collinwood's website: www.cityofcollinwood.org/collinwood_train_depot.asp
Art of Nashville's Union Station When Union Station opened in Nashville in 1900, visitors were amazed at the impressiveness of the station, and in particular the artwork in the lobby. On each end of the lobby is a massive clock, with a figure on either side and above a bas-relief sculpture. Shown here are two female figures, Miss Louisville and Miss Nashville, the namesake cities for the L&N railroad. The sculpture is of a steam locomotive, engine #108. The last trian pulled up at Union Station in the 70's. In the late 80's the station was opened as a hotel, and in 2007 the entire lobby underwent an extensive renovation, which involved cleaning the sculpture and polishing the gold leaf.
Union Station scheduling chart Inside the lobby of Nashville's Union Station, behind the front desk, is this chart showing all of the train schedules. It is held over from the days that the station was a thriving train depot, show many departures and arivals, North and South, and both companies which serviced the area, L&N and NC&StL. On the marble counter-top are three apples.
L&N Caboose - Hawesville, KY This L&N Caboose is located next to the historic Hawesville Railroad Station which is now the Hancock County Museum.
L&N Boxcar at Huntsville's Turntable L&N Boxcar 104739 was originally built in 1965 by Pullman and has been cosmetically restored with the Cushioned Cargo design. It's displayed on the turntable at the Huntsville Depot Museum where you can now roam the grounds for free. The roundhouse with this turntable is off to the right and is now an event venue. The flags next door are part of the Huntsville Madison County Veterans Memorial.
L&N #39 - Evergreen, AL This L&N bay window caboose is located in Evergreen, AL next to the restored train station and faces Mill Sr.
Pegram's Red Caboose Pegram, TN #1 tourist destination! :) It's located next to the old train station and along U.S. Highway 70
L&N Caboose - Stevenson, AL Located at the Stevenson train depot, which is now a museum
L&N Caboose #156 L&N Caboose #156 appears to be on private property but easy to view in Ardmore, AL. The spot labelled as Steve's Junction is along 7th St. fairly close to the live tracks.
Thompson's Station Caboose Thompson's Station is a small town south of Franklin, and has a replica train depot by the tracks. This is the town's L&N Caboose.
L&N Baggage Car + Caboose Here is a Louisville & Nashville Rea Express Baggage Car #1456 plus Burlington Northern caboose #10583. I found these rolling stock in the middle of an empty field in Andalusia, AL. They also had a steam train, but it was tougher to see. It was next to a vacant train station on Cotton St. A block away on Tisdale St. is another old train station on Tisdale St. which today is the Three Notch Museum. I asked the lady there about these mystery trains. All she could say is they were privately owned and nobody really knows what the plans are. Based on other pictures I've found, they've been there at least 15 years, but at least the overgrowth has been recently removed. Update: as of 2022, these trains in the field appear to be gone.
Wartace Caboose I was in Wartrace looking at the L&N Caboose in the center of town when a real train, CSX 567 decided to come through.
L&N Caboose - Peach Park - Clanton, AL I really enjoyed my time at Peach Park, an old school tourist attraction right off the interstate in Clanton, AL. I also like finding old cabooses in the wild. However, this caboose really didn't seem to have a purpose here. It was inside a very tiny trailer park. Maybe you can rent it for overnight?
L&N Miss Alva from "This Property is Condemned" This Pullman tourist car #6157 was once painted with a design of Louisville & Nashville and nicknamed "Miss Alva." This was painted for the 1966 movie "This Property is Condemned." When this passenger car was actually used, it was Louisiana & Arkansas #4127 nicknamed Monteith. It is part of the rolling stock behind the Meridian, MS railroad museum which is the old passenger station. The paint job is at least 50 years old, and has been in the same spot for at least 13 years based on what I could find.
Palmyra Railroad Tunnel Palmyra is a very small town southwest of Clarksville, TN. I believe it to be about 800-1000 ft. long. The old Train Tracks cross the Cumberland River in Clarksville and as it heads east is parallels the river for a while. However, near Palmyra, there is a large bluff overlooking the river and a tunnel needed to be blasted through it. There is even a cemetery above this tunnel. Today, the tracks are used by RJ Corman. They were originally built by the Memphis, Clarksville & Louisville Railroad (M.C. & L.) which eventually became part of L&N. The tracks probably flooded in the 2010 flood. in the Great Flood of 1937, the tracks were 5 feet underwater. When looking up how old the tunnel is, I found a news article from 1859 where a railroad employee died working on the tunnel. In 1928, a boulder landed on the tracks and L&N employees blasted it, which caused a large rock to fall from 25 feet above onto them. To get to this spot, take highway 149 to Jarman Hollow Rd. and go towards the river. You will pass down a short residential street and then the road makes a couple of sharp turns until it gets to the tracks. Years ago, there must have been a ferry to cross the river at this street, but it looks like you shouldn't drive any further past the tracks. I had to U-turn on the tracks, which meant it was a good thing a train didn't come while I was here.
L&N Danville Lift Bridge This bridge was built in 1931 and is the successor to two other railroad bridges built at this site. With this bridge, L&N tracks were able to cross the Tennessee River connecting Houston and Benton counties near the town of Danville. With the creation of the TVA dam and Kentucky Lake, the bridge had to be raised in 1941. The tracks also had to be raised above water level and the approaches are easily visible on both sides. The view was taken while riding on the Danville\Big Sandy\TN147 Ferry and the western approach uses the old railbed. When L&N abandoned the line, the lift portion and the structures on the Benton County side were removed. The lift was placed on a barge, floated up the Tennessee River to Bridgeport, AL and assembled there. See it here: flic.kr/p/9Wkhpr Here's a sentence not written too often: Today, this bridge is a private residence. At the far left of the picture, you can see the red roof of a house. Then, you might see the small brick structure on the second segment. I believe this is a tiny house placed on that bridge segment. Next, they added a party deck on top. Finally, they added a final open air metal segment below the tracks, which seems to be an ideal fishing spot.
L&N #6162 Caboose - Wartrace, TN This caboose is located in Wartrace is a small park called Wartrace Memorial Park. This park is across the tracks from most of Wartrace, and a CSX train was going by at this moment. However, it is also across the street (highway TN269) from the historic Walking Horse Hotel. This park also has some Civil War markers and one parking space.
Bartlett, TN L&N train station I don't have much info on this depot, but the owners have remembered the past by placing a caboose out back. Today the building is used as a Mexican Restaurant. On the other side of the tracks where I am standing, there is a small historic park.
L&N Depot neon sign - Knoxville, TN The old L&N Station located at World's Fair Park in Downtown Knoxville doesn't service passenger trains anymore. However, the buiding is still in use for retail shops and the old neon sign still works
Abandoned L&N Cars - Lyons, GA The box car was originally L&N but updated to Family Lines System. This photo was taken in 2020 but on google street view, was also there in 2008.
Doc. The L&N LeprechauN I love this. it combines the two things Erin was known for, it's Irish Heritage and it's placement as a railroad stop on the line that used to run from Memphis to Clarksville The city of Erin was initially inhabited by Irish laborers working to construct the railroad and the city has remembered its Irish heritage. When the railroad completely pulled out, the town decided to construct a park in the heart of town where the tracks used to be. This park is Betsy Ligon Park. Among the things you can see in the park are a blue L&N Boxcar and Red L&N Caboose (both seen in the background) and a picnic pavilion made to look like a train depot. I think the highlight here is Doc the leprechaun. He's wearing an L&N Logoed cap, with rail worker overalls and gloves. He also has the leprechaun shoes and socks with a clover on his front. UPDATE: I saw an older picture of doc, and he used to hold a light in his right hand, but that lantern is missing right now.
Union Station (2022) - Nashville, TN en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Union_Station_(Nashville)
Union Station and Nashville's Gulch en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Union_Station_(Nashville)
Union Station - Gulch Greenway View 2022 - Nashville, TN This is the view of Union Station from the recently completed Gulch Greenway. This greenway connects Broadway to Frankie Pierce Park. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Union_Station_(Nashville)
L&N 0563 - LaGrange, KY This caboose is located at the LaGrange Railroad Museum which is just a couple of blocks east of the downtown where trains go along Main St.
Stevenson, AL Train Depot from the front An old enging and an L&N Caboose are out in front of the Depot, the old hotel is seen in the back. One of the older and busier train stations in the area, this historic depot was built in 1872 and has active train tracks on either side. Originally, a one story depot was constructed here in 1853 when tracks first came into town. When that building burned, it was replaced by this brick one in 1872. During the Civil War, Stevenson was a hub of activity. Troops skirmished here and the town changed sides several times, although it was mostly under Union control. Troops occupied the town and a large refugee camp sprang up between here and Ft. Harker a quarter mile away. Tens of thousands of soldiers, horses, wagons, prisoners of war, refugees, wounded and others passed through the city during the summer and fall of 1863 around the time of the Battles of Chattanooga and Chickamauga. Harpers Weekly noting the juncture of East-West and North-South rail lines here called Steveson one of the seven most important cities of the South. After the war, the Dept and the brick hotel built next door, also between the tracks continued as the center of life in Stevenson. Trains stopped here at mealtimes and passenegrs are in the hotel dining rooms. Other passengers spent the night here. It was said that the hotel is so close to the tracks that the trains opened the hotel windows and pulled the covers off the beds. The Depot and Hotel were added to teh National Register of Historic Places in 1974. However, the depot still needed to be saved. A group of citizens save the depot from deconstruction during the 1976 bicentennial when the last railroad office closed. In June of 1982, a community museum opened here after renovation.
La Grange, KY L&N Train Station This is the former L&N ca. 1910 passenger Train Depot of La Grange, KY. Today it is a museum with rolling stock out front. La Grange is a great city for train watching. This is one of the few towns where trains still go down the middle of Main St. a few times every day. This depot is also along Main St., but the tracks curve to the left by the time it gets here. Not far is an observation platform great for viewing the trains.
L&N Topiary - Etowah, TN Topiary is the art of turning shrubs into specific shapes. The shrubs at the historic train station in Etowah, TN are grown into the name of the railroad which made this an important stop.
Erin, TN Caboose and Boxcar The city of Erin was initially inhabited by Irish laborers working to construct the railroad and the city has remembered its Irish heritage. When the railroad completely pulled out, the town decided to construct a park in the heart of town where the tracks used to be. This park is Betsy Ligon Park. Among the things you can see in the park are a blue L&N Boxcar and Red L&N Caboose (both seen here) and a picnic pavilion made to look like a train depot, and Doc the Leprechaun.
Inside the Cowan, TN Depot Museum This was the depot's biggest room, with the old passenger benches. Also seen is the departure / arrival board which now lists the names of former railroad employees on small engraved metal plaques. For my other Cowan Railroad Museum pictures, look here: www.flickr.com/photos/brent_nashville/tags/cowanrailroadm...
L&N Caboose - Lynnville, TN Located at the Lynnville Railroad Museum, here is what their website has to say about this caboose, which was recently painted: The long body caboose, car No 199441, was built for Illinois Central Railroad in 1971 and is typical of the newer, cupola style cars that traveled the rails just prior to being replaced, in the late 1980’s, in favor of end-of-train electronic signal devices. The caboose is currently under restoration and carries the L & N color scheme and marking typical of the era. Cabooses served as both office and home-away-from-homes for train crews for over 125 years before being withdrawn. text taken from here: www.lynnville.org/railroadmuseum.htm
Restoring a Caboose For many years, the way to move from town to town was by train. Then, over time, better roads and airplanes made passenger trains obsolete. This left many of the small town train depots vacant. Fast forward a couple of decades, and many small towns had to decide whether they were going to allow their stations to continue to decay. Sometimes, they were purchased to becomes someone's business. Better yet, many cities decided to try and preserve their depots to remember their railroad heritage. A community preserved passenger depot would open as a museum, often with free admission. Inside, the museum would display whatever railroad memorabilia they could get locals to donate. Outside, they would like to get some trains, and many would acquire a steam locomotive, or more frequently a caboose, which the railroad companies don't really utilize often anymore. Many of the railroad museums operate on a shoestring budget, relying solely on donations and work from volunteers. One such volunteer is seen here hoping to restore an L&N Caboose to its former glory. This is seen at the depot museum in the small town of Lynnville, TN in Giles County. I last saw this caboose in 2008, and at the time, its faded red surely needed a paint job. I'm glad to see that it was able to happen.
Red on Gray L&N Logo This was seen on an L&N painted caboose at the Cookeville, TN Depot Museum
Gray L&N Caboose - Cookeville, TN This gray trimmed in red L&N Caboose is parked at the Cookeville, TN Depot Museum. Also at the museum is a Tennessee Central caboose and both are open for visitors during museum hours. Info about this caboose from the museums website at CookevilleDepot.com On December 30, 1985, the City of Cookeville received an L&N caboose from Seaboard Systems Railroad. This rail company ran freight through the area from 1968 into the early 70’s. The caboose we have from them is relatively small in size, since crews no longer lived aboard during freight runs. This caboose was built in the 1950’s and was retired from rail service in early 1980. The interior of the caboose, with its kerosene stove, is similar to how it looked when it was last used. It also houses our tool exhibit, “Working on the Railroad: The Right Tool for the Right Job.” This caboose is known as a Bay Window Type.
Emory River Railroad Bridge This Warren Camelback Truss bridge was built by L&N in 1910 over the Emory River in Harriman, TN. Today, the bridge is in use so that CSX can deliver coal cars to the TVA Kingston Steam Plant via trackage rights with NS. The main span is 23 feet long, although there is a lengthy approach on both sides. The bridge also parallels highway US27 across the river.
L&N Caboose 6339 - Big Sandy, TN Located in a mini-park in the middle of the small town
Columbia, TN Union Station The old Union Station in Columbia was built in 1902 replacing an older, long demolished, building that had stood nearby. It served the community for both Louisville & Nashville, NCStL and Duck River Valley Narrow Gauge Railroad and was in use until the 1960s when passenger service was discontinued with cancelled freight and parcel service following. This building once served as one of the hubs of the community but is unused and neglected today despite its presence on the National Register of Historic Places.
Columbia, TN Union Station (b&w) The old Union Station in Columbia was built in 1902 replacing an older, long demolished, building that had stood nearby. It served the community for both Louisville & Nashville, NCStL and Duck River Valley Narrow Gauge Railroad and was in use until the 1960s when passenger service was discontinued with cancelled freight and parcel service following. This building once served as one of the hubs of the community but is unused and neglected today despite its presence on the National Register of Historic Places. Hello to anyone who found this here: www.onlyinyourstate.com/tennessee/tiny-town-columbia-tn/ You’ll Never Run Out Of Things To Do In This Tiny Tennessee Town
Evergreen, AL L&N Depot Built in 1907. The downtown area of Evergreen seems like it has seen better days, but the old station looks in great shape. Evergreen is the county seat of Conecuh County and is along US31. Today the depot is on the National Register of Historic Places. Note: I revisited this depot in Sept. 2017 and the growing trees in front almost make it impossible to see any details of the front.
L&N Marine Terminal Building - Pensacola, FL The building was constructed in 1902 at the Commendencia Street Whar. It served as a major terminus for the Louisville & Nashville Railroad's lumber and coal export trade between the time of its construction and World War II and became the Port Authority office in 1959. In 1972, the building was disassembled by Theophalis May and moved to its current location on Main Street. On August 14 of the same year, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places for its significance to the transportation industry and to maritime history. The building was damaged by Hurrican Ivan in 2004 and then after extensive renovations in 2006, it reopened as the coordinating center of the Florida Public Archaeology Network.
L&N Marine Terminal Building - Pensacola, FL The building was constructed in 1902 at the Commendencia Street Whar. It served as a major terminus for the Louisville & Nashville Railroad's lumber and coal export trade between the time of its construction and World War II and became the Port Authority office in 1959. In 1972, the building was disassembled by Theophalis May and moved to its current location on Main Street. On August 14 of the same year, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places for its significance to the transportation industry and to maritime history. The building was damaged by Hurrican Ivan in 2004 and then after extensive renovations in 2006, it reopened as the coordinating center of the Florida Public Archaeology Network. Also seen in this picture is a three ton mooring anchor dating back to the 19th century and discovered by the Navy in 1965.
Pascagoula, MS Train Depot This station was originally built by L&N in 1904. More recently, it has seen service as an Amtrak station on their Sunset Limited, but that was suspended after Hurricane Katrina.. Today, the depot is on the National Register of Historic Places.
Hartselle, Al train station The Railroad was prominent in the beginning days of the town of Hartselle as the small town became a stop on the North and South Alabama Railroad. This depot was built several decades later in 1914 by L&N. Passenger service continued here until the 1960's when the depot stayed vacant until 1976. Today, the depot is home to the Chamber of Commerce. Every year, the city has a depot days festival in September, and this year it is on Sat. Sept. 15. On the day I took this photo, it was at the crack of dawn.
Williamsburg, KY Train Depot This used to be an L&N passenger depot and the tracks that run in front of it are today used by CSX.
L&N Caboose - Etowah, TN Bay windowed caboose #100 is located on the grounds of the important Etowah depot. Etowah is a city in McMinn County that was established by L&N to serve as a halfway point on the line that ran from Atlanta to Cincinnati.
Wooden L&N Cupola Caboose - Pensacola This caboose which dates back to ca. 1910 is located at Historic Pensacola village outside the Museum of Industry. While any markings on the caboose on this photo are not seen, I've seen other photos of this with an L&N logo and #226.
CSX Cumberland Bypass Bridge This tall and long railroad bridge crosses the Cumberland River to the east and upstream of downtown Nashville. The southern end of the bridge on the right is located next to the Omohundro water filtration plant (an area that is usually off limits to most people.) The northern end runs through Shelby Park as many segments of the trestle can be walked or driven under. It was completed in 1914 by L&N to provide a spur to bypass Union Station. If you're into bridge specifics, here's an article published in the Engineering Record of August 30, 1913: "The Cumberland River Bridge of the Louisville & Nashville Railroad is approximately 3000 ft. long. including a viaduct approach at each end, one 300' and three 200' throughtruss river spans and three 135' deck truss spans, all of which have riveted connections except the pin connected 300' span . The substructure is enterely of concrete, of which there about 1700 yd. which were built in cofferdams of interlocking steel sheet piling, under an average head of about 16' of water. All foundations were carried down to bed rock to a depth of 130' below base of rail. In three of the cofferdams considerabme difficulty was experienced from encountering open conduits leading to the city waterwork pumping station, close to one end of the bridge. The concrete was mixed in a plant on each bank of the river and was carried by hauling engines to the different piers. All of the truss spans are erected on falsework built with an overhead traveling stiffleg derrick. It is expected that the erection will be completed this fall. The steel superstructure was fabricated by the American Bridge Co and erected by the Foster-Creighton-Gould Co, of Nashville, Tenn., wich has also constructed the substructure."
Murphy, NC Train Station This wooden depot was built by L&N around 1890. The depot is located near the small river that runs through town but the bridge that used to carry the tracks is long gone with only the piers to remain. Today the building is used as a visitors center and the parking area hosts a farmer's market. To get here, the entrance is along Bus US19 near the heart of town.
Louisville and Nashville Railroad Office Building The Louisville and Nashville Railroad Office Building is an historic building located in downtown Louisville, KY where it was once the headquarters of the imortant area railroad. The structure is eleven stories tall. The first three stories are made of stonework of rusticated ashlar, with capital-topped pilasters in a series. Floors four to ten have ashlar pilasters framing a finish of red brick. Windows of the building are done in series of three. The attic is 1.5 stories tall, and features the distinctive initials of L&N. It was designed by W. H. Courtenay, the chief architect of the Railroad, in a Beaux Arts style; one of the largest commercial buildings in that architectural style still standing. The original Louisville and Nashville Railroad offices in Louisville were at Second and Main in Louisville, by the entrance of present-day George Rogers Clark Memorial Bridge. By 1890, it had become obvious that the building was too overcrowded. It was decided that the office building should be located next to Louisville's Union Station. Construction began in 1902, but its completion was delayed until January 1907, due to difficulties with organized labor in a 1905 steel workers strike. Its total cost was $650,000. It was large enough that after decades of separation, all of the main administrative staff could be in the same building. In the 1970s, about 2,000 L&N employees worked in the building. After L&N was purchased by CSX nearly all of the jobs were moved from Louisville to Jacksonville, Florida, in 1980. In 1984, the state of Kentucky spent $15 million to purchase and renovate the property, retaining the L&N name and neon lights on its upper stories.
Engineer Street Bridge - Corbin, KY This bridge was originally built by the L&N Railroad at a different location. In 1902, the railroad offered the bridge to the city of Corbin, where it was used for automobile traffic over Lynn Camp Creek for Engineer Street. It was one of only two bridges in Kentucky that was a Pratt through truss with Phoenix columns as it was built by the Phoenix Iron Co. In the early 1990's when the bridge was quite structurally deficient, it was closed to traffic. Since it was added to the National Register of Historic Places, the town wanted to save the bridge. Today, it has been rehabilitated as a pedestrian bridge as part of a city park.
Louisville & Nashville 2716 "Duncan Tavern" This is located at the Bluegrass Railroad Museum in Versailles, KY. Here is what there website says about this car: A kitchen car built for the Louisville and Nashville Railroad to serve food to passengers aboard higher class passenger trains. The car served as the museums offices while fire damage to the museum building was repaired. #2716 will house additional displays once additional display tracks are added at the museum to hold her. www.bgrm.org/#/passenger/4514554520
Frankfort, KY Union Station This station was built by the Louisville & Nashville Railroad in 1908 to replace an earlier depot also located here which was built in the 1850's by the Lexington & Frankfort Railroad. This station was used by L&N, Chesapeake & Ohio, Frankfort & Cincinnati and Kentucky Highlands. The last scheduled passenger train was the C&O George Washington on April 30, 1971.
Etowah, TN L&N Depot In 1902, the Louisville & Nashville Railroad decided they needed a more direct route between Atlanta and Cincinnati. Along this proposed updated route, they found a spot in McMinn County, TN that was about halway between the two cities that would serve as a good terminal and crew stop. Thus, the city of Etowah, and it's important Station were born. The 15 room Victorian structure made of yellow pine seen here was soon finished at a cost of $13,000. Passenger service lasted until 1968 and the depot soon closed. However, since this is still a prime railroad location, CSX continues to many operations along the tracks. The railroad donated the building to the city and by 1981 the depot was open again as a museum after several years of restoration. The depot was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1977. Partnering with the Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum out of Chattanooga, there is an excursion train which operates from here. Known as the Hiawasee Loop, the excursion follows along the tracks which parallel the Hiawasee River and then ascends to the famous spot on Bald Mountain where the tracks cross over themselves, forming a loop known as "The Eye." (These are the tracks that the new line through Etowah was designed to bypass.)
Etowah, TN L&N Depot In 1902, the Louisville & Nashville Railroad decided they needed a more direct route between Atlanta and Cincinnati. Along this proposed updated route, they found a spot in McMinn County, TN that was about halway between the two cities that would serve as a good terminal and crew stop. Thus, the city of Etowah, and it's important Station were born. The 15 room Victorian structure made of yellow pine seen here was soon finished at a cost of $13,000. Passenger service lasted until 1968 and the depot soon closed. However, since this is still a prime railroad location, CSX continues to many operations along the tracks. The railroad donated the building to the city and by 1981 the depot was open again as a museum after several years of restoration. The depot was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1977. Partnering with the Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum out of Chattanooga, there is an excursion train which operates from here. Known as the Hiawasee Loop, the excursion follows along the tracks which parallel the Hiawasee River and then ascends to the famous spot on Bald Mountain where the tracks cross over themselves, forming a loop known as "The Eye." (These are the tracks that the new line through Etowah was designed to bypass.) Hello to anyone who found this here: www.onlyinyourstate.com/tennessee/small-town-tennessee/ 10 Small Towns In Tennessee Where Everyone Knows Your Name
Scenes from Thomas Park: Caboose - Huntingdon, TN The following text is taken from a sign at the park: Thomas Park was established in 1906 by the Civic Improvement Club, a women's group whose primary objective was the beautification of their hometown. The Club took on the task of making the area on East Main Street around the train depot more enticing to visitors. The area was named Thomas Park in honor of Major John W. Thomas, Sr., president of the NCStL Railroad, 1884-1906. The concrete arch was erected in 1909 by the NCStL and remains today as a Huntingdon landmark. The train depot, located in the park until 1967, was the point where many young Carroll County soldiers boarded the train for destinations known and unknown in service to our country. Oral tradition holds that John Philip Sousa's band played in Thomas Park sometime just prior to World War I. The train transporting the band stopped at the Thomas Park depot to take on water for the steam engine. The passengers were required to disembark, at which time the band was persuaded to perform for the waiting passengers. A later group, the Huntingdon Women's Garden Club, maintained the park and made major improvements in 1985. Improvements included landscaping and walkways funded by the family of Jimmie Lee and Georgia Taylor. The gazebo was funded by the O.B. and Lela Enochs family. In 1993, the Huntingdon Beautification Committee was formed and assisted in seasonal upkeep of the park. In 1995, CSX railroad donated the caboose, which was subsequently refurbished for display. Under the leadership of Mayor Dale R. Kelley, the Town of Huntingdon finally acquired legal title to the Thomas Park property from CSX in 1998. original bricks from the train depot were incorporated into the paved walkway in front of the caboose. Further renovations to the park by the Town of Huntingdon in the year 2000 were also made possible by local donations. Carroll Bank & Trust, Trustee for The Wright Charitable Trust, contributed funds for the War Memorial monument, fountain and flag poles. The memorial honors all veterans and is inscribed with the names of Carroll County soldiers who died while serving in the wars of our country. Woodmen of the World Lodge #445 donated the first giant American flag to fly at the memorial. Friends and family of Danny and Joyce Carter donated two marble benches and two lampposts. Additional lamppost donations were made in memory of Dorothy Ellis and former Huntingdon Mayor Lee H. Chance. The successful renovation of Thomas Park is due these generous donations, to the vision and leadership of Mayor Dale R. Kelley and to the dedicated efforts of the Town of Huntingdon employees. We commend their talents and hard work in making Thomas Park a beautiful focal point of out community and historic memorial to our past.
Tullahoma Caboose according to the nearby historical marker: The car displayed here is a side bay window model caboose built in 1964 by the Louisville & Nashville railroad at the company's south Louisville yards. The exterior is restored to the original L&N red. The purpose of a caboose was to provide crewmen a better view of potential problems with the train. Some of the earliest cabooses were designed with a cupola or "crow's nest." As train cars became taller, however, the side bay window was introduced. The early wooden L&N cabooses were distinguished by cupolas, while the NC&StL cabooses were designed with the side bay window. After NCStL merged with L&N in 1957, the L&N incorporated the bay window design
