Louisville and Nashville Railroad

The Louisville and Nashville Railroad, often called the L&N, was a big railroad that moved goods and people in the southeastern part of the United States. It began in the Commonwealth of Kentucky in 1850 and became one of the most successful companies in American history.

For over 130 years, the L&N kept its name, even through hard times like the civil war. Under Milton H. Smith, who led it for 30 years, the railroad grew from a small line to a large system covering 6,000 miles across fourteen states. It linked important cities such as St. Louis, Memphis, Atlanta, and New Orleans. Because it worked so well, it was called "The Old Reliable".

By 1970, the L&N had almost 6,100 miles of tracks. In 1971, it was bought by the Seaboard Coast Line Railroad, and later became part of CSX Transportation, which still uses many of its tracks today.

Early history and Civil War

The railroad’s first line went south of Louisville, Kentucky and reached Nashville in 1859. It covered about 180 miles (290 km). By the Civil War, the railroad had around 250 miles (400 km) of tracks. It connected areas controlled by both the Union and the Confederacy, so it was important to both sides.

During the war, both armies used the railroad. This caused wear and damage from battles and sabotage. For example, during the Battle of Lebanon in July 1863, Union soldiers used the company’s depot in Lebanon, Kentucky as a strong point. The railroad benefited from being based in Kentucky, a border state. Even though some southern areas fell to Union forces early in the war, the company made money by carrying troops and supplies for the North. They were paid in stable Federal greenbacks instead of the decreasing value of Confederate dollars.

Post-war

After the war, many railroads in the South were damaged, and the economy was weak. This helped the Louisville and Nashville Railroad get workers and materials more easily and cheaply to fix and grow.

Because of this good timing, the railroad kept growing for many years. In just 30 years, its network stretched from Ohio to Missouri, Louisiana, and Florida. By 1884, the railroad was so important that it was included in the Dow Jones Transportation Average, the first American stock market index. It was such a big customer of the Rogers Locomotive and Machine Works, the country’s second-largest locomotive maker, that in 1879 the company gave the railroad a free locomotive as a thank-you.

The railroad’s main repair shops for trains were in Louisville, Kentucky, starting in 1858. In 1904, the railroad bought new land on the south side of the city to build bigger shops. These new shops had a long table to connect the main buildings. From 1904 to the 1920s, the South Louisville Shop built many of its own locomotives and repaired them. The railroad also built most of its freight cars in Decatur, Alabama. Another smaller shop was in Howell, Indiana, built in 1889.

Coal and capital in the Gilded Age

Trains at that time used steam engines, so many railroads used coal for fuel. The L&N made sure it had its own fuel by building tracks into coal-rich areas of eastern Kentucky and northern Alabama. The small town of Birmingham grew because it had coal, iron ore, and limestone—important for making steel. The L&N helped Birmingham become a big industrial city after the Civil War. The railroad could go the longest distance without stopping for more fuel, about 490 miles (790 km) from Louisville to Montgomery, Alabama, starting in 1940.

During the Gilded Age in the late 1800s, there were no rules to stop big businesses from taking control. The L&N was a strong competitor. It kept newer railroads out of important places. When it couldn’t, like with the older Nashville, Chattanooga and St. Louis Railway, the L&N used its money to take control in 1880. People were upset, so the L&N leaders realized they couldn’t use all their power. They kept the NC&StL as its own company but made it work with the L&N.

In 1902, financier J.P. Morgan put the L&N under control of its rival, the Atlantic Coast Line Railroad. This change did not cause problems for many years.

The L&N also tried to grow by investing in foreign trade. It created a company called the “Gulf Transit Company” in 1895 and operated three ships: the SS Pensacola, the SS August Belmont, and the SS E. O. Saltmarsh. This effort ended when the Pensacola was sold in 1906 and the remaining assets in 1915.

20th century

The World Wars gave the L&N railroad lots of work. Its big network handled these busy times well and made good money. After the wars, the railroad changed to using diesel engines. These fast engines pulled beautiful passenger trains like the Dixie Flyer, the Humming Bird, and the Pan-American.

The railroad kept growing. In 1957, it stopped using its last steam engine. That same year, it fully combined with another railroad, the Nashville, Chattanooga & St. Louis. In the 1960s, it bought parts of an old rival, the Tennessee Central, and also got a line from the Chicago & Eastern Illinois Railroad in 1969.

In 1971, the Seaboard Coast Line Railroad bought the rest of the L&N and it became part of that company. Before this, like many railroads, the L&N had cut back on passenger trips because fewer people were riding the trains. Amtrak, a government railroad, took over the last few L&N passenger trains in 1971. By 1979, the last of these special trips, The Floridian, stopped running.

By 1982, the Seaboard Coast Line fully combined with the Louisville & Nashville. The new name was "SCL/L&N" or "Family Lines". Later, it joined with other railroads to become the Seaboard System Railroad. In 1986, this group merged into a bigger system called the Chessie System, which later became CSX Transportation. Today, CSX owns and runs most of the old Louisville and Nashville tracks.

Legacy

The Louisville and Nashville Railroad is remembered in many ways. It appears in songs by famous musicians like country pioneer Jimmie Rodgers and bluegrass artist Rhonda Vincent. Other artists such as Jean Ritchie, Michelle Shocked, Johnny Cash, Billy Bragg, Joe Henry, and Kathy Mattea have also performed songs about the railroad. A Dutch band called The Bintangs even had a hit with a song called "Ridin' on the L&N".

The railroad also helped create Natural Bridge State Park in Kentucky by giving over land in 1926.

Passenger operations

The L&N had some popular passenger trains. Two of the most famous were the Humming Bird and the Pan-American. These trains traveled from Cincinnati to New Orleans and Memphis using only L&N tracks. Later, the Humming Bird also went from Chicago to New Orleans together with another railroad.

The L&N also had many other named trains. Some of these were the Azalean, the pre-Amtrak Crescent, the Dixie Flagler, the Dixie Flyer, and the Flamingo, among others. These trains often worked with other railroads to travel longer distances across the country.

In 1969, the L&N stopped running the Humming Bird south of Birmingham. The passengers who were on that train continued their trip by bus instead.

Preservation

You can see old trains and railroad items from the Louisville and Nashville Railroad in many places. Some of these places include the Kentucky Railway Museum, The Historic Railpark and Train Museum in Bowling Green, Kentucky, and the L&N Historical Society.

In Atlanta, Georgia, you can find two famous old trains called the General and the Texas. These trains were used a long time ago. Today, the General is kept at the Southern Museum of Civil War and Locomotive History in Kennesaw, Georgia, while the Texas is being fixed up at a museum in North Carolina.

The Kentucky Railway Museum has many old railroad items, including steam engines and train cars. Other museums, like the Bluegrass Railroad Museum, also have pieces from the L&N Railroad to see.