Overview | |
---|---|
Locale | Tennessee and Kentucky, United States |
Dates of operation | 1852 1859 –1872 | (chartered)
Successor |
Louisville and Nashville Railroad (1872); CSX Transportation; R.J. Corman Railroad Group (1987) |
Technical | |
Track gauge | 5 ft (1,524 mm) |
Length | 83 mi (134 km) |
The Memphis, Clarksville and Louisville Railroad (MC&L) was a railway in the southern United States. It was chartered in Tennessee in 1852, and opened in 1859. The MC&L entered receivership after the American Civil War, and financial troubles led to an 11-day strike in 1868 that ended when Louisville and Nashville Railroad (L&N) leased the line. L&N finally purchased the MC&L in 1871 and operated it as its Memphis Branch. L&N was merged into CSX, and CSX sold the former MC&L line to R.J. Corman Railroad Group in 1987, becoming that company's Memphis Line.
The company received its original charter on January 28, 1852, [1] [2] [3] [4] [5] and amended its charter in 1854 to merge with the Nashville and Memphis Railroad [6] [7] and to build a line from Memphis through Clarksville to the state border in the direction of Bowling Green, Kentucky. [8] Construction began in Fall 1854. [1] [note 1] In 1855 the charter was amended to allow it to build into Kentucky to a point on the Tennessee River to connect with the Memphis and Ohio Railroad. [7] After construction had begun, William Andrew Quarles was appointed president, [10] succeeding William B. Munford. [7] [9] [11] [12]
The first train operated between Clarksville and Guthrie, Kentucky, on October 1, 1859, [2] becoming the first railroad to operate in Clarksville. [13] The line's extension to Bowling Green was completed on September 16, 1860, with the first regular train operating through to Bowling Green on September 24. [2] A ceremonial first train was operated on September 18, including a symbolic handshake between William Quarles and James Guthrie of the L&N at the Kentucky/Tennessee state line. [14] The 83-mile (134 km) line of 5 ft (1,524 mm) [15] [16] gauge track connected with the Memphis and Ohio Railroad and the Louisville and Nashville Railroad (L&N) between Memphis and Louisville. In Louisville, the railroad used the L&N Depot as the terminal for its passenger trains, and provided connections through to New Orleans via Humboldt, Tennessee. [17]
Its line was heavily damaged during the American Civil War, [18] and the MC&L entered receivership in July 1865 [19] under George T. Lewis. [20] Assistance to restore the line to service was offered by the L&N, [21] [note 2] which was declined by the MC&L. [19] The line was restored soon after the war, [23] reopening on August 13, 1866. [3] [21] Heavy rain again caused disruption in December 1866 through a landslide near Clarksville. [24] In 1868 the railroad was bankrupt and could not pay its wages; this led to an 11-day strike in February, [25] during which time through trains from Memphis to Louisville were routed on competing lines via Nashville and McKenzie. [19] The strike ended when the L&N leased the line on February 17. [2] [3] The railroad was dissolved on September 30, 1871, then purchased by the L&N. [3] [5] [26] Although the L&N's purchase was effective as of October 1, 1871, [27] the company's accounting was kept separate until October 1872. [19] L&N operated the line as its Memphis Branch, [16] but saw declining traffic through the early 20th century, with the last passenger train serving Clarksville in February 1968. [13] [note 3] L&N was merged into CSX, and CSX sold the former MC&L line to R.J. Corman Railroad Group in 1987, [13] becoming that company's Memphis Line.
Ground was broken on the Memphis, Clarksville and Louisville Railroad on the 23d ult. Speeches were made by Mr. Munford, President of the Road...
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cite web}}
: CS1 maint: others (
link)
Overview | |
---|---|
Locale | Tennessee and Kentucky, United States |
Dates of operation | 1852 1859 –1872 | (chartered)
Successor |
Louisville and Nashville Railroad (1872); CSX Transportation; R.J. Corman Railroad Group (1987) |
Technical | |
Track gauge | 5 ft (1,524 mm) |
Length | 83 mi (134 km) |
The Memphis, Clarksville and Louisville Railroad (MC&L) was a railway in the southern United States. It was chartered in Tennessee in 1852, and opened in 1859. The MC&L entered receivership after the American Civil War, and financial troubles led to an 11-day strike in 1868 that ended when Louisville and Nashville Railroad (L&N) leased the line. L&N finally purchased the MC&L in 1871 and operated it as its Memphis Branch. L&N was merged into CSX, and CSX sold the former MC&L line to R.J. Corman Railroad Group in 1987, becoming that company's Memphis Line.
The company received its original charter on January 28, 1852, [1] [2] [3] [4] [5] and amended its charter in 1854 to merge with the Nashville and Memphis Railroad [6] [7] and to build a line from Memphis through Clarksville to the state border in the direction of Bowling Green, Kentucky. [8] Construction began in Fall 1854. [1] [note 1] In 1855 the charter was amended to allow it to build into Kentucky to a point on the Tennessee River to connect with the Memphis and Ohio Railroad. [7] After construction had begun, William Andrew Quarles was appointed president, [10] succeeding William B. Munford. [7] [9] [11] [12]
The first train operated between Clarksville and Guthrie, Kentucky, on October 1, 1859, [2] becoming the first railroad to operate in Clarksville. [13] The line's extension to Bowling Green was completed on September 16, 1860, with the first regular train operating through to Bowling Green on September 24. [2] A ceremonial first train was operated on September 18, including a symbolic handshake between William Quarles and James Guthrie of the L&N at the Kentucky/Tennessee state line. [14] The 83-mile (134 km) line of 5 ft (1,524 mm) [15] [16] gauge track connected with the Memphis and Ohio Railroad and the Louisville and Nashville Railroad (L&N) between Memphis and Louisville. In Louisville, the railroad used the L&N Depot as the terminal for its passenger trains, and provided connections through to New Orleans via Humboldt, Tennessee. [17]
Its line was heavily damaged during the American Civil War, [18] and the MC&L entered receivership in July 1865 [19] under George T. Lewis. [20] Assistance to restore the line to service was offered by the L&N, [21] [note 2] which was declined by the MC&L. [19] The line was restored soon after the war, [23] reopening on August 13, 1866. [3] [21] Heavy rain again caused disruption in December 1866 through a landslide near Clarksville. [24] In 1868 the railroad was bankrupt and could not pay its wages; this led to an 11-day strike in February, [25] during which time through trains from Memphis to Louisville were routed on competing lines via Nashville and McKenzie. [19] The strike ended when the L&N leased the line on February 17. [2] [3] The railroad was dissolved on September 30, 1871, then purchased by the L&N. [3] [5] [26] Although the L&N's purchase was effective as of October 1, 1871, [27] the company's accounting was kept separate until October 1872. [19] L&N operated the line as its Memphis Branch, [16] but saw declining traffic through the early 20th century, with the last passenger train serving Clarksville in February 1968. [13] [note 3] L&N was merged into CSX, and CSX sold the former MC&L line to R.J. Corman Railroad Group in 1987, [13] becoming that company's Memphis Line.
Ground was broken on the Memphis, Clarksville and Louisville Railroad on the 23d ult. Speeches were made by Mr. Munford, President of the Road...
{{
cite web}}
: CS1 maint: others (
link)