Cincinnati, New Orleans & Texas Pacific Railway – Cincinnati Southern
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Cincinnati New Orleans & Texas Pacific Railway – Cincinnati Southern
A Key Link: Ohio River to the Atlantic Ocean
After the Civil War, the City of Cincinnati began to worry about the city’s prominence as a port on the Ohio River. The south was prospering after the war, and new ports and railroads in the south were growing and competing, taking away business from the port of Cincinnati.
The citizens of Cincinnati approved an initial bond issue in 1869 for $10 million to construct the line which would serve as a key component linking the Ohio River to the Atlantic Ocean and Gulf of Mexico. The route would traverse the southern United States during an era of redevelopment and economic expansion.
By 1879, the line had been completed from Cincinnati to Chattanooga at a total expense of $16 million.
Map and logo by City of Cincinnati
CNO&TP/Cincinnati Southern Railways
The Cincinnati New Orleans & Texas Pacific (CNO&TP) Railroad (a legal entity) leases the Cincinnati Southern Railway (the actual railroad) from the City of Cincinnati.
The CNO&TP in turn sub-leases the key 337 mile railroad to the Norfolk Southern Railway. The CNO&TP has been operated under the terms of the lease by the Southern Railway, and successor Norfolk Southern since 1894.
Late in 2022, the Norfolk Southern Railway announced it was buying the Cincinnati Southern from the city of Cincinnati for $1.62B.
The Cincinnati Southern is the only interstate rail line owned by a municipality. As of early 2024, the sale to Norfolk Southern is being reviewed by the federal government.
In hindsight, the proceeds from the $1.6 billion sale price, and the millions of dollars in lease payments for 130 years is a substantial return that has funded many projects and services for the city of Cincinnati.
CNO&TP Stats
- Founded/Chartered: 1869
- Operated: 1880 – Present (Leased/Operated by Norfolk Southern)
- Abbreviation: CNO&TP (Also known as Cincinnati Southern)
- Initial Route: Cincinnati OH to Chattanooga TN
- Length: 337 Miles
- Related Railroads: Southern Railway, Norfolk Southern Railway
- Headquarters: Cincinnati OH, Owned by the City of Cincinnati
- Cities: Cincinnati OH, Lexington KY, Danville KY, Somerset KY, Oneida TN, Oakdale TN, Dayton TN, and Chattanooga TN
- Key Individuals: Samuel Spencer
- Today: Norfolk Southern Railway
Links for More Information
http://cincinnatisouthernrailway.org/
Southern Railway Historical Association: http://srha.net/
For More Information – Sources and Resources
The following are wonderful resources for those interested in Appalachian Railroads. They also serve as sources of information for Appalachian-Railroads.org
- Association/Archives: Baltimore & Ohio Railroad Historical Society
- Association/Archives: Chesapeake & Ohio Historical Society
- Association/Archives: Louisville & Nashville Railroad Historical Society
- Association/Archives: Norfolk & Western Historical Society
- Association/Archives: Southern Railway Historical Association
- Archives of Appalachia: ETSU, Johnson City TN
- Book: Drury: The Historical Guide to North American Railroads
- Book: Flanary, Lindsey & Oroszi: The Southern Railway
- Book: Goforth: ‘Building the Clinchfield’ and ‘When Steam Ran the Clinchfield’
- Book: Graybeal: ‘The Railroads of Johnson City’
- Book: Irwin & Stahl: ‘The Last Empire Builder: The Life of George L. Carter’
- Book: King: ‘Clinchfield Country’
- Book: Marsh: ‘Clinchfield in Color’
- Book: Poole: ‘A History of Railroading in Western North Carolina’
- Book: Poteat & Taylor: ‘The CSX Clinchfield Route in the 21st Century’
- Book: Stevens & Peoples: ‘The Clinchfield No. 1 – Tennessee’s Legendary Steam Engine’
- Book: Way: ‘The Clinchfield Railroad, the Story of a Trade Route Across the Blue Ridge Mountains’
- Book: Wolfe: Southern Railway Appalachia Division
- Magazine: ‘Trains‘
- Magazine: ‘Classic Trains‘
- Website: Carolana.com – North Carolina Railroads, South Carolina Railroads
- Website: HawkinsRails.net
- Website: StateOfFranklin.net which hosts Johnson’s Depot
- Website: RailFanGuides.us for Johnson City and for Erwin
- Website: SteamLocomotive.com
- Website: WvncRails.org – North Carolina and West Virginia Railroads
- Video: Ken Marsh on Kingsport area railroads and region’s history Video #1
- Video: Ken Marsh on railroads and region’s history Video #2:
- Article: Flanary: ‘The Quick Service Route, The Clinchfield Railroad‘
- Articles: ‘Johnson City Comet‘
- Article: Scientific American: ‘The Costliest Railroad in America‘
- Personal Maps & Memorabilia: Documents, maps and track charts
Contact Us
Would enjoy hearing from you if you have questions, suggestions, edits, or content that you are willing to share. Don’t hesitate to reach out if you have similar interests in the railroads or model railroading.
3Cs Websites
Appalachian-Railroads.org | Clinchfield.org | Southern-Railroads.org
Contact Us
Would enjoy hearing from you if you have questions, suggestions, edits, or content that you are willing to share. Don’t hesitate to reach out if you have similar interests in the railroads or model railroading.