Nashville, Tennessee

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Nashville, Tennessee: An Appalachian Railroad Gateway

Centered in Middle Tennessee’s Nashville Basin, Nashville has long served as a vital transportation gateway to the Appalachian region. Though not deep in the mountains, its strategic location along the Cumberland River made it a hub for moving goods like coal, timber, and iron from Appalachia’s eastern Tennessee and Kentucky coalfields to markets nationwide.

Early Transportation History

Early transportation relied on rivers and roads, but the advent of railroads in the mid-19th century transformed Nashville into a booming rail center, facilitating industrial growth and connecting isolated Appalachian communities to urban economies. By the late 1800s, railroads spurred population booms, with Nashville’s residents swelling from 17,000 in 1860 to over 80,000 by 1900, driven by rail-related jobs in shipping, manufacturing, and logistics. This overview explores Nashville’s railroad history, key lines with arrival details, and their modern operations.

Nashville’s transportation history began with Native American trails and the Cumberland River, which enabled steamboat traffic by the 1810s. The city’s first major infrastructure push came with the 1830s turnpikes, but railroads promised faster, year-round haulage. Tennessee’s legislature chartered early lines to link Nashville to ports and resources, overcoming the region’s hilly terrain. The Civil War accelerated development, as Union forces used rails for supply lines, with Nashville becoming a key military depot. Postwar, railroads fueled Reconstruction, transporting Appalachian coal to fuel Nashville’s factories and powering the city’s rise as a distribution center.

Nashville’s First Railroads

  • Nashville, Chattanooga & St. Louis Railway (NC&StL): Chartered in 1845 as the Nashville and Chattanooga Railroad, it was Tennessee’s first major line. Construction began in 1848, with the first section opening in 1849. It reached Chattanooga by 1854, spanning 151 miles and facilitating coal shipments from Appalachian mines. The line featured engineering feats like the Cowan Tunnel and carried passengers and freight, including cotton and iron. Merged into the L&N in 1957.
  • Louisville & Nashville Railroad (L&N): Chartered in 1850, it arrived in Nashville in 1859 after completing a 187-mile route from Louisville, Kentucky. This connection was crucial for Appalachian resource transport, with Nashville as a division point for coal trains from eastern Kentucky. The L&N expanded aggressively, acquiring lines and building yards like Radnor Yard in 1888, which became a major classification facility. It operated passenger services like the Pan-American until 1971 and dominated southeastern freight.
  • Nashville & Northwestern Railroad: Chartered in 1852, it opened in 1859, running 78 miles west to Johnsonville on the Tennessee River. Built amid Civil War urgency, it served military logistics and later hauled timber and agricultural goods from western Tennessee, indirectly supporting Appalachian trade via Nashville connections. Absorbed by the NC&StL in 1872.
  • Tennessee Central Railway: Founded in 1884 as the Nashville and Knoxville Railroad, it reached Nashville that year but fully operationalized by 1902 after mergers. Spanning 296 miles to Harriman (near Knoxville), it traversed Appalachian foothills, hauling coal, zinc, and passengers. It struggled financially, entering receivership multiple times before ceasing in 1968.

Other lines included the Edgefield and Kentucky Railroad (1850s, later L&N) and street railways like the South Nashville Street Railroad (1866, mule-drawn urban transit).

Nashville’s Railroads Today

Today, Nashville’s railroads blend heritage with modern logistics, though passenger service is limited. CSX Transportation, successor to L&N since 1986, operates the largest network, including Radnor Yard—a 200-acre classification facility handling intermodal, automotive, and chemical freight. It connects Nashville to Appalachian coal regions and national ports, with recent expansions like a 2025 CN-CSX intermodal service enhancing sustainability and speed for shipments to Canada. Norfolk Southern maintains tracks for bulk commodities.

Short lines like the Nashville & Eastern Railroad (NERR), operated by R.J. Corman since 2022, runs 130 miles east to Monterey, serving industries with aggregates and plastics, preserving Tennessee Central’s legacy. The Nashville & Western Railroad handles local freight west to Ashland City. Commuter rail, the WeGo Star (formerly Music City Star), operates since 2006 on NERR tracks, carrying 1,000 daily riders from Lebanon to downtown, with plans for expansion. Rail contributes to Nashville’s economy, supporting 10,000 jobs and $1 billion in annual output, though challenges like urban congestion prompt calls for high-speed links.

Tennessee Central Railway Museum

Museums like the Tennessee Central Railway Museum preserve artifacts, educating on this enduring Appalachian tie.

Nashville Stats

  • Coordinates: 36.1627, -86.7816
  • Elevation: 597 feet above sea level
  • Named For: General Francis Nash
  • Originally Known As: Fort Nashborough, French Lick
  • Nickname: Music City
  • Founded: 1806
  • Population: 700,000 (2024)
  • County: Davidson
  • Highlights: Capitol of Tennessee, Grand Ole Opry, Country Music Hall of Fame

For More Information – Sources and Resources

The following are excellent resources for those of you wanting to explore and learn more about the history and operation of the Appalachian Railroads. These sources of information also serve as reference and historical materials for Appalachian-Railroads.org. Much of the collective railroad history data points on this website are verified across multiple sources.

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.

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3Cs Websites

Appalachian-Railroads.org | Clinchfield.org | Southern-Railroads.org