CSX Railroad (Transportation)

Home » Appalachian Railroads » CSX Railroad (Transportation)

CSX Railroad – CSXT

CSX Railroad

CSX’s Appalachian Heritage

Of the successful Appalachian Railroads we highlight on this website, the tracks of the Baltimore & Ohio, Chesapeake & Ohio, Clinchfield, Louisville & Nashville, and Nashville Chattanooga & St Louis make up today’s CSX.

Consolidation in the Early 1900s

The wheels were set in motion in the early 1900s for today’s CSX Transportation, the corporate name for the CSX Railroad. The Atlantic Coast Line Railroad (ACL) became the largest stockholder in the Louisville and Nashville Railroad (L&N), both were large and very successful railroads in that era. In the 1920s, the ACL and the L&N leased the Clinchfield Railroad for a term of 999 years.

Another key merger that eventually led to CSX was the Chesapeake & Ohio (C&O) Railway gaining control of the Baltimore & Ohio (B&O) in 1963.

CSX Merging Process Began in 1980

By 1980, it was clear there would be two major east coast railroads, and in that year the holding company of CSX Transportation was formed. But merging multiple railroads into a single company is not easy and requires extensive planning. But just shy of seven years later, CSX had become a unified railroad and corporation. The Seaboard System Railroad and the Chessie System Railroad were the two final major rail lines that merged to form CSX in 1986/87. The company says the ‘C’ stands for Chessie, the ‘S’ for Seaboard, and the ‘X’ for consolidation and the benefits that a larger, unified company brings.

CSX is now one of two major railroads in the Eastern United States. It’s primary competitor is the Norfolk Southern Railway which is also the byproduct of many consolidations.

More Rails Across the Appalachians information will be added to this page and website in the days ahead. Please let me know if you have any questions, see any edits that should be made, or have any content you are willing to share. Would enjoy hearing from you if you have similar interests in Appalachian Railroads, the region, or model railroading.

CSX Transportation Map – 1981

This CSX Map was early in their merging timeframe, including both the Seaboard System and the Chessie System. You can also click on the link below to download the map and see it in more detail.

CSX System Map Front 11-1-1981 MultimodalwaysDownload

Map provided by Multimodalways.org

More Rails Across the Appalachians information will be added to this page and website in the days ahead. Please let me know if you have any questions, see any edits that should be made, or have any content you are willing to share. Would enjoy hearing from you if you have similar interests in Appalachian Railroads, the region, or model railroading.

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 content on the website is 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.

3Cs Websites

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