NC&StL Preservation Society

NC&StL Railroad History in Paris, TN

The line was originally built in 1890 by the Paducah, Tennessee and Alabama (PT&A) railroad. After five years of service the PT&A filed for backruptcy and was purchased by the L&N in 1896. L&N then leased the line to NC&StL and the famous Dixie line rolled through Paris for many years before L&N absorbed the railroad in 1957. Paris was a booming railroad town and a main stop for trains in the early to mid 1900's with two railyards, roundhouse, and coal for steam locomotives.

L&N continued use of the track and merged with Seaboard Coast Line in the early 1980's to form Family lines rr. After another merge with Chessie System in 1985 this railroad was on its way to the CSX giant of today. In the mid 1980's CSXT started cutting service to some of its mainlines and the section of track from Bruceton, TN to Paducah, KY was one of its victims. The tracks were removed from Hardin, KY to Paducah, KY. Shortly after all rail service was abandoned in Paris, TN.

Then a shortline was formed in 1987 on the remaining line. The shortline was named Kentucky, West Tennessee (KWT) Railway and was owned by Railmanagement. This line runs from Murray, KY north of Paris to Bruceton, TN south of Paris where it connects to CSXT. KWT has 5 locomotives and operates 3 lines on a total of about 60 or 70 miles of track. Railmanagment was then purchased in June of 2005 by Genesse and Wyoming rr.

KWT also has 2 other lines it operates. One is an old L&N mainline that ran from Memphis,TN to Clarksville, TN. All that remains of this line now is about 10 miles of track going southwest from Paris to Henry, TN. The tracks from Henry to Mckenzie, TN and the tracks going east from Paris to Clarksville were pulled in the mid 80's. The 3rd line KWT operates was purchased from CSX in 2004, this line runs from Mckenzie, TN to Dresden, TN. KWT has a right of way on CSX track from Bructon to Mckenzie.

Written by David R Porter, Paris,TN

Paris, TN was Incorporated in 1823

The NC&StL Depot is still standing in Paris.

NC&StL Preservation Society, Inc. is in no way affiliated with the NC&StL Railway or any of it's successors.
As a non-profit entity, NCPS presents these pages to the public purely for educational and historic interest.

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