Nashville, Paducah & Memphis Division

Just after the Civil War, the Nashville and Northwestern Railroad (N&NW, later to become the NC&"Saint"L Nashville Division), which had terminated at Johnsonville, Tennessee, expanded into western Tennessee.  A bridge over the Tennessee River at Johnsonville was completed in 1867, the line was extended west to Hollow Rock Junction (the name taken from a nearby local landmark - in 1920, the name was changed to Bruceton, after W. P. Bruce, then General Manager of the NC&StL), and then merged with the Hickman and Obion Railroad (H&O) in 1868. An intermediate yard was constructed at Hollow Rock Junction (Bruceton), where the line intersected the Paducah, Tennessee, and Alabama Railroad (PT&A). In later years, Bruceton's importance greatly increased with a larger passenger station and yard, and an engine house. 

The combined N&NW-H&O Nashville Division continued on west through McKenzie and Union City and terminated at Hickman, Kentucky. Meanwhile, the PT&A and Tennessee Midland (TM) merged in 1892 to form a continuous through line from Paducah, Kentucky, to Memphis via Hollow Rock Junction, Lexington, and Jackson. The L&N purchased the combined PT&A and TM holdings in 1895, who in turn leased them to the NC&StL as the Paducah and Memphis (P&M) Division, extending southwest to Memphis through Jackson (the largest town between Nashville and Memphis). By the 1920's, the Nashville to Bruceton to Memphis mainline passenger and freight corridor had become dominant, terminating at Memphis Union Station. 

Nashville, Paducah & Memphis Division

Just after the Civil War, the Nashville and Northwestern Railroad (N&NW, later to become the NC&"Saint"L Nashville Division), which had terminated at Johnsonville, Tennessee, expanded into western Tennessee.  A bridge over the Tennessee River at Johnsonville was completed in 1867, the line was extended west to Hollow Rock Junction (the name taken from a nearby local landmark - in 1920, the name was changed to Bruceton, after W. P. Bruce, then General Manager of the NC&StL), and then merged with the Hickman and Obion Railroad (H&O) in 1868. An intermediate yard was constructed at Hollow Rock Junction (Bruceton), where the line intersected the Paducah, Tennessee, and Alabama Railroad (PT&A). In later years, Bruceton's importance greatly increased with a larger passenger station and yard, and an engine house. 

The combined N&NW-H&O Nashville Division continued on west through McKenzie and Union City and terminated at Hickman, Kentucky. Meanwhile, the PT&A and Tennessee Midland (TM) merged in 1892 to form a continuous through line from Paducah, Kentucky, to Memphis via Hollow Rock Junction, Lexington, and Jackson. The L&N purchased the combined PT&A and TM holdings in 1895, who in turn leased them to the NC&StL as the Paducah and Memphis (P&M) Division, extending southwest to Memphis through Jackson (the largest town between Nashville and Memphis). By the 1920's, the Nashville to Bruceton to Memphis mainline passenger and freight corridor had become dominant, terminating at Memphis Union Station.