The L and N

The Louisville and Nashville Railroad made its first trip on October 27th 1859.

At first this line barely made it south of Louisville, Kentucky, but by the start of the Civil War there were about 250 miles of track. The strategic location of the Louisville and Nashville Railroad, which ran along the Union and Confederate line made the railroad important to both sides. The lines were put into service by both armies, and there was a lot of damage from battle and sabotage. The L and N was lucky to find itself based in Kentucky, with Nashville falling into Union hands and remaining in there hands through out the war. There was profit to be made in hauling Union troops and supplies. After the war ended with most of the Louisville and Nashville’s southern competitors devastated, the company began an expansion that never really stopped.