NC&St.L Question

[70Ace]

When was the NC&St.L line between Memphis and Bruceton, TN. abandoned and did it have CTC?  I bet CSX wishes it had this line now as the ex-L&N line from Memphis to Bruceton thru McKenzie, Tn.  is dark territory.

[arkansasrailfan]

2001, as I have figured out

[nanaimo73]

If the Handy Railroad Atleses are acurate, the Jackson to Cordoba (17 miles from Memphis) portion was gone before 1971, and Jackson to Bruceton was abandoned between 1973 and 1985. CSX held on to several isolated miles in Jackson, perhaps until 2001(?).

[KCSfan]

When was the NC&St.L line between Memphis and Bruceton, TN. abandoned and did it have CTC?  I bet CSX wishes it had this line now as the ex-L&N line from Memphis to Bruceton thru McKenzie, Tn.  is dark territory.

This NC&StL line never had CTC and movements were controlled by train orders but I'm pretty sure it was automatic block signaled.

Mark

[rji2]

 It took me awhile to get the answer to part of your question.  The retired NC&StL Rule Examiner is an acquaintance of mine, and he helped with this.  About 1945 or '46, the NC&StL installed CTC between Nashville and Memphis.  After the merger with L&N, and after through freight traffic was rerouted via McKenzie and the Memphis Line, there was nothing left on the former NC&StL between Bruceton and Memphis except some local freights and one or two passenger trains.  The traffic didn't warrant CTC any longer, and the signals were taken out and the line reverted to timetable and train order operation.  I don't have the precise dates for any of these changes.  I was told that there were no night train order offices at all.  The passenger trains were fixed up at Bruceton and Memphis, and if one of 'em fell down, they'd have to call out operators at night to change the meeting point.

[Deggesty]

The December 15, 1967, L&N public timetable shows track going into Memphis; the April 28, 1968, public timetable shows no track west of Jackson. It is possible that the track west of Jackson had been abandoned before December of 1967.

[Wdlgln005]

 My "Ghost Railroads of TN" has a whole chapter on this route.

The L&N bought the lines then "leased" them to the NC&STL, in 1895.
This kept anyone else from buying the lines. 

The merger of 1957 brought to the L&N a duplicate line via McKenzie. After August 1958 most freight went to this route. Abandonment began in the middle of 1968. Permission for abandonment had been issued Feb 1967 but delayed till September of that year.

 

[70Ace]

Thanks for the info.  I just ordered the book "Ghost Railroad of TN." from Amazon.com. Just a little side note to this line.  Up until about 2 to 3 years ago this was a CSX branch from Memphis into the Cordova area.  It was used once a week.  Then all service on the line ceased.  Just recently the line was torn up.  I believe they are going to make this a hiking trail.  As for the McKenzie line I believe CSX is running up to 13 trains a day on that line.  I also heard that this line plugs up rather often.