List of Kentucky railroads


The following railroads operate in the U.S. state of Kentucky.

Common freight carriers

NameMarkSystemFromToSuccessorNotes
Altamont and Manchester RailroadL&N18901898Louisville and Nashville Railroad
Artemus–Jellico RailroadAJR19241952N/A
Ashland Coal and Iron RailwayC&O18801933Chesapeake and Ohio Railway
Baltimore and Ohio RailroadB&O
BO
B&O19051987Chesapeake and Ohio Railway
Bardstown and Louisville RailroadL&N18541864Louisville and Nashville Railroad
Barren County RailroadL&N18561868Glasgow Railroad
Beattyville and Cumberland Gap RailroadL&N18931900Louisville and Atlantic Railroad
Big Sandy RailwayC&O19021906Chesapeake and Ohio Railway of Kentucky
Big Sandy and Cumberland RailroadBS&CN&W19001932Norfolk and Western Railway
Big Sandy and Kentucky River RailwayBS&KC&O19121933Chesapeake and Ohio Railway
Bowling Green and Tennessee RailroadL&N18501852Louisville and Nashville Railroad
Bowlinggreen Portage RailwayL&N18361853Louisville and Nashville Railroad
Brooksville Railroad18951919Brooksville and Ohio River Railroad
Brooksville and Ohio River Railroad19191931N/A
Buck Creek RailroadN&W1924?1936Norfolk and Western Railway
Burlington Northern Inc.BN19701981Burlington Northern Railroad
Burlington Northern RailroadBN19811996BNSF Railway
Burnside and Cincinnati RailwaySOU19031905Cincinnati, Burnside and Cumberland River Railway
Burnside and Cumberland River RailwaySOU18901905Burnside and Cincinnati Railway
Cadiz RailroadCAD19011988N/A
Caney Valley Railway19101933?N/A
Carolina, Clinchfield and Ohio RailwayCC&O, CCOACL
L&N
1990CSX Transportation
Carolina, Cumberland Gap and Chicago Railway18821895N/ASold at foreclosure; no railroad owned in Kentucky
Carrollton and Worthville Railroad19051929Carrollton Railroad
Central City Passenger and Transportation CompanyC&O18881888Passenger and Belt Railway
Central Mississippi RailroadIC18771878Chicago, St. Louis and New Orleans Railroad
Central Transfer CompanyL&N
SOU
18841890Central Transfer Railway and Storage Company
Central Transfer Railway and Storage CompanyL&N
SOU
1890Still exists as a joint subsidiary of CSX Transportation and the Norfolk Southern Railway
Charleston, Cincinnati and Chicago RailroadC&O18871893Ohio River and Charleston Railway of Kentucky
Chattaroi RailwayC&O18731888Ohio and Big Sandy Railroad
Chesapeake and Nashville RailwayL&N18841892Gallatin and Scottsville Railway
Chesapeake and Ohio RailwayC&O
CO
C&O1987CSX Transportation
Chesapeake and Ohio Railway of KentuckyC&O19041907Chesapeake and Ohio Railway
Chesapeake and Ohio Northern RailwayC&O19141930Chesapeake and Ohio Railway
Chesapeake, Ohio and Southwestern RailroadIC18821896Chicago, St. Louis and New Orleans Railroad
Chicago, Burlington and Quincy RailroadCB&Q
CBQ
CB&Q?1970Burlington Northern Inc.
Chicago, Indianapolis and Louisville RailwayCI&L
CIL
MON18971956Monon Railroad
Chicago, Memphis and Gulf RailroadIC19101963Illinois Central Railroad
Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul and Pacific RailroadMILWMILW19731985The Milwaukee Road, Inc.
Chicago, St. Louis and New Orleans RailroadIC18781951Illinois Central Railroad
Cincinnati, Burnside and Cumberland River RailwaySOU19051970Cincinnati, New Orleans and Texas Pacific Railway
Cincinnati, Flemingsburg and Southeastern Railroad19051920?Flemingsburg and Northern Railroad
Cincinnati, Green River and Nashville RailroadL&N18821884Chesapeake and Nashville Railway
Cincinnati, Lexington and East Tennessee RailroadSOU18671873Cincinnati Southern Railway
Cincinnati and Southeastern Railway18801892?Covington, Flemingsburg and Ashland Railway
Cincinnati Southern RailwaySOU1869Still exists as a lessor of Norfolk Southern Railway operating subsidiary Cincinnati, New Orleans and Texas Pacific Railway
City Passenger RailwayC&O18861888Central City Passenger and Transportation Company
Clinchfield RailroadCRRACL
L&N
19241983Seaboard System Railroad
Clinchfield Northern Railway of KentuckyACL
L&N
19111940Carolina, Clinchfield and Ohio Railway
Consolidated Rail CorporationCR19761994Louisville and Indiana Railroad
Covington and Cincinnati Elevated Railroad and Transfer and Bridge CompanyC&O18861985Chesapeake and Ohio Railway
Covington and Cincinnati Pier Bridge CompanyC&O18841886Covington and Cincinnati Elevated Railroad and Transfer and Bridge Company
Covington, Flemingsburg and Ashland Railway18921905Cincinnati, Flemingsburg and Southeastern Railroad
Covington, Flemingsburg and Pound Gap Railway18761879Licking Valley Railway
Covington, Flemingsburg and Southeastern Railway18801880Cincinnati and Southeastern Railway
Covington and Lexington RailroadL&N18491859Kentucky Central Railroad
Covington Short Route Transfer RailwayC&O18881904Chesapeake and Ohio Railway of Kentucky
Cumberland RailroadCMB19021924Artemus–Jellico Railroad
Cumberland RailwaySOU1905?1944?Southern Railway
Cumberland Railway18821882Carolina, Cumberland Gap and Chicago Railway
Cumberland and Manchester RailroadC&ML&N19151936Louisville and Nashville Railroad
Cumberland and Ohio RailroadL&N18691878Northern Division of the Cumberland and Ohio Railroad
Southern Division of the Cumberland and Ohio Railroad
Cumberland River and Tennessee RailroadL&N18931901Louisville and Nashville Railroad
East Kentucky Southern RailwayEKS19281933N/A
East Tennessee, Virginia and Georgia RailwaySOU1890?1894Southern Railway
Eastern Kentucky RailwayEK18701929East Kentucky Southern Railway
Elizabethtown, Lexington and Big Sandy RailroadC&O18691902Lexington and Big Sandy Railway
Elizabethtown and Paducah RailroadIC18671874Louisville, Paducah and Southwestern Railroad
Elkhorn and Beaver Valley RailwayC&O1904Chesapeake and Ohio Railway
Elkhorn Southern RailwayACL
L&N
19061911Clinchfield Northern Railway of Kentucky
Elkton RailroadL&N18711884Elkton and Guthrie Railroad
Elkton and Guthrie RailroadL&N18841957N/A
Evansville, Henderson and Nashville RailroadL&N18671872St. Louis and South Eastern Railway
Evansville, Owensboro and Nashville RailroadL&N18731877Owensboro and Nashville Railroad
Falls City Belt Line RailwayPRR19021903Pennsylvania Terminal Railway
Flemingsburg and Northern Railroad19201955N/A
Frankfort and Cincinnati RailroadFCIN19271985N/A
Frankfort and Cincinnati Railway18971927Frankfort and Cincinnati Railroad
Frankfort, Paris and Big Sandy Railroad18711881Paris, Georgetown and Frankfort Railroad
Gallatin and Scottsville RailwayL&N19061907Louisville and Nashville Railroad
Glasgow RailroadL&N18681899Glasgow Railway
Glasgow RailwayL&N1899Still exists as a lessor of CSX Transportation
Gulf, Mobile and Northern RailroadGM&NGM&O19261938N/A
Gulf, Mobile and Ohio RailroadGM&O
GMO
GM&O19401972Illinois Central Gulf Railroad
Hardin Southern RailroadHSRR19932005KWT Railway
Henderson Belt RailroadL&N18881957Louisville and Nashville Railroad
Henderson Bridge CompanyL&N18721906Henderson Bridge and Railroad Company
Henderson Bridge and Railroad CompanyL&N19061906Louisville and Nashville Railroad
Henderson and Nashville RailroadL&N18371867Evansville, Henderson and Nashville Railroad
Hickman and Obion RailroadL&N18541855Nashville and North Western Railroad
Hodgenville and Elizabethtown RailwayIC18841902Chicago, St. Louis and New Orleans Railroad
Illinois Central RailroadICIC1882?1972Illinois Central Gulf Railroad
Illinois Central Gulf RailroadICG19721988Illinois Central Railroad
Indiana, Alabama and Texas RailroadL&N18851887Louisville and Nashville Railroad
Indiana Hi-Rail CorporationIHRC19861996CSX Transportation
Jellico, Bird-Eye and Northern RailwayL&N18931902Louisville and Nashville Railroad
J&J RailroadJJRD19831993Hardin Southern Railroad
Kentucky Central RailroadL&N18611887Kentucky Central Railway
Kentucky Central RailwayL&N18871891Louisville and Nashville Railroad
Kentucky Highlands RailroadL&N19071915Louisville and Nashville Railroad
Kentucky and Indiana Bridge CompanySOU18801900Kentucky and Indiana Bridge and Railroad Company
Kentucky and Indiana Bridge and Railroad CompanySOU19001910Kentucky and Indiana Terminal Railroad
Kentucky and Indiana Terminal RailroadKITSOU19101981Southern Railway
Kentucky Midland RailroadIC19041922Chicago, St. Louis and New Orleans Railroad
Kentucky Midland Railway18881897Frankfort and Cincinnati Railway
Kentucky Northern Railroad18961900N/A
Kentucky, Rockcastle and Cumberland Railroad1913N/A
Kentucky and South Atlantic RailroadC&O18881902Lexington and Big Sandy Railway
Kentucky and South Atlantic RailwayC&O18821887Kentucky and South Atlantic Railroad
Kentucky Southern RailroadL&N18721882Louisville, St. Louis and Texas Railway
Kentucky and Tennessee RailroadGM&O18701872Mobile and Ohio Railroad
Kentucky and Tennessee Railroad19021904Kentucky and Tennessee Railway
Kentucky Union RailwayL&N18541894Lexington and Eastern Railway
Kentucky Valley RailroadIC19051913Chicago, St. Louis and New Orleans Railroad
Kentucky and Virginia RailroadL&N19151915Louisville and Nashville Railroad
Kentucky Western RailwayIC18991902Chicago, St. Louis and New Orleans Railroad
Kinniconnick and Freestone RailwayC&O18901908Chesapeake and Ohio Railway of Kentucky
Knox Creek RailwayN&W19121936Norfolk and Western Railway
Knoxville, Cumberland Gap and Louisville RailroadL&N18881895Knoxville, Cumberland Gap and Louisville Railway
Knoxville, Cumberland Gap and Louisville RailwayL&N18951896Middlesborough Railroad
Lenox Railroad19181926?N/A
Levisa River RailroadC&O19111946?Chesapeake and Ohio Railway
Lexington and Big Sandy RailroadC&O18521864Lexington and Big Sandy Railroad, Eastern Division
Lexington and Big Sandy Railroad, Western Division
Lexington and Big Sandy Railroad, Eastern DivisionC&O18651880Ashland Coal and Iron Railway
Lexington and Big Sandy Railroad, Western DivisionC&O18651871Elizabethtown, Lexington and Big Sandy Railroad
Lexington and Big Sandy RailwayC&O19021904Chesapeake and Ohio Railway of Kentucky
Lexington and Danville RailroadSOU18501858Lexington and Southern Kentucky Railroad
Lexington and Eastern RailwayL&N18941915Louisville and Nashville Railroad
Lexington and Frankfort RailroadL&N18481869Louisville, Cincinnati and Lexington Railroad
Lexington and Ohio RailroadLXOH19962003R.J. Corman Railroad/Central Kentucky Lines
Lexington and Ohio RailroadL&N18301842Lexington and Frankfort Railroad
Louisville and Frankfort Railroad
Lexington and Southern Kentucky RailroadSOU18601867Cincinnati, Lexington and East Tennessee Railroad
Lexington Union Station CompanyC&O
L&N
1905
Licking and Lexington RailroadL&N18471849Covington and Lexington Railroad
Licking River Railroad18991913N/A
Licking Valley Railway18961899Licking River Railroad
Licking Valley Railway18801880Covington, Flemingsburg and Southeastern Railway
Long Fork RailwayC&O19121933Chesapeake and Ohio Railway
Louisville and Atlantic RailroadL&N18991909Louisville and Nashville Railroad
Louisville Bridge CompanyPRR18561918Louisville Bridge and Railroad Company
Louisville Bridge and Railroad CompanyPRR19181918Louisville Bridge and Terminal Railway
Louisville Bridge and Terminal RailwayPRR19181954Penndel Company
Louisville, Cincinnati and Lexington RailroadL&N18691877Louisville, Cincinnati and Lexington Railway
Louisville, Cincinnati and Lexington RailwayL&N18771881Louisville and Nashville Railroad
Louisville, Cloverport and Western RailwayL&N18801882Louisville, St. Louis and Texas Railway
Louisville and Frankfort RailroadL&N18471869Louisville, Cincinnati and Lexington Railroad
Louisville, Hardinsburg and Western RailwayL&N18881892Louisville, St. Louis and Texas Railway
Louisville, Harrodsburg and Virginia Railroad18681884Louisville Southern RailroadChartered, but never laid track until reörganization
Louisville, Harrods Creek and Westport RailroadL&N18791904Louisville and Nashville Railroad
Louisville, Harrods Creek and Westport RailwayL&N18701879Louisville, Harrods Creek and Westport Railroad
Louisville, Henderson and St. Louis RailwayLH&S
LHS
L&N18961984Seaboard System Railroad
Louisville and Jeffersonville Bridge CompanyNYC18881917Louisville and Jeffersonville Bridge and Railroad Company
Louisville and Jeffersonville Bridge and Railroad CompanyNYC19171968N/A
Louisville and Nashville RailroadL&N
LN
L&N18501983Seaboard System Railroad
Louisville, New Albany and Chicago RailwayMON18821897Chicago, Indianapolis and Louisville Railway
Louisville, Paducah and Southwestern RailroadIC18741876Paducah and Elizabethtown Railroad
Louisville Railway Transfer CompanyL&N18711893Louisville and Nashville Railroad
Louisville, St. Louis and Texas RailwayL&N18821896Louisville, Henderson and St. Louis Railway
Louisville Southern RailroadLSSOU18841894Southern Railway in Kentucky
Louisville and Southwestern RailwaySOU18821889Louisville Southern Railroad
Madisonville, Hartford and Eastern RailroadL&N19051912Louisville and Nashville Railroad
Madisonville and Shawneetown Straight Line RailroadL&N18701872St. Louis and Southeastern Railway
Mammoth Cave Railroad18741931N/A
Maysville and Big Sandy RailroadC&O18501904Chesapeake and Ohio Railway of Kentucky
Maysville and Lexington RailroadL&N18501856Maysville and Lexington Railroad, Northern Division
Maysville and Lexington Railroad, Southern Division
Maysville and Lexington Railroad, North DivisionL&N18761921Louisville and Nashville Railroad
Maysville and Lexington Railroad, Northern DivisionL&N18681875Maysville and Lexington Railroad, North Division
Maysville and Lexington Railroad, Southern DivisionL&N18681921Louisville and Nashville Railroad
Memphis, Paducah and Northern RailroadIC18781881Chesapeake, Ohio and Southwestern Railroad
Middle Division of the Cumberland and Ohio RailroadL&N18801888Louisville and Nashville Railroad
Middlesborough RailroadL&N18951896Louisville and Nashville Railroad
Middlesborough Belt RailroadL&N18901895Middlesborough Railroad
Middlesboro Mineral RailwaySOU19001905Cumberland Railway
Millers Creek RailroadC&O19091933Chesapeake and Ohio Railway
The Milwaukee Road, Inc.MILWMILW19851986Soo Line Railroad
Mississippi Central RailroadIC18591874New Orleans, St. Louis and Chicago Railroad
Mississippi River RailwayIC18601872Paducah and Memphis Railroad
Mobile and Ohio RailroadGM&O18481940Gulf, Mobile and Ohio Railroad
Monon RailroadMONMON19561971Louisville and Nashville Railroad
Morehead and North Fork Railroad19051973?N/A
Morehead and West Liberty Railroad1906Morehead and North Fork Railroad
Morganfield and Atlanta RailroadL&N19051921Louisville and Nashville Railroad
Mount Sterling Coal RoadC&O18741882Kentucky and South Atlantic Railway
Mountain Central Railway19141928N/A
Nashville and Chattanooga RailroadL&N1873Nashville, Chattanooga and St. Louis Railway
Nashville and Clarksville RailroadIC19011902Tennessee Central Railroad
Nashville, Chattanooga and St. Louis RailwayN&C
NC
L&N18731957Louisville and Nashville Railroad
Nashville and North Western RailroadL&N18551871Nashville and Chattanooga Railroad
New Orleans and Ohio RailroadIC18521869Paducah and Gulf Railroad
New Orleans, St. Louis and Chicago RailroadIC18741877Central Mississippi Railroad
Newport and Cincinnati Bridge CompanyL&N18681904Louisville and Nashville Railroad
Newport News and Mississippi Valley CompanyC&OChesapeake and Ohio Railway
Norfolk and Western RailwayN&W
NW
N&W1998Norfolk Southern Railway
Northern Division of the Cumberland and Ohio RailroadL&N18781900Shelbyville, Bloomfield and Ohio Railroad
Ohio and Big Sandy RailroadC&O18891902Lexington and Big Sandy Railway
Ohio and Kentucky Railway18941933N/A
Ohio and Kentucky Bridge CompanyC&O18861886Covington and Cincinnati Elevated Railroad and Transfer and Bridge Company
Ohio, Kentucky and Virginia RailwayC&O18861887Charleston, Cincinnati and Chicago Railroad
Ohio River and Charleston Railway of KentuckyC&O18941902Lexington and Big Sandy Railway
Ohio Valley RailroadIC18801886Ohio Valley Railway
Ohio Valley RailwayIC18861897Chicago, St. Louis and New Orleans Railroad
Ohio Valley Coal and Mining CompanyIC18861888Ohio Valley Railway
Ohio Valley Railroad and Mining CompanyIC18821886Ohio Valley Coal and Mining Company
Olympia and Owingsville Railway19161918N/A
Owensboro, Falls of Rough and Green River RailroadIC18821897Chicago, St. Louis and New Orleans Railroad
Owensboro and Nashville RailroadL&N18771881Owensboro and Nashville Railway
Owensboro and Nashville RailwayL&N18811921Louisville and Nashville Railroad
Owensboro and Russellville RailroadL&N18671873Evansville, Owensboro and Nashville Railroad
Owingsville and Olympia Railroad1915?1916Olympia and Owingsville Railway
Paducah and Elizabethtown RailroadIC18771882Chesapeake, Ohio and Southwestern Railroad
Paducah and Gulf RailroadIC18691872Paducah and Memphis Railroad
Paducah and Illinois RailroadPICB&Q
IC
L&N
1910Still exists as a joint subsidiary of the BNSF Railway, Canadian National Railway, and CSX Transportation
Paducah and Memphis RailroadIC18721877Memphis, Paducah and Northern Railroad
Paducah, Tennessee and Alabama RailroadL&N18921895Louisville and Nashville Railroad
Paducah Union Depot CompanyIC18881913Chicago, St. Louis and New Orleans Railroad
Paris, Georgetown and Frankfort Railroad18711888Kentucky Midland Railway
Passenger and Belt RailwayC&O18881895Chesapeake and Ohio Railway
Penn Central Transportation CompanyPC19681976Consolidated Rail Corporation
Penndel CompanyPRR19541976Consolidated Rail Corporation
Pennsylvania RailroadPRRPRR1921?1968Penn Central Transportation Company
Pennsylvania Terminal RailwayPRR19031918Louisville Bridge and Terminal Railway
Pine Mountain RailroadL&N19051913Louisville and Nashville Railroad
Portsmouth and Tygart Valley Railroad1892?≤1911N/A
Princeton and Ohio River RailroadL&N18821885Indiana, Alabama and Texas Railroad
Red River Valley Railroad1914?N/A
Richmond, Nicholasville, Irvine and Beattyville RailroadL&N18881899Louisville and Atlantic Railroad
Rockcastle Railroad19131913Rockcastle River Railway
Rockcastle River Railway19131932N/A
St. Louis and South Eastern RailwayL&N18721879Louisville and Nashville Railroad
St. Louis and Southeastern RailwayL&N18721872St. Louis and South Eastern Railway
Sandy Valley and Elkhorn RailwayC&O19021933Chesapeake and Ohio Railway
Seaboard System RailroadSBD19831986CSX Transportation
Shelby RailroadL&N18511902Louisville and Nashville Railroad
Shelbyville, Bloomfield and Ohio RailroadL&N19001901Louisville and Nashville Railroad
Short Route Railway Transfer CompanyIC18731897Chicago, St. Louis and New Orleans Railroad
Soo Line RailroadSOO19862006Indiana Rail Road
South Kentucky RailroadIC18711880Ohio Valley Railroad
South and Western RailroadACL
L&N
19051908Carolina, Clinchfield and Ohio Railway
South and Western RailwayACL
L&N
19021906South and Western Railroad
Southern RailwaySOUSOU18941990Norfolk Southern Railway
Southern Railway in KentuckySOU18941944?Southern Railway
Southern Division of the Cumberland and Ohio RailroadL&N18781903Louisville and Nashville Railroad
Southwestern RailroadSOU18761889Louisville Southern Railroad
Tennessee Central RailroadIC19021922Tennessee Central Railway
Tennessee Central RailwayTCIC19221968Illinois Central Railroad
Tennessee and Kentucky RailroadL&N18811881Owensboro and Nashville Railway
Tradewater RailwayTRWY19821995Western Kentucky Railway
Tug River and Kentucky RailroadN&W19131936Norfolk and Western Railway
Versailles and Midway RailwaySOU18841889Louisville Southern Railroad
Wasioto and Black Mountain RailroadL&N19081915Kentucky and Virginia Railroad
Williamson and Pond Creek RailroadN&W19121936Norfolk and Western Railway
Winchester and Beattyville RailroadL&N18781893Beattyville and Cumberland Gap Railroad
Woodford RailroadSOU18711889Louisville Southern Railroad

Electric