Memphis Rails

The portion of the Memphis Subdivision between Woodstock and downtown Memphis was originally constructed in 1882 as part of Collis P. Huntington's Chesapeake, Ohio and Southwestern Railroad. The track between downtown and Broadway was part of the Louisville, New Orleans and Texas Railroad, also owned by Huntington. These two lines linked two other lines owned by Huntington, the Chesapeake and Ohio Railroad at Louisville, KY, and the Southern Pacific Railroad at New Orleans, LA, to create a transcontinental system. The orignal line crossed Calhoun at Tennessee Street and crossed Broadway just west of the present CN Junction. The curve north of Central Station was added when the station was constructed in 1914. 

The line was purchased by the Illinois Central in 1893. This track is used primarily by Amtrak's "City of New Orleans" and by the Canadian National to access industries in the North Memphis area. On rare occasions a freight or intermodal train may use the track due to congestion on the LA Belt.

 
Casey Jones' last run originated at the Old Poplar Street Station.
Click on the picture above for more

Intermodal Train I-04 through downtown Memphis in 2000. (It was taken with a old VHS camera purchased at a garage sale, hence the poor quality.)

View Memphis Rails in a larger map