The Kentucky Railway MuseumThe Kentucky Railway Museum, based in New Haven has a history that dates as far back as the late 1940s and has its true beginnings in 1954, in no small part thanks to the efforts of the Louisville & Nashville Railroad! Since that time the museum has grown steadily and today features large collection of rolling stock and even features excursion trains which are pulled by the most famous locomotive on the grounds, ex-L&N 4-6-2 Pacific Type #152 (which was originally donated by the L&N back in the 1950s).
The L&N, a railroad synonymous with the southern states and southeastern US, served major cities from New Orleans and Memphis to St. Louis, Atlanta, and later Chicago. The L&N is also one of the few classic fallen flags to never have had its original chartered name changed at any point throughout its history, serving its home state and the southeast for over 120 years known as simply the Louisville & Nashville. While the railroad would become part of the burgeoning CSX system it was a highly respected and well-known transportation company for much of its existence. In 1954 the society renamed itself the Kentucky Railway Museum and leased a six-acre tract of land. With its new home the museum quickly set to opening its exhibit to the public which it was able to accomplish by late May, 1958. As the museum's increased the size of its collection so did its patronage which had grown to over 100,000 visitors by the early 1960s and over 200,000 by the late 1960s. After this the Kentucky Railway Museum moved its exhibit to a larger, 40-acre site near Ormsby Village although it would expire in 1993. Because the original site was subject to flooding, and the museum required additional space for exhibits, the museum signed a lease for 40 acres of land near Ormsby Village on LaGrange Road, which would expire in 1993. Attempting to find a new home before its lease had run out the museum was in luck when two brothers in New Haven donated six acres of land and a building. With their new permanent home the museum reopened for business in July of 1990.
What's more the museum was able to acquire a former L&N branch line CSX was intending to abandon between Boston and Mount Vernon. Purchasing 17 miles of the line came with help from the the Bingham Foundation and a state grant. With a new rail line to showcase for tourists the museum set to restoring its L&N 4-6-2 steam locomotive. Restoration of the locomotive came with grant money from the Brown Foundation and the National Park Service and after thirteen years of hard work the locomotive was under steam in the late summer of 1985. To carry passengers the museum then acquired a small fleet of coaches. Today, the Kentucky Railway Museum sees over 40,000 annual tourists and built a replica L&N brick depot that had once stood in New Haven. Along with the new depot the museum also now has a 5,000 square foot building to house its historic artifacts. If you are in or near New Haven consider stopping by to see this fantastic exhibit, it's definitely worth it. Locomotives * Atchinson, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway EMD CF-7 #2546 (Originally built as an F7) * Chesapeake & Ohio Railway 2-8-4 "Kanawha" #2716 * L&N 4-6-2 Pacific #152 (Operational) * L&N 0-8-0 #2152 * L&N EMD E6A #770 * Monon Railroad EMD BL2 #32 * United States Air Force Baldwin-Whitcomb Switcher #4010 and #4044 * United States Army Fairbanks-Morse H-12-44 * United States Navy GE 44-tonners #76 and #77 * Vulcan Manufacturing 0-4-0 Narrow-Gauge #11 Rolling Stock * Ex-Clinchfield Railroad Coach #2554 * Ex-Clinchfield Railroad Coach #2572 * Ex-Bristish Columbia Railway Diner * Ex-Missouri-Kansas-Texas Railroad Coach #884 * Ex-New York, Susquehanna & Western Railway Coach #1616 * Ex-Southern Railway Coach #845
For more reading about Kentucky railroading you might be interested in History of the Louisville & Nashville Railroad by Maury Klein, as well. With over 500 pages the book covers in vivid detail the entire history of the L&N and is a must for anyone with a deep interest in the railroad. Also, for more information and reading about excursion trains and railroad museums you might want to consider picking up Tourist Trains Guidebook from the editors of Kalmbach Publishing's Trains magazine. The book lists and reviews over 400 excursions and museums found throughout the country and is an excellent resource if you're looking for one to visit. In any event, if you're interested in perhaps purchasing either (or both) of these books please visit the links below which will take you to ordering information through Amazon.com, the trusted online shopping network.
|
