Bluegrass Railroad and Museum
Encyclopedia
The Bluegrass Railroad and Museum is a railroad museum
and heritage railroad
in Versailles, Kentucky
, United States
.
Operating out of the Woodford County Park, the Railroad offers six mile (10 km) round excursions through the horse farms of Kentucky
.
The railroad uses diesel locomotives, of which it has seven. It also has about 40 pieces of rolling stock, about half stored away from the museum (some for sale).
. After a fire in 2006, a partially burned house was remodeled into a Station and Museum.
The rail line was originally built by the Louisville Southern Railroad in the 1880s. For a brief time it was leased by the Monon Railroad
. Later, it became part of the Southern Railway. While operated by the Southern, a switching accident at the Tyrone Generating Station caused coal shipments to be received by truck, and hastened the end of the usefulness of this portion of the line. Later, the Norfolk Southern Railway
operated the line. A few years into NS ownership, the portion of the line between the Kentucky River and Versailles was slated for abandonment, and subsequently sold to the Museum. The line from the Kentucky River to Lawrenceburg, KY is still owned by Norfolk Southern Railway. The line from Versailles to Lexington has been sold first to the Lexington and Ohio Railroad
and now to the R.J. Corman Railroad/Central Kentucky Lines
.
Railway museum
A railway museum is a museum that explores the history of all aspects of rail related transportation, including: locomotives , railway cars, trams, and railway signalling equipment.See List of railway museums...
and heritage railroad
Heritage railway
thumb|right|the Historical [[Khyber train safari|Khyber Railway]] goes through the [[Khyber Pass]], [[Pakistan]]A heritage railway , preserved railway , tourist railway , or tourist railroad is a railway that is run as a tourist attraction, in some cases by volunteers, and...
in Versailles, Kentucky
Versailles, Kentucky
As of the census of 2000, there were 7,511 people, 3,160 households, and 2,110 families residing in the city. The population density was . There were 3,330 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 88.18% White, 8.67% African American, 0.15% Native American, 0.35%...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
.
Operating out of the Woodford County Park, the Railroad offers six mile (10 km) round excursions through the horse farms of Kentucky
Kentucky
The Commonwealth of Kentucky is a state located in the East Central United States of America. As classified by the United States Census Bureau, Kentucky is a Southern state, more specifically in the East South Central region. Kentucky is one of four U.S. states constituted as a commonwealth...
.
The railroad uses diesel locomotives, of which it has seven. It also has about 40 pieces of rolling stock, about half stored away from the museum (some for sale).
Museum
The museum was founded in 1976 by some members of the Bluegrass Railroad Club, a model railroad group. It began to acquire equipment from local railroads, initially storing the equipment in the old L&N RR's Lexington yard which is now part of the parking lot for Rupp Arena. The equipment was moved to the Bluegrass Army Depot grounds in Avon, KY. In 1988 the museum moved to its present location on Hwy 62 outside Versailles, KentuckyVersailles, Kentucky
As of the census of 2000, there were 7,511 people, 3,160 households, and 2,110 families residing in the city. The population density was . There were 3,330 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 88.18% White, 8.67% African American, 0.15% Native American, 0.35%...
. After a fire in 2006, a partially burned house was remodeled into a Station and Museum.
Rail line
In 1987-1988 five and a half miles of railroad line from Versailles, KY to the Kentucky River and nine and a half acres of land in Woodford County Park just outside of Versailles were acquired to begin the process of creating a museum site and train ride.The rail line was originally built by the Louisville Southern Railroad in the 1880s. For a brief time it was leased by the Monon Railroad
Monon Railroad
The Monon Railroad , also known as the Chicago, Indianapolis and Louisville Railway from 1897–1956, operated almost entirely within the state of Indiana...
. Later, it became part of the Southern Railway. While operated by the Southern, a switching accident at the Tyrone Generating Station caused coal shipments to be received by truck, and hastened the end of the usefulness of this portion of the line. Later, the Norfolk Southern Railway
Norfolk Southern Railway
The Norfolk Southern Railway is a Class I railroad in the United States, owned by the Norfolk Southern Corporation. With headquarters in Norfolk, Virginia, the company operates 21,500 route miles in 22 eastern states, the District of Columbia and the province of Ontario, Canada...
operated the line. A few years into NS ownership, the portion of the line between the Kentucky River and Versailles was slated for abandonment, and subsequently sold to the Museum. The line from the Kentucky River to Lawrenceburg, KY is still owned by Norfolk Southern Railway. The line from Versailles to Lexington has been sold first to the Lexington and Ohio Railroad
Lexington and Ohio Railroad
The Lexington and Ohio Railroad was the first railroad in the U.S. state of Kentucky....
and now to the R.J. Corman Railroad/Central Kentucky Lines
R.J. Corman Railroad Group
R.J. Corman Railroad Group, LLC is a railroad holding company owned by Richard J. "Rick" Corman. Corman first established the company in 1973. It owns short-line railroad lines in seven states .-Lines Owned:R.J. Corman operates the following subsidiaries:*R.J...
.