Paducah and Louisville Railway
Encyclopedia
The Paducah & Louisville Railway is a Class II railroad
that operates freight service between Paducah
and Louisville, Kentucky
.
The 270-mile line was purchased from Illinois Central Gulf Railroad in August, 1986. The 223-mile main route runs between Paducah and Louisville with a branch line from Paducah to Kevil
and Mayfield, Kentucky
and another from Cecilia
to Elizabethtown, Kentucky
. The PAL interchanges with the Burlington Northern Santa Fe
(BNSF) and Canadian National
(CN), formerly Illinois Central Railroad
, in Paducah. In Madisonville
, the line interchanges with CSX Transportation
(CSXT). In Louisville, the line interchanges with the Canadian Pacific Railway
(CPR), CSX Transportation
(CSXT) and Norfolk Southern (NS). Class III
line connections are at Princeton
with the Fredonia Valley Railroad (FVRR) and at Louisville with the Louisville and Indiana Railroad
(LIRC).
The parent company of the PAL, Four Rivers Transportation, Inc.
, also operates the Evansville Western Railway
and the Appalachian and Ohio Railroad
.
Class II railroad
A Class II railroad in the United States is a mid-sized freight-hauling railroad, in terms of its operating revenue. , a railroad with revenues greater than $20.5 million but less than $277.7 million for at least three consecutive years is considered a Class II railroad...
that operates freight service between Paducah
Paducah, Kentucky
Paducah is the largest city in Kentucky's Jackson Purchase Region and the county seat of McCracken County, Kentucky, United States. It is located at the confluence of the Tennessee River and the Ohio River, halfway between the metropolitan areas of St. Louis, Missouri, to the west and Nashville,...
and Louisville, Kentucky
Louisville, Kentucky
Louisville is the largest city in the U.S. state of Kentucky, and the county seat of Jefferson County. Since 2003, the city's borders have been coterminous with those of the county because of a city-county merger. The city's population at the 2010 census was 741,096...
.
The 270-mile line was purchased from Illinois Central Gulf Railroad in August, 1986. The 223-mile main route runs between Paducah and Louisville with a branch line from Paducah to Kevil
Kevil, Kentucky
Kevil is a city in Ballard County, Kentucky, United States. The population was 574 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Paducah, KY-IL Micropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:Kevil is located at ....
and Mayfield, Kentucky
Mayfield, Kentucky
As of the census of 2000, there were 10,349 people, 4,358 households, and 2,667 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,549.8 people per square mile . There were 4,907 housing units at an average density of 734.8 per square mile...
and another from Cecilia
Cecilia, Kentucky
Cecilia is an unincorporated community in Hardin County, Kentucky, United States. It is located approximately west of Elizabethtown, the county seat...
to Elizabethtown, Kentucky
Elizabethtown, Kentucky
Elizabethtown is a city in and the county seat of Hardin County, Kentucky, United States. The population was 28,531 at the 2010 census, making it the eleventh-largest city in the state...
. The PAL interchanges with the Burlington Northern Santa Fe
BNSF Railway
The BNSF Railway is a wholly owned subsidiary of Berkshire Hathaway Inc., and is headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas. It is one of seven North American Class I railroads and the second largest freight railroad network in North America, second only to the Union Pacific Railroad, its primary...
(BNSF) and Canadian National
Canadian National Railway
The Canadian National Railway Company is a Canadian Class I railway headquartered in Montreal, Quebec. CN's slogan is "North America's Railroad"....
(CN), formerly Illinois Central Railroad
Illinois Central Railroad
The Illinois Central Railroad , sometimes called the Main Line of Mid-America, is a railroad in the central United States, with its primary routes connecting Chicago, Illinois with New Orleans, Louisiana and Birmingham, Alabama. A line also connected Chicago with Sioux City, Iowa...
, in Paducah. In Madisonville
Madisonville, Kentucky
Madisonville is a city in Hopkins County, Kentucky, United States of the Western Coal Field region, located along US 41 and The Pennyrile Parkway. The population was 19,307 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Hopkins County. The city was named in honor of U.S...
, the line interchanges with CSX Transportation
CSX Transportation
CSX Transportation operates a Class I railroad in the United States known as the CSX Railroad. It is the main subsidiary of the CSX Corporation. The company is headquartered in Jacksonville, Florida, and owns approximately 21,000 route miles...
(CSXT). In Louisville, the line interchanges with the Canadian Pacific Railway
Canadian Pacific Railway
The Canadian Pacific Railway , formerly also known as CP Rail between 1968 and 1996, is a historic Canadian Class I railway founded in 1881 and now operated by Canadian Pacific Railway Limited, which began operations as legal owner in a corporate restructuring in 2001...
(CPR), CSX Transportation
CSX Transportation
CSX Transportation operates a Class I railroad in the United States known as the CSX Railroad. It is the main subsidiary of the CSX Corporation. The company is headquartered in Jacksonville, Florida, and owns approximately 21,000 route miles...
(CSXT) and Norfolk Southern (NS). Class III
Class III railroad
A Class III railroad, as defined by the Surface Transportation Board, is a railroad with an annual operating revenue of less than $20 million . The term only applies to United States railroads, but is sometimes applied to other countries...
line connections are at Princeton
Princeton, Kentucky
Princeton is a city in Caldwell County, Kentucky, United States. The population was 6,329 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Caldwell County.-History:...
with the Fredonia Valley Railroad (FVRR) and at Louisville with the Louisville and Indiana Railroad
Louisville and Indiana Railroad
The Louisville and Indiana Railroad is a Class III railroad that operates freight service between Indianapolis, Indiana and Louisville, Kentucky, with a major yard and maintenance shop in Jeffersonville, Indiana....
(LIRC).
The parent company of the PAL, Four Rivers Transportation, Inc.
Four Rivers Transportation
Four Rivers Transportation, Inc. based in Wilmington, Delaware, is a railroad holding company in the United States. It is jointly-owned by the management of the P&L Railway, as well as CSX Corporation, which the latter holds a majority.-Subsidiaries:...
, also operates the Evansville Western Railway
Evansville Western Railway
The Evansville Western Railway is a Class III common carrier shortline railroad operating in the Southern Illinois and Indiana region. It is one of three regional railroad subsidiaries owned and operated by Four Rivers Transportation Inc.- Overview :...
and the Appalachian and Ohio Railroad
Appalachian and Ohio Railroad
The Appalachian and Ohio Railroad is a class III railroad operating in West Virginia.Originally the Cowen and Pickens Subdivisions of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad, the railroad was a part of CSX until it was bought by Watco Companies, which began operating the railroad on March 25, 2005...
.