The Illinois Central Railroad In Kentucky As Seen Through Postcards

The Illinois Central Railroad (IC) between 1851 and 1856 built a rail line from Chicago IL to Cairo IL. In 1876 IC entered Kentucky by purchasing the Mississippi Central Railroad that ran from East Cairo KY; via Fulton KY; to Canton MI; and the New Orleans Jackson & Great Northern Railroad that operated between New Orleans LA and Canton MI. In 1896 Chesapeake Ohio & Southwestern and Ohio Valley Railroad were sold to IC. In 1896 when IC bought the Ohio Valley Railroad that gave IC a route from Evansville IN to Hopkinsville KY. End of track for IC in Louisville KY was Central Station built in 1891 and served IC both as a depot and office building. In 1927 at Paducah KY IC built their main locomotive repair and erecting shop. In 1970 IC operated some 550 miles of track in Kentucky. In 1972 IC merged with Gulf Mobile & Ohio Railroad to form Illinois Central Gulf Railroad (ICG). Then in 1998 IC was sold to Canadian National Railway (CN) and lost its identity.