Its January 13, 1882 and a group of Kentucky businessmen set out to make their "mark" on the still new American railroad industry. Seventeen years after the ending of the American Civil War entrepreneurs all across America are building rail lines to connect regional cities and in the process our great nation. On this day a company would be formed, the Louisville, St. Louis & Texas Railway Co. or otherwise known as "The Texas Route". While the older and larger Louisville & Nashville Railroad (L&N) was focusing on their north-south rail line expansion and west to east Kentucky expansion, these businessmen bet their fortunes on the expanding west. Starting with President Lincoln the country now had a coast to coast national rail network completed in 1869. These Kentucky businessmen believed that while the L&N was focusing on going south that their bet was going west. They would build a railroad that started in Louisville Kentucky following the Ohio River to
Henderson Kentucky with their ultimate goal of reaching Texas by way of St. Louis. Their financing was unsuccessful and by 1896 had filed bankruptcy. Reorganized with a few different principals, the new company was formed on May 29, 1896 as the
Louisville, Henderson & St. Louis Railway Company (LHSTL). It would be acquired by the Louisville & Nashville Railroad in 1929 and the corporation acquired by
B. Allen Brown II on September 22, 1995. While it no longer owns the 186-mile rail line anymore (now CSXT), today's LHSTL owns certain railroad industry investments which are also making a mark on the American and International railroad industry. Stay tuned as more and more LHSTL history and photographs will be posted on this site.
Todays LHSTL owns either 100%, controlling interest or a significant interest in the following railroad and other investments:
