Henderson, KY: Union Station (L&N+IC), Junction Tower and IC Ferry

Depot: (Satellite)

Junction: (Satellite, a guess based on the aerial photo below.)

Ferry: (Satellite)

Street View, Jul 2012

 

Jim Pearson Photography posted

May 12, 2022 – CSX P001-09 Presidential Office Car passenger train passes the old Louisville and Nashville Passenger depot at Henderson, Kentucky as CSXT 1, 2 and 3 leads the way.

CSX Transportation has repainted 3 of its executive fleet F40PH locomotives in a paint scheme inspired by predecessor Baltimore & Ohio and a fleet of cars to finish out the train set. The city of Baltimore chartered the railroad on Feb. 28, 1827, to build west to a suitable point on the Ohio River. Ground was broken on July 4, 1828, at Carrollton, Md. By 1929 the railroad operated 5,658 miles of track and had 2,364 locomotives. In the 1970s the B&O became part of Chessie System and in the 1980s it became part of CSX.

According to the abandonedonline.net website: This depot, built of brick and granite, was constructed by the local firm Bailey & Koerner opened at the cost of $25,000 on July 1, 1902. The Union Station replaced the separate stations for the L&N and the IC. The former L&N depot was converted into the residence for the local yard foreman while the former IC station was used until it was demolished in November 1942.

By 1922, Union Station was handling 24 passenger trains daily, but the advent of the automobile and the construction of the interstate highway system and parkways in the region decimated passenger trains. The IC ceased passenger operations on February 13, 1941, and the station was closed by the L&N after it ceased passenger trains in 1971.

The depot is currently owned by Railmark Foundation and is under restoration. I’ve not found out what it’s intended use will be.

Tech Info: DJI Mavic Air 2S Drone, Altitude 55ft, RAW, 22mm, f/2.8, 1/2500, ISO 140.

https://fineartamerica.com/.../csx-p001-09-presidential...

Street View

They have removed the trees that blocked a decent view from this angle with street view.

Lyle Gamble, May 2022

1952 Henderson Quad @ 1:24,000

Junction Tower and Ferry

Illinois Central Railroad Scrapbook And Occasionally Other Railroads posted

During the 1890's the Illinois Central operated a ferry across the Ohio River at Henderson KY.  Then around 1905 the IC received trackage rights on the Louisville & Nashville's bridge across the river and the ferry was abandoned.

An interlocking tower was built in Henderson KY, near Union Station, at the junction of IC's line down to Princeton, KY, and the L&N.  

This real photo postcard ("RPPC") probably dates from the 1940's or 1950's and was given to me years ago by my friend Wallace Henderson. It is difficult to see, but the IC's old diamond emblem from the 1920's is painted on the front of the tower.  I don't know when the tower was torn down, but suspect the tower was gone by the mid-1970's.  By that time IC's traffic on both sides of the river was drying up.  The line going north from Evansville, plus a few miles going south from Evansville,  was sold to Indiana Hi-Rail.  

Meanwhile, in 1982 the Tradewater Railway bought the trackage between Blackford (?), KY, and Princeton.  The IC trackage between Blackford and Henderson was subsequently abandoned and torn up.

Collection of Cliff Downey.

The IC tracks continued North across the floodplain to a ferry close to today's US-41 Bridge. 

1914/14 Henderson Quad @ 48,000

Clay Street is the road near the top of this excerpt. It looks like the tower was just south of the street.

Apr 1, 1960 @ 28,400; AR1LB0000010077

CSX, which owns the L&N routes, now owns the IC tracks as industrial spurs. In fact, some track has been added on the west side to serve some industries along the river.

1993/93 Wilson and Henderson Quads @ 24,000