Elkhorn City Kentucky

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Clinchfield Railroad

Elkhorn City Kentucky

From 1915 until 1981, Elkhorn City was a busy railroad hub where the Clinchfield Railroad and the Chesapeake & Ohio Railway met and exchanged hundreds of freight cars each day. The city was the southern terminus for the C&O Big Sandy line, that followed the river north to Ashland KY and the C&O mainline along the Ohio River. For the Clinchfield, Elkhorn City was the northern terminus, traveling southward through the mountains 277 miles to Spartanburg SC.

Coal of course was a major commodity of the region, with multiple coal loaders lining the sides of the Elkhorn City rail yard. There were also coal trains that originated in the Virginia coalfields, traveling north through the city.

Both railroads also exchanged multiple freight trains each day that included manifest freight, perishable food, auto carriers, chemicals, grain, and other freight. Across multiple decades, as many as 600 or more rail cars would be interchanged between the Clinchfield and C&O.

Elkhorn City became the home-away-from-home for the train crews who slept at the YMCA. After sufficient rest, the crews would return north or south on a return trip to their respective homes, usually to Ashland KY or Erwin TN.

In 1981, the train interchange between the two railroads was moved about 15 miles north to Shelbiana KY, a much larger rail yard. The Elkhorn City yard was limited in size due to the mountainous geography. Trains only stayed a few hours, as there was no room to store them.

By 1986, the two railroads had become part of CSX Transportation. Trains continue to roll through Elkhorn City today, but with less frequency.

Clinchfield Railroad Yard

Click here for additional information about the Elkhorn City Clinchfield rail yard.

Clinchfield Timetables

Click here to view Clinchfield Timetables, with Elkhorn City as its northern terminus.

Elkhorn City Stats

  • Coordinates: 37°19′13″N 82°21′08″W
  • Elevation: 791 feet above sea level
  • Originally known as: Elkhorn, Praise, Cedarville
  • Founded: 1912
  • Population: 1,035 (2020)
  • County: Pike
  • Elkhorn City Highlights: CSX/Clinchfield/C&O rail yard, Elkhorn City Railroad Museum, Breaks Interstate Park, white water rafting on the Russell Fork of the Big Sandy River.
  • First Railroad: Chesapeake & Ohio Railway in 1912
  • Second Railroad: Carolina Clinchfield & Ohio Railway in 1915 (Clinchfield Railroad)

Clinchfield.org Sources and Resources

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Clinchfield Railroad

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