History
The company received its original charter on January 28, 1852,[1][2][3][4][5] and amended its charter in 1854 to merge with the Nashville and Memphis Railroad[6][7] and to build a line from Memphis through Clarksville to the state border in the direction of Bowling Green, Kentucky.[8] Construction began in Fall 1854.[1][note 1] In 1855 the charter was amended to allow it to build into Kentucky to a point on the Tennessee River to connect with the Memphis and Ohio Railroad.[7] After construction had begun, William Andrew Quarles was appointed president,[10] succeeding William B. Munford.[7][9][11][12]
The first train operated between Clarksville and Guthrie, Kentucky, on October 1, 1859,[2] becoming the first railroad to operate in Clarksville.[13] The line's extension to Bowling Green was completed on September 16, 1860, with the first regular train operating through to Bowling Green on September 24.[2] A ceremonial first train was operated on September 18, including a symbolic handshake between William Quarles and James Guthrie of the L&N at the Kentucky/Tennessee state line.[14] The 83-mile (134 km) line of 5 ft (1,524 mm)[15][16] gauge track connected with the Memphis and Ohio Railroad and the Louisville and Nashville Railroad (L&N) between Memphis and Louisville. In Louisville, the railroad used the L&N Depot as the terminal for its passenger trains, and provided connections through to New Orleans via Humboldt, Tennessee.[17]
Its line was heavily damaged during the American Civil War,[18] and the MC&L entered receivership in July 1865[19] under George T. Lewis.[20] Assistance to restore the line to service was offered by the L&N,[21][note 2] which was declined by the MC&L.[19] The line was restored soon after the war,[23] reopening on August 13, 1866.[3][21] Heavy rain again caused disruption in December 1866 through a landslide near Clarksville.[24] In 1868 the railroad was bankrupt and could not pay its wages; this led to an 11-day strike in February,[25] during which time through trains from Memphis to Louisville were routed on competing lines via Nashville and McKenzie.[19] The strike ended when the L&N leased the line on February 17.[2][3] The railroad was dissolved on September 30, 1871, then purchased by the L&N.[3][5][26] Although the L&N's purchase was effective as of October 1, 1871,[27] the company's accounting was kept separate until October 1872.[19] L&N operated the line as its Memphis Branch,[16] but saw declining traffic through the early 20th century, with the last passenger train serving Clarksville in February 1968.[13][note 3] L&N was merged into CSX, and CSX sold the former MC&L line to R.J. Corman Railroad Group in 1987,[13] becoming that company's Memphis Line.
