With Personal Service: The Story of Tennessee Central Railway

[@HighIron]

Hello and greetings one and all to, "With Personal Service," the story about a seemingly obscure railroad in an often overlooked part of the world. This year marked the 50th Anniversary of this railroad's [SPOILER ALERT], and as far as I know, this very video has been the *only* commemoration of this milestone. The Tennessee Central Railway may not have been of much significance compared to the railroads it connected with, but speaking as one of its fans, and as a volunteer at the railway museum named after it? What stood out to me the most about the TC was not the motive power that pulled its trains, but the people who shaped up the company. We often forget that machines are only half of the story. Whether it was in the room where it happened, or out on the iron trail, it was the men and women in the company who really make the railroad function. As you're sure to discover in this story, some of the decisions these people made would affect the TC's fate, for better or for worse. But most remarkably, this line is not only still with us in spirit and form, but has also become a great foundation for one of the fastest growing places in the Southeast. I've often referred to Nashville as the sweet spot of the nation, and I'm glad to see how this line is helping shape up my city to this day. I owe the development of this story to the contributors who graciously lent me photographs, film and insight about the railroad as it was then. I owe it to the people who let me bring the camera onboard the excursions and the photo charters, to document scenes recreated from history itself. I owe it to some of my closest friends who came forward to add those crucial bits and pieces that I hope make this story stand out. It is my hope that this story does the legacy of the TC and its people justice. Thank you all for tuning in, and enjoy the show.

[@DelayInBlockProductions]

Brian was the Director and Producer of this magnificent documentary! Brian, thanks so much for choosing Delay In Block as the platform for the release of this magnificent film.

[@Разумный-в2д]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/rai8iZ2ujaubl5I

[@JosephBales]

Thanks for this video production. It was very informative, interesting, and well produced. A few years ago my wife and I had the opportunity to have Brian lead us on a tour of the TC Railway Museum and facilities. Glad to see his extensive knowledge put to use here for all the world to see.

[@LukeLovesTrains-Mr.RailYard]

How are you doing today

[@brucegordon4924]

Awesome Video! I had a friend Glenn Martin of Princeton, KY retired conductor from the Louisville & Paducah. Glenn operated IC trains on the western end after the split. He was the curator of the Caldwell County RR Museum , and would be proud of this video. Thank You!

[@ravenhawk6910]

A beautiful piece of work that I'm proud to say I took part in!

[@JasonTrew2018]

ravenhawk6910 congrats and I’ll give you an A+++ for it

[@TheBrandon40500]

I have been a member of the Tennessee Central Railroad museum for over 2 decades, great to see this documentary on my reccomended list!

[@jimpleace7488]

This was really well done. I have been in Middle Tennessee for years and this really took me back and allowed me to see Nashville in ways I previously had not.

[@JimPearsonPhotography]

Great production Brian!!

[@OwenGilmoreOG]

Very interesting. I love seeing those old trains and the history behind them.

[@patricknoveski6409]

Geez, you could almost make a movie out of this story. What they endured is amazing. Well told !

[@anthonypiligno7618]

It is very valuable to keep that real line just in case if we ever had military equipment....jonjon...JJ...

[@nateln152]

Being that I am an L&N guy, I know a bit about the TC, but I can't wait to dive a bit deeper. Thanks for your work.

[@hunterneubauer1999]

I am very proud to say that I come from a TC family. Now, with the N&E being purchased by RJ Corman, we find a new chapter of the TC unfolding. I guess Baxter wasnt too crazy after all.

[@alisonfletcher3425]

Definitely not! He was my great great grandfather . My brother bears his name

[@jimpleace7488]

I didn't know that N&E was purchased by RJ Corman. Thanks

[@Timrathmore]

Really appreciated the history background. Deyuuum yoall did you homework and know exactly why things are the way they are ...... impacting today. Very important to be critical of history and that will help us considerably moving forward.

[@pauldormont4470]

Super Documentary! Watched and saved to watch again later.

[@RichardR369]

I just moved to Tennessee and thanks to this video, am learning the history of this great state. Great piece!

[@paullindberg9230]

Thank you all for putting this piece on I have been a real fan of Delay in Block for some time. Well said and describe how the railroads are. the Backbone of this country

[@LukeLovesTrains-Mr.RailYard]

Really awesome railroad thank you for archive in this wonderful little Railroad

[@earllutz2663]

A wonderful documentary/presentation.

[@wiseolesage]

I appreciate this video that included my hometown of Hopkinsville, Ky as a major part of the TC and ICG railway system. I remember these freight and warehouses in downtown Hopkinsville. The L & N came though and still does though CSX line running between Evansville and Nashville. Railroad history tells alot about a region. The TC is most interesting too as it had hired all kinds of peoples to run its line. The ICG I can remember my mother, my grandmother and my great grandmother taking passenger service from Hopkinsville to Chicago and to St.Louis. I was also told a story about during WWII bringing soldier home from the war to the ICG freight station and the wails and cries of family members meeting them there. That must have been a awful thing to hear.Passenger ended on ICG in 1967. For L&N ended in 1971. The rails for both lines stay for years. Now the TC is part of the Greenway Walking Trail in Hoptown. The ICG and TC that ran from Hopkinsville to Gracey and Cadiz and to Cerulean to Princeton its still abandon. I must visit the TC Railway Museum soon. Its part of my history as well.

[@ianhaley4362]

Absolutely great video! I’ve lived in Middle Tennessee my whole life and I’m fascinated by the railroad and all the history around them!

[@xCharjx]

Fantastic Production! So much information and great writing have told a great story about the road. I feel truly optimistic about the future of East TN and the role that the NE/RJCRR has to play in it.

[@SouRwy4501Productions]

I recently painted up my Bachmann HO scale light 4-8-2 into my interpretation of a Tennessee Central Railroad 4-8-2. I got the locomotive up in Nashville at the Tennessee Central Railroad Museum, so I wanted to pay tribute to that. The locomotive has a black cab, smokebox, and tender; while the boiler and cylinders are painted in a metallic blue. Lettering was done using gold Pullman lettering.

[@JLCmike4014]

Fantastic documentary! Really enjoyed learning about the TC and it’s nearby competitors. Brian, u did a damn fine job directing it and excellent choice having stirling narrate it! It’d be cool to see more documentaries like this from u guys.

[@daytondigger1]

Great video, I recently explored the ghost town of Wilder and saw what was left of a washed out grade. Always been interested in Fentress and Overton coal operations.

[@MartinMiller1]

A most interesting and well produced video from an interested observer from across the Pond

[@TweetsieRailroader]

This was an absolutely incredible documentary. I regret taking nearly 3 years to finally watch it.

[@JackCarsonsRailroadVideos]

This is so well put together, Job well done!

[@garyrunnalls7714]

Good rail makes Great sense

[@jeffreymcfadden9403]

it was always a treat to find the RS36s and the 2 C420s on the L&N. if i remember,,,,,several of these received FL paint.

[@antonbruce1241]

Never knew anything about this railroad - thanks tons for such a well done and educational video!!!

[@jerrysinclair3771]

Very nice video

[@danielday36]

It's funny, tomorrow, I'll be driving by much of this railroad. Thanks for the videi

[@firefighterjake8254]

This video was very much interesting. Great job to all that had a hand in making this video

[@feelup74]

Great information! Love it

[@doggerbendrailway6002]

Love the video

[@barek56]

Great job ALL!!!

[@virgilking5479]

I worked for the TC until the final day. I was General Agent in Hopkinsville, Ky. I also was a yard switchman working with a group of fine men. Mr. Brooks Bearden ask me to go to Emory Gap to relieve a special agent who was on medical leave. The men there were great to me and helped me a lot. When I came back to Nashville, Mr. Bearded to take the new in My. The TC was really a family railway.

[@nigelrichardson4327]

Im a part of the TCRM and boy howdy I’m gonna miss the N&E when RJ Corman takes over

[@planebois]

What a great documentary. Can you do one on the Chicago and Evanston Railroad?

[@railyardfilms6491]

Well story telling

[@curtisloewii.3032]

The friends of the TC coming around the world. I‘m from Munich/Bavaria and I’m a collector of southern railroad models over 30 years. GM&O, Frisco, Southern Railway and Louisville & Nashville. Plus a half dozen of shortline motive power, like the Mississippi Export or Western RailWay of Alabama. And, at least, the wonderful Tennessee Central!

[@scoobycarr5558]

Thanks to the L&N and now in today's modern era under successor CSX, Nashville has Chicago and the Midwest as one of its prime corridors that include Atlanta and Florida, Memphis and the Southwest, Louisville and Cincinnati, and Birmingham and New Orleans.

[@waynejenkins8242]

I'm a Lebanon native whose dad ran the LCL Pickup/Delivery truck out of the Lebanon TC depot for years. But the depot shown at 18:45 looks neither like the original T&P building which was where the Racetrac gas station now stands on S. Cumberland St., nor like the passenger station that NC&StL built 1 block south of the public square (it's still standing, by the way). The inverted flatcar hints this was an NC&StL facility. Where was this building located?

[@walterpetzel1102]

if you ever think about doing another one of these you shoukd consider the Elgin Joliet and Eastern railway. there is alot of history on The J.

[@RailPreserver2K]

I know and the hartwell Railroad has one of there locomotives

[@heyitshuttz3705]

I love Knoxville ❤️❤️❤️❤️

[@CoalChrome]

What's the steam engine at Cookville, also, nice inclusion of the Three Rivers Rambler.

[@TravisDGordon]

Ex. Louisiana & Arkansas 509, lettered for the Tennessee Central

[@CoalChrome]

@@TravisDGordon I thought so, I haven't heard any news of it's brother lately, I wonder what's going on.

[@zachmalcolm6342]

@@CoalChrome and it's a 4-6-0

[@CoalChrome]

@@zachmalcolm6342 ah gotcha

[@tennesseevalleyrailfanner]

Does anyone know where the early excursion footage was found at 1:01:35?

[@JeffClark-b7g]

It would be nice if you could get passenger train service going to Hopkinsville Kentucky since it still has a old train station in Hopkinsville Kentucky in the future

[@CoalChrome]

Wait, is TC 50 still around?

[@SynchroScore]

Present-day railroads could learn a bit from the list at 39:00

[@CoalChrome]

Anyone know if any of the TC ALCos still exist?

[@scaarlettlovesplanes]

C-420 in service on The Apache Railroad.

[@waynejenkins8242]

@@scaarlettlovesplanes Formerly TC 400, it's now Apache's #82. Saw it last year in Arizona, looks to be well-maintained with parts coming from other C-420's on the ground at the shop near Snowflake, AZ.

[@CoalChrome]

Does anyone know if any of those N&W 2-6-6-2s exist still?

[@CoalChrome]

Someone needs to do a reproduction of a few TC steamers.

[@wilmeaux12]

I noted a photo of a wrecked passenger train. Anyone have info on this?

[@RailPreserver2K]

Who's the narrator

[@ravenhawk6910]

That would be me.

[@RailPreserver2K]

@@ravenhawk6910 nice you did a great job man I'm proud of you

[@patricknoveski6409]

Narrative was spot on. 👌

[@bcoldgoalie]

😊👍

[@TerminalSports45]

moral of the story: Screw the L&N.

[@alisonfletcher3425]

Hello 👋Brian. My name is Alison Fletcher. I'm very interested in speaking with you about the TC RR. Could you RSVP me here please?

[@CoalChrome]

Wait, so this is the line that TVRM uses to go to Summerville. Also, while the BNSF Heratige II kinda matches the terrain, those GEs should be repainted into Warbonnet/TC livery.

[@lnproductions3227]

But Didn't the N&E & the N&W (Nashville & Western) go into RJ Corman RR hands?

[@brandonb.9498]

Yes, the N&E, N&W, and the Nashville Star was bought by RJ Corman. They will take over day to day train operations in January 2019.

[@wiseolesage]

Did I hear right that the Star the passenger train that runs from Cooksville to Nashville will be coming always to Clarksville, Tennessee about 50 miles north of Nashville sometime in the future?

[@SouthernerFloridain2006]

Southern

[@marthabennett4788]

My mom was born in 1896 and she's still alive today she loves spending time with her grandkids and she loves walk and spend time with family I'm I'm 80 years old

[@dsmith9964]

Is your mother really 122 years old? Are you sure?

[@firepower782]

So your mom is 122 years old. Marthaaaa?

[@anthonypiligno7618]

People would be straight-up ignorant if they ever considered to shut that realign down....jonjon....JJ...

[@CoalChrome]

Ooh, BNSF 8-40BWs

[@neilevans6331]

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