Cincinnati New Orleans & Texas Pacific Railway – CNO&TP
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- Passenger Trains | Asheville Special | Birmingham Special | Carolina Special | Crescent | Peach Queen | Pelican | Piedmont Limited | Ponce de Leon | Royal Palm | Southerner | Tennessean
- Cities: Bristol TN/VA
- Related Lines: Embreeville Branch | Johnson City & Carolina | Johnson City Southern
- Notable People: Dr. Samuel B. Cunningham | Samuel Spencer | W. Graham Claytor, Jr.
- Today: Norfolk Southern
- Railfan Guides: Virginia & Southwestern
- Resources & Sources: Books | Scholars-Authors | Museums | Associations | Website Editor | Site Map
- Related Websites: Rails Across the Appalachians | Clinchfield.org
Cincinnati New Orleans & Texas Pacific Railway
CNO&TP/Cincinnati Southern Railway
Late in 2022, the Norfolk Southern announced it was buying the Cincinnati Southern from the city of Cincinnati for $1.62B. The sale closed in 2024. The Cincinnati Southern holds the distinction of being the only interstate rail line that had been owned by a municipality.
Until 2024, the Cincinnati New Orleans & Texas Pacific (CNO&TP) Railroad (a legal entity) leased the Cincinnati Southern Railway (the actual railroad) from the City of Cincinnati.
The CNO&TP in turn leased the key 337 mile railroad to the Norfolk Southern Railway. The CNO&TP has been operated under the terms of the lease by the Southern Railway, and successor Norfolk Southern since 1894.
CNO&TP History
The citizens of Cincinnati approved an initial bond issue in 1869 for $10 million to construct the line that would serve as a key component linking the Ohio River to the Atlantic Ocean and Gulf of Mexico. The route would traverse the southern United States during an era of redevelopment and economic expansion. By 1879, the line had been completed from Cincinnati to Chattanooga at a total expense of $16 million.
In hindsight, the proceeds from the $1.6 billion sale price, and the millions of dollars in lease payments for 140+ years is a substantial return that has funded many projects and services for the city of Cincinnati.
CNO&TP Stats
- Founded/Chartered: 1869
- Operated: 1879 – Present (Leased/Operated by Norfolk Southern)
- Abbreviation: CNO&TP (Also known as Cincinnati Southern)
- Initial Route: Cincinnati OH to Chattanooga TN
- Length: 337 Miles
- Related Railroads: Southern Railway, Norfolk Southern Railway
- Headquarters: Cincinnati OH, Owned by the City of Cincinnati
- Cities: Cincinnati OH, Lexington KY, Danville KY, Somerset KY, Oneida TN, Oakdale TN, Dayton TN, and Chattanooga TN
- Key Individuals: Samuel Spencer
- Today: Norfolk Southern Railway
Cincinnati Southern Map
Map by City of Cincinnati
https://www.cincinnati-oh.gov/dote/modes-of-transportation/by-rail/cincinnati-southern-railway/
More Southern Railway information will be added to this page and others in the days ahead. Please let me know if you have any edits that should be made or any content you are willing to share by utilizing the comment form below. Would enjoy hearing from you if you have similar interests in the railroads, the region, or model railroading.
Southern-Railroads.org Sources and Resources
The following are excellent resources for those of you wanting to explore and learn more about the Southern Railway and its predecessors. These sources of information also serve as reference and historical materials for Southern-Railroads.org. Much of the content on the website is verified across multiple sources.
- Association: Southern Railway Historical Association
- Personal maps, timetables, track charts, and memorabilia
- Book – Flanary, Lindsey & Oroszi: The Southern Railway
- Book – Graybeal: The Railroads of Johnson City
- Book – Harshaw: ‘Trains Trestles & Tunnels, Railroads of the Southern Appalachians’
- Book – Lindsey: ‘Norfolk Southern 1995 Review’
- Book – Poole: ‘A History of Railroading in Western North Carolina’
- Book – Reisweber: ‘Southern Railway Power’
- Book – Scales: Natural Tunnel, Nature’s Marvel in Stone’
- Book – Stout: ‘Southern Railway: Through Passenger Service’
- Book – Ward: ‘Southern Railway Varnish 1964-1979’
- Book – Webb: ‘The Southern Railway System: An Illustrated History’
- Book – Wiley & Wallace: ‘The Southern Railway Handbook’
- Book – Withers & Sink: ‘Southern: A Motive Power Pictorial’
- Book – Wolfe: Southern Railway Appalachia Division
- Magazines – ‘Trains‘ , ‘Classic Trains‘
- Website – Carolana.com – North Carolina Railroads, South Carolina Railroads
- Website – Hawkinsrails.net
- Website – Johnson’s Depot hosted by StateOfFranklin.net
- Website – Multimodalways.org: Norfolk Southern Track Charts
- Website – RailFanGuides.us for Johnson City
- Website – SteamLocomotive.com
- Website – TheDieselShop.us
- Website – VirginiaPlaces.org – Railroad History of Virginia
Contact Us
Would enjoy hearing from you if you have questions, suggestions, edits, or content that you are willing to share. Don’t hesitate to reach out if you have similar interests in the Southern or Model Railroads.
3Cs Websites
Appalachian-Railroads.org | Clinchfield.org | Southern-Railroads.org
