Making my way back from the Kentucky Railway Museum I stumbled upon La Grange, KY. I’m an avid watcher of the rail cam here so I needed to see this charming little railroad town for myself.
CSX runs through La Grange on what is known as the LCL Subdivision. This 101-mile line connects Covington, Kentucky, to Louisville, Kentucky. The railroad tracks run right through the heart of the town literally. The railroad tracks are embedded on the eastbound side of the roadway for the whole stretch of the downtown. The trains pass the city business district which includes quaint shops and restaurants. When looking up railfanning in La Grange most websites state anywhere from 14 to 20 trains travel through here daily.
One Nineteen West Main
While visiting La Grange I stopped at “One Nineteen West Main” for dinner. I didn’t want to miss a train going by so I took advantage of the outdoor seating. I ordered the pulled pork mac & cheese. It was delicious, next time I stop I’ll definitely try the famous fish tacos that were featured on “The Best Thing I Ever Ate” on the Cooking Channel.
Train Observation Tower
Looking for a front-row seat to the action? La Grange has its own second-story 10 by 10 Train Observation Tower. Capture great shots from the north and the south from atop this tower. Looking to the east the signal can be easily seen from the tower.
Forgotten Railway | Lexington & Eastern Railroad
While doing research for this blog post I discover there is an abandoned rail line that connects to this mainline. The Lexington & Eastern Railroad line went from La Grange, KY to Christiansburg. La Grange to Eminence was abandoned in 1959 and the rest of the line was abandoned around 1970. From what I can tell this line is almost untraceable. The Eminence train depot is still standing and is now used as the city hall. The other major town on this branch is Smithfield and all that is left there is a street name Railroad Ave.
One of my favorite things about road trips is being able to stop and explore towns like these and learn more about them. You never know what part of history you could stumble on.
