Louisville Freight House

[Jim Davis]

What route would a freight car take to get to the freight house at Louisville?

JD

[Bob Sobotka]

Jim,

I believe the K&IT would handle the freight via their tracks from Youngtown that paralleled the canal. These tracks still exist today. The small nearby yard was called Panama Yard, apparently a play on words since it was next to the canal.  There was access to the freight house (and the B&O freight house) from these tracks independent of the PRR.

There is a nice map of this area in Trackside Around Louisville East on page 107.

Update - I found a photocopy of an advertisement for K&IT from the Louisville Courier Journal dated October 25, 1939. "Monon Freight House" is listed as an industry. I will scan this and upload it when I get a chance.

Bob

[Jim Davis]

Thanks Bob,

That is interesting. It is ez to see three ways around Louisville to the freaght house. It was just a matter of which one.

Was there a any freight houses near Youngtown, B&O or Southern?

JD

[Bob Sobotka]

Was there a any freight houses near Youngtown, B&O or Southern?

Jim, None of these were at Youngtown. The B&O Freight House was across the street from the final Monon freight house (and razed about 10 years ago I think), and the Southern was located at Magnolia Yard (near the juncton of K&IT and IC). The Southern Freight House is still standing. I am not aware if K&IT had one of it's own at Youngtown.

FWIW IC and PRR freight houses were east of Monon's (PRR still stands, IC razed in the last year or two). NYC/C&O was incorporated into Slugger Field and L&N was of course at Union Station, behind the L&N office building and now gone although most of the LUS REA building still stands.

Bob

[Bob Sobotka]

Here's a photo I took in 2008 of the Monon freight house in Louisville. I am standing next to the former K&IT tracks that connect to the former PRR 14th St Branch. The first freight house is visible in the background.

[David Longest]

Here's a photo I took in 2008 of the Monon freight house in Louisville. I am standing next to the former K&IT tracks that connect to the former PRR 14th St Branch. The first freight house is visible in the background.

The Southern had a freight house in New Albany; floods took it but I don't know when.  The insurance maps jump from 1905-1939, so much is unknown.  I will attach a NA west end map showing where the SOU built. 
In the 1950s the SOU used the JM&I/PRR depot east of State St. near the floodwall.

[David Longest]

Some may find this SOU short NA  "bio" of interest.  The LE&StL (Air Line) was a predecessor of the SOU. which came around 1900.  The LE&StL (Lou, Evansville & Stl. was initially the New Albany, Evansville & StL.