My Old Kentucky Dinner Train Depot

History

The Bardstown railroad branch was originally constructed by The Bardstown and Louisville Railroad in 1860. Subsequently, the Louisville and Nashville Railroad purchased the line at a foreclosure sale in 1864.

R. J. Corman Railroad Company purchased the twenty-mile branch from CSX Transportation in 1987 and developed the Dinner Train which had its inaugural run in 1988. In addition to the Dinner Train, the railroad provides freight service to local industries.

Depot History

The depot was constructed in 1860 and was used as a freight and passenger depot until 1953, when passenger service was discontinued on this portion of the Louisville and Nashville Railroad. The depot is constructed of native limestone and is the last remaining "dry-laid" limestone depot in the state of Kentucky. Because of its historical significance, the depot is listed on the "National Register of Historic Places." The original freight portion of the depot has been preserved intact as much as possible, while the passenger portion was demolished in 1953. A new waiting room addition was constructed in 1992.

Dining Car History

The three cars of the dinner train are all steel skirted cars built by the Budd Company in the late 1940's after World War II. They have been refurbished extensively by R. J. Corman Railroad Company, far exceeding the original interior design. The RJC-007 was built for the Pennsylvania Railroad in 1941 as a fifty-four seat day coach. The RJC-021, built in 1948, was used on the El Capitan train by the Santa Fe Railroad and has been outfitted with the most up-to-date equipment to serve as our kitchen car. The RJC-777 was refurbished and added to the dinner train in May of 1992.