R.J. Corman 3501

I just discovered a former R.J. Corman locomotive, RJCR 3501, stuffed and mounted in Clarksville, Tennessee.

The engine, and accompanying caboose, are parked beside the former Louisville and Nashville station. The station itself is privately owned by the Montgomery County Historical Society. Just to the right of the engine is the operating Memphis branch owned and operated by R.J. Corman.

The history of this engine is confusing to me. If you believe this site, 3501 was built as Southern (SOU) 2641, a GP30, in October 1963.

However, if you believe this other site, 3501 was built as SP 7472 in June 1964!

This site agrees with the first one, that it was a Southern engine. It goes on to say that SOU 2641 was wrecked in 1965 and given a GP35 carbody. That site says it was retired from Norfolk Southern in 1991 and sold to R.J. Corman in 1992.

Everyone seems to agree that it is now a GP35m and it has been retired and donated to the city of Clarksville. I'm glad they can agree on something!

There's some information on the station here.

Clarksville Tennessee

I was in Clarksville, Tennessee for a couple of days last week for work. I worked long hours and did not have any real chance to do any railfanning, but I did spend a few minutes one lunch hour to see what I could see.

Clarksville is served by the R.J. Corman Railroad Company, over the former Louisville & Nashville line. R.J. Corman calls it the "Memphis Line" and it runs from South Union in Kentucky to Cumberland City in Tennessee. I don't know why it is called the Memphis Line, as it goes nowhere near Memphis.

There is a rather impressive bridge over the Cumberland River in Clarksville (see above). The center span is a swing bridge. I understand it is still operational and used in high water situations to let the river barges pass. It looks like each end is protected by signals..


On one side of the bridge is a long wooden trestle leading up to the river.


More information on the bridge: Photo 1, photo 2

I followed the line for a bit on the east side of the river, and found this R.J. Corman train in a tree-lined corridor.


RJCP 1858 is a GP16 originally built for the Atlanta and West Point Railroad, and was owned by CSX for a while. Flickr photo. The train was fairly short.

I was shooting this with a telephoto from a bridge over the rails, and I couldn't get closer and I didn't have time to wait, so this is as good as it gets. I'm going back again in December so perhaps I will get another opportunity to see the rail action in Tennessee.

See Also

• R. J. Corman 3501
• Guthrie, Kentucky