One can experience the railroad era that started with NC&StL constructing a short rail line in
1867 from NC&StL’s Bridgeport, Alabama main line through Marion County, Tennessee.
Construction up the Sequatchie Valley required four major construction phases that ultimately reached Pikeville in 1891.
The first train rolled into Pikeville on the evening of June 30, 1891. Now with train service also
came the mail by train that previously had been forwarded from Bridgeport, Alabama by carrier on horseback.
Albert O. Neal was the first depot agent for the new Pikeville depot that was located just opposite of today’s Old Mill Farm and Feed. The line ran to today’s Save-A-Lot where a Wye allowed trains to back and then
pull forward for their return trip down the Sequatchie Valley.
Depots and passenger waiting sheds were constructed up the railroad from Dunlap including Mt. Airy, Pailo, College Station, Lee's Station, and Pikeville.
Morning passenger service from Pikeville to Chattanooga and then returning on the evening train
allowed business and shopping for the Valley. This passenger train had “Uncle” Billy French as
engineer and Pete Rankin as conductor. With paved roads coming to Pikeville in the 1920’s
came bus service that eliminated the need for a dedicated passenger train which made its last run in August 1929.
By 1952, rail service to Pikeville was cut to three trips per week and the passenger coach was cut entirely.
The Pikeville Depot was closed in January 1969, with Jim Denney being the last depot agent.
As mining developed in the Sequatchie Valley, the railroad expanded, taking iron ore and coal
initially to South Pittsburg, Tennessee, today known as Cast Iron City USA. Local demand for
coal grew with the Penn Dixie Cement Plant operation that began in the early 1900’s at
Richard City, Tennessee and TVA’s Widows Creek Steam Plant in Alabama that began
operation in the early 1950’s, both plants now closed.
